Champs-Elysees will turn into picnic grounds for a day

Everyone’s invited free of charge, but only after registration

Mark 26 May on your calendars, especially if you live in or happen to be visiting Paris on that day. That Sunday, the city’s most famous boulevard – Champs-Elysees – will become not just a pedestrian area, but a picnic area. Because why not?

The organisers of the event, called Le Grand Pique-nique des Champs, are the Comité des Champs-Elysées non-profit organization and LG Electronics. They promise that this will be the biggest picnic in the world, at least this year.

Two picnic sessions: brunch and lunch

For the purpose, 216 metres of the avenue will be covered in a red-and-white checkered tablecloth – between the Triumphal Arch and Avenue George V.

The best part is it will be completely free to attend. Think of it as one big social random meetup with delicious snacks provided by the organisers. Yes, that’s right, the picnicker won’t have to bring any food or drink – just themselves.

Each square of the “tablecloth”, 9 m2 large, will accommodate a group of six people. Guests will receive “packed meals specially cooked by restaurateurs” from the Champs-Elysées, according to the Comité. Oh, la la!

Nine pop-up kitchens will be set up nearby to prepare and serve the meals to the attendants. There will be two sessions: the first one at 11:45 and the second one at 13:30. Think of them as brunch and lunch.

Participation is completely free, however, you might already guess that due to the limited space available and the likely enormous interest, the organisers have decided to make a draw and randomly select about 3,700 lucky people who will have the chance to have a unique experience right in the heart of the French capital.

That’s why, if you’re feeling lucky, hurry up and register here (in French).