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La rentrée may be under way, but you can still catch the last rays of an Indian summer sun or the wisp of a cool evening breeze on one of a dozen or so péniches or barges, that have cropped up over the last few years along the Seine and offer drink, food, music and theater. These charming riverside boats don't navigate, but resemble more floating cafés/concert pavilions with open air terraces on deck and performance spaces below. Strictly regulated by the Port Autonome de Paris, the péniches are concentrated on the quai Montebello, the quai Malaquais and the port de la Gare, all on the Left Bank. The first of these sites to harbor such a venue in 1992, and perhaps the most picturesque setting of the three, is the quai Montebello, with its stunning view of Notre-Dame. The first péniche to get through all the red tape of obtaining authorization from the Mairie de Paris was the houseboat turned showboat, Metamorphosis. Home of the Théâtre de Magie de Paris, it is fittingly situated below the pont de l'Archevêché, where troubadours and "saltimbanques" performed between the 14th and 16th centuries. Magician and owner Jan Madd feels that "just stepping on a boat is the start of a voyage into the imaginary and dreams." Metamorphosis is currently running "Artifices," a vaudevillian spectacle of fireworks, music, dancing girls and crafty prestidigitation by Mr. Madd. The show is performed in the plush 100-seat baroque theater, specially constructed below the restaurant terrace where lunch, dinner or light meals are served. Next door, at the Kiosque Flottant, owner Jean-Pierre Niego has dubbed his boats the "new salons of the water." According to him, "We feel good on the water; it releases the negative ions. There's an attraction to its ephemeral quality." As other péniches owners have done, Niego converted his boats ( he has two and is building a third), from pontoons formerly used to transport merchandise. Many are based on the 1939 Freycinet prototype, usually 39.5 meters long and 5.05 meters wide. The Kiosque Flottant, with its black wrought iron and green plants, is the perfect setting for a romantic candle-lit dinner. It features jazz every night, with an open mike night on Thursday and New York singer Electra Weston performing on the weekends. Just below Notre-Dame, the Calife takes its name from an oriental prince. It was designed by pianist and owner Nicolas Gailledrat, who conceived of the 1930s-style restaurant and the mahogany concert room below, with a bronze ceiling perfect for recording discs. Nightly concerts feature jazz, as well as Spanish and Indian music, among other genres. In addition, le Calife has just started a special Sunday brunch cruise on the Seine. Further upstream, with a spectacular view of the Louvre, and the Passerelle des Arts are two other péniches. The Balle au Bond, meaning "a stitch in time," features theater and concerts every night. The boat boasts an ingenious design that transforms the middle deck into a 80-seat sloping theater. Within minutes, the theater converts back into a concert stage for jazz, funk, pop and traditional French chanson. The French play "Mais n'te promène donc pas toute nue" by Fedeau is being performed through September. Light brasserie fare is also served. On the same quai, the Six Huit takes its name from the musical meter frequent in jazz and African music as well as the preferred aperitif hours. Co-owner Nadia Boulkertous says, "People are coming back to the quais. Opening the quais to bikers and skaters on Sunday afternoons has helped alot." Dine at the fine restaurant on deck then go below to listen to live jazz, pop or latin music in an art deco steamship decor Somewhat off the beaten track, the port de la Gare, at the foot of the new Bibliothèque Nationale, is the newest home to cultural péniches. The quai de la Gare supports the largest flotilla, and also has the advantage of having no neighborhood noise problems and free parking on the port. An imminent project to build a passerelle joining the Bercy gardens and quai de la Gare will bring even more traffic to this quickly developing area. Christened La Dame de Canton in 1984, the original Guinguette Pirate, an authentic Chinese junk, arrived in Paris, 30,000 miles, 38 months and 17 countries later. With zany festival spirit, the Guinguette programs nightly concerts with such obscure genres as Modern Raï, Celtic Mediterranean rock or chanson marionettes. Monthly documentary screenings are held on the quai and children's programs are held twice a week. Dinner is served in the hold (two main courses prepared per evening) and books and board games are available as well. Next door, the El Alamein bar and tea salon, named after the village in Egypt, sports a charming sunny terrace and below, a turquoise salon interior covered with plants. Specializing in French chanson, Valentin sings songs in the "Barbara tradition" from September 17 to October 4. Downstream, the Péniche Makara, named after the Hindu marine monster, features world music, techno evenings with DJs and Sunday night acoustic concerts. Next door, the Kiosque Flottant, sister boat to the Kiosque at Notre-Dame, serves full restaurant fare. Nightly concerts feature Afro jazz and jazz funk with an open mike every Thursday. Kids' activities include African drum classes on Wednesday mornings, puppets and bilingual storytelling on the weekend. Proposing a new platform for French rock in Paris to begin this month, the Blues Café currently offers nightly concerts, Friday theme parties and Sunday festivals that spotlight several groups followed by an evening of Gospel. Programs slated in September include a Malgache party and punk, rock and ska evenings. Snacks and bar food are served. Péniche locations Most boats also book private engagements and change moorings seasonally, so call ahead. Boats on Quai Montebello and Quai Malaquais usually exchange mooring addresses for the winter starting on October 1. Quai Montebello, Notre Dame, M° Maubert-Mutualité Le Calife, bar/restaurant. Concerts start at 10:30pm, tel: 01.43.54.50.04, admission 50F/30F. Kiosque Flottant café concert/restaurant/salon de thé. Open 10am-2pm, tel: 01.43.54.19.51. Metamorphosis, Tue-Sat, tel: 01.40.39.99.09, summer menu at 140F; show 80F (special promotion). Quai Malaquais, 6e, M° Pont Neuf or St-Germain-des-Prés Balle au Bond, 6pm to 2am, theater at 8pm, 50-100F, concerts at 10pm, about 40F, tel: 01.40.51.87.06. Péniche Six Huit, midnight to 2am, tel: 01.43.80.74.54, dinner/concert combination, 190F. Quai de la Gare, 13e, M° Quai de la Gare La Guinguette Pirate, bar/restaurant 6pm to 2am, tel: 01.44.24.89.89, admission free; 30F for concerts and spectacles. Péniche Makara, bar Tue-Sun, 6pm-2am, music at 9pm, tel: 01.44.24.09.00, admission 20-50F. Kiosque Flottant, bar/restaurant, 10-2am, tel: 01.53.61.23.29. El Alamein, bar open from 6 pm, tel: 01.45.86.41.60. Blues Café, tel: 01.45.84.53.53. To promote the Seine and its riverbanks, for the first time, the Mairie de Paris will host the Fête de la Seine, a two-day festival on the city's quais September 5 and 6. Organized by Paris Evénement, the festival, will include concerts, performances, flea markets and fireworks. For info, tel: 01.42.76.43.43. |
