Conciergerie & Sainte Chapelle Private Tour
|The Sainte Chapelle and Conciergerie|
Sainte Chapelle and Conciergerie Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Île de la Cité is the very center of Paris and the medieval city, certainly the oldest part of Paris or Lutèce for its first name. The Île de la Cité is one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Paris, with some of the main landmarks, like Notre Dame Cathedral, the Sainte Chapelle and the Conciergerie.
From €360 with a Licensed Private Tour Guide
- Priority access tickets – Duration about 2 hours
- Meeting point at the Sainte Chapelle Entrance on the Ile de la Cité island
- 1-hour private tour at Saint Chapelle’ stained glass windows, upper and lower floor
- 1-hour private tour at the Conciergerie’s Guards Room, Soldiers Hall and kitchens
Sainte-Chapelle and Beyond
Sacred Relics of Sainte-Chapelle – Among Christianity’s Most Revered Treasures
King Louis IX, later canonized as Saint Louis, commissioned the construction of the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris to house some of the most sacred relics of the Passion of Christ. Regarded as one of the most devout Christian monarchs of the Middle Ages, he acquired and brought several important relics to Paris. To properly enshrine them, he ordered the creation of the Sainte-Chapelle, an exceptional Gothic chapel located on the Île de la Cité.
These relics helped solidify Paris’s position as a major center of pilgrimage and further enhanced Saint Louis’s reputation as a pious and holy ruler. The sacred objects, including the Crown of Thorns, contributed to making the city one of the most important religious destinations in medieval Europe.
Stained Glass Windows
The Sainte-Chapelle is world-famous for its extraordinary stained glass windows, which illustrate biblical narratives with remarkable color, depth, and detail. Often referred to as the “Jewel Box of Light,” the chapel was originally built to safeguard Christ’s relics brought by Saint Louis. Following the French Revolution (1789–1799), the relics were moved from the Sainte-Chapelle to Notre-Dame Cathedral for protection. During this period, the Sainte-Chapelle suffered significant damage, though the Crown of Thorns and other important relics were preserved by authorities. Transferring them to Notre-Dame ensured their continued safety while maintaining their religious and historical significance. To this day, the relics—particularly the Crown of Thorns—remain under the care of Notre-Dame. The chapel itself remains a masterpiece of 13th-century craftsmanship, with its 15 towering windows especially breathtaking when illuminated by natural light.
Historical Role and Significance in Paris
Originally constructed to preserve precious religious relics acquired by King Louis IX, the Sainte-Chapelle served as a royal chapel and a powerful symbol of both faith and monarchy. Its collection included some of Christianity’s most venerated objects:
- The Crown of Thorns – believed to be the crown placed on the head of Jesus Christ during His Passion
- A Fragment of the True Cross – thought to be a piece of the cross on which Jesus was crucified
- The Holy Lance – believed to be the spear that pierced Christ’s side
- The Holy Sponge – said to have been used to offer vinegar to Jesus during the Crucifixion
- Other Passion Relics – including fragments associated with Christ’s burial and crucifixion
Architectural and Historical Legacy
A Gothic architectural masterpiece, the Sainte-Chapelle’s construction began in 1241. After acquiring the sacred relics from the Emperors of Constantinople, Louis IX significantly elevated Paris’s religious and political standing, helping establish the city as a major center of Christianity. Remarkably, the cost of the relics themselves was said to exceed three times the expense of constructing the chapel. Today, the Sainte-Chapelle stands as both a spiritual monument and a testament to the artistic and cultural ambition of medieval France.
Saint Louis King of France and the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris
Saint Louis, born Louis IX of France (1214–1270), was one of the most pious and influential monarchs of medieval Europe. His reign marked a high point in the Capetian dynasty and in the symbolic unity of Church and monarchy. One of the most significant projects of his reign was the commissioning of the Sainte-Chapelle, a royal chapel located within the medieval Palais de la Cité in Paris.
By building the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris:
- He affirmed his devotion: Louis was deeply religious, and the chapel served as a tangible expression of his personal piety.
- He reinforced royal authority: Possessing such sacred relics elevated the prestige of the French monarchy, positioning it as a divinely favored power in Christendom.
- He aligned France with divine will: In a time when religion underpinned governance, Louis used the chapel and its relics to present France as the “new Jerusalem” and himself as a monarch chosen by God.
The Sainte-Chapelle was not only a place of worship but also a political statement—visually and spiritually linking the French Crown to divine legitimacy.
Louis IX the Only Canonized French King
Louis IX is the only French monarch canonized by the Catholic Church, became Saint Louis in 1297, just 27 years after his death. Several reasons explain this unique sanctification:
- His Personal Piety: Louis lived a life with humility, charity, and devoutness. He prayed daily, fasted, and washed the feet of the poor, emulating Christ’s humility.
- Justice and Governance: He was fair and has a strong sense of justice. He established reforms in the legal system and insisted on the king being accountable to Christian values.
- Crusades: Though ultimately unsuccessful, his leadership of the Seventh and Eighth Crusades was an act of religious devotion.
- Martyr-like dimension: His death during the Eighth Crusade in Tunisia added a martyr-like dimension to his legacy.
- Moral Example: Louis, admired throughout Europe for his saintly lifestyle and Christian kingship, became a model of the “ideal Christian ruler.”
No other French monarch combined such deep personal piety, public virtue, and religious symbolism with enduring historical impact. His canonization by Pope Boniface VIII made him a unique figure—a saint who was also a king, embodying both heavenly grace and earthly power.
Sainte Chapelle Destruction During the French Revolution (1789–1799)
Relics Removed and Dispersed:
The most sacred purpose of the Sainte-Chapelle was to house the Passion relics, including the Crown of Thorns. However, in 1791, the relics were transferred to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris for safekeeping. Eventually, they became property of the state and many were lost or destroyed. The Crown of Thorns survived. It is now held in the treasury of Notre-Dame.
Sainte Chapelle in Paris Desecrated:
The chapel was stripped of its religious function. It was secularized and repurposed as a storage facility for legal archives by the Ministry of Justice. The lower chapel was used for office space. The upper chapel which once held the relics was the main royal chapel. Indeed, it was treated with little regard for its artistic or spiritual significance.
Destruction of Stained Glass and Statues:
Revolutionary mobs damaged or destroyed, broke windows and decapitated statues of the apostles and biblical figures. In fact, they were mistaking for images of the French kings. Fortunately, about two-thirds of the original stained glass panels survived.
Architectural Neglect:
Over the revolutionary and post-revolutionary period, the Sainte-Chapelle fell into disrepair. Moreover, its architectural significance was not widely appreciated until the 19th century.
Sainte Chapelle Restoration in the 19th Century
Under the influence of growing interest in medieval art, the Sainte-Chapelle underwent a major restoration in the mid-1800s. The architect was Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. His team restored the stained glass windows, sculptures, and painted decoration. The goal was to return the chapel to its original Gothic splendor.
Despite the damage, Sainte-Chapelle remains one of the most stunning examples of Rayonnant Gothic architecture. Its surviving stained glass is among the most remarkable in Europe. This church is a gothic style gem, and a masterpiece of 13th-century architecture. Have a private walking tour on the Ile de la Cité to discover our Gothic Treasures.
Visiting the Sainte Chapelle in Paris
Sainte Chapelle Paris has two floors. Only the King and his royal court had access to the top floor chapel and this is where the relics were kept. The first-floor chapel was the place of worship of the Palace personnel.
The stained glass windows of the chapel date from the 19th century on subjects proposed by François de Guilhermy and made by Steinheil.
During the French Revolution the Sainte-Chapelle suffered heavy damage. The remaining relics that survived the Revolution were moved to Notre Dame Cathedral’s treasury.
Upper Sainte Chapelle
The upper chapel has the shpae of a reliquary. Its lavishly decoration has sculptures and enormous stained glass that fill the chapel with light and colour.
The 15 stained glass windows, which leave just enough room for the chapel’s columns, are made of 1,113 scenes that narrate the history of mankind from Genesis to the resurrection of Christ.
Lower Sainte Chapelle
The lower chapel holds the statue of the Virgin Mary, patron of this sanctuary. The interior polychrome decoration, which is mostly red and blue, recreates the original medieval decoration.
The eastern apse still preserves a fresco of the Annunciation made during the thirteenth century. Actually, it is the oldest mural in the city.
During the French Revolution, the Sainte-Chapelle, like many religious buildings in France, suffered significant damage and desecration. Revolutionary ideals were strongly anti-clerical, and churches were seen not just as religious institutions but also as symbols of monarchy and privilege.
The Conciergerie Private Tour – A Glimpse into Parisian Royal History
Before it became a prison, the Conciergerie was the heart of royal life. Built as part of the Palais de la Cité, it served as the residence of French kings from the 10th to the 14th centuries. Imagine lavish banquets echoing under high stone ceilings and courtiers bustling through candlelit corridors. But as time passed, the monarchy moved to the Louvre and later Versailles. The Conciergerie’s fate changed—it became the symbol of royal justice, and during the French Revolution, the symbol of terror.
The Guards Room – A Royal Legacy of King Philip the Fair
Constructed around 1300 under King Philip IV, also known as Philip the Fair, the Guards Room was the entrance to royal authority. It served as a waiting area for guards and royal officials, a threshold between the outside world and the royal chambers.
Architectural Brilliance
Step inside and you’ll be enveloped by the aura of medieval France. The vaulted ceilings, stone pillars, and pointed arches are quintessential examples of early Gothic design. These arches don’t just hold up the structure—they tell stories of royal ambition.
Symbolism and Royal Power
Philip the Fair was known for centralizing power and strengthening the monarchy. The Guards Room reflects this ambition—strong, symmetrical, and imposing. Its design echoes the order and discipline the king demanded across his realm.
The Hall of the Soldiers – A Monumental Masterpiece
Adjacent to the Guards Room lies the Hall of the Soldiers (Salle des Gens d’Armes)—one of the largest surviving medieval halls in Europe. It was where royal banquets, council meetings, and even judicial hearings took place.
Architectural Design and Features
Four long aisles supported by massive columns give this hall an almost cathedral-like aura. The ribbed vaults soar high above, letting in light that dances across the stone. The space is vast, almost echoing with the laughter and chatter of long-gone feasts.
The Social and Political Role
Beyond its beauty, this hall was a stage for royal authority. Here, knights, courtiers, and soldiers dined side by side—a symbolic gathering of those who protected and served the king.
The Medieval Kitchens – Built Under King John the Good
When King John II (John the Good) took the throne, he envisioned modernization. He ordered the construction of large kitchens to serve the royal court. These weren’t ordinary kitchens—they were masterpieces of medieval engineering.
The Layout and Construction
With four enormous fireplaces, smoke vents, and arched windows, the kitchens were designed for efficiency and grandeur. The stone slabs where meat was carved, the soot-stained walls—all whisper of medieval feasts fit for royalty.
Culinary Life of the 14th Century
Think roasted boar, spiced stews, and sweet pastries dripping with honey. The royal menu reflected power and prestige. Even the aromas from these kitchens were a statement—France was the land of taste and refinement long before modern gastronomy.
The Prison Era of the Conciergerie
By the late 14th century, the Conciergerie had transformed from a royal palace into a state prison. The French Revolution turned it into the antechamber to the guillotine, where prisoners awaited their fate.
Famous Prisoners
The most famous inmate? Queen Marie Antoinette. She spent her final days here before execution in 1793. Alongside her were figures like Robespierre and Danton—once powerful, now humbled by fate.
The Commemorative Chapel of Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette’s imprisonment was marked by isolation and sorrow. Her cell was small, dimly lit, and constantly guarded. Yet, she remained composed—a queen until the very end.
The Erection of the Chapel
After the Revolution, King Louis XVIII ordered the construction of a commemorative chapel on the very spot of her cell. It stands as a symbol of mourning and remembrance, dedicated to the queen’s courage and suffering.
Interior Design and Symbolism
Inside, the chapel radiates peace. White marble sculptures depict Marie in prayer, surrounded by religious motifs. The quiet sanctity contrasts sharply with the agony that once filled this space.
Conciergerie – A Walk Through French Revolution History
The Conciergerie, once a royal palace turned prison, played a key role during the French Revolution. This historical site was Marie Antoinette’s jail before her trial and subsequent execution. Visitors can explore her cell and other areas of this infamous prison, getting a somber view of this turbulent period.
- Architectural Significance and Prison Cells Tour
The building’s mix of Gothic and medieval architecture adds depth to its historical ambiance. Your private tour guide brings the experience to life with stories of revolutionary trials and prison life, immersing visitors in the drama of this iconic location.
- French death metal band Gojira Perched on the Conciergerie
One of the most striking moments of the Olympic opening ceremony ! After following the footsteps of the revolutionaries, magnificently portrayed by Eugène Delacroix in his famous painting La Liberté guidant le peuple, we saw a decapitated Marie-Antoinette singing “Ah! ça ira, ça ira, ça ira!”, a revolutionary song written during the French Revolution.
Sainte-Chapelle and the Kings of France Through the Revolution
The Shared Legacy of the Conciergerie and Sainte-Chapelle in Paris
Exploring the Conciergerie and Sainte-Chapelle together on a private tour is like witnessing two sides of the same historical coin—power and faith, majesty and tragedy. Both monuments, standing side by side on the Île de la Cité, capture the essence of medieval France at its height and its fall.
The Sainte-Chapelle, built by King Louis IX (Saint Louis), glows with divine beauty. Its radiant stained-glass windows tell biblical stories through color and light, reflecting a time when kings saw themselves as chosen by God. Just a few steps away, the Conciergerie—once part of the same royal palace—reveals the earthly reality of monarchy: rule, justice, and eventually, downfall.
On a private tour, the contrast becomes deeply personal. One moment you’re bathed in the heavenly hues of Sainte-Chapelle; the next, you stand in the solemn Hall of the Soldiers or Marie Antoinette’s chapel, where history speaks in whispers and shadows. Together, these monuments tell a complete story—of France’s glory, faith, and resilience through centuries of change.
Visiting both sites is not just sightseeing—it’s a pilgrimage through time, where sacred beauty and human history intertwine to remind us that every crown, no matter how radiant, casts a shadow.
Enjoy a private tour in Paris with a licensed guide to discover the Sainte Chapelle and the Conciergerie.
Emy,
Paris to Champagne
|Champagne tours from Paris|
Paris to Champagne : Go on a private tour to discover the secrets of champagne, the king of wines! The region of Champagne is composed of 4 departments Aube, Ardennes, Haute-Marne, and Marne. Kings of France, Joan of Arc, abbots Dom Pérignon and Ruinart, Louis XIV the Sun King, Napoleon, Voltaire, Renoir, Rimbaud, La Fontaine, Charles de Gaulle, Camille Claudel... Champagne has so many things to tell you about the history of France.
A little bit of history
Champagne is a former French province of 1065 from a county palatine (a high-level official attached to imperial or royal courts in Europe since Roman times) around Provins, third metropolis of the Kingdom of France, of counties resulting from the dismantling of the western fraction of Merovingian Austrasia, the north-east of France.
Champagne-Ardenne, Aisne and Seine-et-Marne
It covered the former Champagne-Ardenne administrative region, the south of the Aisne department and most of the Seine-et-Marne department up to French Brie. The administrative region was formed in 1956, consisting of the four departments Aube, Ardennes, Haute-Marne, and Marne. On 1 January 2016, it merged with the neighboring regions of Alsace and Lorraine to form the new region Grand Est. Its rivers, most of which flow west, include the Seine, the Marne, and the Aisne. The Meuse flows north.
The name Champagne's origin
The name Champagne, written Champaigne refers to the Campanenses, the people of Champagne mentioned under this Latin name for the first time in the High Middle Ages. The future extension of the county of Champagne and its natural geographical area then correspond to six dioceses from Antiquity, those of Lingons de Langres, Senones de Sens, Tricasses de Troyes, Rèmes de Reims, Meldes de Meaux and of the Catalans of Châlons. This province becomes in the Middle Ages a major economic center.
Kings of France coronation
In 1129, the Counts of Champagne, protectors of Jews such as Rashi, acquired the most prestigious of abbeys, the Paraclete, and the first banking network. Peers of France having reigned for a time over England, they had a political role at least as important as that of the bishops of Reims, who crown the kings of France. During the time of the kingdom of the Franks and then of France, the advent of the new king was legitimized by the ceremony of his coronation with the crown of Charlemagne at Notre-Dame de Reims.
In the Middle Ages, there were Champagne fairs. In the 16th century, the Parliament of Paris, worried about the qualitative decline of the wines of the Parisian crown, voted an edict which prohibited any supply of cabarets within 90 km of the capital, thus placing Champagne in the front row. Taking advantage of the Marne, a tributary of the Seine, the wines from the Mountain and the River of Champagne then come to supply Paris.
Private Car Tour in Paris
| Online booking | Duration | Location | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| From 850 € | 4 hours | Paris | Guide+driver |
| From 1,180 € | 6 hours | Paris | Guide+driver |
| From 1,650 € | 8 hours | Champagne | Guide+driver |
| From 1,850 € | 12 hours | Normandy | Guide+driver |
| From 1,850 € | 12 hours | Loire Valley | Guide+driver |
| From 150 € | Airport transfer | Lodging | Private driver |
| From 150 € | Paris transfer | Versailles Disney | Private driver |
Paris to Champagne
From Paris to Champagne, breathe in the scents of the vines... Open the doors of the cellars to meet the winegrowers and share their passion. Visit Epernay, whose incredible Avenue de Champagne attracts 2 million visitors each year, as well as Hautvillers, a small village between vineyards and forest overlooking Epernay, known to be the cradle of Champagne with Abbé Dom Pérignon.
From Paris to Champagne, you should start with Reims. Reims is a town of art and history, with many sites listed by UNESCO World Heritage:
- The Notre-Dame cathedral and its remarkable Chagall stained glass windows,
- The Palais du Tau, a museum hosting the cathedral's works,
- The Basilica of Saint-Remi that houses the Holy Ampulla and the tomb of Saint-Remi
- The Abbey of Saint-Remi Museum, dedicated to the bishop who baptised Clovis
- The Colline Saint Nicaise de Reims Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars
The Notre-Dame cathedral of Reims
The city nicknamed is "the city of the coronations" or "the city of kings". Indeed, it is on the site of the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims that Clovis, first king of France, is baptized by Saint Remi and that were sacred a large number of Carolingian then Capetian kings for more than 10 centuries from Louis the Pious in 816 up to to Charles X in 1825.
