SETTLING IN - CultureShock! A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette - page 126

the shows may be difficult to understand for non-French
speakers. Circuses, which are extremely popular, come
and go according to the season; several come just around
Christmas, and the famous, international Cirque du Soleil is
an annual visitor. Look for Cirque de Paris, Cirque d'Hiver
Bouglione and Cirque Alexis Grüss, a circus family that has
been entertaining children for more than 100 years. Check
the weekly events guides for current listings.
Métamorphosis: Spectacle Magie de Paris. Located on a
barge anchored on the banks of the Seine. In winter it's
in the 6e, across from 7 quai Malaquais; in summer it's
docked at 55 quai de la Tournelle (tel: [phone]).
Website: http://www.metamorphosis-spectacle.fr
Sunday brunch and weekday dinners on deck, then an
entertaining, participatory magic show below deck.
Theme Parks
Theme parks outside Paris are good for weekend excursions,
and they are generally easy to reach by car or public
transportation. There are a variety of themes to choose
from, from the Parc Astérix (named for the beloved comic
character) to La Mer de Sable, an American Wild West
extravaganza. Disneyland Paris is the most famous, but there
are other interesting ones, such as France Miniature, which
presents a miniature bas-relief of the historical landmarks
and regions of France. For the extensive swimming complex
Aquaboulevard, see Chapter Seven.
http://www.parcasterix.fr
http://www.merdesable.fr
http://www.disneylandparis.com
http://www.franceminiature.com
http://www.aquaboulevard.com
http://www.jardindacclimatation.fr
http://www.sealife.fr
Toys
Hypermarchés and some of the large supermarket chains
sell jouets (toys) and jeux (games) at decent prices, and
department stores usually have a good selection of the inter-