OUR TOP SPOTS
in Paris
OUR TOP SPOTS
in Paris
5 ATTRACTIONS
PICKED BY CÉLINE AND ANNE
One of the first things Anne did when she moved to Paris was buy an annual pass for the Louvre. And then she made the most of the freelance life and spent a Wednesday morning leisurely looking around the rooms. She pretty much had the place to herself – how lovely! BUT it wasn’t long before the Louvre had Picasso (what a diverse artist he was) and Rodin (sculptures really are her thing) hot on its heels.
Being half French, Céline has a long list of her own favourite places to go in Paris. Read her thoughts on two of them – the Tour Montparnasse and the Palace of Versailles – right here.
FAVORITE SPOT 1
The Louvre
OK, so we’re not exactly telling you something new here with this one. BUT the Louvre is so huge that it can be hard to locate the best works of art inside. And that’s why I’m going to share my three favourite masterpieces in this marvellous museum with you right here.
- Who wouldn’t want to be revived by Cupid’s kiss? Sculptor Antonio Canova captured that very moment beautifully in his sculpture ‘Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss’, which you can find in Room 403 in the Michelangelo Gallery on the ground floor of the Denon Wing.
- Head back through Room 406 to get to the Daru Staircase. And a stunning sculpture awaits at the top – ‘The Winged Victory of Samothrace’. Nike, the goddess of victory, stands majestically on the prow of a ship. It is believed the sculpture, which was discovered on the Greek island of Samothrace back in 1863, dates back to the 2nd century B.C.
- Next, follow the signs for ‘La Joconde’ that will lead you straight to the Mona Lisa (Room 711 on the first floor of the Denon Wing). But turn your back on the Mona Lisa this time and say hello to my third Louvre highlight. ‘The Wedding Feast at Cana’ by Paolo Caliari (known as Paolo Veronese) is an impressive 6.77 metres wide by 9.9 metres tall. And you won’t believe the amount of detail in this painting depicting the biblical story where Jesus turns water into wine.
FAVORITE SPOT 2
PICASSO Museum
Picasso? The one with all the cubism paintings? That’s right! But there’s so much more to this Spanish artist than you might realise.
The Picasso Museum in the Marais district of Paris is home to some 5,000 works of art and 200,000 archive items, making it the biggest Picasso collection in the whole world. You can truly immerse yourself in Picasso’s world at this museum, and see for yourself just how diverse he was as an artist. And don’t forget to admire the interior design by Swiss sculptor Diego Giacometti while you’re there. Make sure you leave yourself enough time for a stroll around the neighbourhood afterwards. It’s one of our favourite districts in Paris because of its genuine diversity as home to thriving LGBTQ+ and Jewish communities.
FAVORITE SPOT 3
RODIN MUSEUM
The Rodin Museum is located in the former studio of the French sculptor and painter known for his unfinished projects. The Hôtel Biron, a rococo town house dating back to 1732 with sprawling grounds, was where Rodin lived and worked from 1911 onwards. The grounds are home to two of Rodin’s famous bronze sculptures – ‘The Thinker’ and ‘The Gates of Hell’. That last one has become known as the artist’s magnum opus since he worked on it – on and off – for 37 years.
Inside the stunning building housing the museum, you can admire the marble sculpture ‘The Kiss’ and the bronze statue ‘The Age of Bronze’ alongside Rodin’s sketches, drawings and ceramics.
FAVORITE SPOT 4
VIEW OF PARIS FROM MONTPARNASSE
“I just love the view from the Tour Montparnasse! From there, I can see the Eiffel Tower and Sacré-Cœur clearly without the tower itself spoiling the view despite it still being on the ugly side 😉” says Céline with a big grin on her face.
The tower is due an upgrade between now and 2024 complete with a glass façade and green terraces. “I can’t wait! In fact, I might even have to find a new spot so I can admire the view of the tower.”
For the time being, I would recommend delaying your visit until late afternoon or evening time so you can take photos in daylight, when the sun is setting and at night. If the weather’s on your side, you can head out onto the rooftop terrace on the 59th floor or sit outside at Café 360 on the 56th floor.
FAVORITE SPOT 5
PALACE OF VERSAILLES
There are plenty of magnificent palaces in Europe but none of them can compete with the former home of Sun King Louis XIV. Prepare to be wowed as you move from room to room, each one grander than the last.
It may come as no surprise that the Hall of Mirrors is my Versailles highlight. Flooded with light, it almost stretches all the way along the front of the palace. 350 mirrors are combined to form 17 huge mirrored surfaces to match the number of windows. The ornate painted ceilings, crystal chandeliers and giant golden candlesticks will take your breath away. I can picture the extravagant parties that would have been held in this space, which must have also provided the perfect setting for the King to exert his power and conduct political negotiations. But it was long after his death that one of the most important political events in history took place here – the Treaty of Versailles was signed here in 1919.
The spectacular grounds are my second highlight. What could be more enjoyable than taking a leisurely stroll along the Allée Royale between the Latona Fountain and Apollo Fountain? There are two châteaus towards the back of the grounds, which gave the King and Queen somewhere to escape from the official courtly duties that awaited them inside the palace. The King took his mistresses to Le Grand Trianon, while le Petit Trianon was Marie Antoinette’s own safe haven.
Text and image rights: Celine Mülich, 2021
With the support of Anne Okolowitz
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