From Paris to Champagne Joan of Arc tribute
Indeed, in 1429, "nothing really went more graceful in the kingdom of France, when God raised a girl native of Domremy, Joan of Arc, to awaken the staggering energies and overcome the oppositions to liberate Orleans and lead to Reims cathedral Charles VII who was to receive the holy unction and become king of France. Walk in the footsteps of Joan of Arc, this girl of 17 years old who saved the country from the British occupation.
Majestic jewel of Gothic art
Notre-Dame Cathedral, a majestic jewel of Gothic art, is an architectural marvel. Striking architecture, dazzling stained glass windows, moving statuary, tumultuous history. Reims Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Reims, Grand Est. Its construction began in the early thirteenth century. It is later than the cathedrals Notre-Dame de Paris and Notre-Dame de Chartres, but earlier than the cathedrals Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, Notre-Dame d'Amiens and Beauvais. From Paris to Champagne - Reims, it is about one hour and a half drive.
UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991
Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Reims Cathedral was completed in the fourteenth century. Above all, it suffered a very significant destruction during the First World War. It is one of the major achievements of Gothic art in France, both for its architecture and for its statuary which has 2,303 statues. As such, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. Mecca of Champagne tourism, it welcomed 1,500,000 visitors in 2007.
All the kings of France were crowned in the city of Reims from 1027 to 1825 except 7 Kings. Two of them were Hugues Capet, Henri IV. Reims Cathedral has been called a "martyred cathedral" because, in 1914, it began to be bombed by the Germans. On October 8, 2016, a plaque with the names of the thirty-one kings sacred in Reims was placed in the cathedral. Mgr Thierry Jordan, Archbishop of Reims, and Prince Louis de Bourbon, heir to the throne of France were here.
Paris to Houses of Champagne
Indeed, the Houses below are at the origin of the notoriety and prestige of Champagne wines in the world and have invented the champagne myth. Their talent lies in the elaboration of cuvées which reflect the characteristic style of each Brand by the assembly of grape varieties. Each house has its very own story and talent. From Paris to Champagne, meet the winegrowers for a wine tasting tour, with small and famous houses such as :
- Bollinger (1829)
- Canard-Duchêne (1868)
- Chanoine (1730)
- Dom Pérignon (XVIIe siècle)
- Gosset (1584)
- Krug (1843)
- Lanson (1760)
- Louis Roederer (1776)
- Moët and Chandon (1743)
- Mumm (1827)
- Piper Heidsieck (1785)
- Pommery (1836)
- Ruinart (1729)
- Taittinger (1931)
- Veuve Clicquot (1772)…
There are many champagne houses, with particularly twelve large groups which alone represent 55% of total bottle shipments, and five other groups being listed on the stock exchange. The oldest house in Champagne dates from 1584, it is the Gosset house, located in Aÿ.
Champagne production process
In fact, the cultivation of the vine and the production of Champagne wines obey strict rules that are among the most restrictive in the world. Each step requires rigorous know-how, a mark of Champagne excellence. Discover the main stages of champagne making :
1. The harvest
The grapes are picked by hand between August and October, the harvest time depends on how ripe the grapes are. The wine producers, such as Champagne Roger Constant-Lemaire in Villers-sous-Châtillon, are not allowed to pick the grapes with a machine. The grapes have to be picked by hand so that only the best and ripened grapes are contributed to the Champagne. After picking the grapes, they are pressed carefully to keep the juice clear white.
2. The First fermentation
The juice is put into a tank and the first fermentation takes place. The result is an acidic still wine that has been fermented dry completely. (The wine producer sees to it that all the natural sugar present in the grapes is fermented out of the wine). Some wine producers, like Champagne Alfred Gratien in Epernay, choose for fermentation in a barrel, a technique that is more difficult to master with sparkling wine.
3. The Assemblage
This is the art of blending. Still white wines combined with some reserve wines to create the base wine for Champagne; Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay are combined together. The assemblage starts in the early spring, about 5 months after the harvest.
4. The Second fermentation
A mixture of yeast, yeast nutrients and sugar (liqueur de tirage) that is added to the wine in the second yeasting, the wine is put in a thick glass bottle and sealed with a bottle cap. The wine bottles are placed in a cool cellar to ferment slowly and to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide. This is the most important part; the carbon dioxide cannot escape from the bottle and solves in the bottle; you will get the sparkling wine because of the carbon dioxide.
5. The Aging
As the fermentation proceeds, yeast cells die and after several months, the fermentation process is complete. However, the Champagne continues to age in the cool cellar for several more years resulting in a toasty, yeasty character. During this aging period, the yeast cells split open and spill into the solution imparting complex, yeasty flavours to the Champagne. The best and most expensive Champagne is aged for five years or more. This process completes the second fermentation.
6. The Riddling
After the aging process is completed, the dead yeast cells are removed through a process known as riddling. The Champagne bottle is placed upside down in a holder with a 75-degree angle. Each day, the riddler gives the bottle a 1/8th of a turn whilst keeping it upside down. This procedure forces the dead yeast cells float into the bottleneck where they are subsequently removed. The bottles are placed in racks with the bottlenecks facing downwards. Madame Veuve Cliquot is the inventor of the bottle rack in which the bottles are put downwards.
7. The Disgorging
The disgorgement is the final step in the production of Champagne. The Champagne bottle is kept upside down while the neck is frozen in an ice-salt bath. This procedure results in the formation of a plug of frozen wine containing the dead yeast cells. Finally, the bottle cap is removed and the pressure of the carbon dioxide gas in the bottle forces the plug of frozen wine out (“disgorging”) leaving behind clear Champagne. By doing so, a little bit of wine gets spilled out of the bottle.
8. The Dosage
A mixture of white wine, brandy and sugar (Liqueur de tirage/Liqueur d’expédition) is added to adjust the sweetness level of the wine and to top up the bottle. This procedure decides whether the Champagne will be Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry, Dry, Semi Dry or Doux. This mixture is differs per Champagne House and is a well-kept secret.
9. The Corking
The bottle is corked and the cork is wired down to secure the high internal pressure of the carbon dioxide in the Champagne.
Paris to Champagne
Enjoy a bespoke private tour with a private driver about Champagne, the king of wines. Champagne is one of the greatest places in the history of France. The coronation of the kings of France, the terrible battles of the First World War made it historically famous.
Have a look at Champagne from Paris private tour.
Emy,
The Pantheon Paris
|To Its Great Men The Grateful Homeland|
The Pantheon sits atop Mont Sainte Geneviève, in the Latin Quarter, and is one of the more noticeable landmarks of Paris. It stands next to the church of Saint Etienne du Mont. An inscription above the entrance reads “Aux Grands Hommes La Patrie Reconnaisante” (To Its Great Men The Grateful Homeland).
The Pantheon of Paris architecture
It was built to be a church dedicated to St. Genevieve (death in 502), the sainte patronne of Paris, on the same site as the then standing, though falling into ruins, Abbey of St. Genevieve. Its construction was ordered by Louis XV, in 1744. Born on February 15, 1710 in Versailles and died on May 10, 1774 in the same city, is a king of France and Navarre, he succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. The construction of the Pantheon began in 1758, directed by architect Jacques Germain Soufflot (1713-1780).
After the French Revolution, the building lost its role as a church and became the mausoleum for the entombment of great Frenchmen. Very Few women are also entombed here: Sophie Berthelet, who was entombed with her husband, Marcellin, in 1907; Marie Curie, entombed in 1995; Simone Veil, entombed in 2018; Joséphine Baker, entombed in 2021.
Indeed, it is built in the style of Neoclassicism, the first in Paris, which breaks from the rococo and baroque, emphasizing simplicity and grandeur. It set the standard for other monuments built in the same style such as the Arc de Triomphe and the church La Madeleine.
The Pantheon in Paris is modeled after the Pantheon in Rome, as well as St. Paul’s cathedral in London, and is in the shape of a Greek Cross. Its façade is like a Greek temple and is distinguished with 18 Corinthian columns. The building itself is 110 meters in length (350 feet), 84 meters wide (270 feet) and 83 meters high (270 feet).
The interior of the dome is decorated with a fresco, “Assumption of St. Genevieve” (1811) by Antoine-Jean Gros. The walls have frescoes depicting the life of Sainte Geneviève, frescoes of Charlemagne, of Louis IX named Saint Louis, both kings of France and Joan of Arc.
Pantheon Paris and the history of France
- In 1744, Louis XV ordered the construction dedicated to St. Genevieve (death in 502), the sainte patronne of Paris
- In 1758, the construction of the Pantheon began in 1758 directed by architect Jacques Germain Soufflot (1713-1780)
- in 1789, After the French Revolution, the building lost its role as a Paris church and became the mausoleum of great Frenchmen
- In 1806, Napoleon I, Emperor of France since 1804, gave the building back to the Church while the crypt stood for the great men.
- In 1830, it was again property of the State to the great men under Louis-Philippe, last king to have reigned in France, between 1830 and 1848
- In 1851, Louis Napoleon, the future Napoleon III, newphew of Napoleon I turned it back into a place of worship. Napoleon III was the first President of France from 1848 to 1852, and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 until 1870
- In 1871, the landmark is occupied by the communards during the civil war which opposed them to the government of Versailles. Most of them are small tradesmen, workers, employees or artists. The profiles of the Communards are largely related to socialism (historical trends of the time), anarchism or other movements claiming self-management.
- In 1885, the building returned to its Republican destination for the last time
Moreover, in 1851, Leon Foucault exhibited his famous Foucault Pendulum in the Observatoire de Paris. Napoleon III asked for another demonstration the same year, to be presented in the Pantheon. Indeed, This demonstration provided the proof, that the earth does spin on its axis.
Pantheon Paris and its great women and men
Chronological non-exhaustive list of some Entombed in the Pantheon
- 1791 Voltaire
- 1794 Jean-Jacques Rousseau
- 1885 Victor Hugo
- 1908 Émile Zola
- 1920 Léon Gambetta (urn with his heart)
- 1924 Jean Jaurès
- 1949 Félix Éboué (1st “colored” person entombed here)
- 1964 Jean Moulin
- 1988 Jean Monnet
- 1989 Abbé Baptiste-Henri Grégoire
- 1995 Pierre Curie
- 1995 Marie Curie (1st woman entombed in the Panthéon for her works)
- 1996 André Malraux
- 2002 Alexandre Dumas
- 2018 Simone Veil
- 2021 Joséphine Baker
Combination of Paris Tour Guide Packages
PARIS BY EMY offers customizable Paris tour guide packages that allow you to combine different types of experiences.
You can also personalize the tours to focus on specific themes or leisure activities, tailoring the experience to your preferences. Discover the Latin Quarter within a private tour.
Emy,
Napoleon Story
|Napoleon Bonaparte a man of fascination and debate|
Napoleon Bonaparte, one of the most influential figures in European history, embarked on an extraordinary journey from his humble beginnings to becoming the Emperor of the French. His legacy, love life, and his relationship with Josephine de Beauharnais are fascinating aspects of his life. Napoleon's life has inspired countless books, movies, and other forms of popular culture. From literature to film, his story continues to captivate and intrigue audiences worldwide.
Napoleon's Legacy and Influence
Impact on France and Europe
- Legal Reforms: One of Napoleon's most enduring legacies is the Napoleonic Code (Code Civil), established in 1804. It streamlined French law and became a model for legal systems worldwide, emphasizing civil liberties, property rights, and secular authority.
- Educational Reforms: Napoleon reformed the French educational system, creating lycées (secondary schools) to standardize education and prepare students for military and administrative careers.
- Administrative Reforms: He reorganized the French administrative system, establishing efficient tax collection methods and creating the Bank of France to stabilize the economy.
- Military Innovations: Napoleon revolutionized military organization and tactics, emphasizing speed, flexibility, and decisive battles. His methods influenced military strategy well into the 19th and 20th centuries.
Napoleon Political Influence and Reforms
Constitutional Changes: Napoleon's reforms transformed the French government, laying the foundation for modern state structures in Europe. He centralized authority but also promoted meritocracy, reducing the power of the old aristocracy.
Spread of Nationalism: Napoleon's conquests spread the ideas of the French Revolution across Europe, fostering nationalist movements and influencing the unification processes in Germany and Italy later in the 19th century.
Napoleon's Amazing Journey
- 1789-91 Revolution of 1789 constituent assembly
- 1791-92 Constitutional monarchy – First Republic
- 1793-94 The Terror
- 1795-99 The Directory
- 1799-1804 The consulate
- 1799 Napoleon takes power
- 1804 First Empire with Napoleon Bonaparte
- 1814-30 The restoration with Louis XVIII and Charles X
Napoleon was born on August 15, 1769, in Corsica, a French territory at the time. He received a military education and quickly rose through the ranks during the turbulent years of the French Revolution. His military prowess and political acumen led him to seize power in a coup in 1799 Paris, effectively ending the French Revolution and establishing the Consulate, with him as First Consul.
His military campaigns, known as the Napoleonic Wars, extended French influence across much of Europe. He crowned himself Emperor of the French in 1804, marking the height of his power. The coronation ceremony at Notre-Dame in Paris was a grand affair, with Josephine playing a significant role. She was crowned Empress of the French alongside her husband.
His journey was marked by both military conquests and political reforms, which included the Napoleonic Code, a legal system that greatly influenced modern European law.
Napoleon’s military campaigns were legendary. He expanded the French Empire through a series of conquests, including the Italian and Egyptian campaigns, the Battle of Austerlitz, and the Peninsular War. His tactical brilliance and audacity on the battlefield made him a formidable foe. Napoleon’s most famous battles include the Battle of Austerlitz (Germanic Empire), the Battle of Borodino (Russia), and the Battle of Waterloo (Belgium).
In addition to its strategic importance, the battle of Austerlitz, the campaign which preceded it, leading the Grande Armée from Boulogne-sur-Mer (Pas-de-Calais) to Austerlitz, and the ruses of Napoleon, are considered a masterpiece tactical work of Napoleon I, taught in all military academies in the world.
Timeline of Napoleon Bonaparte's Life
Napoleon Early Life
August 15, 1769: Napoleon Bonaparte is born on the island of Corsica.
1779: Attends military school at Brienne-le-Château in France.
1784: Enters the prestigious École Militaire in Paris.
1785: Graduates from École Militaire and is commissioned as a second lieutenant in the artillery.
Rise to Power
1793: Gains prominence during the Siege of Toulon, helping to recapture the city from royalists and their British allies. Promoted to brigadier general.
1795: Suppresses the royalist insurrection against the revolutionary government in Paris, known as the 13 Vendémiaire, gaining further political influence.
1796-1797: Leads successful military campaigns in Italy against the Austrians, establishing himself as a brilliant military commander.
1798: Launches the Egyptian Campaign, aiming to undermine British access to India. The campaign has mixed results but includes the discovery of the Rosetta Stone.
Consulate Period
1799: Returns to France from Egypt. On November 9 (18 Brumaire), overthrows the Directory in a coup d'état and establishes the Consulate, becoming First Consul.
1800: Wins the Battle of Marengo, solidifying his power.
1802: Signs the Treaty of Amiens, temporarily ending hostilities with Britain. Becomes Consul for Life after a plebiscite.
Napoleon Emperor of the French
1804: Proclaims himself Emperor of the French, crowned Napoleon I on December 2.
1805: Defeats the Austrian and Russian armies at the Battle of Austerlitz.
1806: Establishes the Continental System, aiming to blockade Britain economically.
1807: Signs the Treaties of Tilsit with Russia and Prussia after victories at Friedland and other battles.
1808: Invades Spain, initiating the Peninsular War.
Height of Power
1810: Marries Marie Louise, Archduchess of Austria, after divorcing his first wife, Josephine de Beauharnais.
1812: Invades Russia; despite initial successes, the campaign ends in disaster with a devastating retreat from Moscow.
Napoleon Decline and Fall
1813: Defeated at the Battle of Leipzig (Battle of Nations).
1814: Allied forces invade France; Napoleon abdicates on April 6 and is exiled to the island of Elba.
1815: Escapes from Elba and returns to France for the Hundred Days. Defeated at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18. Abdicates again and is exiled to Saint Helena.
Exile and Death
1815-1821: Lives in exile on the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean.
May 5, 1821: Dies on Saint Helena.
Posthumous
1840: Napoleon's remains are returned to France and interred at Les Invalides in Paris.
Napoleon's Legacy around the world
Napoleon's legacy is complex. He is often remembered for his military genius, the spread of the principles of the French Revolution, and his administrative reforms. The Napoleonic Code, which emphasized equality before the law, property rights, and religious tolerance, left a lasting impact on many legal systems around the world.
The Consulate regime having finally brought a certain political stability from 1799-1800, the context was conducive to the effective shaping of the codification of civil law:
- Bonaparte possessed the will of a head of state, a desire for political unification and the power of the State which implies the unification of law;
- The Revolution “contributed” to the renewal of ideas;
- The need to realize the reign of the Law seemed imperative;
- Basically, after ten years of Revolution, the French aspired to social peace and stability;
- Bonaparte also wanted to guarantee a minimum of civil liberties to the citizen.
Napoleon's attempt to economically isolate Great Britain by implementing the Continental System had wide-ranging consequences. While it aimed to weaken Britain, it strained relations with other European powers and contributed to his eventual downfall.
Napoleon's influence on the world is still felt today. His military strategies, the Napoleonic Code, and the spread of the French Revolution's ideals have left a lasting legacy on Europe and beyond.
Napoleon and his fall
However, his aggressive expansionist policies and his attempt to establish a European empire led to widespread warfare and immense suffering. Following a series of defeats, Napoleon was exiled to the island of Elba in 1814, seemingly marking the end of his rule. However, his story was far from over. In 1815, Napoleon made a daring return to France, known as the Hundred Days. He briefly regained power, but his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo led to his second exile, this time to Saint Helena. Napoleon spent his final years in isolation on the remote island of Saint Helena. His life in exile is marked by contemplation, writing his memoirs, and suffering from illness.
The Napoleonic Wars had profound consequences, including the redrawing of European borders and the eventual defeat of Napoleon in 1815 at the Battle of Waterloo, leading to his exile to the island of Saint Helena, where he died in 1821.
Napoleon and Josephine
Napoleon's personal life was also a subject of interest. He married Josephine de Beauharnais in 1796, and their relationship was passionate and tumultuous. Josephine had been previously married and had two children. Although Napoleon deeply loved Josephine, their marriage faced challenges, including her inability to produce an heir to his throne.
