Monday, August 23, 2010

Picasso Museum Paris

Picasso Museum Paris

Visiting Museums
In the heart of the fashionable Marais district in Paris, the Picasso Museum is dedicated to the famous Spanish painter Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). The Picasso Museum is housed in Hotel Sale, a superb 1656 city mansion, close to Centre Pompidou. The museum opened in 1985 with 203 paintings and 156 pieces of sculpture, coming from the Picasso heritage and paid to the French state as death duties. Pablo Picasso arrived in Paris in 1900. With many other painters, he then turned Montmartre into the fabric of modern art. Pablo Picasso then spent most of his life in Paris and warm and lovely Provence in Southern France. You will see great paintings in the museum including Paul Arlequin and the portrait of Dora Maar. Whether you like Pablo Picasso paintings or not, you will be moved by the colorful masterpieces in display.

Open
9.30am to 5.30pm from October 1st to March 31st, 9.30am to 6pm from April 1st to September 30th.
Closed on Tuesdays, January 1st, December 25th

Address
Musee National Picasso
Hotel Sale
5, rue de Thorigny
75003 Paris

Tel
+33 (0)1 42 71 25 21

More Information
http://www.musee-picasso.fr/

Musee Marmottan (Marmottan Museum) Paris

Musee Marmottan (Marmottan Museum) Paris

Visiting Museums
Rush to the Marmottan Museum to see its splendid collection of paintings by Claude Monet. The museum displays 65 masterpieces, including many Nympheas andn the famous "Impression soleil levant". This painting gave its name to the Impressionism. Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissaro, Alfred Sisley, Claude Monet are among the famous impressionist painters. The Nympheas are waterlilies. Claude Monet painted them in his now famous garden of Giverny in Normandy, west of Paris. As the best impressionist landscape painter, Claude Monet brought color and light, expressed happiness and life emotions in his paintings. Everybody likes his friendly style. Located in a private house of the fashionable Auteuil Western district of Paris, the Marmottan Museum is a pilgrimage destination for lovers of impressionism.

History of Marmottan Museum
Originally a hunting lodge for the Duke of Valmy, the house at the edge of the Bois de Boulogne was purchased by Jules Marmottan in 1882 who later left it to his son Paul Marmottan. Marmottan moved into the lodge and, with an interest in the Napoleonic era, he expanded his father's collection of paintings, furniture and bronzes. Marmottan bequeathed his home and collection to the Académie des Beaux-Arts. The Académie opened up the house and collection as the Museum Marmottan in 1934. Though originally a showcase for pieces from the First Empire, the nature of the museum's collection began to change with two major donations. In 1957, Victorine Donop de Monchy gave the museum an important collection of Impressionist works that had belonged to her father, Doctor Georges de Bellio, physician to Manet, Monet, Pissaro, Sisley and Renoir, and an early supporter of the Impressionist movement. In 1966, Claude Monet's second son, Michel Monet, left the museum his own collection of his father's work, thus creating the world's largest collection of Monet paintings. Jacque Carlu, then curator of the museum, built a special exhibition space for the Monet collection in a lower level of the museum. Inspired by the hall designed for Monet's Water Lilies murals in the Musée de l'Orangerie, the large, open room allows visitors to see a progression of Monet's work, as well as to view his canvases both up close and from afar. One of the most notable pieces in the museum is Monet's Impression, Sunrise (Impression, Soleil Levant), the painting from which the Impressionist movement took its name. The painting was stolen from the Musée Marmottan in 1985, but recovered five years later and returned to the permanent exhibit in 1991.

Open
10 am to 6 pm

Address
2, rue Louis Bailly 75016 Paris

Tel
+33 (0)1 44 96 50 33

More Information
http://www.marmottan.com/

Monday, August 16, 2010

History of Paris

History of Paris

Paris History

The same as most of the big cities, Paris is produced up of various districts or departments. Every of these arrondissements has its own story to notify, backed up by the charm with the town of lights. This reality only can make the background of Paris a lot more fascinating, and complex.

It absolutely was towards the end from the 3rd hundred years BC when the Celtic Gaul tribes founded Paris. The town got its name from your settlers who had been recognized because the Parisii.

