Paris, the City of Lights
Please note: Opening dates and hours indicated below for museums and monuments are subject to change. Check the Monument and Museum Pass web site to verify.
http://www.parismuseumpass.com/en/home.php
· Getting around
Paris is a wonderful city to explore on foot. Its transit system, including a metro, buses and trains, is rapid and efficient.
The Paris métro systemhas about 300 stations. On the street, entrances are indicated signs reading METRO,Métropolitain or just
a big yellow M. Each line has its own
color and number (and direction). To reach the platforms, you must pass through
a checkpoint: you must be in possession of a valid ticket that you insert into
the validation machine at the turnstile. Don't forget to retrieve your ticket
as you pass through the barrier -- and keep it with you throughout your
journey. You may be asked to show it to a ticket inspector, and while this is
not all that frequent, if you can’t produce proof of payment for a ticket,
you’ll probably end up having to pay a fine, or at the very least have an
unpleasant argument with the inspector(s) – which you are unlikely to win even
if you are French. Connections between lines make your journey easy to plan.
For an idea of your journey time, allow an average of 2 minutes per station and
add 5 minutes for each connection. Each line has two directions, indicated by
the terminus station at each end. The different directions and connections are clearly
displayed on the signs on the platforms and in the tunnels. To be sure that
you’re heading in the right direction, check that your destination is on the
list of stations just before you go down onto the platform. Inside the trains,
you’ll find network maps and details of the line you’re on, along with all
available connections to other parts of the network.
The metro operates every day including public holidays, from
around 6am to 0.30am. Times of the first and last trains vary depending on the
point along the line from which you are departing. Trains are less frequent on
Sundays and public holidays. Illuminated signs above the platform indicate the
length of time until the next train arrives. Fast and fully automated, the
newest line 14, also known as Météor, offers regular service on all days, Sundays and public holidays
included. On this line, a verbal announcement indicates the name of each stop.
A single metro ticket can be used for one journey, including all
connections. Tickets can be purchased singly or in a book of 10 (“a carnet”: cahr-NAY) at ticket offices or in
machines in metro stations. It’s also possible to purchase transit passes. If
your tour package itinerary includes time in Paris, it includes either a carnet of tickets or a Paris Visit pass. Should
you be spending time in Paris before our tour begins or staying on after our
tour ends and need to purchase transit tickets on your own, be aware that your
American bankcard may not work in the machines (they do usually work in French
ATM machines, however). Just purchase your tickets with cash or from one of the
window operators, who will be able to process your American card. It’s OK if
you don’t speak French; they’re used to dealing with foreigners. The tickets
are valid until you leave the metro by going through the exit barriers (the
time limit is between 1.5 – 2 hours). The tickets/passes included in your tour
package are valid for zones 1 and 2, and allow you to travel anywhere in Paris
and even beyond, to the end of each metro line, even if it is located in zone
3. For traveling to the outskirts of Paris (Versailles or the airport, for
instance, which are in Zone 4), you’ll want to take the RER, for which you will
need to purchase a special ticket.
The RER crosses Paris to link the surrounding
suburbs. Entrances are identified by RER signposts in white and blue. To reach
the platforms, you must pass through a checkpoint. On the RER, your ticket is
checked on the way in and on the way out (unlike the metro, which only checks
on your way in). Like the metro, each line has its own color and number (and
direction). If you remain within the city limits, tickets and prices are
identical to the metro. If you are traveling beyond the city limits, you need
to ensure that you are in possession of a ticket or a pass that covers your
whole journey up to your destination in the Ile-de-France region. If not, you
will not be able to go through the automatic barriers on arrival and you may
have to pay a fine.
If you use the bus system in Paris, you can use the
same tickets/passes as in the metro, with no limit of distance (including
suburbs), except on the Balabus, Noctilien and routes 221, 297, 299, 350 and
351. The bus driver can sell single tickets – be sure to have the correct
change. While the new T+ metro tickets can be used to transfer from the metro
to buses (within the allotted time limit), a bus ticket you purchase on the bus
cannot subsequently be used to transfer to the metro. The Paris buses carry a
two-digit number; suburban buses carry a three-digit number. Bus stops are
indicated by a bus shelter or a signpost with the name of the stop and the
numbers of the buses stopping there. When the bus arrives, the driver will stop
if you so request. You should always board at the front. As you board, you
should validate your ticket by slipping it into the validating machine (composteur). To get off at the desired stop, you should press one of
the red buttons on the upright support rails. The sign “Stop requested” will
come on.
· Notre-Dame Cathedral
Conceived by Bishop of Paris Maurice de
Sully and constructed between the 12th and 14th centuries
(1163-1345), the Cathedral of Notre-Dame of Paris is located on the Ile de
la Cité. It is easily
recognizable by its two towers and the three portals marking its entrance. The
towers reach as high as 69 meters, while the 19th century spire is a
soaring 90 meters. The cathedral, celebrated by the 18th century
French author Victor Hugo, is a Gothic work of art, often described as an
ensemble of delicate stone lace. Some of the stained glass windows date back to
the Middle Ages. French road distances are calculated from the point marked “0
km” on the square in front of Notre-Dame.
