I’ll admit it right from the start of this article so we’re clear, I don’t like football.
However, or perhaps precisely because of that, I want to take advantage of the event and spot the positive aspects amidst this football invasion of our daily lives.
In Paris, in particular, there are numerous events, and bars and restaurants are making the capital vibrate to the rhythm of the round ball during the EURO, which will be held from June 10th to July 10th.
Here is my little selection of events and places to visit to get into the EURO spirit during this competition (whether you like football or not) and to enjoy the friendly atmosphere that will hopefully sweep through our minds.
My little selection of spots and “special Euro 2016” tips:
Table of Contents
Ma Bulle By eBay, a free day to get pampered
June 11th is World Wellness Day (but it’s also the 1st weekend of the Euro), so I’m offering a Plan B for all the girls who, like me, couldn’t care less about football and prefer to spend the day with the girls!
The website eBay is organizing a completely free day (registration required at www.mabullebyebay.fr) during which we can enjoy beauty and wellness activities with experts.
On the agenda:
- Yoga class in the Yoga Sphere universe and learning the art of self-massage
- Fresh Make-Up in the Beauty Room area and a nail-art bar
- Healthy Bar to compose your own rice-bowl and exchange tips and recipes
- Coaching mini-conferences given by lifestyle experts
Saturday, June 11, 2016 from 10 am to 8 pm Atelier Richelieu 75002 Paris
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Bet on EURO 2016 and eat your favorite burger with Big Fernand
Big Fernand (the king of French-style burgers) and Take Eat Easy (eco-friendly bike delivery), are offering a hamburger platform dedicated to match predictions for the EURO.
The game is played in two clicks:
- Sign up at www.pariezmangez.com
- Bet on the final score of a match before kick-off (one prediction possible per championship day)
After the final whistle of each match, for every burger purchased, all bettors with the correct predictions will be rewarded with:
- a 3-month subscription to the digital magazine So Foot
- fernandines (homemade fries) and 2 Gallia beers, all delivered for free by Take Eat Easy on the day of their choice.
- In addition, each winner can share this with 5 of their friends!
- An additional contest will allow participants to win 3 football trips to Russia, and the best predictor at the end of the EURO will win 2 tickets to the 2018 World Cup final in Russia, the second place winner gets 2 tickets to the semi-final, and the third place winner gets 2 tickets to the quarter-final (+ travel and hotel included)
"Bet Eat Euro 2016" promotion from June 10 to July 17, 2016
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Create a delicious round ball at the Chocolate Museum
The Chocolate Gourmet Museum regularly organizes many workshops where both children (minimum 6 years old) and adults can handle and craft their own chocolate with the museum’s chocolatiers. Participants then leave with the chocolates they have prepared.
For the occasion, the museum invites families to create their own 800g all-chocolate round ball.
Workshops from May 1st to August 31st Reservation mandatory Price (includes museum entry fee): €30 / person Musée du Chocolat 28 bd Bonne Nouvelle, 75010 Paris
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Foot Foraine at La Villette
From June 5th to July 10th, 2016, La Villette gets into the Euro 2016 spirit with Foot Foraine, a festive and artistic event centered around the round ball!
Both an artistic and sports event, Foot Foraine is a unique experience that explores the round ball from all its facets, both indoors in the Grande Halle and out on the lawns and various spaces of the park.
On the agenda: visual arts exhibition, immersive installation in football video games, Sports Cafe, vintage fairground, friendly tournaments on quirky football pitches, not to mention workshops dedicated to young audiences… a mix of paid and free activities.
Price: unlimited Expo pass (ticket valid from June 5 to July 10) €5 / under 26s €3 / family rate €10 / Subscribers, Villette cards free
Foot Foraine from 06/05 to 07/10/2016 from Wednesday to Sunday, 2 pm to 8 pm La Villette
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The FrogPubs join the game
The pioneers of craft beer in Paris, the FrogPubs (which I have already mentioned in several articles on the blog), will also be dressing up for the Euro for 1 month!
The 10 FrogPubs will broadcast all matches of the Euro 2016, and giant screens have been installed at Frog & Rosbif (Paris, Toulouse, and Bordeaux), at Frog & British Library, and at Frog at Bercy Village, which features the largest HD screen in Paris.
As for entertainment, supporters can play “Guess the Score” in all FrogPubs during every match. They just need to ask the server for a game card and enter their predictions before half-time for a chance to win a pitcher of beer per match. Football-themed quizzes as well as Beer Pong tournaments will also be organized.
After-parties with DJs for the two semi-finals (July 6 and 7) and the final (July 10) will keep the party going, while artificial grass (astroturf) will be installed on the terraces of Frog at Bercy Village (Paris 12) and Frog & British Library (Paris 13) to combine the round ball with relaxation. Finally, contests will be held on social media.
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Slow Foot at the House of Switzerland, at the Wanderlust
From June 10th to July 10th, for the duration of Euro 2016, the urban terrace of the Wanderlust changes tempo, focus, and decor, and for one month becomes the House of Switzerland.