In 1809, due to political considerations and the desire for a legitimate heir, Napoleon divorced Josephine, which was a heartbreaking decision for both of them. He then married Marie Louise of Austria, with whom he had a son, Napoleon II. Josephine remained close to Napoleon until her death in 1814. Following her divorce from Napoleon, Josephine lived a quieter life but remained influential in Parisian society. Josephine's social connections and her role as the first lady of France played a crucial role in boosting Napoleon's public image and his political ascent.
To conclude, Napoleon's journey from a Corsican military officer to the Emperor of the French left a profound impact on European history. His legacy is marked by both his contributions to law and governance and the consequences of his military campaigns. His love life, especially his relationship with Josephine, adds a human dimension to his larger-than-life historical figure.
Napoleon Marriage and Relationships
First Marriage: Napoleon married Joséphine de Beauharnais on March 9, 1796. Joséphine, a widow with two children, was six years his senior. The marriage was initially passionate but later strained due to her inability to bear him a son.
Second Marriage: After divorcing Joséphine in 1810, Napoleon married Marie Louise, Archduchess of Austria, on April 2, 1810. This marriage was arranged for political reasons to secure an alliance with Austria.
Children: Napoleon had one legitimate son with Marie Louise, Napoleon François Charles Joseph Bonaparte (Napoleon II), born on March 20, 1811. Known as the King of Rome, his life was short and marked by exile and separation from his father.
Romantic Affairs
Mistresses: Napoleon had several mistresses throughout his life. Among the most notable were Pauline Fourès, a French soldier's wife whom he met during the Egyptian Campaign, and Marie Walewska, a Polish noblewoman with whom he had an illegitimate son, Alexandre Colonna-Walewski.
Ask me for a Napoleon private tour across Paris.
Emy,
Victor Hugo
|Immense Victor Hugo talent|
Victor Hugo (1802 – 1885) is un monstre sacré of French literature. A sacred monster is an expression to qualify someone whose talents are far superior to ordinary mortals. He was a poet, a novelist, a playwright and a politician, committed to defend the poorest. Connected to peace and freedom, very sensitive to human misery, he spoke out in favor of many social advances such as social justice, opposed the death penalty, fight for press freedom and supported the idea of the Republic and of a unified Europe.
Victor Hugo biography
Third and last child of Joseph Hugo and Sophie Trébuchet, Victor Hugo was born in Besançon on February 26, 1802. His father was a republican then Bonapartist, and his mother was a royalist and Vendée. After stays in Marseille, Bastia and on the island of Elba, the family left Italy and settled in Paris, in 1804. The family lived 76 rue Neuve-des-Petits-Champs for nearly 5 years. Today, it corresponds to number 20 rue Danielle-Casanova.
First education, made of travels (Naples, Madrid) and readings to satiety, he made brilliant studies in Paris. He composed his first verses and a tragedy (Irtamène, 1816). He wanted to be a writer; he was catholic and monarchist. Then, he turned in favor of the Republic. He saved Notre Dame cathedral from collapse.
Place des Vosges in 1848
In 1832, Victor Hugo moved into an apartment in the Hôtel de Rohan-Guémené, at number 6 Place Royale, which would become the very famous Place des Vosges in 1848. For 16 years, the author of Notre-Dame-de- Paris wrote several of its major works there, including Lucrèce Borgia and Ruy Blas, as well as part of Les Misérables and Les Contemplations. He will also receive some of the most illustrious writers and thinkers of his time, including Balzac, Lamartine, Alfred de Vigny and Prosper Mérimée.
A defender of dignity and human beings, of civil and political rights, he advocates the abolition of the death penalty, universal suffrage and press freedom. His powerful commitment became literary: the Punishments (1853), Contemplations (1856), Legend of the Centuries (1859, 1877, 1883), Les Miserables (1862), Workers of the Sea (1866), The Man Who Laughs (1869).
In the 16th arrondissement
At the end of November 1878, Victor Hugo moved to 130, avenue d’Eylau, in a mansion in the 16th arrondissement that had belonged to the Princess of Lusignan. On February 27, 1881, more than 600,000 people will parade under its windows to celebrate its entry into its 80th year!
His resolutely republican commitment in the second part of his life and his immense literary work made him an emblematic figure, whom the Third Republic honored with a national funeral and the transfer of his remains to the Panthéon in Paris on June 1, 1885, 10 days after his death.
Major Victor Hugo novels
- 1818 : Bug-Jargal
- 1823 : Han d’Islande
- 1829 : Le Dernier Jour d’un condamné
- 1831 : Notre-Dame de Paris
- 1834 : Claude Gueux
- 1862 : Les Misérables
- 1866 : Les Travailleurs de la mer
- 1869 : L’Homme qui rit
- 1874 : Quatrevingt-treize
Major Poems of Victor Hugo
- 1822 : Odes et poésies diverses
- 1824 : Nouvelles Odes
- 1829 : Les Orientales
- 1831 : Les Feuilles d’automne
- 1835 : Les Chants du crépuscule
- 1837 : Les Voix intérieures
- 1840 : Les Rayons et les Ombres
- 1853 : Les Châtiments
- 1856 : Les Contemplations
- 1859 : Première série de La Légende des siècles
- 1865 : Les Chansons des rues et des bois
- 1872 : L’Année terrible
- 1877 : L’Art d’être grand-père
- 1878 : Le Pape
- 1879 : La Pitié suprême
- 1880 : Religions et religion
- 1880 : L’Âne
- 1881 : Les Quatre Vents de l’esprit
Victor Hugo The Marais Notre Dame Private Tours
Victor Hugo Timeline
Early Life
- February 26, 1802: Victor Hugo is born in Besançon, France.
- 1809: The Hugo family moves to Paris.
Early Career
- 1815-1818: Hugo attends Lycée Louis-le-Grand in Paris.
- 1819: Wins his first literary prize from the Académie des Jeux Floraux.
- 1822: Publishes his first book of poetry, “Odes et poésies diverses”.
Rise to Fame
- 1827: Publishes the preface to his play “Cromwell”, which becomes a manifesto for the Romantic movement.
- 1831: Publishes the novel “Notre-Dame de Paris” (The Hunchback of Notre-Dame), which achieves great success.
Political Involvement
- 1841: Elected to the Académie Française.
- 1848: Participates in the French Revolution of 1848 and is elected to the Constitutional Assembly.
- 1851: Opposes Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte’s coup d’état and is forced into exile.
Exile and Later Works
- 1851-1870: Lives in exile in Brussels, Jersey, and Guernsey.
- 1862: Publishes “Les Misérables”, which becomes one of his most famous works.
- 1866: Publishes “Les Travailleurs de la Mer” (Toilers of the Sea).
- 1869: Publishes “L’Homme qui rit” (The Man Who Laughs).
Return to France and Later Life
- 1870: Returns to France after the fall of the Second Empire.
- 1872: Publishes “Quatrevingt-treize” (Ninety-Three), his last novel.
- 1876: Elected to the French Senate.
- 1881: Celebrates his 79th birthday with a grand public celebration in Paris.
Death
- May 22, 1885: Victor Hugo dies in Paris.
- June 1, 1885: His funeral is attended by millions, and he is buried in the Panthéon in Paris.
Victor Hugo’s life was marked by his contributions to literature, his political activism, and his enduring influence on French culture.
Victor Hugo Museum
On the occasion of Victor Hugo’s centenary in 1902, his faithful friend Paul Meurice, with the support of the Hugo family, decided to create a museum in his memory and his works in the Hôtel de Rohan Guéménée, 6, place des Vosges in Paris where the poet lived between 1832 and 1848, in the apartment located on the second floor.
Victor Hugo whose immense talent can seem almost abnormal, and whom few people would dare to criticize. Exceptional man for his involvement in the battles of his time as much as for the fruitfulness of his literary work, Hugo dominated the 19th century with majesty. Enjoy a private tour guide in Paris about Victor Hugo.
Emy,
Paris during Christmas
|Winter Season in Paris|
Paris during Christmas is a magical season. Paris is dressed into thousands lights to bring the magic of Christmas. Streets, boutiques, restaurants and neighborhoods will sparkle throughout the end of the year. Department store windows and decorations add an extra touch of glitter to dazzle us!
Christmas markets
Christmas markets are a long tradition back to the Middle Ages in Europe. The little chalets (cabanas), the smell of mulled wine, nothing is more comforting than going for a walk in the Christmas markets. There are craftsmen, delicacies to put us in the festive atmosphere and help us find gift ideas.
- The Champ-de-Mars Christmas Village takes place December 16, 2022 – January 2, 2023
- The Paris City Hall Christmas Village takes place December 2, 2022 – December 31, 2022
- The Tuileries Garden Christmas Market is open November 19, 2022 – January 8, 2023
- La Défense Christmas Market is open November 23 – December 24, 2022
- The Saint Germain des Prés Christmas Market is open November 26, 2022 – January 1, 2023
- The Alsatian Christmas market - Gare de l'Est is open November 30, 2022 – December 16, 2022
In addition, during Christmas holidays, the ice rinks arrive in the capital and you can enjoy them as a couple, with family or friends.
- The Christmas rink in the Tuileries Garden (Next to the Louvre)
- The ice rink of Champ-de-Mars Christmas village (Next to the Eiffel Tower)
- The ephemeral ice rink on the roof of the Grande Arche (La Défense business district)
- The indoor ice rink at the Accor Arena (Bercy)
Department stores during Christmas
Printemps Haussmann, Galeries Lafayette but also Le Bon Marché, La Samaritaine and BHV offer lively Christmas window displays. They enchant the storefronts of Parisian department stores on very varied partitions (forests, gifts, elves, nature...). The creative teams worked for a year to develop animated paintings, revealing the magic of the holidays.
- Christmas showcases at Printemps on the theme of the Circus
- Christmas windows at Le Bon Marché: "The Christmas ball factory"
- Christmas windows at the BHV: "Christmas in Provence"
- Christmas windows at Galeries Lafayette: "Planète Sapin"
- Christmas windows at La Samaritaine: "Paris leads the dance"
The Marché de Noel Paris Notre Dame
December 19 – December 26, 2022 : Visit the Christmas market and the Cathedral of Notre Dame forecourt with Christmas spirit just in front of the main entrance with the 3 doors/gates. The cathedral was begun in 1160 and was completed between 1250 and 1270 under King Saint Louis, though it was modified and completed frequently in the following centuries. In addition, churches of Paris offer magnificent Nativity scenes, celebrations, concerts and Christmas mass obviously.
For 2022, the Christmas Lights on the Champs Elysées are officially switched on November 20 in a ceremony beginning at 5pm. The Champs Elysées is car-free for the occasion. Discover Paris during Christmas, a must see !
Emy,
Orsay Museum Masterpieces
|Museum of Impressionism|
Orsay Museum is a museum in Paris, on the Left Bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, a Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900. The museum holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1914, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography.
Orsay Museum Must See
It houses the largest collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces in the world, by painters including Berthe Morisot, Claude Monet, Édouard Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin, and Van Gogh. Opening in 1986, the fine art museum is now one of the largest art museums in Europe.
The story of the museum is not trivial. Located along the Seine river, opposite side of the Tuileries Gardens and Louvre Museum, Orsay museum took place in the former Orsay station, a building built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition. Thus, the building is the first "art work" to see in the collections of the Musée d'Orsay.
It is difficult to say Orsay Museum has masterpieces like the Louvre Museum with Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and so forth. Orsay museum is close to Pompidou museum art collection in that sense, the whole collection is made of an exquisite large art view of the few decades that elapsed between 1848 and 1914.
What to see at Orsay Museum ?
The Musée d'Orsay in Paris houses an extensive collection of Impressionist masterpieces by renowned artists. These artworks are primarily displayed on Level 5 of the museum, which is dedicated to Impressionist paintings. For the most accurate and up-to-date information on the location of specific artworks, it's advisable to consult the museum's official floor plan or inquire at the information desk upon arrival.
I would recommend my 4 Orsay museum's masterpieces :
Le Bassin aux nymphéas, harmonie verte by Claude Monet Level 5
Le Bassin aux nymphéas, harmonie verte is a painting produced by the impressionist painter Claude Monet in 1899. Belonging to the series of Water Lilies, it represents a bridge over a pool of water lilies. Actually, it is the garden of Monet in Giverny that you can visit all year long as well. Ask us a full tour of Impressionism outside Paris.
Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe by Édouard Manet Level 5
Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe – originally titled Le Bain (The Bath) – is a large oil on canvas painting by Édouard Manet created in 1862 and 1863. It depicts a female nude and a scantily dressed female bather on a picnic with two fully dressed men in a rural setting. Rejected by the Salon jury of 1863, Manet seized the opportunity to exhibit this and two other paintings in the 1863 Salon des Refusés, where the painting sparked public notoriety and controversy.
Le Bal du moulin de la Galette by Auguste Renoir Level 5
Le Bal du moulin de la Galette is an oil on canvas by the French impressionist painter Auguste Renoir, produced in 1876. It measures 131 × 175 cm. The scene, illuminated by a light that passes through the leaves. In fact, it takes place at the Moulin de la Galette restaurant, on the Montmartre hill, in Paris.
Church of Auvers-sur-Oise by Vincent van Gogh Orsay Museum Level 5 of Orsay museum
The Church of Auvers-sur-Oise is an oil painting on a canvas of 74 × 94 cm. It was made by the painter Vincent van Gogh in 1890 and is part of the Post-Impressionist movement. In May 1890, Van Gogh moved to Auvers-sur-Oise, a village in the suburbs of Paris. This work is one of the eighty paintings that the painter made during the last two months of his life. Indeed, it was during the time he spent in the village of Auvers-sur-Oise.
Enjoy the Orsay Museum on your own or with a private tour with a licensed tour guide.
Emy,
Famous French Restaurants in Paris
|Famous Restaurants in Paris – Le Procope|
Famous French restaurants in Paris : Le Procope is certainly THE café restaurant in Paris you HAVE to go. Legendary restaurant in Saint Germain, Le Procope is a historic place since 1686 where the greatest men met to talk during the Age of Enlightenment and the French revolution. There are two entrances to this historical restaurant : on the rue de l’Ancienne-Comedie and a “back” entrance called Le Passage de Cour de Commerce Saint-Andre.
Famous French restaurants in Paris
We recommend restaurants with a soul: Legendary restaurants, historical places, with a design, a decoration, an atmosphere, a view of Paris, where great people used to go and of course with delicious French traditional meals. In addition, we recommend the best Parisian trendy restaurants in a quiet and delightful street or district and make reservation for you.
Top Paris Restaurants
Le Procope the most legendary
The front of the restaurant, with its iron balconies, like the roof, were listed as historical monuments by a decree of January 20, 1962. Inside, many documents evoking the Revolution are present on the walls. A hat, said to be of Napoleon, is exposed at the entrance.
- Le Procope offers French traditional cuisine with its specialties
- Lunch, dinner or tea time – just to have a break
- The average meal price with 3 courses is around 65 Euros per person.
A reproduction of The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of 1789 is on one wall. Nowadays, The Café Procope is in the 18th century style : Pompeian red walls, crystal chandeliers, oval portraits of famous people who had been patrons, and a piano.
Age of Enlightenment most Famous French restaurants in Paris
Café of artists and intellectuals, it was frequented in the eighteenth century by Molière, Voltaire, Diderot and Alembert. Indeed, the café attracts philosophers who have their habits there. The legend says that the idea of the Encyclopedia was born there from a conversation between d’Alembert and Diderot.
It has long remained a meeting place for writers and intellectuals such as Musset, Verlaine, Anatole France, politicians such as Gambetta and the “Tout Paris” meaning the fashionable and affluent elite of the city, who frequent fashionable events and places.
18th Century – Enlightenment Thinkers:
- Voltaire – The famed philosopher and writer frequented Procope.
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau – The philosopher and writer was a known visitor.
- Diderot – A key figure of the Enlightenment and editor of the Encyclopédie.
French revolution most Famous French restaurants in Paris
Another legend said that Benjamin Franklin prepared there the alliance project of Louis XVI with the new Republic during the French revolution and that he would have conceived elements of the future Constitution of the United States there. When Franklin died in 1790, a funeral service was improvised in the café in front of his portrait.
The small masters, court lords, philosophers gave their place away to the revolutionaries. The Cordeliers club met at Café Procope, with Danton and Marat ones of the main figures of the revolution. It quickly became a revolutionary home. Robespierre and the Jacobins also have their habits there. On one of the walls, there is a quote from Camille Desmoulins :
“This café is not adorned like the others with mirrors, gilding and busts, but it is adorned with the memory of Great Men who frequented it and whose works would cover the walls if they were stored there. “
Revolutionaries and Politicians:
- Robespierre – The French Revolution leader was associated with the café.
- Georges Danton – Another prominent revolutionary figure who frequented Procope.
- Benjamin Franklin – He was connected to the French Enlightenment thinkers.
- Napoleon Bonaparte – Reportedly at Procope, he even left his hat.
19th Century Writers and Poets:
- Victor Hugo – The author of Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
- Honoré de Balzac – He was one of the literary figures to the café.
- Paul Verlaine and Arthur Rimbaud – Both poets went to the Procope.
The Café Procope, established in 1686 in Paris, is one of the oldest restaurants in the city and has been a meeting place for many prominent figures over the centuries.
Famous French Restaurants in Paris
Paris offers a remarkable culinary scene where tradition meets innovation. From historic cafés to cutting-edge bistros, the city is home to some of the world’s most iconic dining destinations. Here are a few must-visit restaurants, each with its own unique atmosphere, address, and culinary identity:
Le Chateaubriand
Location: 11th arrondissement (Oberkampf district)
A celebrated modern bistro known for its ever-evolving prix fixe menu, Le Chateaubriand redefines French cuisine with a creative and experimental approach. The chef highlights seasonal ingredients through bold flavor combinations, offering a contemporary, avant-garde dining experience in a relaxed setting.
Café de Flore
Location: 6th arrondissement (Saint-Germain-des-Prés)
One of Paris’s most historic cafés, Café de Flore is synonymous with intellectual and artistic life, once frequented by figures like Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. It serves classic French café fare such as croque-monsieur, onion soup, and pastries, all in a timeless, elegant setting.
Le Fouquet’s
Location: 8th arrondissement (Champs-Élysées)
A legendary brasserie on the iconic Champs-Élysées, Le Fouquet’s embodies Parisian glamour. Its menu features traditional French specialties like steak frites, seafood platters, and refined brasserie classics, served in a luxurious, red-and-gold décor that has hosted countless celebrities.