· Sainte-Chapelle
The Sainte Chapelle, completed in 1248, was originally conceived to house relics that King Louis IX held to be sacred. It is said that among them was a piece of the cross of Christ’s crucifixion and the crown of thorns. Louis IX learned of the whereabouts and availability of the crown from Emperor Beaudoin II (emperor of Constantinople) when the Emperor approached him for money to support a new Crusade. Beaudoin had pledged the crown as security in Venice for a loan. Assured that the crown was authentic, Louis purchased it and had it sent to Paris. In order to provide a place worth of his holy relics, he ordered the Sainte Chapelle to be built, inside the walls of the royal palace on the Ile de la Cité.
Legend has it that numerous European architects proposed
their designs for the project. One of them, convinced that he had created the
perfect plan, headed out for Paris. Along the way, he met another architect who
had also drawn up a plan. The first architect realized that his own plan was
greatly inferior, went mad, assassinated his colleague and destroyed his plans for
the chapel. Several days later, this architect-murderer arrived in Paris to
present “his” plans to the King. But each time he tried to enter the royal
palace, a mysterious force blocked the passage. In despair, he started to drink
heavily. One night, a young Dominican picked him up out of the gutter and tried
to give him comfort. The architect confessed his crime, whereupon the Dominican
counseled him to join the order. The architect did so and several months
passed, in calm and prayer. One day, the architect-turned-novice met the son of
a pastry chef who dreamed of being an architect himself. The two became
friends. The architect taught the young man, Pierre, all the secrets of his
art. He also learned that the king had seen numerous project proposals but had
found none of them worthy of a chapel destined to house the holy relics. The
architect went to see the Dominican who had saved him. Singing the praises of
the young Pierre, he asked if the young man could present to the king the plans
that he had stolen, on the condition that the name of the original architect
not be disclosed. He wanted to give Pierre a chance to make his dream come true
and for himself to find some inner peace. The Dominican consented; the pastry
chef’s son was received by King Louis. The King was absolutely taken with the
plans that Pierre showed him, albeit surprised that such complete and refined
plans could come from someone so young. Pierre told him the truth: that the
plan had been conceived by someone who wished to remain anonymous, but that he,
Pierre, with God’s grace, was capable of overseeing the construction. The King
accepted and so was built the Sainte Chapelle. No one ever discovered the name
of the architect who conceived the plans. As for the Dominican, his name was Thomas
Aquinas.
The lower chapel, dedicated to the virgin, is relatively somber. The ceiling is low (in order for the chapel to be on the same level as the royal chambers), and supported by ribbed vaulting that also supports the floor of the upper chapel. The flying buttresses are completed by a row of low columns that support the vaults and divide the nave into three rows.
The upper chapel was dedicated to the relics of the crucifixion and was reserved for the king and his family. The lintel is decorated with sculptures. The vault is 21 meters high, 33 meters long and 11 meters wide. The lightness of the architecture and the light filtering through the immense stained glass windows contrast sharply the darkness and heaviness of the lower chapel. The vaults are supported by exterior buttresses. The lateral façades, each decorated by 4 large stained glass windows measuring over 15 meters high and over 4 meters wide, constitute the vast, multicolored glass walls. The apse houses a stone platform, surrounded by 7 stained glass windows. It serves as the base of the main altar, on which is the wooden edifice that contained the reliquary. In the back, above the door, a large rose window floods the chapel with light at night.
The windows of the Sainte Chapelle are the oldest in Paris
and represent one of the most complete ensembles of Medieval art. The 1,134
scenes on glass spread over an area of 6,672 square feet, forming a veritable bible of illustrations. The
two levels of stained glass are the originals, restored by experts. During the
course of the restoration work, some of the stained glass was removed to the
Cluny Museum, the Museum of Rouen, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. The
stained glass of the Lower Chapel, dating back to the 13th century,
was destroyed following a flood of the Seine River in 1690.
There are 12 statues of apostles (some are copies of the originals) – not necessarily the twelve apostles, since not all can be identified.
The Sainte Chapelle was a symbol of royalty and as such, was a target during the French Revolution. Like so many other royal symbols around France, it suffered destruction and dispersion of its artifacts. Its furnishing disappeared, the organs were removed, all the royal insignia destroyed and the spire taken down. The reliquary shrine was sent to the Hôtel de la Monnaie to be melted down. The relics were scattered, with the exception of the crown of thorns, now located in the Treasury of Notre-Dame. The upper chapel became a club, then a judiciary archive, with filing cabinets lining its walls. Restoration work to return the edifice to its original state began in 1840 and was not completed until 1868. The Sainte Chapelle was declared a Historical Monument in 1862.
· Luxembourg Palace and Gardens
The Luxembourg Gardens are found on the
Left Bank, in the Paris’ Latin Quarter. After the death of Henri IV, his wife
and Queen, Marie de Médicis, decided to have a palace built that would remind
her of her native Tuscany. She bought the mansion of the Duc de Luxembourg in
1612, along with a considerable adjoining acreage. In 1615 the architect
Salomon de Brosse begin construction on Marie’s palace, inspired by the Pitti
Palace in Florence. In 1621 Rubens was commissioned to paint a series
representing allegorically the Queen’s life; this series can now be seen in the
Medici gallery of the Louvre. Marie settled into the new palace in 1625, but
because of opposition to Cardinal Richelieu, she was banished to Cologne, where
she died in 1642. For a time following the French Revolution, the palace was
used as a prison. In WWII, it was occupied by the Germans. Today it is the seat
of the Senate.
