Tag Archives: museums

Renowned French Women Artists & Where to See their Art in Paris

All too frequently overshadowed by their male counterparts, women artists have gradually carved out their rightful place on France’s art scene. This foundation was laid by courageous women artists of the late-19th century, with more following little by little over the course of the 19th and into the 20th century. Here are ten of the most renowned artists who helped pave the way for today’s generation of women artists in France.

Portrait of Marie Antoinette, Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun © Château de Versailles, Dist. RMN : © Christophe Fouin

Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun (1755-1842)

Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun was one of the most renowned artists of the end of the 18th and first half of the 19th century. A child prodigy, her talent for drawing was noticed at a young age by her father, a pastel artist, who let her dabble with his supplies. After several years at a convent school, she began an apprenticeship with an artist. A professional artist by age 14, within only a few years she began painting high-level aristocrats and she was one of the first women accepted into a French painting academy, or guild. Her work soon attracted the attention of the royal court (then looking to rehabilitate the Queen’s reputation); she became the Queen’s official portraitist and painted her over thirty times. Fleeing during the Revolution, she was able to return to her artistic career under the Napoleonic regime.

Where to see her art: Musée du Louvre (French Painting Department), Versailles (le Petit Trianon)

Portrait de Rosa Bonheur dans son atelier au château de By
©Chateau de Rosa Bonheur

Rosa Bonheur (1822-1899)

Also the daughter of an artist father, Rosa Bonheur’s love of animal paintings began as a child and continued throughout her career. She studied animals in the suburbs of Paris, the Bois de Boulogne and the National Veterinary Institute. Bonheur’s first major success was Ploughing in the Nivernais, on display at the Musée d’Orsay, and was awarded a gold medal in 1849. Adored by the US market, Bonheur was the first female French artist to be awarded the Legion of Honour.

Where to see her art: Musée d’Orsay, Chateau de Rosa Bonheur (near Fontainebleau)

Le jardin à Bougival (1884) Berthe Morisot, and top image: Self-Portrait (1889), Berthe Morisot, both Musée Marmatton-Monet

Berthe Morisot (1841-1895)

A rebellious artist from her early days, Berthe began painting alongside her sister. A close friend of Édouard Manet, the two exchanged frequently on art; Morisot would later marry his brother. She was one of the founding members of les “Artistes Anonymes Associés,” a group of innovative artists including Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, Camille Pissarro, and Edgar Degas who would later be called the impressionists. Today her work features in many of the world’s most prestigious museums.

Where to see her art: Musée d’Orsay and the Musée Marmottan-Monet

The Blue Room (1923), Centre Pompidou – Musée National d’Art Moderne

Suzanne Valadon (1865-1938)

Interested in drawing as a child, Marie-Clémentine Valadon, later called Suzanne, came from a poor family and was obligated to begin work aged 11. After an accident at the circus where she was an acrobatist, she started modeling for artists including Berthe Morisot, Renoir, Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec. These encounters encouraged her to pursue her own artistic career. Known for her bold nudes as well as portraits, still lifes, and landscape, she became the first woman painter admitted to the Société nationale des Beaux-Arts. Valadon and her son, the notable painter Maurice Utrillo, are celebrated at the Montmartre Museum, part of which comprises their former studio.

Where to see her art: Musée d’Orsay, Centre Pompidou and Musée de Montmartre

La Répétition (1936), Marie Laurencin, Centre Pompidou
Marie Laurencin (1883-1956)

A multi-talented artist born in Paris, Marie Laurencin got her start in art by learning the trade of porcelain painting at the École de Sèvres before she moved on to the Académie Humbert. It was here where she met Braque and Picabia, steering her in the direction of modernism. A fauvist before becoming a prominent cubist, Laurencin became a popular society portraitist after the Great War. She also dabbled in theatre set design and costumes.

Where to see her art: Musée de l’Orangerie and Centre Pompidou

Louise Bourgeois, Spider (Araignée) (1995). Don de la SAMAM en 1995 © The Easton Foundation / ADAGP, Paris 2020 / Julien Vidal / Parisienne de Photographie

Louise Bourgeois (1911 – 2010)

One of the most renowned artists of the 20th century, Louise Bourgeois might be best known for her large-scale sculpture and installation art, however, her work evolved dramatically over her long career. After her mother’s death, Bourgeois abandoned the study of maths to pursue art, first at the École des Beaux-Arts and the École du Louvre, before moving on to independent academies in Montparnasse and Montmartre. It was after moving to New York with her husband, an art scholar, in the late 1930s that her career and individual style began to flourish, especially when she joined the American Abstract Artists Group in the 1950s.

