Things to see and do China

Timetable

Museums are generally open from 9am to 5pm and closed on Mondays. The Tian'anmen Gate opens at 8:30 am (search your bag at the entrance). For the Great Wall, from Beijing, access in winter from 8am to 6pm, in summer from 6:30am to 7pm.

Budget & Tips

Free entrance to the National Museum of Beijing with a European passport, as well as to the Mausoleum of Mao.

Main events

The Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is undoubtedly the biggest event of the year, between the end of January and mid-February. Every Chinese person goes to his village or hometown for a big family reunion. All the good addresses are crowded. Public transportation is full. It is the occasion of fireworks and firecrackers during the longest public vacation in China, and to eat tons of Chinese ravioli!

The Lantern Festival, another traditional festival, takes place on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar. Lanterns are lit up all over the streets as soon as it gets dark

For the Qingming Festival, on April 4 or 5, the ancestors' tombs are cleaned, people walk around and fly kites.

Forthe Dragon Boat Festival in late May or June, people eat glutinous rice cakes in bamboo leaves and race dragon boats

In August, the Qixi festival: it is the Chinese Valentine's Day

The Mid-Autumn Festival, or Moon Festival, is the occasion to offer and eat moon cakes which symbolize the reunion of the family. It is the second most important traditional holiday

In addition, there are the following holidays: January¹, March 8, March 12 - National Reforestation Day, May¹, May 4 - Chinese Youth Day (1919), June¹ - Children's Day, July¹ - Anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party, August¹ - Anniversary of the People's Liberation Army of China (1927), October¹ - Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (1949) Chinese people usually take a week of vacation, it is the Golden Week! Book your hotels and activities in advance during this period.

Guided tours

Of course, a guided tour of museums or historical sites with a French-speaking guide will enrich your discoveries.

What's very local

Modesty is a must in China and the older you are, the more you cover your body and adopt dark colors. On the other hand, children wear very colorful clothes, especially red. And babies wear slit panties.