The beautiful public gardens are dotted with statues of queens and princesses. The form is in the tradition of the classic French garden, that is, quite formal. The Medici Fountain (1624) stands at the end of a long pool shaded by plane trees. Photography expositions can often be seen on the gardens’ gate.
· L’Orangerie and The Tuileries
As its name suggests, the museum of the Orangerie is housed in a former orangery. It was begun in 1852 by architect Firmin Bourgeois and completed by his successor Ludovico Visconti, to shelter the oranges from the Tuileries Garden. A long stone box with windows on the southern (Seine) side, the building is rather somberly decorated, in sync with the utilitarian purpose for which it was constructed. Still, the architectural style is classical to conform
with the architecture of the surrounding area -- the Place de la Concorde and the since destroyed Tuileries Palace. Used by the Third Republic (1870-1940) as a depository, an exam room , a place to lodge soldiers, a space for sports, musical or patriotic activities, for industrial, canine, and horticultural expositions, and even on occasion for painting expositions. In 1921 it was finally given over to the Fine Arts administration, to be converted into an annex to the Luxembourg Museum (predecessor to today’s National Museum of Modern Art). Claude Monet chose it as the site to expose his mural ensemble “The Nymphéas.”
The Tuileries Garden is the largest French style garden in Paris. It is also the oldest, dating back to around 1563-64. From west to east, it extends from the Place de la Concorde to the Louvre; from south to north, it extends from the Seine to the Rue de Rivoli. The idea for the garden originated with the queen mother Catherine de Médici, who had in mind an Italian style park, to include fountains, a maze, a grotto, a zoo and a silkworm farm. A century later, the garden had declined. The task of entirely revamping it fell to garden designer and architect Le Nôtre, the father of the French-style garden, marked by geometric schemas, vast perspectives, water and statues.
During the French Revolution, on August 10, 1792 Louis XVI and his family fled the Tuileries Palace, crossed the garden and sought refuge with the Legislative Assembly. Two thirds of the Swiss Guards, who also tried to escape, were slaughtered in the garden by mobs. During WWII, part of the garden was used for growing vegetables, since food was so scarce under the German occupation.
The Jeu de Paume Gallery is a contemporary Art Museum situated in the northwest section of the garden.
·The Louvre
The Louvre, in its successive architectural
metamorphoses, has dominated central Paris since the late 12th century. Built
on the city's western edge, the original structure was gradually engulfed as
the city grew. The dark fortress of the early days was transformed into the
modernized dwelling of François I and, later, the sumptuous palace of the Sun
King, Louis XIV.
During the 43-year reign of Philippe Auguste (1180–1223), the
power and influence of the French monarchy grew, both inside and outside the
kingdom. In 1190, a rampart was built around Paris – at the time, Europe’s
biggest city. To protect the capital from the Anglo-Norman threat, the king
decided to reinforce its defenses with a fortress, built to the west of the
city on the banks of the Seine. This fortress came to be known as the Louvre.
The demolition of the Grosse Tour marked the beginning of a new
phase of building work that would continue through to the reign of Louis XIV.
The transformation of François I’s château continued under Henri II and his
sons. However, the construction of the Tuileries palace some 500 meters to the
west led to a rethinking of the site. Ambitious royal plans to link the two
buildings culminated in the creation of the Grande Galerie.
The reigns of Louis XIII and Louis XIV had a major impact on the Louvre and Tuileries palaces. The extension of the west wing of the Cour Carrée under Louis XIII marked the beginning of an ambitious program of work that would be completed by Louis XIV and added to by Louis XV, resulting in the Louvre that we see today. However, following the completion of Versailles, royal interest in the palace waned, plunging the Louvre into a new period of dormancy. With the Revolution, the Louvre entered a phase of intensive transformation. For three years, Louis XVI lived in the Tuileries palace. In 1793 the Central Museum of the Arts opened to the public in the Grande Galerie and the Salon Carré.
The demolition of the Tuileries in 1882 marked the birth of
the modern Louvre. The palace ceased to be the seat of power and was devoted
almost entirely to culture. Only the Finance Ministry, provisionally installed
in the Richelieu wing remained. Slowly but surely, the museum began to take
over the whole of the vast complex of buildings.
The Musée du Louvre houses 35,000 works of art drawn from eight
departments, displayed in over 60,000 square meters of exhibition space
dedicated to the permanent collections.
Curatorial Departments: Near Eastern Antiquities, Islamic Art
(currently closed), Paintings, Egyptian Antiquities, Sculptures, Prints and
Drawings, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities, Decorative Arts
NO:
filming, photographing, using cell phones eating, drinking.
HOURS: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
· The Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is open every day year round, from 9:30am to
11:00pm January 1 to June 12 and September 1 to December 31; from 9:00am to
midnight, June 13 to August 31.