This romantic city was taken over from the famous Roman emperor Julius Caesar through the 52 BC. The position that is certainly now recognized as the Latin Quarter was when the place in which the Romans developed the city Lutetia. Paris extended to be under the Roman effect right up until the 5th century Ad. It wasn’t till 508 Advert how the Romans entirely left the town.

Following the Roman invasion, Clovis of the Franks established his own kingdom with Paris as its capital. This produced Clovis the 1st king of Paris. He continued to reign for nearly 500 many years, together with his descendants – the Carolingians. By 987 Ad, when Paris became the hub of the French federal government, the construction with the Notre Dame Cathedral was began. And by the 13th century, the Louvre Museum and Sorbonne Understanding College, also regarded because “University of Paris”, were opened.

By 1643, King Louis XIV reigned as the king of France but then overthrown by Napoleon Bonaparte within the 1700s. At the time of Napoleon II’s reign, Paris started to prosper and turn out to be a location that is wealthy in background, lifestyle and art. It also enjoyed favorable progress being a multi-cultural metropolis since it accommodates new immigrants and visitors from all corners on the planet.

That truth is evident up till these days as Paris nevertheless remains to become the most visited town inside globe.

Shopping in Paris

Shopping in Paris

I wager you currently be aware that Paris is considered a shopping haven. The moment you hear about Paris, you possibly can never take “shopping” out of the image. Getting 1 on the premiere buying cities in the globe, Paris is each and every shopper’s heaven right here on earth. And since your Paris trip would not be total without having souvenirs to remind you of the majestic city, you can opt to shop at Paris’ wide assortment of outlets that will make you really like the town all the additional.

If you’re into designer fashion and haute couture, you’ll most most likely appreciate the shops identified together the renowned Triangle d’Or. It houses the finest haute couture stores including Dior, Prada, Gucci, Chanel, Ferragamo, and also a whole lot a lot more. For the trendy finds, you can set foot in the direction of the Champs Elysees and store at Sephora, Zara, along with the renowned Louis Vuitton flagship retailer. Most of these stores are open from 10AM to 7PM, Monday through Saturday.

Fashion boutiques of world-renowned designers can also be identified on Paris’ Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and Avenue Montaigne inside the 8th arrondissement as well as Gucci, Hermès, Yves Saint-Laurent and Christian Dior. There is also the Carrousel de Louvre, that is positioned below the Louvre museum that features a enormous foods court along with a large variety of boutiques. You’ll find apartments located about the 7th street just in case you cannot get sufficient of shopping in Paris.

Nonetheless, if you are for the hunt for department stores, you can check out Bon Marché, Samaritaine, Printemps, and Bazar de l’Hôtel de Ville (BHV). Aside from providing a massive wide variety of products for sale, these stores are also component of Paris’ background.

Paris is part of every shopaholic’s must-shop-at places as this city offers a multitude of buying malls, boutiques, department shops and designer stores which are sure to capture every single shopper’s fancy.

Most Visited Attractions in Paris

Most Visited Attractions in Paris

Paris Attractions

Going to Paris can be extremely exciting and rather overwhelming. With the tons of points this town has to offer you, it is possible to hardly know exactly where to start and which locations you are not supposed to skip. Here are some sights and Paris attractions that you simply really should never skip out on.

1st off is the world-famous Eiffel Tower which is considered because the main landmark of Paris. It stands 300m high and may present you a spectacular panoramic look at with the entire town. Though you’ve to endure the lengthy line likely to the best, it is all worth it.

One more tourist attraction is the Notre Dame Cathedral. It would be the very first cathedral developed on the town and paved the way for Paris to become deemed because capital of France. It attributes an excellent Gothic architecture, ornamented with big rose windows, stained glasses and revolutionary sculptures.

Any journey to Paris just isn’t total without having paying a visit towards Louvre Museum that served like a fortress in the course of the Middle Ages. At current, this museum houses the world-renowned painting by Leonardo Da Vinci – the Mona Lisa along with other impressive arts and antiques collected from all over the planet. And due to the fact it actually requires months to complete a tour of everything inside the museum, it’s important to select which to see primary.