Café de la Paix
Location: 9th arrondissement (Opéra district)
Located near the Opéra Garnier, Café de la Paix is a true Parisian institution. Known for its opulent Second Empire décor, it offers elegant French cuisine, including classics like beef tartare, foie gras, and seafood dishes, blending refinement with a rich historical ambiance.
Septime
Location: 11th arrondissement (Charonne district)
A Michelin-starred favorite, Septime is a contemporary bistro focused on sustainability and seasonal produce. Its cuisine is inventive and minimalist, emphasizing natural flavors and modern techniques, making it a top choice for food lovers seeking a fresh, creative take on French gastronomy.
Famous French Restaurants in Paris
These iconic restaurants showcase the diversity of Parisian dining—from historic charm to modern culinary artistry—offering unforgettable experiences across different districts of the city. We offer gourmet restaurants recommendations and Michelin Star restaurants to discover the French gastronomy. We also create tailor-made Food tour in Paris for your Paris Trip according to your profile and aspirations.
Emy,
Parisian woman style
|Le style parisien|
Parisian woman style : How to dress like a Parisian woman ? Discover the fashion essentials of the Parisian woman. I've lived in Paris for more than 15 years and the thing that has impressed me the most is the elegance of Parisian women. French chic is a legend around the world of fashion. The French women have a certain casualness that makes them elegant in all circumstances.
Parisian woman style
So, let's start with the essentials of a wardrobe. Parisian woman style is somehow defined by essentials in her wardrobe. Those items are big classics and will always be trendy because they are big classics, no matter how old you are and what the fashion trend would be. Colors, textures, shapes, cuts, clothes, accessories, there are the big Parisian classics :
- Black
Color of mourning in the XIVe century became a fashionable color thanks to Philippe le Bon Duc de Bourgogne (Duke of Burgundy). Black wool and black silk demanding a great expertise were luxury items reserved for the aristocracy. The duke made black his personal branding. Black became a very trendy color in society and still is nowadays ! The iconic black outfit is the little black dress. It is a must have in your wardrobe, for work, evenings night out, summer and winter.
“One is never over- or underdressed with a little black dress.” – Karl Lagerfeld
“You can wear black at any time. You can wear it at any age. You may wear it for almost any occasion; a ‘little black frock’ is essential to a woman’s wardrobe.” – Christian Dior
“Women think of all colors except the absence of color. I have said that black has it all. White, too. Their beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony.” – Coco Chanel
“I love black because it affirms, designs, and styles. A woman in a black dress is a pencil stroke.” – Yves Saint Laurent
- The Blazer
The blazer is an essential piece in the Parisian wardrobe. Working woman, she has adopted this piece from the male wardrobe. She wears it oversize or curved, on a t-shirt or a blouse. She chooses it black, beige, camel, or patterned. You can wear it with a black or a dark blue jeans, with white sneakers or ballerina and slingback. The Parisian walks a lot and needs to be comfortable in her shoes. For evening looks, you wear it with a black pant and escarpins. In addition, you can accessorize the blazer with a belt and wear a long skirt to give you a Christian Dior style.
- The Trench coat
When we think of the Parisian woman style, she is wearing a trench coat, in particular the iconic one from Burberry. The trench coat is the perfect coat for the spring / fall mid-season. It has a classy side and it protects well from the rain. The most classic color remains the timeless beige. You can wear with a pant, a jeans, a dress, a skirt, with basically anything.
- The marinière
The striped sweater is a great piece worn by everyone, men, women, children, all generations and that's why we love it so much ! It can come not only in white with blue navy stripes but with many others colors and patterns. If there is one army corps that stands out as an inexhaustible source of inspiration for fashion designers, it is our good old Navy ! The striped sweater was originally a part of the sailor's uniform. Around 1913, Coco Chanel launches a collection largely inspired by the marine style and which immediately seduces the upper middle class. The striped sweater or T-shirt is now refined.
- The white shirt
The white shirt is also a must-have in the Parisian wardrobe. The men's or boyfriend shirt (an oversized fit) embodies this masculine-feminine style, a bit BCBG and above all very "effortless chic". You can wear with a jean, a black pant, within with a long or short skirt, all year long. You can tie it at the waist, tuck it into the pants or not, wear it unbuttoned over a top or buttoned all the way, with a belt and leggings ... You have a multitude of possibilities. The white T-shirt is more casual but you could wear it as well with your blazer, jeans and white sneakers.
- Accessories
A silky scarf tied on your bag or in your hair, a chain bag, a gold buckled belt, a pair of oversized sunglasses and a red lipstick with nude eyeshadow make up will accessorize your outfit with elegance and simplicity. Wear a brooch on your hat, a golden colored necklace or earrings to enhance your outfit. Thanks to accessories, you can also give a modish touch into big classics by mixing trendy accessories and classics clothes together.
The Parisian woman style plays with basics but her style always remains classy and timeless. The Parisian woman is even iconic for foreigners, a symbol of French elegance. French fashion is an institution from well before the era of social networks and continues to grow. The hallmarks of the French style : the ability to dress relaxed and always look effortlessly elegant.
If you want to copy the Parisian woman style, wear prints instead of huge logo : polka dots, flowers and geometric patterns. They are essentials of the Parisian style. Plain colors are simple, perfect too with golden or colored accessories. Knowing how to be classic and relaxed with a touch of trend is essential.
Enjoy a custom made Parisian shopping tour for your Paris Trip according to your profile and aspirations. We can add a private driver to take you anywhere you want to shop via you personalized itinerary. In addition, we create tailor-made Paris tour package.
Emy,
Tuileries Garden Paris
|Le Jardin des Tuileries|
Tuileries Garden Paris : The Tuileries Garden is a Parisian fenced park in the 1st arrondissement created in the 16th century, on the site of a tile factory. In French, tile factory is tuilerie. It is bounded by the Louvre Palace to the south-east, the rue de Rivoli to the north-east, the Place de la Concorde to the north-west and the Seine to the south-west. It is the largest and oldest French-style garden in the capital, which once was that of the Tuileries Palace, a former royal and imperial residence, now disappeared. The Tuileries Garden has been listed as a historical monument since 1914.
Tuileries Garden Paris beginning
Queen Catherine de Medici asked for the Tuileries Garden in Paris
In the early 1560s, Catherine de Medici (1519 - 1589), widow of King Henry II and queen mother of Charles IX wanted a palace to the west of Paris to replace the old Hôtel des Tournelles, located north of the current Place des Vosges and abandoned since the death of her husband 5 years earlier. She decided to build a vast Italianate palace along the Seine along with gardens, next to the Louvre undergoing through major restoration. She bought buildings and lands in the Faubourg Saint-Honoré. The first stone was laid in May 1564. The buildings of the Faubourg Saint-Honoré bought by the kingdom were tile factories, tuileries.
Architect Philibert Delorme and Italian style
The architect Philibert Delorme proposed an immense rectangle of buildings that would surround a large courtyard. Although work on the palace came to an halt, landscaping of the garden continued thanks to Bernard de Carnessequi and his team, from Florence, Italy. This Italian style garden was adorned by spectacular folies and surrounded by walls. The Queen's mother garden was the largest and finest garden of Paris open to the elite uo to the French Revolution.
The Louvre and the Tuileries palace into a genuine royal precinct
King Henry IV (1553 – 1610) combined the Louvre palace and the Tuileries palace into a genuine royal precinct. The garden was also resuscitated by Claude Mollet adding trees, flowerbeds, fountains and a large ornamental pool supplied with water from a pump on the pont Neuf built in 1608. Louis XIII commissioned little construction during his reign. When the royal family was not in Paris, the garden was open to the public. Louis XIV, leaving the Louvre for Versailles palace continued to renovate the Tuileries Louvre royal residence. After the death of Louis XIV, the royal family returned to the Louvre Tuilerie palace, ignored for 45 years and gave a new life to the palace and its garden. Louis XV at his majority decided to return to Versailles palace built by his grandfather on June 14, 1722.
The new republican government decided to restore the Tuilerie gardens
During the French Revolution in 1789, the royal family was forced to move back to the Tuilerie becoming the center of political life. At the same time, the Louvre palace was inaugurated on August 10th, 1793 as a museum. The royal palace became a national palace, the seat of the new republican government which decided to restore the gardens. On February 19, 1800, Napoleon the new ruler, moved into the Tuileries Palace. The retreating communards set fire to the Tuileries in 1870. François Mitterrand president in 1981, launched the Grand Louvre Project. In 2005, the Tuileries garden became an official part of the Louvre museum.
For 3 centuries the Tuileries Palace experienced royal splendor, revolutionary agitation, then the arrival of the Empire and finally the Republic.
Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus by Denis Foyatier (1793-1863)
Tuileries Garden Paris highlights
From the Carrousel Gardens to the Grand Bassin (octogonal pool), from groves to terraces, lets' have a tour of the Tuileries Garden Paris forming a great open-air museum :
- The cour Napoleon - Pyramid of large glass and metal by Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei
- The arch of the Carrousel built between 1806 and 1808 to commemorate Napoleon's military victories
- The layout place du Carrousel facing the pyramid
- The Carrousel gardens with its 21 statues from Aristide Maillol (1861-1944)
- The Terrace adorned by 2 large vases with garlands of lowers and 2 sculptures of Aristide Maillol
- The Grand Carré, open square garden laid out by Le Nôtre in the XVII century with statues
- The Grand Couvert, open square with restaurants, trees, benches, copses, ancient style gateways, statues
- The Feuillants Esplanade a terrace and esplanade along the north side of the Grand Carré
- The Grand Bassin, octogonal pool leading the terraces of the Orangerie museum and jeu de Paume
- Riverside Terrace overlooking the Seine River runs from the Orangerie with a link to Orsay museum
Enjoy a genuine custom made itinerary for your Paris Trip or ask us for a private tour with personal guide, according to your profile and aspirations from 170 Euros.
Emy,
Luxembourg Gardens Paris
|Le Jardin du Luxembourg|
Luxembourg Gardens Paris : Take a break and wander through the beautiful Luxembourg gardens. After a long day of walking or shopping, this is the perfect place to sit and lounge in the sun. Le Jardin du Luxembourg is nowadays owned by the French Senate, which is housed in the elegant Palace.
The Senate owner of the garden and palace
The palace and the garden are today the property of the Senate. It is the second "chamber" of the French Parliament, the first being the National Assembly. In France, with the 5th Republic, the legislative power is held by the Parliament, made up of the Senate and the National Assembly. It has the power to discuss and pass laws.
The two chambers of Parliament have exactly the same functions: to examine and amend laws in depth, to study major national questions and to monitor government action. But unlike the National Assembly, the Senate also defends the interests of municipalities, departments and regions, what are called "local authorities". The National Assembly, for its part, has the final say on the passing of laws. This means that it is the one who decides in case the Senate and the Assembly disagree. Thus, to sum up, senators represent, investigate, deliberate, legislate and control.
The legislative power is one of the three powers, with the executive power and the judicial power, constituting the State in a democratic mode respecting the separation of powers.
Queen Marie de Médicis founder of the palace and garden
Acquired by Marie de Médicis between 1614 and 1631, the Luxembourg garden underwent many modifications, up to the works of Haussmann at the end of the Second Empire, which gave it its current layout. Marie de Médicis, wanted to move away from the tumult of the courtyard then installed in the Louvre Palace and decided to have a palace built surrounded by a sumptuous garden.
Marie de Medici (1575-1642) was a queen of France and Navarre from 1600 to 1610 by her marriage to Henri IV. Widowed in 1610, she assumed the regency in the name of her son, Louis XIII (father of Louis XIV with mother Anne D'Autriche), until 1614. She became head of the King's Council following the bed of justice on 2 October 1614, until 1617, when his son took power. Chased by her son Louis XIII after the assassination of his adviser - very criticized - Concini, Marie de Médicis will find asylum in the Netherlands then in Cologne until the end of her life in 1642.
In France, the Medici (Italian Dynasty) gave two queens, and not the least: Catherine and Marie de Medici. Their exceptional destinies are curiously mixed and succeeded. Catherine and Marie de Médicis are two distant cousins whose common ancestor was Jean de Médicis, founder of the Medici dynasty at the end of the 14th century.
Luxembourg Gardens Paris Story
The current area of the estate - around 25 hectares - is roughly equivalent to that of the Marie de Médicis acquisitions, but its configuration has totally changed. It was not until the end of the Second Empire that the garden was installed in its current limits. In 1611, when the story of the Garden began, the suburb which extended to the south of the Saint-Michel and Saint-Germain gates, on the left bank of the Seine, was both a social and rural district.
Queen Marie de Medici loved this quiet suburb, more salubrious than the Louvre district and where eminent members of her Italian entourage lived. So it was there that she thought of taking up residence when she expressed her desire, after the assassination of Henry IV, to leave the Louvre. She therefore took care to acquire land large enough to build a home inspired by Florentine palaces and a park reminiscent of the Boboli gardens of Florence city, Italia, designed for the Medici. It represents one of the first and most important examples of the "Italian Garden". In 1612 she bought the Hôtel du Duc François de Luxembourg and the 8 hectares attached to it.
The estate remained as it was until the Luxembourg Palace was given in prerogative to the Count of Provence. In order to pay for the restoration of the Palace, the western end of the gardens on the Notre-Dame-des-Champs side were sold. About ten hectares were sold in 1782, and the rue de Luxembourg, future rue Guynemer, was opened. The sacrificed alleys included the "Valley of the Philosophers" where Rousseau, host in 1741 in the Hôtel Saint-Quentin, rue Victor-Cousin, walked every morning exercising his memory.
Haussmann's improvements were largely at the expense of the park, which was at first cut down by the widening of rue de Vaugirard and the opening of boulevard Saint-Michel. It was decided in 1865 to limit the garden to the south by an open street in the extension of the rue de l'Abbé-de-l'Epée, and to subdivide the nursery and the botanical garden.
Charles Courtney Curran - Dans le Jardin du Luxembourg (1889)
Luxembourg Gardens Paris in its current layout
Located in the sixth arrondissement of Paris between the Latin Quarter, Saint-Germain des Prés and Montparnasse, the Jardin du Luxembourg is one of the favorite green spaces for Parisians and tourists. It covers twenty-three hectares, twenty-one of which is open to the public. It holds :
- Magnifient buildings, sculptures and fontains
- Restaurants, ice cream corners and café
- Accessible lawn, flowers and botanical garden
- Playgrounds and activities for kids (pony ride, puppet theater...)
- Sports, leisure and discovery place (tennis court, museum...)
In 1830, an orangery was built in the garden, then gradually added an orchard, greenhouses, a rose garden and an apiary still used today and accessible to visitors. The garden is divided into a French part and an English part, separated by a forest and a large octagonal pond. One hundred and six statues and two sculpted fountains, the Medici Fountain and the Monument to Eugène Delacroix by Jules Dalou, are arranged in the park.
In terms of entertainment, you can practice chess, bridge, tennis, admire the works regularly exhibited on the outdoor grills, or simply sit on a chair and enjoy a moment '' in the green ''. The music kiosk offers eclectic programming in summer, children can rent remote-controlled boats that they maneuver on the basin, attend puppet theater performances, ride a pony or enjoy the playground.
Luxembourg Gardens Paris Museum
In 2010, the Senate delegated the management of the museum to the Réunion des musées nationaux - Grand Palais with the mission of organizing exhibitions. Three programming axes, linked to the history of the place, are privileged: "the Renaissance in Europe", "art and power" and "the Palace, the Garden and the Museum". The Luxembourg Museum was the first French museum open to the public in 1750, and from 1818 became the first museum of contemporary art. Its history is intimately linked to the Palais du Luxembourg, where it was first installed, and of the Senate.
It was in 1903 that the Austrian confectioner Antoine Rumpelmayer founded the Angelina tea room at 226 rue de Rivoli in Paris, baptized in honor of his daughter-in-law. Angelina quickly established herself as a Mecca for gourmet Parisian pleasures. Nowadays, you can enjoy the famous hot chocolate known as "the African" and the traditional Mont-Blanc with chestnut cream. from Angelina in the museum.
From the garden, the fountains, the Senate to the orangerie, the museum, ask us a tailor-madeParis private tour guide in Saint Germain.
Emy,
Paris Architecture
|Paris Architecture| Paris has always played an unique and trend-setting role in the story of French architecture. From Roman past to the present, Paris displays a fascinating multifaceted metropolis.
9 styles of Paris Architecture over time
The City of Lights offers 9 major styles over time : Antiquity to Middle ages, Renaissance and Baroque, Neo-Classicism, Historicism and Eclecticism, Art Nouveau, Classical Modernism, Postwar period, Postmodernism and the 1980s, current tendencies. For each of them, discover our selection of one amazing Paris sightseeing :
Antiquity to Middle Ages Paris Architecture (100 – 1532)
The arenas of Lutèce (old name of Paris from the Roman Empire 58 before Christ), built in the first century, are a Gallo-Roman amphitheater, for theatrical performances and for gladiator fights and other games with a capacity of 17 000 places (district 5). It is a great spot to enjoy with friends, family and kids. In this period, we can include Notre Dame Cathedral for its Gothic architecture, the Sainte Chapelle and Saint Denis Basilica.
Renaissance and Baroque (1547 – 1762)
Cardinal Mazarin founded a college for 60 gentleman on March 6, 1661 (district 6). This structure facing the Louvre across the river is the dominant Baroque ensemble in the city. Napoleon installed the Institut de France in 1805. The Institut de France is a learned society, grouping five academies. In this period, we can include La Place des Vosges and Luxembourg Palace and garden.
Neo-Classicism Paris Architecture (1770 – 1808)
The Bourbon palace’s facade (district 7) offers an imposing view across the pont royal, through the obelisk at the center of place de la Concorde and its fountain to the La Madeleine church. Today it is the seat of the French National Assembly. It used to be the palace built for the legitimized granddaughter of King Louis XIV in the shape of a Greek temple. In this period, we can include La Madeleine church facade and Odeon Theater.
Historicism and Eclecticism (1826 – 1899)
The passage Jouffroy and Passage Verdeau (district 9), those two arcades among many others panoramas were popular attractions. They are offering café and restaurant, art galleries, little boutiques mostly of handcrafts. Their architecture is typically from the 19th century Paris with very high iron and glass ceiling. Built in 1847, its walls are adorned with geometric patterns and an ancestral clock, giving it a quintessentially Parisian charm. In this period, we can include Opéra Garnier and Fountain of Place Saint Michel. Above all, the Eiffel Tower.
