Beach time in the City of Lights

Paris Plages is back for the eighth time. It's a month-long event that transforms part of the banks of the river Seine that runs through the French capital into beaches - as the name suggests.

Organised by the City authorities it's described as a "Seine-side holiday" and doubtless will come as a welcome distraction for the increasing number of French - Parisians included - who, given the economic downturn, won't have the spare centimes to afford an annual break.

Indeed "summertime solidarity" is the theme the mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, is stressing for this year's event, which officially opened on Monday and will run until August 20.

Love it or loathe it, there's no denying the mark Paris Plages has made on the French capital since it was inaugurated back in 2002.

For sure motorists who have the misfortune of discovering their regular routes blocked because the busy voie Georges Pompidou is closed to traffic and finding alternative routes can be a nightmare, might be less than happy.

But even the grouchiest city dweller working through the month of August (yes, Paris might traditionally all but "shuts shop" for a month, nevertheless there are still some who make the journey to and from their offices each day) would be hard pushed to find fault in a concept which has welcomed an ever-increasing number of visitors every year.

And let's face it, if it were such a bad thing, then other cities, such as Toulouse in the southwest of France or the Belgian capital, Brussels, wouldn't end up copying the idea.

Sand, palms trees, deck chairs and ice cream - all the elements necessary for a beach holiday - slap bang in the centre of one of the world's major capital cities!

However even if the idea of Paris Plages is to give those living in the region a taste of what they might be able to experience in traditional seaside locations, it isn't just about beaches.

Sure visitors can practise their canoeing skills, take in a game of pétanque, or enjoy any number of water sports (and others too) that might be on offer elsewhere, but there are also a whole host of cultural and educational events organised to run throughout the month.

Every Sunday for example there are guided walking tours offering visitors the chance to learn more about the capital and its history. And a number of concerts from artists such as Charlie Winston and Amadou and Miriam have also been scheduled.

If, in your opinion, exercise and culture all require a little too much effort - and of course the weather plays ball - then there's always the option of simply relaxing on a deck chair on one of the beaches to soak up the sun.

A couple of points worth mentioning if you're planning a trip to Paris intent on enjoying the beaches.

Swimming in the Seine itself is not allowed. Instead there's a floating pool for visitors to splash around in.

And although allowed on many other beaches up and down the country, nude sunbathing is a big no-no, as is what would be considered "indecent or inappropriate clothing".

So be careful what you wear and don't take off all your garb.

Bonnes vacances.