Visitors may climb the stairs or take the
elevators to go up the Eiffel Tower. The stairs are open to the public and go
up to the second floor (115 meters). Three elevators (north, west and east
pillars) go up to the first and second floors. Only one or two will be in
service on any given day due to maintenance and security reasons. To reach the
top of the Tower (276 meters), visitors must take another elevator from the
second floor. During the peak visitor seasons, be forewarned that there may be
a LONG wait.
The Eiffel Tower was opened in 1889 for the Universal Exhibition
in celebration of the French Revolution (1789). It has changed color six times
in its lifetime and its lighting effects have been designed at different
moments to decorate the tower for a particular day’s celebration or for longer periods
of time. Following many different lighting styles, the present day system has
been highlighting the internal structure of the Tower for over ten years.
The 300 meter high Tower is basically composed of two elements: a
base standing on 4 main pillars that are bonded and extended; a tower firmly
attached atop.
The structure was made of puddle iron and not steel.
The Tower was assembled using a limited number of fabricated
parts.
The Tower's artificial illuminations have been constantly revised and improved throughout the years, taking advantage of the latest innovations in lighting: from gas to electricity, incandescent lamps to neon and the sodium lamp. The first lighting system was installed for the Universal Exposition of 1900, but by 1925, André Citroën set the Tower alive with his colored lighting ad campaign. In 1937, André Granet added colored lighting to the latticework handrails for the International Exposition of Arts and Techniques. New golden lighting system for the Tower arrives in 1985. A new golden lighting decorates the Tower, inaugurated on 31 December 1985. Created by Pierre Bideau, this installation is composed of 336 projectors, equipped with sodium-vapor lamps providing the yellow-orange color. The light rays are oriented upwards lighting up the Tower from the inside. This system replaced the installation that had been in service up to the year 1958. The glittering light installation of the year 2000 was not made to last and was replaced in June 2003 by another lighting installation meant to weather a period of 10 years. Installing the lights is about as impressive as the lighting itself: 25 mountain climbers for the 5-month installation; 20,000 special light bulbs (5,000 per side) attached one at a time; 40 kilometers of strings of light and electrical cords; 40,000 joints and 80,000 various metallic parts weighing 60 tons; 230 enclosed lighting fixtures and electrical boxes; 10,000 m² of safety nets; 120 kilowatts of power. Budget total: 4.55 million euros!
· The Musée d’Orsay
The Musée d’Orsay is located on the left
bank of the Seine, in Paris’ 7th arrondissement. Its permanent collections present Western
painting and sculpture from 1848 to 1914, as well as the decorative arts,
photography and architecture. Its temporary expositions showcase individual
artists, particular schools of art, trends or historical subjects of art. An
auditorium welcomes diverse concerts, cinematic events, shadow theatre,
conferences and colloquiums, and shows for young people.
The Musée
d’Orsay’s collections essentially come from three establishments: from the
Louvre for works by artists born after 1820 or coming into the art world at the
time of the Second Republic (1848-1852); the Museum of Jeu de Paume, dedicated
to impressionism from 1947 on; and finally, the National Museum of Modern Art,
for the more modern works. These collections, enriched by numerous gifts and
legacies, cover all areas of the plastic and applied arts, painting, sculpture,
art objects and graphic creations, as well as furniture, architecture and
photography. The policiy of acquisition of the Orsay is centered on obtaining
major works and more modest pieces that both complete or enhance its
collections.
Works
by the following artists are found in the Musée d’Orsay: Pierre Bonnard, Eugène Boudin, Gustave Caillebotte,
Paul Cézanne, Camille Corot, Gustave Courbet, Honoré Daumier, Edgar Degas,
Eugène Delacroix, Henri Fantin-Latour, Antoni Gaudí, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van
Gogh, Hector Guimard, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Gustav Klimt, Édouard
Manet, Henri Matisse, Jean-François Millet, Piet Mondrian, Claude Monet,
Gustave Moreau, Berthe Morisot, Edvard Munch, Nadar, Camille Pissarro, Pierre
Puvis de Chavannes, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Auguste Rodin, le douanier Rousseau,
Paul Sérusier, Georges Seurat, Paul Signac, Alfred Sisley, Henri de
Toulouse-Lautrec, James McNeill Whistler.
· The Rodin Museum
The Rodin Museum is housed in the Hotel
Biron. Architect Jean Aubert – who also designed the magnificent stables of the
Château de Chantilly – built
the Hotel Biron between 1728 and 1730, for the Maréchal de Biron. The beauty of
the façades, the south pediment and the masks above the windows is equaled by
the refinement of the internal decoration, particularly the skillfully carved
paneling in the suite of five interconnecting rooms overlooking the grounds to
the south. François Lemoyne, First Painter to the King, was commissioned for
the painted décor. Lemoyne was also responsible for the decoration of the
ceiling of the Salon d’Hercule at Versailles.
When the
Maréchal de Biron died in 1788, the estate passed to his nephew, the Duc de
Lauzun – guillotined in 1793, despite the fact that he had been a hero in the
American War of Independence. The property was then rented out for public balls
and started to decline, the magnificent flower beds replaced with a fairground.