Art Nouveau Paris Architecture (1895 – 1914)
In 1896 right before the World’s Fair of 1900, the city of Paris and the French government agreed to build 6 underground rail lines. The architect Guimard merged Viollet Le Duc rationalism with modern, functional and artistic appearance. By 1914, the metro network included 10 lines with a total of 141 pavilions and unroofed entrances designed by Guimard. In this period, we can include the synagogue rue Pavée in Le Marais and the department store La Samaritaine. In addition, amazing buildings reflect the Art Nouveau style within Paris.
Classical Modernism Paris Architecture (1921 – 1937)
The French government build la Grande Mosque of Paris in 1922 with its 33 meter minaret (district 5), as a tribute to the 100,000 Muslims who died serving under the French colors under World War I. The mosque recalls the grand mosque of Fez in Morocco while the inner court recalls that of Granada’s Alhambra, Spain. In this period, we can include les Folies Bergères Theater near the shopping center Les Galeries Lafayette and the Porte Dorée immigration Museum.
Postwar period (1953 – 1974)
The Montparnasse Tower is a 210-metre office skyscraper located in the district 15 of Paris. Constructed from 1969 to 1973, it was the tallest skyscraper in France until 2011 when it was surpassed by the 231-metre (758 ft) Tour First in the business district of Paris La Défense. In this period, we can include Le Parc des Princes Stadium and the Centre Georges Pompidou or also called Beaubourg, our national modern art museum in Les Halles district.
Postmodernism and the 1980s
The park de la Villette was entrusted in 1983 to Bernard Tschumi, French architect of Swiss origin. The essential characteristic of this Parisian park is to not break the perspective of the north to south. A cinematic walk reveals themed gardens, playgrounds, theaters where nature is staged. A rectilinear gallery covered with a wave-shaped roof connects the north and the south. In this period, we can include la Promenade Plantée from Bastille to Bois de Vincennes and la Grande Arche de la Défense.
Current tendencies Paris Architecture (1991 – 2013)
Established in Paris since 1994, the Cartier Foundation is located in the building designed by the architect Jean Nouvel, with transparency and reflections. In this unique setting, creations, exhibitions and meetings come to life. The Cartier Foundation is a singular example of corporate sponsorship in France for Contemporary Art. It is now relocating closer to the Louvre museum. It is marking a new chapter in its history and reinforcing its presence at the heart of Paris’s major cultural institutions. In this period, we can include : the department store BHV for men in the Marais, Shopping Center Bercy Village, Docks en Seine la Cité de la mode et du Design on the Seine River, la Philharmonie de Paris, Quai Branly Jacques Chirac Museum, Les Halles de Paris, Wagram Hotel, Publicis Corporate building on the Champs Elysées avenue, chapelle Notre Dame de la Pentecôte, the Wall of Peace, and more… to come.
Paris Architecture
From Medieval Times, French rulers moved from Île de la cité to the Louvre, than to Versailles in the meantime already swallowed up by the greater Paris. The architecture in the inner city is fabulous and the suburb or Grand Paris offer too amazing buildings and institutions that keep Paris bigger and bigger.
We recommend to do the Architecture private tour of Paris by car.
Emy,
What to see at the Louvre - The Louvre's Masterpieces
| Top Artworks to See At The Louvre |
What to see at the Louvre : To visit the entire Louvre museum, you would need 3 days and 2 nights of non-stop visit … and this, devoting only 10 seconds to each art work on display ! The Musée du Louvre is the biggest museum of art and antiques in the world.
Louvre’s collection to See
What to see at the Louvre is the first question you may ask yourself. The Louvre’s collection covers Western art from the medieval period to 1848, formative works from the civilisations of the ancient world, and works of Islamic art. Its exhibition space is 72,735 square meter (78,2913 square foot) among which 403 showrooms. At the end of 2016, its collections included 554,731 works. Only 35,000 are exposed in the exhibition space.
What to see at the Louvre might be complicated but in this article, you will get masterpieces you must see. Right there, it might take half day at the Louvre. The Musée du Louvre presents 8 departments:
- Paintings
- Greek – Etruscan – Roman Antiquities
- Egyptian Antiquities
- Near Eastern Antiquities
- Sculptures
- Decorative Arts
- Islamic Art
- Print and Drawing Arts
Louvre Pyramid project
Leoh Ming Pei, who already had the extensions of the Fine Arts Museum in Boston and the National Gallery of Art in Washington to his credit, was appointed in July 1983 as the architect of the Louvre Pyramid project, supported by the President of the Republic François Mitterrand.
The Musée du Louvre a former royal palace
In addition, The Pavillon de l’Horloge (The Clock Pavilion) opened in 2016 to expose the Louvre history such as kings who lived there, why did it become a museum. The Musée du Louvre is a former royal palace. Charles V was the first king to take up his residence there in the XIVth century.
The building work began in the XIIth century. In the Middle Ages, King Philippe-Auguste (1165-1223) had a fortress built here where the Louvre stands, consisting of a keep and a square enclosure. This military stronghold was intended to reinforce the wall built at that time and which was to protect Paris.
Louis XIV was the last king to live there leaving the Louvre for the Palace of Versailles. It is located on the Right Bank of the Seine, between le Jardin des Tuileries and the church Saint-Germain-L’auxerrois, in the arrondissement 1. During the French Revolution, the palace was inaugurated on August 10th, 1793 as a museum.
Extension of the Louvre in France and worldwide
In 2003, Jean-Jacques Aillagon, the then Minister for Culture and Communication, and Henri Loyrette, president of the Musée du Louvre, announced plans to create a regional branch of the Louvre. Former President François Hollande inaugurated December 4, 2012 the Louvre-Lens museum, a cultural clearing in the heart of a former disaster area in northern France on which the city hopes to build an economic renaissance. The city is also on a TGV line, putting it just 1 hour 10 minutes from Paris by high-speed train. TGV links take travelers on to Lille, and from there to Brussels and London.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi museum in the United Arab Emirates represents the contemporary Arab world while celebrating multicultural heritage. It is featuring a global selection of around 600 masterpieces. Its opening date was November 11, 2017 but the project started in 2007.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s roots are back to 1866 in Paris, France, when a group of Americans wanted to create a “national institution and gallery of art” to bring art and art education to the American people.
With approximately 9 million annual visitors, the Louvre in Paris is one of the most visited museum in the world
What to see at the Louvre in Paris
The Louvre hosts a must see : Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo da Vinci died 500 years ago and still, one of his most impressive works is the Mona Lisa, this portrayal of a woman with a mysterious smile and gaze captures the fascination of the art world.
La Joconde/Mona Lisa
The supposed portrait of Francesco del Giocondo’s wife, begun in 1503 by the genius Leonardo da Vinci, is certainly the most famous painting in the world. A masterpiece of the Louvre unavoidable. Discover the story of the painting of La Joconde, also called Mona Lisa. This portrait is a masterpiece in the art history by its technicality. The theft of Leonardo da Vinci painting in the 19th century and the mysteries surrounding its origin continue to draw crowds. Simply unmissable.
What to see at the Louvre for a first visit
For a first visit at the Louvre, discover this selection of masterpieces among so many others. You will need a small half-day on a regular step, taking time to stop, sit and observe this selection of what to see at the Louvre still crossing time, humanity and the museum !
The Winged Victory of Samothrace
In Greece, the representation of victory was personified as a winged goddess, descending on earth to honor the conqueror. Faithful to this spirit, the colossal work was placed in a rock niche overlooking the theater of the Great Gods Sanctuary in Samothrace, a tiny greek island, at the beginning of the 2nd century BC. It represents a Victory landing on the front of a warship, probably to commemorate a naval victory. By the virtuosity of this sculpture and the ingenuity of its construction, this monument is an unequaled masterpiece of Greek sculpture from the Hellenistic period.
The Wedding Feast at Cana
The Wedding Feast at Cana commissioned to the painter Veronese in 1562 by the Benedictine monks of a monastery in Venice, is an illustration of texts from the Gospel. It is the largest painting in the Louvre. With “The Marriage of Cana”, Veronese transposed the biblical episode of a sumptuous marriage where Jesus performs His first miracle, according to the Gospel of John.
Louis XIV Portrait, King of France
Ordered to be offered to the King of Spain, Philip V, grandson of Louis XIV, this portrait was so successful that it remained in France. Each detail of the painting contributes to make the quintessence image of absolute power, the Sun King dressed in the costume of fleur-de-lis coronation, one of the greatest kings of France. Louis XIV was the last king to live at the Louvre. He moved to the Palace of Versailles.
The Coronation of the Emperor Napoleon I and the Crowning of the Empress Joséphine
The Rite of Napoleon I, Napoleon Bonaparte, commissioned to the painter Jacques-Louis David, staged the Emperor during his coronation and the coronation of the Empress Josephine. He is crowned Emperor, in the cathedral Notre-Dame of Paris, on December 2, 1804, by Pope Pius VII. Eyewitness to the ceremony, the painter David will realistically deliver the colorful crowd but he must also respond to the intentions of the Emperor.
July 28: Liberty Leading the People
The popular insurrection of July 1830 in Paris, aroused by the liberal republicans against the violation of the Constitution by the government of the Second Restoration, overthrows Charles X, the last bourbon king of France and puts in his place Louis Philippe, Duke of Orleans. Witness of the event, the painter Delacroix, found a modern subject that he methodically translated with a romantic fervor. By its allegorical aspect and its political scope, the work was frequently chosen as a symbol of the French Republic or the Democracy or Freedom. The female central figure, half-goddess, half-woman is here between the tangible and the idea.
Piétà de Villeneuve-lès-Avignon
This masterpiece of the Provencal school, long time anonymous, was attributed to Enguerrand Quarton, author of the Coronation of the Virgin painted in 1453-1454 for the Carthusian monastery of the same place (Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, museum). This painting expresses the themes of the lamentation, the devotion, the Passion of Christ with the presence of the Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist and Saint Mary Magdalene, as well as the painter himself on the far left behind Saint John.
Venus de Milo Greek sculpture, gallery of antiquities
The Louvre’s gallery of antiquities displays masterpieces of Greek sculpture, including the famous Venus de Milo. You would need a heart of stone not to be moved by her grace ! With the Mona Lisa and The Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Venus de Milo is one of the three most famous female figures in the Louvre. Her name comes from the Greek island of Melos (now Milos). She was acquired by the Marquis de Rivière in 1820, French ambassador of Greece. He then presented her to King Louis XVIII, who donated her to the Louvre in March 1821.
Man’s Mommy, Egyptian Antiquities
Vania Teofilo / CC BY-SA
This mummy is, according to the results of an X-ray examination, an adult man. This is the only mummy preserved and exhibited at the Louvre Museum in the Department of Egyptian Antiquities. It is particularly well preserved and the braiding of the bands, especially on the face, is impressive. His face is covered with a mask with harmonious features at the top of which is represented a winged scarab, symbol of rebirth.
The Seated Scribe
In fact, sitting cross-legged, the squatting scribe is very often shown in the history textbooks to illustrate writing in the time of ancient Egypt. This character who has kept all his colors is in working position. One can easily imagine his papyrus leaf on his legs and his brush in his right hand.
Law Code of Hammurabi, king of Babylon
The high basalt stele by the king of Babylon in the eighteenth century BC is a work of art, prior to biblical laws. The stele dates from 1750 BC. The Law Code of Hammurabi is the emblem of the Mesopotamian civilization, historic region of the Middle East-Iraq mostly. This basalt stele was erected by King Hammurabi of Babylon (1792–1750 BC) probably at Sippar, city of the sun god Shamash, god of justice. The Law Code of Hammurabi is valuable first and foremost as a model, being a treatise on the exercise of judiciary power in the context of Mesopotamian science.
Not to Miss at the Louvre in Paris, France : Iconic Masterpieces
- Mona Lisa (Leonardo da Vinci) – The most famous painting in the world, in the Denon Wing, Room 711. Expect crowds.
- Venus de Milo – Ancient Greek statue of Aphrodite (Milo of Croton), Sully Wing.
- Winged Victory of Samothrace – A dramatic Hellenistic sculpture at the top of the Daru staircase (Denon Wing).
- Liberty Leading the People (Delacroix) – Romantic French painting celebrating the July Revolution, Denon Wing.
- The Coronation of Napoleon (David) – Huge neoclassical masterpiece depicting Napoleon crowning himself, Denon Wing.
What to see at the Louvre : Ancient Civilizations
- Code of Hammurabi – One of the world’s earliest legal codes (Babylonian), Richelieu Wing.
- Great Sphinx of Tanis – Imposing Egyptian sculpture, Sully Wing.
- Seated Scribe – Lifelike ancient Egyptian statue.
- Lamassu (Winged Bulls of Assyria) – Monumental guardian figures.
What to see at the Louvre : Other Noteworthy Collections
- Italian Renaissance paintings (Raphael, Caravaggio, Veronese).
- French paintings (Poussin, Géricault’s Raft of the Medusa).
- Islamic Art (beautiful ceramics, textiles, and calligraphy).
- Decorative Arts (crown jewels, Napoleon III’s apartments).
Suggested Routes
1–2 hours: Stick to the big five: Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, Liberty Leading the People, The Coronation of Napoleon.
Half day: Add Egyptian and Mesopotamian highlights.
Full day or more: Explore specialized sections (Islamic Art, Decorative Arts, French Sculpture Courtyard, etc.).
One of the Largest Museums in the World
The Louvre is one of the largest and most visited museums in the world, housing over 35,000 works of art across 72,735 square meters of exhibition space. To visit the entire museum, it would take approximately 3 days and 2 nights of non-stop viewing, spending just 10 seconds on each artwork on display. With such vast collections, a private guided tour with Art History expertise becomes essential to navigate the masterpieces that matter most to you. The museum is organized into 8 specialized departments, each offering extraordinary treasures from different civilizations and artistic periods:
Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities
Explore the foundations of Western civilization through spectacular ancient sculptures, pottery, and artifacts spanning from the Neolithic period to the 6th century AD. This collection includes some of the most iconic masterpieces in art history.
Highlights:
- Venus de Milo (circa 100 BC) – The epitome of Hellenistic sculpture depicting Aphrodite, Greek goddess of love and beauty, discovered on Milos island in 1820
- Winged Victory of Samothrace (circa 190 BC) – Dramatic marble sculpture commemorating a naval victory, positioned majestically atop the Daru staircase
- Borghese Gladiator – Dynamic Roman marble depicting a warrior in combat stance
- Greek pottery collections – Black-figure and red-figure vases illustrating Greek mythology and daily life
- Roman sarcophagi – Intricately carved marble tombs showing mythological scenes
- Etruscan artifacts – Jewelry, bronze work, and funerary art from ancient Italy
Why This Matters: These works established the artistic principles—proportion, movement, idealized beauty—that influenced all Western art for the next 2,000 years. Understanding Greek and Roman art is understanding the foundation of European civilization.
Egyptian Antiquities
Journey through 5,000 years of ancient Egyptian civilization with one of the world’s finest collections outside Cairo. From monumental statues and golden sarcophagi to intimate daily life objects and hieroglyphic inscriptions, discover the art, religion, and culture of pharaonic Egypt.
Highlights:
- Great Sphinx of Tanis – Monumental pink granite sphinx from the 26th century BC
- Seated Scribe (circa 2500 BC) – Lifelike painted limestone sculpture with inlaid eyes, capturing the essence of ancient Egyptian realism
- Stele of the Serpent King – One of the oldest known Egyptian royal inscriptions
- Sarcophagi and mummies – Elaborately decorated coffins revealing burial practices and beliefs about the afterlife
- Book of the Dead papyri – Ancient funerary texts with colorful illustrations guiding souls through the underworld
- Jewelry and amulets – Gold, lapis lazuli, and turquoise ornaments worn by royalty
- Temple of Dendur reliefs – Carved stone panels from Nubian temples
Thematic Rooms:
- Daily life in ancient Egypt (furniture, cosmetics, tools)
- Religious practices and gods (Osiris, Isis, Anubis)
- Royal power and pharaonic art
- Coptic Christian Egypt (late period)
Why Visit With a Guide: Hieroglyphics and symbolism require expert interpretation. An Art History guide translates inscriptions, explains religious symbolism, and reveals how Egyptian art influenced later civilizations.
Oriental Antiquities (Near Eastern Antiquities)
Discover the cradle of civilization through Mesopotamian, Persian, and Levantine treasures spanning 9,000 years—from the first cities of Sumer to the great Persian Empire. This collection reveals humanity’s earliest writing, law codes, monumental architecture, and artistic achievements.
Highlights:
- Code of Hammurabi (1750 BC) – One of the earliest legal codes in history, carved on a black basalt stele showing the Babylonian king receiving laws from the sun god Shamash
- Lamassu (Winged Bulls) – Massive protective deities with human heads, bull bodies, and eagle wings that guarded Assyrian palace gates
- Ishtar Gate fragments – Brilliant blue-glazed bricks decorated with dragons and bulls from ancient Babylon
- Gudea statues – Serene Sumerian ruler portraits in dark stone (circa 2100 BC)
- Persian archers frieze – Colorful glazed brick relief from Darius I’s palace at Susa
- Ebla tablets – Ancient cuneiform writing revealing early diplomacy and trade
- Phoenician ivories – Intricately carved furniture decorations
Civilizations Represented:
- Mesopotamia (Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, Assyria)
- Persia (Achaemenid Empire)
- Levant (Syria, Lebanon, ancient Israel)
- Anatolia (ancient Turkey)
Why This Matters: These civilizations invented writing, created the first cities, developed law codes, and built the foundations of mathematics, astronomy, and literature that shaped human history.
Paintings
Explore European painting from the 13th to 19th centuries with one of the world’s greatest collections—over 7,500 paintings including Italian Renaissance masterpieces, French Baroque grandeur, Dutch Golden Age realism, and Romantic movement.
Iconic Masterpieces:
- Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci (1503-1519) – The world’s most famous painting, Leonardo’s enigmatic portrait with revolutionary sfumato technique
- The Wedding at Cana by Veronese (1563) – Massive Venetian Renaissance feast scene (the largest painting in the Louvre)
- Liberty Leading the People by Delacroix (1830) – Romantic allegory of the French Revolution
- The Raft of the Medusa by Géricault (1818-1819) – Dramatic Romantic depiction of survival and human suffering
- The Coronation of Napoleon by Jacques-Louis David (1806) – Monumental Neoclassical propaganda masterpiece
By School and Period:
- Italian Renaissance: Botticelli, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio
- French Classicism: Poussin, Claude Lorrain, Georges de La Tour
- Dutch Golden Age: Rembrandt, Vermeer, Frans Hals
- Spanish Masters: El Greco, Murillo
- French Rococo: Watteau, Boucher, Fragonard
- Romanticism: Delacroix, Géricault
Why Art History Expertise Matters: Understanding composition, technique, historical context, and symbolism transforms paintings from beautiful images into profound cultural documents. An École du Louvre-trained guide reveals layers of meaning invisible to untrained eyes.
