Tag: Marais

Paris for Free: The Carnavalet Museum, delightfully quaint!

The Carnavalet Museum in Paris is worth the visit for several reasons. Firstly it is located in the very heart of the Marais area in two beautiful mansions, the Hôtel Carnavalet, from the Renaissance period, and the Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint Fargeau, from 17th century. And despite this exceptional location it remains quiet and not too busy. Secondly the permanent collections of the museum can be visited for free (while the temporary exhibitions are paying). And thirdly it is delightfully quaint, as no other museum in Paris!

Carnavalet Museum Paris-The main Sign Gallery
Carnavalet Museum Paris-The main Sign Gallery

Continue reading Paris for Free: The Carnavalet Museum, delightfully quaint!

Exhibition !Picasso¡ in the Musée Picasso: a Must-Visit!

If you like Picasso, you have presently two opportunities to admire the painter’s works in Paris. Firstly the exhibition Picasso.mania taking place in the Grand Palais until 29 February 2015; and secondly the exhibition !Picasso¡ in the Musée Picasso which is in fact a new display of the museum’s collections.

I have not seen the first one yet as it pulls a crowd and I do not really like standing about and prefer to admire paintings at my pace. I will wait for a more favourable moment by the end of the exhibition which is planned on 29 February 2015. However I went yesterday to the Musée Picasso and saw the exhibition !Picasso¡ and I loved it! Despite the school holidays I did not have to queue at all… as I went there at lunch time: 1pm is often a good time to visit frequented places while tourists are having lunch!

!Picasso¡ is not really an exhibition but a new display of the museum’s collections made on the occasion of the 30th birthday of the Musée Picasso which was inaugurated in October 1985. More works (1000 instead of 400), a lively visit thanks to the display of many other archive documents (photographies, letters, newspaper articles,…), and a very clear display with concise texts of explanation in three languages (French, English and Spanish) in each room.

On the basement, in vaulted cellars, the history of the museum; On the groundfloor (1897-1921) and first level (1922-1973), the ‘main course’ with the display of the major works in chronological order and some thematic groupings. But my favourite are the last two floors: The level 2 is dedicated to ‘Picasso, public figure’. And the level 3 to ‘Picasso, intimate’. On both floors less reknown paintings  and a lot of other objects are exhibited and reveal more personal and intimate aspects of the so-famous artist. In the same time one climbs in the upper floors of the Hôtel Salé in rooms of smaller dimension to end in the attic where one can admire superb wooden beams and the feeling of getting closer to Picasso turns out to be strengthened!

Musee-Picasso-Picasso public figure
Musee-Picasso-Main staircase
Musee-Picasso-Modeles
Musee-Picasso-In the attic
Musee-Picasso-The Shop
Musee-Picasso-Jacqueline dans l atelier
Musee-Picasso-Atelier de la Californie
Musee-Picasso-Floor of the staircase
Musee-Picasso-buste de femme
Musee-Picasso-ceramiques et gravures
Musee-Picasso-Dejeuner sur l’herbe

I have really appreciated to visit again the Musée Picasso where I had not been since its reopening one year ago and to discover the beautiful renovation of the Hôtel Salé and the new exhibition rooms especially in the attic. The closing of the museum for renovation works during five years was really worth it!

And if you still have some time after visiting the museum I suggest that you have a look to the museum shop which is located on the opposite side of the rue de Thorigny: really pleasant to buy some souvenirs or presents.

Christine Bokobza – Good Morning Paris B&B – www.goodmorningparis.fr

Practical information: Musée Picasso – 5 rue de Thorigny  75003 Paris

Paris for Free: Le Dressing de Rêve des Parisiens

‘Le Dressing de rêve des Parisiens‘ is a free exhibition which is taking place in the store ‘Paris Rendez vous’ on the groundfloor of the Hôtel de Ville until 31st October on the occasion of the Fashion Week. You like fashion but are neither a journalist nor a rich or famous person and do not have the opportunity to attend a fashion show? Moreover you cannot afford to buy the expensive clothes designed by the most famous Parisian fashion houses? Go and see this exhibition: I am sure that you will love it!

‘Le Dressing de rêve des Parisiens’ displays clothes, shoes, bags and jewels designed and made by talented Parisian fashion designers: thirty or so in total. They have in common to be representative of the Parisian style: sexy and natural in the same time, smart but also comfortable and using beautiful materials, fabrics and colours. Some of them have been existing for years (1992 or 1996 for the oldest houses) while others have just opened their workshop. All have settled in Paris and their works are designed in Paris and made in France or Europe (even sometimes in Paris!). I loved most of them and when I went out of the exhibition, I felt like going and seeing at least three or four fashion designers’ stores which I did not know before, especially: Ambrym and Miki Mialy, for their women’s fashion; Mi Mai and Philippe Zorzetto, for their lovely shoes!

In the last room of the exhibition there is a large map of Paris with the exact location of each shop. One can see that fashion designers are mainly gathered in a few areas in Paris. Among them THE place for fashion design in Paris is the Haut Marais, an area which covers the better part of 3rd arrondissement: Do not hesitate to stroll there.

Behind the exhibition there is also a book, which was written by two well-known figures of the Paris fashion world, Régis Pennel and Philippe Zorzetto:  ‘Les nouveaux créateurs à Paris’. This book has just been updated, made richer and republished under the same name as the exhibition: ‘Le Dressing de rêve des Parisiens’. If you have loved the clothes diplayed and wish to remember them, to know more about their fashion designers and to visit their shops, you can buy this book on the spot in the store Paris Rendez-Vous (16,90€).

Dressing de Reve- Le Mont Saint Michel-Paris
Dressing de Reve-Miki Mialy-Paris
Dressing de reve-entrance-Paris
Dressing de Reve-Ambrym-Paris
Dressing de Reve-Erotokritos-Paris
Dressing de Reve-Eple & Melk-Paris
Dressing de Reve-accessories-Paris

And to know more about the Fashion Week: Twice a year it brings all the top people of the fashion world to Paris, in early March for the presentation of the autumn/winter collections and in early October for the spring/summer collections. The second 2015 edition is taking place these days until 7 October. There is one fashion show after the other and one can admire the new fashion designs either in ‘haute couture’ or in ‘ready to wear’.

Christine Bokobza – Good Morning Paris B&B – www.goodmorningparis.fr

Practical information: Le Dressing de rêve des Parisiens-Paris Rendez-vous-29 rue de Rivoli 75004-10am till 7pm except on Sundays-Until 31 October