The house has been home to the Papal legate, to the Russian ambassador, as well
as to an austere religious society. When it was confiscated in 1905 as a result
of the application of the law separating Church and State property, it was no
more than an empty shell surrounded by neglected grounds. Waiting for
demolition, it served as a temporary home to an impressive number of artists:
Jean Cocteau, Henri Matisse, and Isadora Duncan. Rodin himself lived there in
1908, in the suite of the south-facing drawing-rooms. He was enchanted by the
beauty of the house and the wild charm of the grounds. He assembled his works
there, covering the walls with his drawings and filling the park with his Greek
and Roman antiquities. When the State bought the property in 1911, Rodin
proposed that he donate his art collections to the State, on condition that a
museum be devoted to him at the Hotel Biron. Claude Monet, Octave Mirbeau,
Raymond Poincaré, Georges Clemenceau and Étienne Clémentel were among those
supporting this proposal. Nonetheless it was difficult to close the deal since
the sculptor’s art was still so little understood and even less appreciated.
The donations were finally approved by a vote in Parliament and made official
on December 24, 1916, with Rodin giving the State the whole of his collections,
his photographs, his archives, and all his work - sculptures and drawings alike
- along with all proprietary rights. The museum opened in 1919, two years after
Rodin’s death (November 17, 1917).
With an
average of 500,000 visitors a year, the Rodin Museum is one of the most popular
in France, just behind the Louvre, Versailles and the Musée d’Orsay. This
popularity is tied to the renown of Rodin’s work, of course, but it
additionally reflects the charm of the site and its grounds, whose entire
southern part was remodeled in 1993. Everything in the house comes from Rodin –
including the chairs, armchairs and sofas.
·The Picasso Museum and Le Marais
The Hotel Salé that houses the Picasso
Museum is situated in the Marais, a historical neighborhood in the center of
Paris and the old Jewish quarter. “Marais” means “marshland” in French. In the
12th century, the area was a marshy expanse belonging to abbeys.
Drained and planted, the grounds were transformed into gardens. In the 14th
century, Charles V and his court took up residence there in the Hotel
Saint-Paul, subsequently establishing it as the Royal neighborhood. The end of the 16th
century through the beginning of the 18th were its hours of glory.
King Henry IV (1589-1610) built the Royal Palace that is now the Place des
Vosges. In the same time period, the whole of the Marais was covered with
sumptuous mansions (hotels) owned by the Parisian elite. The Hotel Salé, completed in 1659,
is representative of these beautiful residences that are set back from the
street and fronted by courtyards. The Marais remained the fashionable place to be until the end of
Louis XIV’s reign (1643-1715). The king took up residence in the Tuileries. his
court moving first to Saint-Germain, then to Saint-Honoré. Under Louis-Philippe
(1830-1848) and especially under the Second Empire (1852-1870 under Napoleon
III), the Marais grew poorer and more industrial, with workshops replacing the
gardens and courtyards. After a slow degradation during the 19th and
20th centuries, the Marais became a protected area in 1965.
Restoration of its mansions and the entire quarter continues today.
Pablo Picasso left a considerable number of his works to his wife and children
when he died in 1973. A law permitting those inheriting from an artist to pay
their inheritance taxes by donating artwork to the State allowed the Picasso
Museum to be created. The artist’s inheritors accepted to let the State choose
which works would legally be theirs (Picasso’s inheritors) and which would be
remanded to the State. Numerous paintings, sculptures, sketches, manuscripts –
personal and professional – were selected among Picasso’s affairs. Pieces from Picasso’s
own personal art collection – including works by Braque, Matisse, Miro, Derain,
Cézanne, Le Douanier, Degas, Rousseau, Le Nain – were given to the State in
1978 to be presented to the Louvre. They quite naturally joined the collections
for the Picasso Museum. In 1990, on the death of Picasso’s wife Jacqueline, the
museum received a new donation: 47 paintings, 2 sculptures and around 40
sketches, as well as ceramics and engravings. Finally, in 1992, the Picasso’s
personal archives were also given to the State. The immensity and completeness
of the collection makes the Picasso Museum the primary center of study of the
life and work of this great artist.
· Monument and Museum Pass Info
http://www.parismuseumpass.com/en/faq.php
The Monument and Museum Pass allows free direct access (usually there’s no
waiting in line) and an unlimited number of visits. Clearly print the date of
first entry on the back of your pass (date, month, year). i.e. March 1, 2007 =
01.03.07. NO crossing out or deleting is allowed. Show your pass at
checkpoints. The PARIS MUSEUM PASS does not include
access to temporary exhibitions or conference visits. The “queue-cutter” aspect
of the pass cannot always be guaranteed in certain sites operating an access
system that requires the production of a free ticket or when the number of
visitors is limited for security reasons.
Paris Museums Included
-Musée de L’Armée
-Hôtel des Invalides. 129 rue de Grenelle, Paris 7.
Open: 10:00 – 17:45 in Summer, 10:00 – 16:45 in Winter
-Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
11, avenue de Président Wilson, Paris 16.