Sculptures
Experience three-dimensional art from medieval times through the 19th century with French, Italian, and Northern European masterpieces. From Michelangelo’s captives struggling to break free from marble to Canova’s idealized beauty, sculpture reveals humanity’s desire to capture movement, emotion, and idealism in stone and bronze.
Masterpieces:
- Michelangelo’s Slaves (Dying Slave and Rebellious Slave) (1513-1516) – Unfinished marble figures showing the artist’s technique of “releasing” forms from stone
- Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss by Canova (1787-1793) – Neoclassical marble capturing the moment of awakening love
- Marly Horses by Coustou – Dynamic Baroque sculptures originally created for Louis XIV’s Château de Marly
- Diana of Versailles – Roman copy of Greek original showing thehunt goddess
Collections Include:
- Medieval sculpture: Romanesque and Gothic religious carvings
- Italian Renaissance: Donatello, Cellini
- French Renaissance: Jean Goujon, Germain Pilon
- Baroque drama: Bernini influence, Puget
- Neoclassical revival: Houdon portrait busts, Canova mythological scenes
- Romantic expression: Rude, Barye animal sculptures
Cour Marly & Cour Puget: Two spectacular glass-roofed courtyards displaying monumental French sculptures in natural light—an architectural marvel enhancing the art experience.
Art Objects (Decorative Arts)
Discover the luxury and craftsmanship of European royal courts through furniture, tapestries, jewelry, ceramics, bronzes, and precious objects spanning from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. This collection reveals how the wealthiest patrons lived, displaying extraordinary artistry in functional objects.
Extraordinary Collections:
- Crown Jewels of France: Including the Regent Diamond (140 carats), crowns, scepters, and royal regalia
- Apollo Gallery: Stunning gilded gallery displaying Louis XIV’s crown jewels in a room that inspired the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles
- Medieval treasures: Reliquaries, enamels, ivory carvings, illuminated manuscripts
- Renaissance ceramics: Italian maiolica, French faience
- Royal furniture: Louis XIV, XV, and XVI period pieces with marquetry, gilt bronze, and Sèvres porcelain
- Gobelins tapestries: Monumental woven artworks depicting mythology and royal hunting scenes
- Limoges enamels: Medieval religious objects with vibrant colors
- Scientific instruments: Astronomical clocks, armillary spheres
Rooms to Explore:
- Napoleon III Apartments – Opulent Second Empire interiors preserved as they appeared in the 1860s
- Galerie d’Apollon – Louis XIV’s dazzling jewel gallery
- Medieval and Renaissance galleries
Why This Captivates: These objects reveal how art permeated every aspect of royal life—from dining to worship, from fashion to scientific inquiry. They demonstrate that “decorative” arts required as much mastery as painting or sculpture.
Graphic Arts (Prints and Drawings)
Explore over 200,000 drawings, prints, and illustrated books including preparatory sketches by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Rembrandt, and Delacroix. Due to light sensitivity, these works are displayed in rotating exhibitions, offering rare glimpses into artists’ creative processes.
Notable Holdings:
- Leonardo da Vinci drawings: Scientific studies, anatomical sketches, engineering
- Michelangelo preparatory drawings: Studies for Sistine Chapel and sculptural works
- Rembrandt etchings: Complete collection showing his printmaking mastery
- French 18th-century drawings: Watteau, Boucher, Fragonard’s rococo elegance
- Albrecht Dürer prints: Northern Renaissance precision and detail
- Delacroix sketches: Romantic movement preparatory studies
Why Drawings Matter: Drawings reveal the artist’s hand directly—spontaneous lines, corrections, creative exploration. They show the thinking process behind finished masterpieces, offering intimate access to artistic genius. Viewing Information: Graphic arts are displayed in temporary exhibitions (Cabinet des Dessins) to protect them from light damage. Check the Louvre website for current exhibitions during your visit.
Islamic Arts
Journey through 1,300 years of Islamic civilization from Spain to India with nearly 18,000 objects displayed in a stunning modern wing designed by architects Rudy Ricciotti and Mario Bellini. Opened in 2012, this department showcases the artistic achievements of Islamic cultures through ceramics, metalwork, textiles, carpets, miniature paintings, and calligraphy.
Highlights:
- Baptistère de Saint Louis (circa 1320-1340) – Spectacular brass basin inlaid with silver and gold, created in Mamluk Egypt
- Peacock Dish (Iznik ceramics) – Colored Turkish pottery from the Ottoman Empire
- Persian miniature paintings: Intricate illustrations from Shahnama (Book of Kings) and other literary masterpieces
- Mughal jewelry and weapons: Jade-hilted daggers, jeweled swords from India
- Moroccan carved wood panels: Geometric Islamic patterns and Arabic calligraphy
- Egyptian mosque lamps: Enameled glass with Quranic inscriptions
- Carpets and textiles: Persian silk carpets, Ottoman embroideries
Geographic Coverage:
- Maghreb (North Africa: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia)
- Middle East (Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Arabia)
- Persia/Iran (Safavid and Qajar periods)
- Ottoman Turkey (Iznik ceramics, court arts)
- Mughal India (jewelry, miniatures, weapons)
- Islamic Spain (Al-Andalus) (architectural fragments)
Architectural Marvel: The Islamic Arts wing features an undulating golden mesh roof that filters natural light, creating an ethereal atmosphere reminiscent of flowing fabric—a modern architectural achievement housing ancient treasures. Why This Enriches Your Visit: Islamic art demonstrates sophisticated mathematical precision in geometric patterns, reverence for the written word through calligraphy, and artistic achievement across three continents and thirteen centuries expanding beyond Western art traditions.
What to see at the Louvre
The Louvre Museum in Paris is one of the largest and most visited museums in the world, so it’s helpful to plan ahead. What you see depends on your time and interests
Emy,
Sorbonne University
|University of Paris|
The Sorbonne University sounds worldwide famous thanks to its cultural background, knowledge and wisdom. Located in the heart of the Latin Quarter, the Sorbonne was founded 8 centuries ago by Robert de Sorbon.
Below the Sorbonne Chapel, a Roman Catholic chapel located on the Sorbonne historical site, with a quote of Saint Thomas d'Aquin "I fear the man of only one book" and a statue of Saint Thomas, left side of the clock.
Hic et ubique terrarum (Latin, Here and anywhere on Earth)
Sorbonne University and history
The Sorbonne University is one of the oldest universities in the world.
Associated with the cathedral school of Notre Dame
It owes its name to its founder, Robert de Sorbon, Chaplain and confessor of King of France Saint-Louis (Louis IX). Emerging around 1150 as a corporation associated with the cathedral school of Notre Dame de Paris, the University is born in the XIIIth century. Primitively settled on the Island of the City, the latter came, from the XIIth century, in the future "Latin Quarter", left bank of the Seine, where the theology, the law, the medicine and the arts were taught, outdoor, young people coming from 4 Nations, so conferring to the University, from the start, an international prestige.
First French major strike in France
One of the first French major strike started at the Sorbonne University in 1229. It was a masters' and teachers' strike associated with students in a fight against the Bishop of Paris and the Queen of France. It resulted in the university being paralyzed for 2 years. Teachers and students were united in protest against the deadly repression of a students riot by the civil authorities, according to which the students were dependent on ecclesiastical justice. This riot had taken place during altercations on Mardi Gras. On April 13, 1231, after 2 years of negotiation, Pope Gregory IX addressed the professors and students of the University of Paris the papal bull Parens scientiarum. Through it, he granted the main privileges of its intellectual and legal independence.
During the French Revolution
In 1793, during the French Revolution, the university was closed and by Item-27 of the Revolutionary Convention, the college endowments and buildings were sold. A new University of France replaced it in 1806 with four independent faculties: the Faculty of Humanities (French: Faculté des Lettres), the Faculty of Law (later including Economics), the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Theology.
Mai 1969 at the Sorbonne University
MAY 1968 (mai 68) : The biggest general strike, starting at the Sorbonne students protests against capitalism, consumerism, American imperialism, traditional institutions, values and order. 11 million workers, more than 22% of the total population of France at the time, for two continuous weeks were involved in Mai 68. It brought the entire economy of France to a virtual halt.
Sorbonne University reorganization
In 1970, following the May 1968 events, the university was divided into 13 autonomous universities. Although all the thirteen universities that resulted of the original University of Paris split can be considered its inheritors, just three universities of the post-1968 universities embodied direct faculties successors while inheriting the name "Sorbonne", as well as its physical location in the Latin Quarter: the Pantheon-Sorbonne University (Paris I; law); University of Paris III: Sorbonne Nouvelle; and Paris-Sorbonne University (Paris IV; humanities).
Saint Thomas d'Aquin one of its teachers
In 1245, Saint Thomas d'Aquin left Italy, clerical and aristocratic privileges to study & teach at the Sorbonne. At that time, Kings, Popes would go to study at the University of Paris for its new ideas, visionary leadership and Excellence.
He was an immensely influential philosopher, theologian, and jurist in the tradition of scholasticism, within which he is also known as the Doctor Angelicus and the Doctor Communis. He was the foremost classical proponent of natural theology and the father of Thomism.
Saint Thomas d'Aquin argued that reason is found in God
His influence on Western thought is considerable, and much of modern philosophy developed or opposed his ideas, particularly in the areas of ethics, natural law, metaphysics, and political theory. Thomas embraced several ideas put forward by Aristotle—whom he called "the Philosopher"—and attempted to synthesize Aristotelian philosophy with the principles of Christianity. Below, Saint Thomas d'Aquin.
The Catholic Church honors Thomas Aquinas as a saint and regards him as the model teacher for those studying for the priesthood, and indeed the highest expression of both natural reason and speculative theology. In modern times, under papal directives, the study of his works was long used as a core of the required program of study for those seeking ordination as priests or deacons, as well as for those in religious formation and for other students of the sacred disciplines (philosophy, Catholic theology, church history, liturgy, and canon law). Below, A meeting of doctors at the university of Paris. From the "Chants royaux" manuscript, BNF, Paris.
The Sorbonne University nowadays
Today, the Sorbonne University is a public research university, established by the merger in 2018 of Paris-Sorbonne University, Pierre et Marie Curie University, and other institutions.
50,000 students in 14 teaching and research departments,
8,000 of whom are from outside France
3 Faculties at the Sorbonne University
The Sorbonne University has 3 faculties; additionally, Law is taught by Panthéon-Assas University.
- Arts & Humanities
Letters are the more ancient teachings of the Sorbonne University. Classical and Modern Letters, Archeology, Art History, Languages, Linguistics, Literature, Social Sciences such as Sociology, History, Geography, Musicology, Philosophy, Sciences of Information and Communication and the Science of Education are part of this faculty.
- Science
The Faculty of Science of Sorbonne University is a major research institution in France. It can be considered the successor in direct line to the Faculty of Science of the University of Paris. It has more than 125 laboratories, in association with the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS). Some of its most notable institutes and laboratories include the Institut Henri Poincaré (Mathematics), Institut d'astrophysique de Paris (Astrophysics), LIP6 (Informatics / Computer Science), Institut de mathématiques de Jussieu (foundations of Mathematics, shared with University Paris-Diderot) and the Laboratoire Kastler-Brossel (Quantum Physics, shared with École Normale Supérieure).
- Medicine
The faculty of Medicine is located in the teaching hospitals Pitié-Salpêtrière and Saint-Antoine (the latter itself being the successor to Saint-Antoine-des-Champs Abbey).
Alliance Sorbonne Université
The Sorbonne Universities Association was renamed to Alliance Sorbonne Université and groups the following institutions for academic cooperation such as the National Museum of Natural History established in 1635, the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique CNRS, the Pôle supérieur d'enseignement artistique of Paris Boulogne-Billancourt PSPBB, the Business School of the world INSEAD, ...
- Its ten members have a shared vision favouring a global approach to education and research, combining the fields of the Arts, Humanities, Medicine, Science, Engineering, Technology, and Management.
- The diversity of the members of the Sorbonne University Alliance favours encourages a global approach to education and research.
- It promotes equal access to knowledge and develops numerous shared programmes and projects in degree programmes, continuous and lifelong education in all disciplines, in research and innovation, and in the diffusion of their findings.
The university is nowadays the seat of the Academy Rectorate, of the Chancellery of Paris Universities, and hosts several departments of higher education and research centers internationally well-known.
Enjoy a genuine personalized tour according to your profile, from couple, family to Paris students tours.
Emy,
Unique Paris Private Tours - Blog article
PARIS BY EMY Private Tours
Unique Paris Private Tours : The City of Lights, has been enchanting travelers for centuries with its timeless charm, iconic landmarks, and rich cultural heritage. From the majestic Eiffel Tower to the artistic treasures of the Louvre, every corner of Paris holds a story waiting to be discovered. However, with its labyrinth of streets, vibrant neighborhoods, and endless attractions, exploring Paris can feel overwhelming, especially for first-time visitors.
Unique Paris Private Tours
At PARIS BY EMY, we don’t just offer tours – we craft memories that last a lifetime. Experience Paris like a true local, guided by our passion for this magical city. With us, every moment is curated with care, so you can fall in love with Paris in a way that’s uniquely yours.
- That’s where PARIS BY EMY steps in, offering Unique Paris Private Tours tailored to your specific interests and desires. Forget rigid itineraries and crowded group tours – we design experiences just for you, ensuring a personalized journey through the city’s wonders. Whether you’re passionate about art, history, gastronomy, or simply soaking in the Parisian atmosphere, our tours are crafted to make your dream visit a reality.
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Understanding the Needs of Travelers
Different Traveler Profiles
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Unique Paris Private Tours
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Unlike traditional guided tours, personalized trips allow travelers to design their itinerary according to their schedule and interests. Whether you're passionate about art, history, fashion, or gastronomy, a personalized trip ensures that every moment is curated to your liking.
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Personalized trips offer the opportunity to explore Paris beyond the typical tourist attractions. From hidden alleyways to local markets, travelers can immerse themselves in the authentic charm of the city, discovering Paris hidden gems that are often overlooked by guidebooks.
Paris Travel Guide - Blog article
Paris Tailor-Made Travel Guide Services
Paris Travel Guide : Your journey begins with the convenience of hotel pick-up by a private guide, ensuring a seamless start. Our knowledgeable and passionate guides bring Paris to life, sharing fascinating stories and insights. From the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame to the artistic haven of Montmartre, every tour is uniquely crafted to your preferences.
Discover Paris and its surroundings in unparalleled comfort with PARIS BY EMY Private Tour Guide Services. Designed to meet your aspirations, our tailor-made tours provide an unforgettable experience. Whether you are a historical craver of Paris, of its iconic landmarks, or hidden gems, we create customized itineraries to match your interests.
Paris Travel Guide Outside Paris
Moreover, for those looking to explore beyond Paris, we offer exceptional day trips to renowned destinations. Visit Normandy from Paris, where history whispers through the iconic D-Day landing beaches, or savor the world-famous wines of the Champagne region. Stroll through picturesque vineyards, indulge in tastings, and enjoy the beauty of French countryside.
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Private Car in Option
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Paris Trip Package - Blog article
Paris Custom Trip Packages
Experience Paris like never before with a personalized Paris Trip Package, a comprehensive all-inclusive vacation package tailored to your unique preferences and interests. Whether you're visiting for the first time or returning to the City of Lights, we ensure every detail of your trip is perfectly curated for an unforgettable experience.
From the moment you arrive, PARIS BY EMY takes care of everything. Our Paris Tour packages include airport-to-hotel transfers, ensuring a smooth and stress-free start to your Parisian adventure. We recommend and assist with bookings for the finest hotels, carefully chosen to match your preferences, whether you seek boutique charm or five-star luxury.
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PARIS BY EMY Offer
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Personal Tour Guide in Paris
Personal Tour Guide in Paris : Hotel pick-up by a local private guide, for a tailor-made tour according to your aspirations. Experience historical Paris, iconic sightseeing, off the beaten track, Normandy, Champagne, with a private driver in option. Emy is a licensed private tour guide in Paris.
Discover Paris Your Way with PARIS BY EMY: Private, Personalized Tours with Hotel Pickup
When it comes to exploring Paris, nothing compares to a personalized journey crafted around your interests. PARIS BY EMY, a premier local tour company, offers exactly that. Indeed, it is a deeply personal and immersive travel experience led by a private, local guide. PARIS BY EMY caters to your aspirations and preferences from the moment they pick you up at your hotel.
Tailor-Made Tours for a Truly Unique Parisian Experience
Unlike private tours with fixed itinerary, PARIS BY EMY designs tailor-made tours based on your desires — whether you’re an art lover, a history enthusiast, a foodie, or a first-time visitor eager to capture the city’s iconic charm. Every itinerary is co-created with you to reflect your passions and travel goals. So it is ensuring that your time in Paris is meaningful and memorable.
From the comfort of your hotel, your private guide meets you and begins the journey with a warm Parisian welcome. Whether you’re staying in a luxury suite near the Champs-Élysées or a cozy boutique hotel in Le Marais, your experience begins seamlessly and stress-free.
Explore Iconic Paris — and Beyond with your Personal Tour Guide Paris
PARIS BY EMY offers in-depth tours of Paris’s most iconic landmarks — from the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame to the Louvre and Montmartre. But the adventure doesn’t stop there. Your guide brings historical Paris to life through storytelling and local insights, unveiling the city’s deep cultural and architectural heritage.
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Extend Your Journey: Normandy and Champagne Day Trips
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Why Choose PARIS BY EMY for your Personal Tour Guide Paris?
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Private Guided Tours in Paris
Your Paris, Your Story
With PARIS BY EMY, you’re not just visiting Paris — you’re living it. Whether you’re wandering the historic alleys of the Latin Quarter, sipping Champagne in a sunlit vineyard, or standing in awe on the cliffs of Normandy, each moment is crafted just for you. This is more than a tour. It’s a story you’ll remember for a lifetime.
Ready to experience Paris your way? Let PARIS BY EMY be your guide — from hotel door to hidden gems and beyond.
Best Places to Stay in Paris - Blog article
Discover the Best Places to Stay in Paris
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Why Choose PARIS BY EMY?
- Personalized Recommendations: Upon your preferences, a romantic getaway, or a family trip.
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How It Works:
- Tell Us About Your Stay: Share your travel dates, budget, and desired hotel features.
