How to get there
The lowest round-trip air fare from Boston to Paris at press time was $523 on
What to do
For the summer solstice, the Fête de la Musique turns Paris and its streets, bars, cafes, plazas, and squares into one big stage, with hundreds of performances big and small. The best plan is to get a guide to the performances -- either online or in Paris newspapers the morning of June 21 -- and wander, weaving from music into the city's daily life and back again. Performances take place in each of the city's 20 arrondissements, with many in out-of-the-way locales. Others are set prominently, for example, on the steps of the National Assembly or beneath the Eiffel Tower.
For information before the event, visit www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr. Many pages are available in English. In early June, the website will publish this year's detailed program.
Where to eat
Chez Omar
47 rue de Bretagne, Paris
3rd arrondissement
011-1-42-72-36-26
No guarantee of a table, at least not without a long wait (no reservations taken), but this is one restaurant worth a visit -- out of many wonderful places to eat in Paris. The decor may be French but the cuisine is authentic North African. The couscous is exceptional, particularly with chicken or spicy sausage. Entrees $14 to $30.