And for each and every shopaholic, it is impossible to check out Paris with no going to The Champs-Elysees Avenue, which attributes the most famous boutiques and automobile showrooms.

Tuileries Garden, the beautiful park situated inside the heart of Paris, isn’t being missed too. Soon after a lengthy day of sightseeing or purchasing at Paris, this is often a good location to unwind. You’ll find also coffee shops along the park that you simply can appreciate although viewing the park’s fountains and sculptures.
With all these heart-captivating points of interest, you are certain to own a memorable holiday in the City of Lights.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Centre Pompidou Paris

Centre Pompidou Paris

Visiting Museums
Le Centre Pompidou (Pompidou center in English) is one of the most spectacular buildings of Paris.It was designed by architects Renzo Piano (from Italy) and Richard Rodgers (from the UK) to bring art and culture to the man in the street.Its 1977 factory style architecture (right and below) violently contrasts with the surrounding houses of Paris' oldest district near Notre-Dame cathedral. You like Le Centre Pompidou or you don't, but you will not forget its glass facade, its external stairs and the red, blue and green pipes on the rear facade.Locate Centre Pompidou on Paris map.Le Centre Pompidou has been a great success with its easily accessible public library, its art exhibitions and the French National Museum of Modern Art. The Museum has large collections of paintings spanning the 20th century and including works by the most famous artists.The list includes among others Picasso, Braque, Max Ernst, Magritte, Chagall, Matisse, Delaunay, Kandinsky and Klee.Jonglers, musicians and the Stravinski fountain animate the plazza in front of Centre Pompidou. On the plazza, don't skip the trendy Cafe Beaubourg.On the top floor of Centre Pompidou, Georges cafe and restaurant has one of the best views of Paris Altogether, you can spend a day at Centre Pompidou and in the trendy Le Marais district near-by.

Open
all days except Tuesdays and May 1st from 11am to 10pm (closed at 9 pm).

Address
Place Georges Pompidou, Paris, France 7500

Tel
+33 (0)1 44 78 12 33

More Information
http://www.centrepompidou.fr

Musee d'Orsay (Orsay Museum) Paris

Musee d'Orsay (Orsay Museum) Paris

Visiting Museums
Housed in the former Orsay station, the Orsay Museum is the impressionist museum of Paris. Built in 1900, the beautiful "Gare d'Orsay" was one of Paris main stations with trains to Bordeaux. Located across the Louvre Museum on the Seine river left bank, it has been spectacularly renovated from 1977 to 1986 to host the Orsay Museum collections. Locate Orsay Museum on Paris map.The Orsay Museum, a must for art lovers, is known worldwide for its fabulous impressionist paintings. The "Impressionism" was a French painting school in the second half of the 19th century.The impressionists included Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet, Edgar Manet and Theo Van Gogh. They painted ordinary life and people in the open air. They totally rejected the tradition of historical and mythological subjects and used light colors.Above all, they are famous for having departed from the tradition of reproducing the real world.They instead used color spots and strokes to suggest their impression of the real world. This impression is only perceivable at a distance from their paintings.The Impressionist paintings are now widely acclaimed as some of the bests in art history.

Overview
The Musee d'Orsay, the Orsay Museum, is one of the most pleasureable museums in Paris. Its early life as a train station, the Gare d'Orsay, gives it a structure which invites people to enter and enjoy a journey through a most remarkable period of art history.Entering through the main hall, one is struck by the openness of the museum, the play of light and the wonderful display of sculptures.The wide aisles, the mezzanine and the absence of architectural obstructions affords excellent views of the main hall of the museum.The atmosphere is relaxed and leisurely. There is much to see here, but, it's not the Louvre. One can wander through this entire museum with one visit.The Musee d'Orsay has a beautiful restaurant and two cafés, one with an outdoor terrace overlooking the Seine river and the Tuileries Garden.

Open
Tuesdays to Sundays 9.30am to 6pm (9.45 on Thursdays)

Address
1, Rue de Bellechasse 75007 Paris

Tel
33 (0)1 40 49 48 14

More Information
http://www.musee-orsay.fr