On the agenda: all Euro 2016 matches broadcast live on a giant outdoor screen, concerts with the Montreux Jazz Festival, cinema with the Locarno Festival, family workshops, brunches on Saturdays and Sundays, yoga, and as a bonus, chef Pierre Jancou (a rock star of Swiss gastronomy) will inject his expertise into the restaurant’s menu.
And the best part is that most of these events are free, so why miss out?
Wanderlust 32 Quai d'Austerlitz, 75013 Paris
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Some football-themed treats
- Blue, white, and red shortbread cookies from Maison Pignol (famous Lyon caterer) in the shape of a football jersey.
Price: €5 for a 100g box
- A Football range at Léonidas to participate in the Euro 2016 frenzy, offering small milk chocolate balls filled with praline that melt in your mouth…
Price: box of 45 balls (495 g), €22
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The “Plateau Télé” EURO 2016 from La Dégustation
La Dégustation, the lovely wine and champagne bar address by chef Antoine Westermann in the heart of Montmartre, is offering a “TV Platter” in honor of Euro 2016 and for the fine gourmets that we are.
Seated near the bay window or around the counter, the set menu will be available from June 10th to July 10th, 2016, and you can follow the matches on one of the establishment’s two television screens.
On the menu: pork rillettes and dry sausage from Barrèges (small delicatessen from the Pyrenees), AOC Nyons olives from Domaine de Rocheville, vegetable pickles from Coq Rico (his neighboring poultry restaurant), and aged Comté from Marie Quatrehomme. All accompanied by a glass of white, red, or rosé from a selection of small winegrowers. Hardcore fans can otherwise opt for a craft beer!
La Dégustation
93 rue Lepic 75018 Paris
Price: €16 per person (very good value for money and a quite generous portion in the end)_
Happy Hours and giant screen for Euro 2016 at the Mövenpick Hotel Paris Neuilly
The Mövenpick Hotel Paris Neuilly is a 4-star establishment (which I have already mentioned several times on the blog), ultimately very close to the capital, even if you have to take the end of metro line 3 to get there by public transport.
Euro matches will be specially broadcast on a giant screen at the hotel bar and on the terrace, and as a bonus, you can enjoy Happy Hours from Monday to Friday, from 6 pm to 8 pm at the 58 Bar & Lounge.
The tip: for these events, the hotel suggests making predictions on the UEFA competition, and magnificent prizes will be up for grabs for the luckiest ones!
Mövenpick Hotel Paris Neuilly 58 boulevard Victor Hugo 92 200 Neuilly-sur-Seine
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The FootChériBox
FootChériBox (the box from the online restaurant FoodChéri) offers the “Clasico Charcut X Cheese” platter for match evenings. It will be available every match day during the Euro and available for pre-order on the site and the application.
On the agenda:
- 1 platter of French farm cheeses: Comté, Murol, Timanoix, goat’s cheese log, goat’s cheese heart, and Neufchâtel.
- 1 platter for meat lovers with charcuterie from the best regions of Europe: prosciutto from Parma, sausage, chorizo, and coppa, a generous roast beef from the butcher with tartar sauce, or marinated French chicken drumsticks
- 1 platter of fresh vegetables, peeled and cut for dipping into homemade sauces, marinated vegetables, and cakes
- 1 traditional baguette crafted by the official supplier to the Elysée Palace
price: €24.90 for two people
The tip: free delivery between 11:30 am – 1:45 pm and 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm
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The Supporters’ Aperitif by Frichti
Frichti (a site that delivers fresh, homemade food to your door every day, lunch and dinner) offers the “Supporters’ Aperitif” to have a proper pre-drink without breaking the bank.
In addition, each Supporters’ Aperitif comes with the Supporters’ Gazette created by Frichti, which offers the match schedule and tests everyone’s skills to see who in the group is a casual fan or a real die-hard.
The tip: to celebrate the Euro and challenge supporters, bets will take place every day on the site. Whoever guesses the score of the evening match the most times from June 10th to July 10th will win 1 year of Frichti!
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LesFurets.com launches the Euro-smart game
From June 10th to July 10th, 2016, LesFurets.com, a site for comparing and buying insurance, invites you to test your knowledge about the countries participating in the football Euro by betting and answering quirky questions through a contest game, with the opportunity to win many prizes.
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Playing the supporter with the Kipsta jersey at Décathlon
I can totally imagine my brother in this football jersey I recently bought him to support the French team for every match of the competition. Plus, it’s a really good deal as the price is very accessible (€9.99).
Available in sizes S to 2XL (important detail as my brother is a big guy)
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-5% extra for every goal scored by the French team
For the football Euro, Juliana Rose is animating its online store on French team match evenings, and for every goal scored, a -5% discount will be accumulated and valid on the entire site. A fun and motivating idea that I wanted to share with you!
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Whether you are a big football fan or not, I still wish you an excellent EURO, in front of a TV screen, in a bar, or with your nose in your plate!
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez, ©DFAE Presence Suisse and Mademoiselle Bon Plan Photos are not royalty-free, photographer authorization mandatory before any use
