Of course we all know about the most important galleries and museums in Paris: the famous Louvre, the Musee Rodin, the Musee d'Orsay, the Centre Georges Pompidou. You could spend day after day looking at world-class collections of painting, sculpture, photography. But what if you have already seen all of that including the Eiffel Tower, Montmarte, the Panthéon, L'hôtel national des Invalides and the Arc De Triomphe and have only one free day in Paris? Jump on the metro early in the morning and check out these five places!
Musee national Gustave Moreau
The Musée national Gustave Moreau is an art museum dedicated to the works of the painter and master of French Symbolism Gustave Moreau (1826-1898). And there are many reasons to go to this exceptional place with its original atmosphere. First, the very Parisian apartment designed by the artist and transformed into a huge studio and small sentimental museum. Second, several hundred mythical and biblical drawings, paintings, watercolors, and sculptures. And third, the famous spiral staircase between the 2nd and 3rd floors. The museum is located in the 9th arrondissement, at the foot of Montmartre, and the museum if free for those under 18 years of age.
Le Marche aux Puces de St-Ouen
Established in 1920, the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen has since grown from one small market to one of the largest flea markets in the world. This is a real Parisian legend that brings together more than 1,700 second-hand and antique dealers spread over 14 markets and the surrounding streets, and attracts several million visitors each year. You can find almost everything to your taste: old furniture, faience, bronzes, records, china, fur coats, teddy bears and dolls, postcards, old posters and magazines, chairs and blankets, rugs and lamps, and other unusual objects for bargain hunters! A paradise for flea market fans which looks like an open air museum! For the record: store owners don’t really like it when their unusual and rare items are photographed, so you always should ask permission before taking pictures!
Les Arts decoratifs
Sharing a wing at the Musée du Louvre (floors 5 through 9 in the end Pavilion of the Louvre, on the Rivoli side), but with a separate entrance and admission charge, Les Arts Décoratifs is actually three museums in one. Spread across nine floors, it showcases a stellar array of decorative arts, design and fashion, and graphics. This fascinating museum provides an interesting look at the decorative arts since the middle ages (for example, the “Fashion Forward” exhibition including 300 silhouettes of men’s, women’s and children’s fashion from the 18th century to today) and including the contemporary period (for example, the “Barbie”exhibition including 700 dolls, creations by contemporary artists, documents, magazines, photos and videos contextualising «Barbie’s lives» since 1959). And don’t forget to notice: there are lovely views from the windows in all directions. Before going, check the web site to know about upcoming exhibitions!
Musee Nissim de Camondo
Located at 63 rue de Monceau, the Musée Nissim de Camondo (a branch of Les Arts decoratifs) is installed in the Hôtel Camondo, one of the French capital’s most sumptuous and elegant private homes from the early twentieth century. Moïse de Camondo, a prominent Parisian banker during the Belle Epoque, was a passionate collector of French furniture, objets d’art, paintings, tapestries, china, and silverware from the eighteenth century. Advice: the best time to visit is 10 -11 a.m. You will be almost alone, surrounded by luxurious furnishings, velvet curtains, and a huge collection of books and chairs with splendid ornamentation. You will find yourself in a quiet environment, learning the tragic story of the family, and you will even visit the kitchen and utility areas of the house. And, please, combine your visit to the museum with some time in the nearby Parc Monceau to conclude a pleasant few hours in one of the loveliest neighborhoods in Paris.
Photos: Kseniya Segina
Title photo: Shutterstock
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