Where to see her art: Centre Pompidou and the Modern Art Museum of the City of Paris

Stravinksy Fountain ( 1983), Niki de Saint Phalle, Photo: Clement Dorval / Ville de Paris

Niki de Saint-Phalle (1930-2002)

Born in France and raised in the United States, Niki de Saint-Phalle is best remembered for her monumental, curvaceous and colourful sculptures. Nevertheless, Saint-Phalle was also a painter, filmmaker and illustrator. The self-taught artist portrayed her traumatic childhood through violent assemblages shot by firearms, which caught the attention of the international art world. She collaborated with other notable artists like Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg and Jean Tinguely. Her sculptural commissions decorate public spaces around the world. In Paris, her most notable work on display is the colourful, nouveau realist Stravinksky Fountain created with her husband Jean Tinguely in 1983.

Where to see her art: Centre Pompidou.

Sophie Calle, Gallerie Perrotin, Paris

Sophie Calle (1953- )

Born in the Parisian suburb of Malakoff and raised in the South of France, Sophie Calle is one of the most prominent living artists on the international art stage. A globe-trotting feminist activist in her youth, Calle returned to Paris and turned towards art. Known for her very personal work exploring identity, Calle crisscrosses genres from writing to photography and from installation work to conceptual art. She frequently exhibits in contemporary art galleries around the world.

Where to see her art: Gallerie Perrotin (75003)

Our Guide to the Montparnasse Neighbourhood

For centuries the Montparnasse district of Paris has attracted writers, poets, artists, filmmakers and other creatives. Once just outside the southern edge of Paris, in the 16th century the area was a depository for rubble and stones extracted from neighbouring quarries. In the 18th century, students started gathered at this artificial hill, or “mont”, to recite poetry. They nicknamed the location “Montparnasse”, after Mount Parnassus, the home of poetry, music, and learning in ancient Greek mythology.

In the mid-1800s, open-air dancehalls began popping up on the fringes of the Paris and several appeared here, creating a laid-back and lively ambiance, which remained after the district was incorporated into Paris in 1860. In the early 20th century, as the Montparnasse train station serves western France, working class people from the region of Brittany settled in the area and brought the art of creperies with them, a tradition that carries on to this day. Cheap rents also began drawing artists, their numbers increasing when Pablo Picasso abandoned Montmartre for the Montparnasse in the 1910s. This creative surge peaked in the 1920s when Montparnasse and its buzzing cafés became the epicentre for Parisian nightlife and the city’s artistic and literary scene.

This inspirational location is the setting for our Paris School of Arts and Culture. You may like to get to know the area with the help of this guide to Montparnasse including sites of interest, art venues, cinemas, cafés and more.

Sites of Interest

Montparnasse Cemetery

Often over-shadowed by Père Lachaise cemetery, this beautiful final resting place, the second largest in Paris, is also worth a visit. It too has its equal share of notable tombs, including those of Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Charles Baudelaire, Brancusi, Marguerite Duras and, perhaps the most visited, singer Serge Gainsbourg.

Tour Montparnasse

It’s impossible to miss this 210-metre (689 ft) skyscraper which juts out of the Parisian horizon. Although it’s not the most attractive of Paris’s landmarks, the tower dating back to 1973 does have an impressive view from the top, which you can take in from its paid viewing deck on the 56th floor.

Luxembourg Gardens

Bordering the Montparnasse district is one of Paris’s loveliest parks. It was once the private gardens of the 17th-century palace commissioned by Queen Marie de Medici on the north side of the park, now the French Senate. The park was much loved by early 20th century writers, including Ernest Hemingway. A great place for a study break or to catch up on your reading, be sure to seek out the gorgeous Medici Fountain, a renaissance “grotto” fountain located on the east side of the palace, and the maquette of the Statue of Liberty, found on the east side.

Rue de la Gaité

On the east side of the cemetery is this lively street lined with historic theatres. Theatres began popping up here in the 1870s, and some historic ones, like the Comédie Italienne and Théâtre Bobino still exist.

Marché Edgar Quinet

Visiting a Parisian open-air food market is a must during your time in the city and there’s an excellent one which is held on Boulevard Edgar Quinet every Wednesday and Saturday morning until 1:30/2pm.