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Whether it’s a luxurious suite with panoramic views or a cozy room in a historic district, PARIS BY EMY ensures your stay in Paris is nothing short of exceptional.
Additionally, we offer personalized services to make your trip effortless and enjoyable. From your hotel, our custom Paris Travel Itinerary will guide you through the city’s hidden gems, cultural highlights, and must-visit attractions at your own pace.
Best Places to Stay in Paris
From your hotel, we also could design a personalized full stay Paris Travel Itinerary, ensuring your stay is truly unforgettable. Let us help you create unforgettable memories in the City of Lights. Enjoy accommodations with breathtaking views and immerse yourself in Parisian lifestyle.
Paris for 3 days and above - Blog article
Paris from 3 Days Travel Itinerary
Paris for 3 days and more : We take care of every detail, from restaurant recommendations to leisure activities. Whether you desire fine dining in a Michelin-starred restaurant or a cozy bistro with authentic Parisian charm, we guide you to the best spots. For activities, we curate unique experiences. From Seine river cruises to secret rooftop gardens, we bring your Parisian dreams to life.
Planning a trip to Paris can be exciting yet overwhelming. At PARIS BY EMY, we make it effortless and enjoyable. Our Paris Travel Itinerary offers booking and personalized services tailored to your dreams.
Bespoke Travel Itinerary
Our itineraries include both iconic Parisian tours and off-the-beaten-track adventures. Marvel at landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, and the Louvre. Then, explore hidden gems like quaint alleys, local markets, or artistic neighborhoods.
Each day is custom-made to match your aspirations. Do you love history? We can arrange a day exploring Versailles or the streets of Montmartre. Are you passionate about art? We’ll create a path through world-class museums and galleries. For those seeking leisure, we design relaxing days in Parisian gardens or charming cafes.
Paris for 3 days Itinerary Optimization
We also optimize time management and simplify transportation. Paris can be tricky to navigate, but our expertise ensures you move smoothly between destinations. With access to a local network, we can secure bookings and provide tips that others may not know.
Moreover, we prioritize comfort. Whether it’s a private guide or chauffeur-driven tours, we ensure every moment is stress-free. For couples, families, or solo travelers, we craft itineraries that blend sightseeing, culture, and personal interests.
Paris Personalized Travel Itinerary
At PARIS BY EMY, we understand that each traveler is unique. That’s why our service is entirely personalized. We listen to your needs and design your perfect trip.
In addition to planning your days, we remain available during your stay. Need to change plans? We’re here to assist. Our goal is to ensure every moment in Paris is magical.
Let PARIS BY EMY transform your trip into a seamless and unforgettable experience. Explore Paris like a local with a touch of elegance and authenticity. Paris awaits – let’s create your perfect journey!
Cheese from Paris
Cheese of Paris : The Brie
Cheese Paris : There are between 1,200 and 2,380 varieties of French cheeses. However, it is really difficult to be able to say on an exact figure, considering that new varieties are created every year. In addition, there are a multitude of criteria to define the different types of cheese. Let’s have a closer look at cheeses around Paris.
France the country of cheese
A common reference system makes possible to compare the diversity of cheese production in European countries, where cheese has been part of the gastronomic heritage for thousands years. These are the appellations of origin :
- Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) for controlled designation of origin
- Appellation d'Origine Protégée (AOP) for protected designation of origin
These define cheese specialties according to a set of know-how and organoleptic characteristics, while guaranteeing a link with a geographical origin of production. According to the European Commission census, France is the country with the greatest figure of 54 cheese appellations registered in June 2020. France is just ahead of Italy with its 53 appellations, followed by Spain (28 ) and Greece (21). The Brie is the second cheese most consumed in the world right after the Gouda (Netherlands).
Cheese Paris : The Brie by excellence
The cheese from Paris is the brie, well known abroad because it a creamy cheese with no strong smell. The Brie de Meaux is one of the most popular cheeses in France. Bries are an important family of soft cheeses with a bloomy rind, originating in the French region of Brie, nearby Paris. These soft cheeses are prepared from cow's milk whose rind has a soft, even cottony texture.
- Brie de Meaux AOP, Île-de-France
- Brie de Melun AOP, Île-de-France
- Brie de Montereau, Île-de-France
- Brie de Nangis, Île-de-France
- Brie de Provins, Île-de-France
- Brie noir, Île-de-France
- Brie fermier, Île-de-France
- Brie de Melun bleu
- Brie petit moulé
- Brie laitier
- Brie truffé
- Coulommiers, Île-de-France
- Brie Mont Bebour, Réunion
Only Bries de Meaux and Bries de Melun are protected by a PDO Protected Designation of Origin.
Brie cheeses existed before the Roman invasion but their exact origin is unknown. Although retaining the same basic characteristics, including the preparation based on partially skimmed raw milk, different types of cheese have stood out over the centuries. It is a soft cow's milk cheese with a bloomy rind, the production area of which extends to the departments of Seine-et-Marne, Hauts-de-Seine, Val-de -Marne, Seine-Saint-Denis, Paris, Aube, Yonne, Aisne, Loiret, Marne, Haute-Marne, Meuse.
Cheese Paris : Other popular Parisian cheeses
- The Bleu Cendré
- The Brillat Savarin
- The Jouvenceau
- The Dormoy
- The Petit Morin
- The Saint Jacques
- The Tomme de Saint Corentin
- The Nanteau
- The Petit Chèvre d'île de France
- The Fougerus
- The Camembert (from Normandy)
- The Roquefort (type of blue cheese from Aveyron)
- The Comté (from Franche Comté)
- The Cœur de Neufchâtel (from Normandy, one of the oldest French cheese)
- The Tomme de Savoie (from Savoie)
- The Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine (goat cheese from Centre - Val de Loire)
- The Emmental (from Franche-Comté, Rhône-Alpes, Champagne-Ardenne, Bourgogne et Lorraine
- The Mimolette (from North of France)
- The Reblochon (from Savoie)
- The Saint Marcellin (from Isère)
- The Vacherin Mont d'Or (from Jura)
- And much more !
The Brie de Meaux is supple; it has a subtle aroma of cream, butter and hazelnut. It is attested that Robert le Pieux, second Frankish king of the Capetian dynasty reigning from 996 to 1031, tasted Brie de Melun cheese at the Melun Castle in 999, a city South of Paris.
This traditional French cheese from Paris could be a specific Private Tour Guide in Paris, in the Seine et Marne, for a Brie tasting tour, a walk along the Marne river in the land of impressionist painters such as Cézanne, Corot, Pissarro, Rousseau and Millet, Van Gogh..., with a private car service.
Emy,
Palace of Versailles
| Palace of Versailles, a place of great history |
The Palace of Versailles is considered as one of the biggest palaces in the world. Its origins are back to 1629. It was first a hunting relay for the King Louis XIII, father of Louis XIV, but also a place of power for the Royal family with Louis XIV and from the nineteenth century a museum after the Revolution. 10 000 people used to work and serve the royal family during the French monarchy. Composed of the castle, the gardens, the park, the estate of the Trianon and some outbuildings in the city, the estate of Versailles now covers more than 800 hectares.
The castle of Versailles
Classified since 1979 in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Palace of Versailles is a brilliant achievement of French art in the seventeenth century. Located south-west of Paris, this castle and its estate aimed to glorify the French monarchy. The former hunting lodge of Louis XIII was transformed and expanded by his son Louis XIV who installed his court and his government in 1682.
The first phase of the expansion (1661–1678) was designed and supervised by the architect Louis Le Vau. The interior decoration was assigned to Charles Le Brun. The King ordered a further enlargement, which he entrusted to the young architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart. Louis XIV instructed Mansart to begin the construction of the Royal Chapel of Versailles. Mansart also replaced Le Vau's large terrace, facing the garden on the west, becoming the most famous room of the palace, the Hall of Mirrors. Until the French Revolution, kings have succeeded embellishing the castle, each to their own. Louis XV added the royal opera. The Emperor Napoleon adjusted the Trianon after Queen Marie-Antoinette.
Overall, the Château now has 2,300 rooms spread over 63,154 m2. Covered by around a million square feet (10 hectares) of roof, the palace of Versailles has 2,143 windows, 1,252 chimneys, and 67 staircases. It is mostly divided by the private apartments of the King and the private apartments of the Queen, with other major parts such as the Hall of Mirrors, salons, the Royal chapel, the Royal opera, the museum and so forth.
Palace of Versailles Gardens and Park
Visiting Versailles is a great adventure through history, beauty and French culture. From the central window of the Hall of Mirrors, the eye of the visitors has a great perspective. Indeed, it leads to the parterres d’eau two huge bodies of water, the gardens and the park. André Le Nôtre was pleased to develop this original East-West axis, prior to the reign of Louis XIV, and extend it by widening the royal alley and digging the Grand Canal .
Beyond the gardens extends the Park which leads naturally to the Grand Canal, shaped as a cross. Among the 386 works of art in the gardens, including 221 statues, Apollo god of the sun occupies a major place. He is represented seven times at various places in the park. The idealized image of the Sun King is the most dazzling in the basin bearing his name, overlooking the Grand Canal.
Discover the immense complex of parks :
- The Orangerie
- Gardens
- Groves
- Caves
- Fountains
The park of Versailles is considered as the model of the regular garden "à la Française", decorated with marble, bronze or lead statues, and ponds animated by water games and where the myth of Apollo is always present. André Le Nôtre was gardener of King Louis XIV from 1645 to 1700 and intended for the development of the park and gardens of the Palace of Vaux-le-Vicomte and Chantilly as well. King of the gardeners and gardener of the king, Le Nôtre gave his letters of nobility to the garden "à la française".
The estate of Trianon away from the Palace of Versailles
Not too far from the Palace of Versailles, Louis XIV gave free rein to his love of architecture and gardens. This is why he created a domain reserved for his personal use. Arranged on the site of an old village, the places naturally preserved the name: Trianon. King Louis XV extended the Grand Trianon with the petit Trianon. He placed his favorite Madame de Pompadour there.
Queen Marie-Antoinette fell in love with the place and contributed to its development and beautification. She develops the gardens of Trianon in two distinct phases. The first, from 1777, corresponds to the creation of the English Garden. In a second time, in 1783, she asked Richard Mique to extend the garden to the north by building a village around a new lake. The work began in the summer of 1783 and ended in 1786. The style of the Queen hamlet is not clearly identifiable. Indeed, it is a mixture of varied rural architectures, but gives off an undeniable lovely unity. There, her children grew up surrounded by animals of the farm, in the style of Normandy.
You may prepare a visit of Versailles, with care. Then, you will not miss the Beauty of this French Icon. Or you can opt for a Versailles private tour guide.
Emy,
St Germain The Chic Intellectual
| Saint-Germain-des-Prés | The Chic Intellectual
St Germain is located in the 6th district of Paris, close to the Latin Quarter. Nestled in the heart of Paris, this chic and trendy neighborhood has always been the place for Parisian intellectual life. There are full of books shops, cafés, art galleries, luxury boutiques. You can visit the epicenter of St Germain, from the metro Saint-Germain-des-Prés line 4. Nearby, visit the Saint Germain des Près church, the oldest church of Paris, with a bell tower of the sixth century.
St Germain : An intellectual soul from the 17th century
Saint-Germain-des-Prés has its literary and intellectual soul since the 17th century. A whole lot of intellectuals like the Encyclopedists gathered at the Procope which still exists at 13 rue de l'Ancienne Comédie. The encyclopedists were members of the "Society of Letters" who developed the Dictionary of Reasoning Sciences, Arts and Crafts from June 1751 to December 1765. It was under the direction of Diderot and D'Alembert, during The Age of Enlightenment.
The Enlightenment included a range of ideas centered on reason as the primary source of knowledge and advanced ideals such as liberty, progress, toleration, fraternity, constitutional government and separation of church and state.
In France, the central doctrines of the Enlightenment philosophers were individual liberty and religious tolerance, in opposition to an absolute monarchy and the fixed dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church. The main leader of this mouvement was Voltaire.
The Philosophers of Enlightenment (Rousseau, Montesquieu, ...) saw themselves as an elite that was fighting the irrational, obscurantism, and superstition of past centuries. In other words, it was the triumph of the reason over faith and belief, of the bourgeoisie over nobility and clergy.
This century of Enlightenment led, in France, to the human rights formulation, which finds its expression in the Declaration of human and civic rights of 26 August 1789. Article first - Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions may be based only on considerations of the common good. The Frenc revolutionaries leaders in Paris such as Marat, Danton, Guillotin lived in the neighborhood of St Germain.
St Germain : An artistic influence in the twentieth century
After World War I, the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district became the place of intellectual and artistic Parisian life with philosophers, writers, poets, singers, painters, comedians, such as Guillaume Apollinaire, Louis Aragon, Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Albert Camus, Pablo Picasso, Alberto Giacometti, Bertold Brecht, Marguerite Duras, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, filmmakers such as Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut. They strolled at the café Les Deux Magots or the Café de Flore.
La Brasserie Lipp is a temple of Parisian gastronomy. It serves a traditional French cuisine with premium quality products. Famous LIPP Brasserie specialties include Bismark herring, cod brandade, sauerkraut, roast chicken, veal blanquette and calf's head. The brasserie's atmosphere and its modest prices made it a great success. Anti-German sentiment during the First World War led to a change of name to Brasserie des Bords for several years. At La Brasserie Lipp, journalists, politicians such as Georges Pompidou and men from TV business would gather to have diner.
The existentialist philosophy coexisted with American jazz, in the caves of the rue de Rennes. The reputation of Saint-Germain-des-Prés has attracted since the early 1970s international tourism that has gradually transformed the area favoring the establishment of luxury shops.
Even today, you can meet celebrities, writers, artists strolling in Saint-Germain-des-Près. The Deux Magots literary prize has been awarded to a French novelist every year since 1933. A literary prize is also awarded, the Prix de Flore, inaugurated by Frédéric Beigbeder in 1994, annually at the Café de Flore.
St Germain atmosphere
Have a coffee and savor the atmosphere of all these French philosophers and artists who have marked the history of France and the world. Also visit the church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, witness of the prestigious abbey founded in the 6th century.
Close your eyes while enjoying your coffee at St Germain. Have a look at PARIS BY EMY Saint Germain private tour !
Emy,
Christmas Time in Paris
|Once upon a time Christmas in Paris|
Christmas time in Paris : Family, couple, enjoy the city of lights at its brightest. We can do a 7 day tailor-made program for Christmas holidays according to your aspirations, profile and budget.
Illuminations
Come and see the Illuminations of the Champs Elysées Avenue. There is a special ceremony mid-November. The illuminations last until January.
Avenue des Champs-Elysées, Noël 2010, by Dimitri Destugues, Creative Commons Attribution
The Champs-Elysées Illuminations are this year Thursday November 22, 2018 at 6 pm called Flamboyance, with Paris Mayor, kids from Les Petits Princes charity organization created in 1987, fulfilling the dreams of seriously ill children and adolescents and its sponsor, Karl Lagerfeld Artistic Director of Chanel, for this new edition.
Moreover, you could go to a Paris illuminations cruise on the Seine river to have an overview of the city, especially at night. And why not a diner cruise on a private boat far away from huge bateaux-mouches with thousands of people ! Christmas time in Paris is full of beauty with all those illuminations and Christmas decoration.
Also, in November, participate in Paris Photo Fair, the first world fair for Photography at the prestigious Grand Palais. Paris Photo, the first international fair dedicated to photographic medium, is held every year under the glass roof of the Grand Palais in Paris. Since 1997, the fair has been developing and supporting photographic creation by promoting the work of gallery owners, publishers and artists. Paris Photo fair 8-11 November 2018.
Construction of the Grand Palais began in 1897 for the Universal Exposition of 1900, which included the creation of the Petit Palais and the Pont Alexandre III (my favorite bridge of Paris). During Christmas time, the Grand Palais offers 2 very interesting exhibitions among many others :
- Venice : Europe and the Arts in the 18th Century - 26 September 2018 - 21 January 2019
- Miró - 3 October 2018 - 4 February 2019
The Grand Palais is a historic site, exhibition hall, concert and museum complex located not too far by walk to the Champs-Élysées Avenue.
Celebrating Christmas time in Paris
Visit the Cathedral of Notre Dame with Christmas spirit and its huge Christmas tree every year just in front of the main entrance with the 3 doors/gates. The cathedral was begun in 1160 thanks to the Bishop Maurice de Sully on the Île de la Cité where used to be a temple dedicated to Jupiter under Tibère emperor, descendants of Ponce Pilate and Jesus. L' Île de la Cité is a "mother cell" of Paris. The cathedral is completed between 1250 and 1270 under King Saint Louis, though it was modified and completed frequently in the following centuries. The cathedral is known to be one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture. Notre-Dame contains the cathedra of the Archbishop of Paris, currently Michel Aupetit. 14 million people visit Notre-Dame yearly, which makes it the most visited monument in Europe. Notre Dame is more than a monument, it is a catholic Holy place.
Churches in Paris offer magnificent Nativity scenes, celebrations, concerts and Christmas mass obviously. Les parisiens like to go to La Madeleine church to listen to classical music concerts. You need to make reservation and buy tickets online for around 30 Euros per person. There is a free Christmas concert on December 25th at 4pm. L'église Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene since 1492; less formally, just La Madeleine) is a Roman Catholic church in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, by the Place de la Concorde and the Place Vendôme. The Madeleine Church was supposed to be transformed into a temple to the glory of Napoleon's army but Napoleon himself gave it back to the glory of God in 1813. Its Neo-Classical style was inspired by Roman temples.
Shopping during Christmas time in Paris
Shop in markets, fairs and taste mulled wine, roasted chestnuts and delicious crepes while shopping. Those markets are driving lots of people but the atmosphere is delightful. Kids are happy with lots of activities dedicated to them and if they are nice enough they can meet Santa Claus.
Department stores such as Les Galeries Lafayettes, le Bon Marché, le BHV, le Printemps... have fabulous animated displays in their window shop, adornment and their giant Christmas trees within. Children running from window shop to window shop with their parents feel the magic of Christmas time in Paris. Every year you can discover specfic themes from prestigious artists and creators, with famous people for the inauguration beginning of November. Big Winter Sales are starting in January up to February.
Dining during Christmas time in Paris
Restaurants keep the festive spirit alive all the way into the New Year, with special menus for New Year’s Eve celebration. Light show on the Champs Elysées, cabarets, concerts, operas, drama shows, parties with champagne & party favors in the city of lights are everywhere, for every taste and budget.