Open: 10:00 – 17:40 Tuesday - Friday, 10:00 – 17:00
Saturdays and Sundays, Closed Mondays.
-Musée National d’Art Moderne
Place Georges Pompidou, Paris 4.
Open: 11:00 – 21:00. Closed Tuesdays
-Musée National d’Art d’Afrique et de Océanie
293, avenue Daumesnil, Paris 12
Open: 10:00 – 17:30 Mondays - Friday, 12:30 – 18:00
Saturdays and Sundays (museum) and 10:00 – 18:00 (aquarium).
Closed Tuesdays.
-Musée National des Arts Asiatiques
6 place d’Iéna
Open: 9:45 – 18:00. Closed Tuesdays
-Musée des Arts décoratifs
107 rue de Rivoli, Paris 1.
Open: 11:00 – 18:00 Saturdays and Sundays,
10:00 – 21:00 Wednesdays. Closed Mondays.
-Musée des Arts et Métiers
60, rue Réaumur, Paris 3.
Open: 10:00 – 18:00, 10:00 – 21:30 Thursdays.
Closed Mondays and Public Holidays.
-Musée National des Arts et Traditions Populaires
6, avenue du Mahatama Gandhi, Pais 16
Open: 9:30 – 17:15 daily. Closed Tuesdays.
-Musée de l’Assistance Publique
Hôtel de Miramion, 47 quai de la Tournelle, 75005, Paris
Open: 10:00 – 18:00 daily. Closed Mondays, Public Holidays and
August.
-Musée Bourdelle
16 rue Antoine Bourdelle, Paris 15
Open: 10:00 – 17:40. Closed Mondays.
Maison de Balzac, 47 rue Raynouard, Paris 16.
Open: 10:00 – 17:40. Closed Mondays
-Musée Cernuschi
7, avenue Vélasquez, Paris 8.
Open: 10:00 – 17:40. Closed Mondays.
-Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie
30, avenue Corentin Cariou, Paris 19
Open: 10:00 – 18:00 Tuesday – Saturday,
10:00 – 19:00
Sundays. Closed Mondays.
-Musée Cognacq-Jay
Hôtel Donon, 8, rue Elzévir, Paris 3
Open: 10:00 – 17:40. Closed Mondays
-Conciergerie,
1, quai de l’Horloge,
Paris 1.
Open: 9:30 – 18:30 from 1st April – 30th September.
10:00 – 17:00 from 1st October – 31st March.
-Musée national Eugène Delacroix
6, rue Furstenberg, Paris
Open: 9:30 – 17:00. Closed Tuesdays.
-Musée des Égouts
93, quai d’Orsay, Paris 7.
Open: 11:00 – 17:00 from 1st May – 30th September. 11:00 – 16:00
from 1st October - 30th April.
Closed Thursdays and Fridays.
Closed for three weeks in January every year.
-Musée d’Ennery
Currently closed for renovation.
59, avenue Foch, Paris 16.
Open: 14:00 – 18:00 Thursdays and Sundays. Closed in August.
-Musée Galliera
10, avenue Pierre 1 de Serbie, Paris 16.
Open: 10:00 – 18:00. Closed Mondays.
-Musée Hébert
Hôtel de Montmorency-Bours, 85, rue du Cherche-Midi, Paris 6
Open: 12:30 – 18:00 Monday – Friday. 14:00 – 18:00
Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays. Closed Tuesdays.
-Musée Jean-Jacques Henner
43, avenue de Villiers, Paris 17.
Open: 10:00 – 12:00 and 14:00 – 17:00. Closed Mondays.
-Maison de Victor Hugo
Hôtel de Rohan-Guéménée, 6, place des Vosges, Paris 4.
Open: 10:00 – 17:40. Closed Mondays.
-Musée de l’Institut du monde arabe
1, rue des Fossés-Saint-Bernard, Paris 5
Open: 10:00 – 18:00. Closed Mondays.
-Musée de la Légion d’honneur et des ordres de chevalerie
Parvis du musée d’Orsay, 2, rue de la Légion d’honneur,
Paris 7. Open: 11:00 – 17:00. Closed Mondays.
-Musée du Louvre
Palais du Louvre, Paris 1.
Open: 9:00 – 18:00, Mondays and Wednesdays until 21:45.
Closed Tuesdays.
-Musée national de la Marine
Palais de Chaillot, place du Trocadéro, Paris 16.
Open: 10:00 – 17:50. Closed Tuesdays.
-Mémorial du Maréchal Leclerc – Musée Jean Moulin
23, allée de la 2 DB, jardin Atlantique, Paris 15.
Open: 10:00 – 17:40. Closed Mondays.
-Musée de la Mode et du textile
Union centrale des arts décoratifs, 107 rue de Rivoli, Paris 1
Open: 11:00 – 18:00, 10:00 – 18:00 on Saturdays and
Sundays, open until 21:00 Wednesdays. Closed Mondays.
-Musée de la Monnaie
11, quai de Conti, Paris 6.
Open: 11:00 – 17:30 Tuesday – Friday, 12:00 – 17:30
Saturday and Sunday. Closed Mondays.