Photo: Musée Bourdelle

Art Venues

Musée Zadkine

The former studio of Russian-born artist Ossip Zadkine is found a short walk from our Paris School, located on the edge of the Luxembourg Gardens. It’s now a City of Paris museum and has free admission. Learn more about it in our article on historic art studios.

Musée Bourdelle

Another former studio of the Montparnasse area, the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle worked in this beautiful series of buildings near the Montparnasse train station. More information is also available about it in our article on historic art studios.

Fondation Giacometti

As you can gather from its name, this foundation presents exhibitions revovling around Alberto Giacometti and is near where the Swiss artist lived and worked in the Montparnasse area.

Fondation Cartier

A few blocks from our Paris School, this sleek glass and steel building was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and houses temporary exhibits by top contemporary artists. Read more about it and other cool contemporary art spaces in this article.

Chemin du Montparnasse

A walk down this pretty lane at 21 avenue du Maine will give you a good idea of what the art studios of Montparnasse neighborhood were like. The verdant cul-de-sac consists of a series of studios built from salvaged material from the 1900s World’s Fair.

Historic Cafés

The cafés of the Boulevard du Montparnasse were the heart of artistic and literary Paris from the 1920s to 50s. While it’s wonderful many of them have survived, the cost of a drink at most of them is rather steep, but admiring them from the outside is free! You can read more about some of the cafés below and other literary cafés of the Left Bank in this article.

La Closerie Des Lilas

Opened in the 1860s, this café was popular with avant-garde artists, poets and writers such as Paul Verlaine, Charles Baudelaire Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway who is said to have read Fitzgerald’s manuscript of The Great Gatsby here, and worked on The Sun Also Rises.

Le Dôme

Opened in 1898 and once known as “the Anglo-American café,” it was the first meeting place in Montparnasse of the intellectuals. There is even a special term, “Dômiers” to designate the artists and writers who met at the café, which includes the likes of Foujita, Picasso, Man Ray, Soutine, Khalil Gibran and Kandinsky. Today it is restaurant specialised in seafood dishes.

La Rotonde

Situation around the corner from our Paris School, Hemingway talked about the café’s popularity in The Sun Also Rises. Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, Picasso, Modigliani and many others also regularly frequented it.

La Coupole

This legendary Art Deco brasserie, the largest of the area, was an important gathering point of artists, writers and intellectuals especially in the 1920s when it was the place to be. One a given night you might cross paths with the likes of Jean Cocteau, Alberto Giacometti or Josephine Baker.

Le Select

Opened in 1923, this local brasserie was a favourite of Fitzgerald, Hemingway and Picasso, who is name the small square in front of the café now bears.

Movie Theatres

As a hub of going out in Paris, the Montparnasse district has several movie theatres, some more main stream and one great art house cinema.

Lucernaire

Found a short distance from our Paris School, this unique venue is more than just an art house cinema. Opened in 1969, the multifaceted art centre has three theatres, three screening rooms, a bookshop, art gallery, restaurant and bar. Discover more art house cinemas in Paris in this article.

MK2 Parnasse

France’s more artsy chain of cinemas, MK2 general screens critically acclaimed movies, art house films and quality international features. This location is near our School.

UGC Rotonde

This branch of the large chain of UGC cinemas is also located a few minutes’ walk from the School.

UGC Montparnasse

Another UGC, this cinema is situated closer to Montparnasse métro and tower.

Gaumont Parnasse

Part of the historic Gaumont cinema group, this movie theatre plays main stream, independent and international films.

Coffee Spots

Un Grain Décalé

For the best coffee within a short walk from the School, try this nice specialty coffee shop on rue Vavin and close to the Luxembourg Gardens (hours Weds-Sun 10:30-6pm, Tues 2-6pm).

Funzy Café

The local “café du coin” or neighbourhood café is doing takeaway coffee, maybe not the best, but cheap and your chance to rub shoulders with the locals who hang around in front of it.

Ten Belles 6

The Left Bank outpost of a well-known coffee shop in the 10th arrondissement is less than a 10-minute walk away, in between the School and the Bon Marché department store.

Dining

We’ve put together our top lunch options in the Montparnasse area for tasty cheap eats in this separate article.

Discover the places above easily via our Google Map of the area. Access it at this link.

Historic Art Studios You Can Visit in Paris

Many artists have lived and worked in Paris over the centuries. We are fortunate enough to have the legacy of some preserved at their former art studios which have been transformed into museums. From early 19th century romanticism to modern sculpture, here are our top picks of historic art studios you can visit in Paris.

