4 Best Performing Arts in Paris, France

Ready for a variation on the circus theme? If you're lucky enough to be visiting during the two months Zingaro performs at home (usually in late fall), you'll have the chance to witness a truly unique spectacle. Since 1985, France's foremost horse whisperer, who goes by the name of Bartabas, has created captivating equestrian shows that mix theater, dance, music, and poetry. The 500-seat theater-in-the-round on the outskirts of Paris is part of a caravan, where trainers and their families, 45 horses, and Bartabas himself live and work. The horses perform in close proximity to the audience in astonishing displays of choreography and acrobatic skill. If you can't make it for Zingaro, there is a consolation prize: in 2003, Bartabas created the Académie du Spectacle Équestre at the royal stables of Versailles (Grandes Écuries). Audiences can catch a decidedly more elegant show there on weekends (Saturday at 6 pm, Sunday at 3 pm) and on certain weekdays during school holidays. Expect to pay €34 to €57 for tickets.

Catch previews of feature films, as well as documentaries, shorts, children's movies, and rarely shown flicks at Cinéma des Cinéastes. Near the Montmartre neighborhood, it's an old cabaret transformed into a movie house and wine bar.

Formerly the Cirque National Alexis Gruss, Les Folies Gruss remains true to the Cirque à l'Ancienne philosophy, featuring a traditional circus with showy horseback riders, trapeze artists, and clowns. The large-scale production runs mid-October through early March, with performances twice daily at 3 pm and 9 pm. Tickets cost €20 to €80.

Located in the former residence of Cardinal Richelieu, this plush, 716-seat, Italian-style theater is bedecked in gold and purple. It specializes in lighter fare, like comedies and theatrical productions aimed at the under-12 set.