-Musée Gustave Moreau
14, rue de la Rochefoucauld, Paris 9.
Open: 10:00 – 12:45 and 14:00 – 17:15 Thursday – Sunday,
11:00 – 17:15 Mondays and Wednesdays. Closed Tuesdays.
-Musée national de Moyen Age
6, place Paul Painlevé, Paris 5.
Open 9:15 – 17:45. Closed Tuesdays.
-Musée de la Musique
Cité de la musique, 221, avenue Jean-Jaurès, Paris 19.
Open: 12:00 – 18:00 Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 – 18:00
Sundays. Closed Mondays.
--Musée Nissim de Camondo
Union centrale des arts décoratifs, 63, rue Monceau, Paris 8.
Open: 10::00 – 17:00. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
-Crypte archéologique de Notre-Dame
1, Place du Parvis Notre-Dame, Paris 4.
Open: 10:00 – 17:40. Closed Mondays.
-Musée national de l’Orangerie des Tuileries
Jardin des Tuileries, Paris 1.
-Muséee de l’Ordre de la Libération
Hôtel national des Invalides, 51, bis boulevard de
Latour-Maubourg, Paris 7.
Open: 10:00 – 17:30 from 1st November – 31st March. 10:00 – 18:00
from 1st April – 30th October.
-Musée d’Orsay
Quai Anatole France, Paris 7 (entrance for individuals)
Rue de Lille (entrance for groups with reservations)
Open: 10:00 – 18:00 ( -21:45 on Thursdays).
Sundays and from 20th June – 20th September open 9:00 – 18:00.
-Petit-Palais – Musée des Beaux Arts de la Ville de Paris
Avenue Winston-Chrchill, Paris 8.
Open: 10:00 – 17:40. Closed Mondays.
-Musée national – Picasso
Hôtel Salé, 5, rue de Thorigny, Paris 3.
Open: 9:30 – 18:00 from 1st April – 30th September.
9:30 – 17:30 from 1st October – 31st March. Thurdays open until
20:00.
-Musée des Plans-reliefs
Hôtel national des Invalides, Paris 7.
Open: 10:00 – 18:00 from 1st April – 30th September, 10:00 – 17:00
from 1st October – 31st March.
-Musée de la Poste
34, boulevard de Vaugirard, Paris 15.
Open: 10:00 – 18:00. Closed Sundays.
-Musée de la Publicité
Union centrale des arts décoratifs
107, rue de Rivoli, Paris 1.
Open: 11:00 – 18:00 (until 21:00 Wednesdays);
10:00 – 18:00 Saturday and Sunday. Closed Mondays.
-Musée Rodin
Hôtel Biron, 77, rue de Varenne, Paris 7.
Open: 9:30 – 17:45 in Summer; 9:30 – 16:45 in Winter.
Closed Mondays.
-La Sainte-Chapelle
4, boulevard du Palais, Paris 1.
Open: 9:30 – 18:30 from 1st April – 30th September;
10:00 – 17:00 from 1st October – 31st March.
-Musée de la Vie romantique
16, rue Chaptal, Paris 9.
Open: 10:00 – 17:40. Closed Mondays.
-Musée Zadkine
100 bis, rue d’Assas, Paris 6.
Open: 10:00 – 17:40. Closed Mondays.
Center of Paris -
PARIS Monuments included
-Arc de Triomphe
Place Charles de Gaulle, Paris 8.
Open: 10:00 – 18:45 July and August, 10:00 – 16:45
September – June.
-Chapelle Expiatoire
29, rue Pasquier, Paris 8
Open: 13:00 – 17:00 Thursday – Saturday only.
-Tours de Notre-Dame
Rue du Cloître, Paris 4.
Open: 9:30 – 19:30 from 1st April – 30th September,
10:00 – 17:30 from 1st October – 31st March.
Open until 22:00 everyday in July and August.
-Panthéon
Place du Panthéon, Paris 5.
Open: 9:30 – 18:30 from 1st April – 30th September.
10:00 – 18:15 from 1st October – 31st March.
Around Paris – Museums Included
-Musée des Antiquité nationales de Saint-germain-en-Laye
Place du Château, 78103 Saint-Germain-en-Laye (Yvelines)
Open: 9:00 – 17:15. Closed Tuesdays.
-Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace
Aéroport de Paris-Le Bourget, 93352
Open: 10:00 – 18:00 from 1st May – 31st October; 10:00 – 17:00
from 1st November – 30th April.
-Musée national de Céramique de Sèvres
Place de la Manufacture, 92310 Sèvres (Hauts de Seine)
Open: 10:00 – 17:00. Closed Tuesdays.
-Abbaye royale de Chaalis – Musée Jacquemart – André
60300 Fontaine-Chaalis (Oise)
Open: Park – 10:00 – 19:00, Museum (from 1st March – 11th
November) – 10:30 – 12:30 & 14:00 – 18:00; 10:30 – 12:30 & 14:00 –
18:00 Sundays and Public Holidays from 12th November – 28th February.
-Musée national du Chateau de Compiègne
Place du Général de Gaulle, 60200 Compiègne, (Oise).
Open: 10:00 – 17:15. Closed Tuesdays.