Photo: Musée Délacroix

Musée Délacroix

Tucked away on a charming square in the Saint Germain neighborhood is the former studio and residence of Eugene Délacroix. One of the most important painters of the early 19th century Romantic movement, Délacroix is best known for his dramatic painting Liberty Leading the People (1830), hanging at the Louvre. The artist moved here in 1857 to be closer to the Saint-Sulpice church, where he’d been commissioned to produce several large murals. Facing a verdant courtyard and with large windows, he lived in this studio-apartment until his death in 1863 and it was converted into a museum in 1932.

Musée Gustav Moreau (and top photo)

Musée Gustave Moreau

The former home and studio of symbolist artist Gustav Moreau is set in an elegant mansion in the 9th district. The first section takes you through his former living quarters, however, the real highlight is his vast studio area, spread over two floors with towering ceilings and commissioned by the artist in the view of creating a museum in the building upon his death. Moreau passed away in 1898 and the venue opened as a museum in 1903. In addition to admiring the dozens of paintings of nymphs and mythological gods and goddesses, be sure to peer into the drawers and cabinets, filled with drawings, prints and more paintings.

Musée de Montmartre

This collection of buildings, formerly the art studio of Renoir, Degas, Suzanne Valadon and Maurice Utrillo, is now a museum on the history of this artistic neighborhood of Paris. The museum has displays on the history of the area in one building and temporary exhibits in another section, but the interest for art fans is the front wing where there is the reconstructed art studio of the last major artists who used the space: Suzanne Valadon and her son Maurice Utrillo. There is also a charming café in the garden, where you can also see what they consider as the swing depicted in Renoir’s famous painting La Balançoire.

Musee-Zadkine-vue-aerienne-jardin-630x405-C-OTCP-Didier-Messina

Musée Zadkine Photo: Paris Info

Musée Zadkine

Located on the edge of the Luxembourg Gardens, and only a few blocks away from our Paris School, is the former studio of artist Ossip Zadkine. The Russian-born cubist sculptor spent much of his career living in Paris and working at his Montparnasse studio. Visiting it provides insight into what the area was early to mid 20th century, when it the artistic and literary centre of the city. In addition to the studio, you can contemplate more works in the museum’s tranquil garden. As it is one of the museums of the City of Paris, admission is free, extra incentive to visit!

Photo: Musée Bourdelle

Musée Bourdelle

Another studio of the Montparnasse area, the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle worked in this space from 1885 to 1929. An excellent example of a turn of the 20th century Parisian artist studio, the museum unfolds through a series of buildings and peaceful courtyards. Vast rooms filled with colossal sculptures are contrasted with his more intimate studio spaces. The museum also hosts temporary exhibits, so be sure to check the programme in advance.

Brancusi Studio, Groume / Flickr

Brancusi Studio

Many visitors to the Centre Pompidou are not aware that there is a famous art studio located at its base and which is annex of the museum. Although not at its original location, this is a loyal reconstruction of artist Constantin Brancusi’s Montparnasse studio, the contents of which he bequeathed to the French state in 1956. Living and working in Paris from 1904 until his death in 1957, the Romanian artist gradually expanded upon his studio on the Impasse Ronsin in the 15^th arrondissement which were faithfully recreated after the artist’s death, first at the Palais de Tokyo then here when the Modern Art Museum was created in the 1970s.

Other Studio or Artist Homes:

Musée Jean-Jacques Henner – although it isn’t in its original location either, this charming museum in the 17th arrondissement was once the studio-home of Guillaume Dubufe and was transformed into a museum-studio in honor of painter Jean-Jacques Henner, both artists prominent painters in France during the second half of the 19th century.

Fondation Giacometti – also not in its original location and not an exact reconstruction, this center presents exhibitions, research and pedagogy around the Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti. The Institute is found in the Montparnasse neighbourhood not far from where Giacometti lived and worked and in the former studio of artist and interior designer Paul Follot.

Carry on discovering art in Paris thanks to these other thematic articles on our blog:

Interested in studying art in Paris? Consider pursuing our Master’s in the history and philosophy of art taught in English at our Paris School of Arts and Culture.

France Reopens Borders and Eases Other Covid-19 Restrictions

From 9 June, 2021 France will enter Phase 3 of its easing of Covid-19 restrictions. This also includes the opening of its borders with certain conditions. Discover the new protocols and how it relates to those currently in Paris and those planning on traveling to France.