-Musée Condé – Château de Chantilly
BP 70243, 60631 Chantilly (Oise)
Open: from 1st March – 31st October 10:00 – 18:00;
from 1st November – 28th February 10:30 – 12:45 & 14:00 –
17:00.
Closed Tuesdays. Park is open daily.
-Musée national de la Coopération franco-américain
Château de Bléancourt 02300 Blérancourt
Open: 10:00 – 12:30 & 14:00 – 17:30. Closed Tuesdays.
-Musée départemental Maurice Denis – le Prieuré
2 bis, rue M. Denis, 78100 St. Germain-en-Laye (Yvelines)
Open: 10:00 – 17:30, Saturdays, Sundays and Public
Holidays 10:00 – 18:30. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
-Musée national du Château de Fontainebleau
77300 Fontainebleau (Seine et Marne)
Open: 9:30 – 18:00 from 1st June – 30th September; 9:30 – 17:00
from 1st October – 31st May. Closed Tuesdays.
-Musée national des Granges de Port-Royal
Saint Quentin en Yvelines, 78114 Magny-les-Hameaux (Yvelines)
Open: 10:00 – 12:00 & 14:00 – 18:00 from 2nd March – 14th
October; 10:00 – 12:00 & 14:00 – 17:30 from 15th October – 1st March.
Closed Tuesdays.
-Musée national des châteaux de Malmaison et Bois-Préau Châteaux
1, avenue du Château, 92500 Reuil-Malmaison (Hauts-de-Seine)
Open: 10:00 – 17:45 from 1st May – 31st July, (Saturday and Sunday
10:00 - 18:00); 10:00 – 12:30 & 13:30 – 17:45 from 1st – 30th April and
from 1st August – 30th September
(Saturdays and Sundays close at 18:00); 10:00 – 12:30 & 13:30
– 17:15 from 1st October – 31st March, (Saturday and Sunday close at 17:45).
Closed Tuesdays.
-Musée national de la Renaissance – Château d’Ecouen
95440 Ecouen (Val d’Oise)
Open: 9:45 – 12:30 & 14:00 – 17:15. Closed Tuesdays.
-Maison d’Auguste Rodin à Meudon
Villa des Brillants, 19, avenue Auguste Rodin, 92190 Meudon
Open: 13:00 – 18:00 from May – October, Fridays – Sundays only.
-Basilique Saint Denis
Rue de la Légion d’Honneur, 93200 Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis)
Open: 10:00 – 19:00 from 1st April – 30th September; 10:00 – 17:00
from 1st October – 31st March. Opens at midday on Sundays.
-Villa Savoye
82, rue de Villiers, 78300 Poissy (Yvelines)
Open: 9:30 – 12:30 & 13:30 - 18:00 from 1st April – 31st
October; 9:30 – 12:30 & 13:30 – 16:30 from 2nd November – 31st
March. Closed Tuesdays.
-Musée national des Chateauxde Versailles et de Trianon
78000 Versailles (Yvelines)
Open: 9:00 – 18:30 from 2nd May – 30th September;
9:00 – 17:30 from 1st October – 30th April.
Closed Mondays.
Around Paris – Monuments Included
-Château de Champs
77420 Champs-sur-Marne
Open: from 1st April – 30th September 10:00 – 12:00 & 13:30 –
17:30 Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays open until 18:00; from 1st October
– 30th March 10:00 – 12:00 & 13:30 – 16:30. Closed Tuesdays.
-Château de Maisons-Laffitte
Avenue Carnot, 78600 Maisons-Laffitte (Yvelines)
Open: 10:00 – 12:00 & 13:30 – 18:00 from 1st April – 15th
October; 10:00 – 12:00 & 13:30 – 17:00 from 16th October – 31st March.
Closed Tuesdays.
-Château de la Motte Tilly
10400 Nogent-sur-Seine (Aube)
Open: 10:00 – 11:45 & 14:00 – 18:00 from 1st April – 30th
September; 14:00 – 18:00 from 1st – 31st October; 14:00 – 17:00 in November
& March, Saturdays & Sundays. Closed Mondays and from 1st December –
28th February.
-Château de Pierrefonds
60350 Pierrefonds (Oise)
Open: 10:00 – 12:30 & 14:00 – 18:00 (10:00 - 18:00 Sundays),
from 1st March – 30th April and from 1st September – 30th October; 10:00 –
18:00 from 1st May – 31st August; 10:00 – 12:30 & 14:00 – 17:30 (10:00 -
17:30 Sundays) from 1st November – 28th February.
-Château de Rambouillet
Place de la Libération – 78120 Rambouillet (Yvelines)
Open: 10:00 – 11:30 & 14:00 – 17:30 from 1st April – 30th
September; 10:00 – 11:30 & 14:00 – 16:30 from 1st October – 31st March.
Closed Tuesdays and days of visits of the President of France (official
residence).
-Château de Vincennes
Avenue de Paris, 94300 Vincennes (Val-de-Marne)
Open: 10:00 – 12:00 & 13:15 – 18:00 from 1st April – 30th September;
10:00 – 12:00 & 13:15 – 17:00 from 1st October – 31st March.