Le Vrai Paris café in Montmartre

European and International Borders Reopening

As announced in late April, France will be open to EU and other nationalities as of 9 June. This is based a colour system in which requirements for entry vary on your country of departure. This system includes three colour groups: Red, Orange, and Green. The Green group includes EU residents, who will no longer need a “compelling reason” to enter France, and only non-vaccinated visitors will have to provide a recent negative antigen or PCR test. The other countries in the Green category include Australia, South Korea, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, New Zealand and Singapore.

The Orange group includes North Americans who can enter with proof of being fully vaccinated (with proof of your vaccination). Those who are not, must have a compelling reason to enter, plus undergo an obligatory quarantine of 7 days and a PCR test after arrival.

For UK nationals, those who are fully vaccinated will need to have proof of a negative PCR test within 72 hours of departure, or an antigen test within 48 hours of departure. However, you will not need to justify an essential reason for travel or to self-isolate on arrival. Those who are not fully vaccinated will only be able to enter France for compelling reasons. However, testing requirements have changed. Travelers in this category will be able to take a PCR test within 72 hours of departure, or an antigen test within 48 hours of departure. More information on current travel requirements is available on the UK government website here.

European countries are aiming to coordinate on a EU “health pass” which will hopefully be announced by 1 July.

Photo: Hotel de la Marine, opening on 12 June

Déconfinement Phase 3: 9 June Further Reopening Conditions

As of 9 June the curfew in France goes up to 11 pm. Restaurants will also be allowed to have diners indoors (with certain capacity limits and other restrictions). Museums can also accept up to 65% capacity, although advance booking is now required at many venues, like the beautiful Hotel de la Marine which will be opening to the public on 12 June.

Visitors under 26 and holders of a student card can obtain free entrance to most museums in Paris. For smaller museums you merely need to present your ID (student and national ID) upon entering or but for larger museums, like the Louvre, you need to book in advance a free student ticket in advance.

PSAC students returning to the Musée d’Orsay

Our Top Suggestions for your Cultural Outings

Gain some inspiration for your cultural outings via these articles from our blog:

You can peruse other recent articles here.

Best Small Museums in Paris

Paris may be home to some of the most famous museums on the planet, but in addition to big names like the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay and the Centre Pompidou, the city has hundreds of wonderful smaller museums. Often located in former mansions or the residence of the famous person who once inhabited the space, these unique venues have much fewer visitors than the large museums and offer a more intimate setting in which to connect with art or history.

Jacquemart-Andre Museum / Facebook

Musée Jacquemart-André

There are a number of fabulous museums in Paris located within former mansions and this is one of the loveliest and it also has a spectacular art collection. Much of the mid-19th century development of new Paris was taking place in the west of the city and the area around new Park Monceau was becoming a highly coveted district for the wealthy Parisians. It is thus not surprising that banker Edouard André bought a plot of land here to build his flamboyant mansion. He and his future wife, Nelie Jacquemart, would dedicated the rest of their lives to filling its exquisite rooms with one of the world’s most important private art collections, including works by Botticelli, Tiepolo, Rembrandt, Fragonard and Canaletto. In addition to the permanent collection, the museum hosts excellent temporary exhibits and has a chic courtyard café.

Musée Nissim de Camondo

Also in the Parc Monceau area, this sumptuous house museum was originally built in 1911 for Count Moise Nissim de Camondo, an influential banker and art collector. He decorated his spectacular mansion, inspired by the Petit Trianon at Versailles, with an impressive collection of 18th-century artwork and decorative art objects. After you tour its opulent interiors, you can take a stroll through the Parc Monceau, one of the few Paris parks which survived the French Revolution.

Marmottan Monet Museum

It’s worth trekking out to the far corner of the 16th arrondissement to visit this museum dedicated to Monet. The elegant mid 19th-century mansion was bought in 1882 by the successful businessman Jules Marmottan, who was also a passionate art collector. His son Paul bequeathed the home and his art collections to the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1932. This collection was then greatly augmented upon the death of Michel Monet, Claude Monet’s youngest son, who donated over a hundred of his father’s paintings to the museum. This total ensemble now forms the world’s largest collection of Monet’s works.

Musée de la Vie Romantique

This lovely museum is found within the former home of Dutch painter Ary Scheffer. Built in 1830, the house became a central meeting point for the key figures of the “romantic era”, the house itself being in the centre of the era’s most popular neighborhood called New Athens. It attracted the likes of Georges Sand, Chopin, Eugène Delacroix, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres and Franz Liszt, who are represented in the art and objects on display in the charming museum. After your visit enjoy a coffee its alluring garden café.

Musée Carnavalet (and top photo) / Facebook

Musée Carnavalet

Another favourite museum located in former mansions in the Marais, the Musée Carnavalet, is reopening at the end of May 2021 after four years of extensive renovations. Home to the Museum of the History of Paris, it chronicles the city’s 2,000 years of history through artefacts, paintings, historic documents and decorative objects. Don’t miss the reconstruction of writer Marcel Proust’s bedroom and take a moment to enjoy its pretty courtyard garden.

Musée Cognacq-Jay / Facebook

Musée Cognacq-Jay

Tucked away in the heart of the Marais, this is another elegant house museum. Dating back to the 16th century, the elegant building hosts a notable collection of decorative art and paintings from the 18th century (which is free to visit), along with temporary exhibits (paid). It also has a lovely summertime café and gorgeous back garden.

There are many other wonderful small museums in Paris and we will be gathering former art-studio museums in an another upcoming article.

France to Reopen Museums, Cinemas and Theatres on 19 May 2021

After a six month closure, we are extremely pleased that cultural venues will be reopening in France as of 19 May 2021. All museums, art galleries, theatres and cinemas may reopen, under certain conditions. Here is a summary of the new protocols and how it relates to visitors.

Déconfinement Phase 2: 19 May Reopening Conditions

As of 19 May the nation-wide curfew in France will be pushed back to 9pm. Therefore, you will have more time to be able to visit cultural sites and take in movie screenings in person.

All sites can only reopen with a reinforced sanitary protocol. As a general rule, the reopening of sites does not depend on the size of the facility, however, it is capped at 800 people at one time inside and a 1,000 outside (for example, the interior of the Chateau de Versailles and the gardens). However, it also stipulates that there should 8 m2 per visitor until 9 June when the curfew goes up to 11 pm and the space will be 4 m2. Therefore, sites must factor this in when calculating the exact number of people inside the site at one time.

Other conditions include a one one circulation system (similar to what was enforced after last year’s lockdown), hand sanitiser available at the entrance and a preference to booking e-tickets in advance (as is already the case at the Louvre).

Gradual Reopening of Museums & Cultural Sites

Just because sites are allowed to reopen on 19 May, it doesn’t mean that all museums and monuments will be reopening on that exact date. For example, the doors of the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay the Centre Pompidou, the Musée de l’Orangerie and the Chateau de Versailles will be reopening on the 19th, but some sites are waiting until the weekend.

The Palais de Tokyo, Europe’s largest contemporary art centre, will be reopening on Saturday 22 May with an exhibit by performance artist Anne Imhof entitled Natures Mortes (Still Lives). Since the building is quite large, they will be respecting the maximum of 800 visitors at a time.

The highly anticipated opening of the Pinault Collection at the Bourse to Commerce will also take place on 22 May. After several years of extensive renovations, the former grain hall of the Paris central food market has been converted into a new venue of collection of contemporary art. For other venues, it’s advised to check their websites beforehand so you do not arrive to find the site closed.

Free Access for Students

Holders of a student card can obtain free entrance to most museums in Paris. For smaller museums you merely need to present your ID (student and national ID) upon entering or but for larger museums, like the Louvre, you need to book in advance a free student ticket in advance.

At time of publication, the Louvre ticket booking system was not yet activated, however, this is the link (select your date, then the ticket options will come up, you will need to proceed to the check out, but will not be charged for your ticket). The Orsay reservation system is working via this link. Select free of charge reservation, then select “add to cart”, then “I book”, skip the audioguide page by clicking then “I book”, then you’ll have the date and time option. For the Centre Pompidou, follow this link and select a free ticket for a youth or an art/conservatoire student.

Reflet Médicis / Facebook

Movie Theatres

The date of this new déconfinement stage falls on a Wednesday, the traditional day of the week when new films are released. As there has been a backlog of films to be released, there have have been some issues over which ones will come out first. However, film fans should have an exciting few weeks of releases. To help you decide which cinemas to go to in the city, check out our article on the Best Historic Art House Cinemas in Paris.

Enjoy this return to culture and stay safe!