There are many places in Paris where you can have French diner and taste French wines and champagne. The French Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon (1638-1715) invented & developped the King of wine, the champagne in the XVII Century in the Abbaye d'Hautvillers with the help of Dom Thierry Ruinart, a noted scholar of the abbey, next to the actual vineyard of Moët & Chandon. At that time only Kings would drink champagne, in the region of Champagne where the magnificent cathedral of Reims used to be the crowning kings place. In Paris, one of the greatest consumers of Champagne is the Moulin Rouge.
You must make a reservation well in advance especially for New Year’s Eve celebration in a restaurant and anywhere you want to celebrate it. Usually, Parisian restaurants after diner transform their dining room into a dance floor.
Visiting Paris during Christmas Time
The most beautiful city has its famous monuments illuminated for the season, landmarks, institutions, activities and events take over the city, offering magical memories for everyone, couple, family, group of friends.
Paris the City of Lights shines her brightest during Christmas time !
Customized tours for Christmas time in Paris
You are a family, a couple, a group... PARIS BY EMY offers lots of activities for every one. We create a personalized visit for you in order to make every one happy, with serenity and joy.
- No platform, no algorithm, no already-made Paris Tours
- Just real human exchanges for an authentic insight into Paris
We plan the perfect Paris Trip for you, your way. You have personalized services from a French local Parisian company, according to your aspirations.
Emy,
Top Ten Things to do in Paris
|Top Ten Things to do in Paris|
Top Ten Things to do in Paris - We all fall in love with a particular place in Paris.
Here are the top 10 things to do when visiting:
- Visit the Eiffel Tower: No trip to Paris is complete without seeing the Eiffel Tower. Take an elevator or climb the stairs to the top for stunning views of the city.
- Explore the Louvre Museum: Home to thousands of works of art, including the famous Mona Lisa, the Louvre is one of the largest and most visited museums in the world.
- Stroll through Montmartre: Wander the charming streets of this historic district, once home to famous artists like Picasso and Van Gogh. Don't forget to visit the stunning Sacré-Cœur Basilica at the top.
- Take a Seine River Cruise: A boat ride along the Seine offers a unique perspective of many Paris landmarks, including Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, and the Louvre.
- Visit Notre-Dame Cathedral: Although it was damaged by a fire in 2019, the cathedral remains an iconic symbol of Paris and is worth visiting for its architectural grandeur.
- Explore the Champs-Élysées and Arc de Triomphe: Walk down this iconic avenue, filled with shops, cafes, and theaters, and climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe for a panoramic view of Paris.
- Relax at Luxembourg Gardens: This beautiful park in the Latin Quarter is a peaceful retreat, perfect for a picnic, a stroll, or admiring the fountains and sculptures.
- Discover the Musée d'Orsay: Housed in a former railway station, this museum showcases impressive collections of French art, including masterpieces by Monet, Van Gogh, and Degas.
- Visit the Palace of Versailles: A short trip from Paris, the opulent Palace of Versailles is a UNESCO World Heritage site, known for its magnificent gardens and the Hall of Mirrors.
- Explore Le Marais: This trendy district is full of history, with medieval architecture, boutique shops, and great restaurants. It's also home to the Picasso Museum and the historic Place des Vosges.
Each of these activities offers a unique way to experience the magic of Paris!
Top Ten Things to do in Paris
Among 20 districts, 2,200 monuments, 200 museums and more than 13 000 restaurants, you probably have your Top Things to do. We have a tremendous Parisian Network. Be cosseted and faithful in our recommendations. We create unique custom made Paris private tours for each client.
Emy,
Paris Catacombs Tour
|Paris Catacombs Tour|
Paris Catacombs Tour - The Paris Catacombs offer a hauntingly beautiful glimpse into the city’s past. Known as one of the most unusual attractions in Paris, this underground ossuary holds the remains of millions of Parisians. Indeed, their skulls and bones meticulously arranged along dimly lit passageways offer an amazing experience.
Paris Catacombs Tour is sometimes very difficult to do because of its huge success. You may have to wait couple hours before to get in. The Catacombs of Paris are underground ossuaries, which hold the remains of six to seven million people. This ossuary was created to eliminate the city's overflowing cemeteries. The transfer from cemeteries into the former quarries, whose stone was used to build the capital, started around 1786 Place Denfert-Rochereau, in the 14th arrondissement of Paris.
Key figures of Paris Catacombs Tour
- Depth of the Catacombs - 20 meters – 65 feet (5 buildings floors)
- Total of steps during the tour - 213 (in and out)
- The distance covered by the tour - 2 kilometers – 1,2 miles
- The constant temperature in the Catacombs - 14°- 57 F
“Arrête, c’est ici l’Empire de la Mort” - “Halt, this is the Realm of Death”
Paris Catacombs Tour at the beginning
In a romantico macabre spirit, this alexandrine verset is above the entrance to Paris Catacombs Tour. In 1777, Louis XVI established the Quarries Inspectorate responsible for protecting Parisian quarries. The open quarries stones were used to build Lutetia, the Gallo-Roman name for Paris.
The supporting pillars, and Port-Mahon sculpture gallery, all of which can be seen on the tour, bear witness to the fact that mining activity was carried out at the site over the centuries.
Stones used to build Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Louvre and the city ramparts.
Paris Catacombs Tour as a cemetery
In the name of Public Health, the first cemetery to be transferred into the quarries was the cemetery des Innocents in 1786 in what is now the district of Les Halles, by Saint Eustache Church. This church is also fabulous to visit. Louis XIV, Colbert, Chopin, the mother of Mozart, stamped with great names, this Roman Catholic church exists since the sixteenth century and is one of the largest churches of Paris with La Madeleine and Saint Sulpice. Its choir is famous throughout Paris for its high quality and spiritual intensity, as well as its organ concerts.
The bones from several graveyards and churches of Paris undoubtedly include the remains of many famous people among centuries such as :
- Rabelais XV century
- Jean de la Fontaine XVII century
- Danton & Robespierre leaders of the French Revolution XVIII century
Between 1810 and 1814, Héricart de Thury, the Inspector of Quarries had for mission to make the site accessible to visitors. Here we go !
Have a look at the private tours in Paris available with PARIS BY EMY.
Emy,
Romantic Paris
| Couple in love |
Romantic Paris - One of the most romantic cities in the world, the perfect place, for Romance. Paris, often referred to as the "City of Love," is renowned for its enchanting ambiance, timeless beauty, and romantic allure. With its picturesque streets, world-class cuisine, and iconic landmarks, it's no wonder why so many couples dream of experiencing the magic of Paris together.
Spring is here. Paris is a delightful place to enjoy Spring because of the perfect weather, the blossoming flowers… but not only, obviously. Spring in Paris is also a great place for people in love. Dining in the restaurant L’Escargot rue Montorgueil where the Windsor used to have diner, have a very romantic walk across those beautiful gardens of Paris fulfilled of art, history and great people memories, make your marriage proposal on the Seine river passing through the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame… Romantic Paris, the place for all lovers all around the world !
Romantic Museum : An artist's house into a museum
In 1956, the house was sold to the state. After hosting a university teaching and research center devoted to the study of sounds and colors, the Siohan spouses decided in 1980 to create in the painter Scheffer house a cultural institution mainly museographic. Scheffer was the drawing teacher of the Orleans Duke children in the XIX century, a worthy representative of the romantic school. In 1982, the State handed over the management of the building to the city of Paris. This museum was named the "Museum of Romantic Life" in 1987.
Romantic Paris : Chic Dining in the City of Lights
For a couple in love, there is this very prestigious Parisian gourmet restaurant, La Tour d’Argent, one of the oldest restaurant of Paris, founded in 1582. You must reserve in advance and sometimes you need to wait months to have a table. La Tour d’Argent is located at 15 quai de la Tournelle, by the Seine River next the Sainte Geneviève statue, the saint patron of Paris in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions. It has a rating of one star from the Guide Michelin for its Gourmet French cuisine but also for its sommelier's cellar which would contain nearly 400,000 bottles. The view is amazing, a Romantic Paris.
Romantic Paris : Kissing by the Pont Neuf
Le Pont Neuf is the oldest bridge of Paris. Its location is perfect for lovers in Paris. It stands by the point of the Île de la Cité Notre Dame, the island in the middle of the river that was, between 250 and 225 BC, the birthplace of Paris, then known as Lutetia, and during the medieval period, the heart of the city. Go down on the Square du Vert Galant, on the Île de la Cité. Have a seat, a picnic, a glass of champagne with strawberries and a kiss (very parisienne attitude). Enjoy the sunshine and the view of Romantic Paris.
Romantic Paris : Walking in the Jardin des Tuileries
Le Jardin des Tuileries is a public garden located between the Louvre Museum and the Place de la Concorde in the 1st district of Paris. Created by Catherine de' Medici in 1564, it became a public park after the French Revolution. The Tuileries Gardens have been the setting for countless celebrations and history. It is forming one great open-air museum with its statues. Those statues, ancient and modern give you a Romantic Paris. Nowadays, it became an official part of the Louvre Museum.
Romantic Paris : Experience the Eiffel Tower at Night
A trip to Paris would be incomplete without visiting the iconic Eiffel Tower. However, for a truly romantic experience, wait until nightfall to see this magnificent structure adorned in shimmering lights. You can choose to ascend to the top for a panoramic view of the city, or simply enjoy a romantic picnic in its shadow.
Romantic Paris : Indulge in Sweet Delights at Ladurée
Treat yourselves to a delectable assortment of macarons at Ladurée, one of the most famous pastry shops in Paris. The pastel-colored treats and elegant decor provide the perfect setting for a sweet and romantic interlude.
You are in love, make your marriage proposal in Paris, the most romantic things to do in Paris !We can prepare together a genuine tailor-made trip according to your aspirations and budget.
Emy,
Rodin Museum Private Tour - The Famous Kiss
|Rodin Museum Private Tour – The Kiss|
Rodin Museum private tour with licensed guide: Discover an iconic selection of masterpieces and documents from the collections of Auguste Rodin, created in 1919 by the sculptor himself. Have you heard about the Kiss by Rodin? François Auguste René Rodin (1840 Paris – 1917 Paris) was a French sculptor. Rodin is generally considered as the progenitor of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally, took a craftsman-like approach to his work. He was an amazing artist and is well known for his art, worldwide, with The Kiss but also The Thinker.
Private Paris Museum Tour
| Pricing in Euros | Number of people | Duration | Custom Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| From €25 | Per person | Unlimited | Skip-the-line + audioguide |
| From €185 | Per person | 2 hours | Museum tour with private guide |
| From €950 | Up to 6 persons | Full Day | 2hr museum tour + 3hr walking tour with guide |
| From €1,450 | Up to 6 persons | Full Day | 2hr museum tour + 4hr driving tour with guide |
| From €1,500 | Up to 6 persons | 1.5 hours | VIP museum tour |
Rodin & Top Paris Museums
Camille Claudel & Rodin Museum Private Tour
Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel not only worked together, but had a deep artistic and personal relationship. They began collaborating around 1883, when Claudel became Rodin’s student, assistant, and later his lover. She contributed to several of his major works (sometimes modeling hands or feet, or assisting with large compositions), while also developing her own distinct sculptural style.
Their collaboration mainly took place in Paris, especially in Rodin’s studios:
- Hôtel Biron (now the Musée Rodin) — one of the most famous locations
- Dépôt des Marbres — a government workshop where Rodin had space
- Various private studios in Paris where Rodin employed assistants
Claudel also had her own studio, where she created independent works such as The Waltz and The Age of Maturity, especially as their relationship became more strained.
Sculptures in Rodin Museum
Auguste Rodin is considered one of the founders of modern sculpture. His works are instantly recognizable because they broke away from classical perfection and focused on emotion, movement, and realism.
Here are the most characteristic sculptures and what makes them important:
- The Thinker
A seated man leans forward, resting his chin on his hand, his body tense as if thinking deeply. The sculpture expresses intense concentration and the weight of human thought. You can see it at the Musée Rodin in Paris (one of the most famous casts).
- The Gates of Hell
A monumental bronze door covered with writhing figures in pain and passion, inspired by Dante’s Inferno. It presents a chaotic vision of human suffering and desire. Displayed at the Musée Rodin in Paris.
- The Kiss
Two lovers embrace in a tender, intimate moment. Their bodies are smooth and harmonious, capturing both passion and softness. One version is at the Musée Rodin; another famous one is at the Tate in London.
- The Walking Man
A headless, armless figure strides forward. Despite its incompleteness, the sculpture powerfully conveys movement and vitality. Visible at the Musée Rodin in Paris.
- The Burghers of Calais
Six men stand together before a sacrifice, each expressing fear, courage, or despair. The group highlights human emotion rather than heroic glory. The original monument is in Calais; casts can also be seen at the Musée Rodin.
Across Rodin Sculptures
Rodin changed sculpture by showing that imperfection and raw emotion could be more powerful than beauty alone.
- Emotional intensity → figures show pain, love, thought, struggle
- Realistic bodies → not idealized like ancient Greek statues
- Rough surfaces → visible marks give energy and life
- Movement → poses feel alive, not frozen
- Fragmentation → incomplete bodies still feel powerful
The sculpture which occupies a central place in their story does not always happen serenely: learning, frustration, search for the expression, the model … but source of an inevitable and deep connivance of their minds … After ten years of passionate love, misunderstandings and mutual disappointments, Camille Claudel draws a line on their own story and never recovered from his break with him. She died in relative obscurity, from alleged mental illness, her family sent her in mental hospital the rest of her life while Rodin desired academic recognition, although he was never accepted into Paris’s foremost school of art.
Rodin’s Lover Camille Claudel Museum Private Tour
The national Camille Claudel Museum in Nogent-sur-Seine opened in 2017, and the Musée Rodin in Paris has a room dedicated to Claudel’s works.
Sad sentimental painful lives but both great artists. Let’s compare those two artists with “le baiser” (The Kiss) from Rodin and “Sakountala” from Camille Claudel. When she sculpts the entwined couple of Sakountala, he, at the same time, delivers his Kiss, vibrating echo of a shared passion.
Le baiser (The Kiss) in Rodin Museum – Private Tour with Licensed Guide
The Kiss (marble) originally represented Paolo and Francesca, characters from The Divine Comedy, poem by Dante Alighieri (1265-1321). Killed by Francesca’s husband who had caught them kissing, the two lovers were sentenced to wander the underworld. This couple, conceived early by Rodin, in the creative process of The Door of Hell, figured prominently at the bottom of the left wing, facing Ugolin, until 1886, when the sculptor became aware that this representation of Happiness and sensuality was at odds with the theme of his great project.
Sakountala by Camille Claudel Private Tour
Sakountalâ is a poem by Kâlidâsa (4th-5th centuries ago), famous Hindu poet, telling the story of a Hindu drama representing the reunion of Sakountala and her husband to nirvana. This sculpture is a representation of what awakened this elegiac theme in the work of Camille Claudel. The Sakountala plaster won an honorable mention to Camille Claudel at the Salon des artistes français in 1888. A marble translation kept at the Rodin Museum bears the name of Vertumne and Pomone. Exhibited at the Salon d’Automne in 1905, the bronze is called L’Abandon and edited by Blot.
Rodin Museum Private Tour in Paris
Enjoy a visit at Le Musée de Rodin in Paris.
The Musée Rodin in Paris is a museum opening in 1919, the Hôtel Biron and surrounding grounds in central Paris. The collection includes 6,600 sculptures, 8,000 drawings, 8,000 old photographs, and 7,000 objets d’art. The museum receives 700,000 visitors annually. The virility of the artist, nicknamed in his time the “Sacred Goat”, provoked semi-public or private drama and is at the center of a plastic expression of sensuality, eroticism, but also pain. In 1864, he met Rose Beuret, daughter of a farmer from Haute-Marne. This seamstress worker, aged 20, will serve as a model and become his companion. He married her on January 29, 1917, at the end of their lives, while he had many lovers. In 1866, he will have a son Auguste Eugène Beuret (1866-1934), who he will never recognize. When you talk about Rodin, you must talk about Camille Claudel (8 December 1864 – 19 October 1943) who was also a French sculptor. She was the lover and co-worker of sculptor Auguste Rodin, for 10 years of passion and competition… war of ego.
Cheers, Emy
Traditional French Cuisine for Christmas
|French meals in Christmas|
Traditional French Cuisine for Christmas : What do we have in France for Christmas ? Christmas is coming soon and French homes sweet homes are preparing meals for this beautiful celebration. Oysters, foie gras, salmon, snails, turkey, potatoes gratin, bûche…
Le foie gras
We usually have foie gras as a starter, served cold or hot, on basic toast or on gingerbread, with some confit d’oignons… Try this recipe of foie gras very simple to prepare with gingerbread, mango, honey and sugar :
Bites of foie gras with caramelized mango and gingerbread
Remove the crust of the slices of bread of spices, cut slices in small squares. Peel the mango, cut it in pieces slightly smaller than the pieces of gingerbread. Make bronze the pieces of mango in the butter in a frying pan. Once bronzed, add the honey and the sugar, let caramelize 2mn.
Put down a piece of mango on every square of gingerbread, let cool. Cut the whole foie gras of duck farmer of moors in small cubes, give evidence on mangoes. You can slightly powder the narrow-minded of curry at the time of serving.
La bûche de Noël
This dessert is a big classic in France but also in Québec. Originally, a log of fruit tree is placed in the fire for Christmas to assure good harvests in the family home. Like the foie gras, you have lots of possibilities, chocolate, fruits,… Made of sponge cake to resemble a miniature actual Yule log, it is a form of sweet roulade and saves itself in the refrigerator from the day before your big dinner of December 24th. La bûche de Noël is a typical dessert of Traditional French Cuisine for Christmas
Log in praline-flavored chocolate
- Number of people 8
- Time of preparation 45 minutes
- Time of cooking 10 minutes
- Time of refrigeration 4 hours
- Degree of difficulty Confirmed
- Cost affordable
Ingredients
- For the biscuit: 6 eggs 50 g of caster sugar 100 g of icing sugar 125 g of powder almonds 50 g of flour 50 g of melted butter 10 cl of syrup of sugar 4 spoon. in soup of alcohol of raspberry
- For the foam: 200 g of praline-flavored chocolate 75 g of soft butter 4 eggs 50 g of icing sugar 20 g of caster sugar
- For the glazing: 100 g of dark chocolate 10 cl of single cream 25 g of butter
Stages
- Preheat the oven in 8 (240 °).
- Break eggs by separating the whites of the yellow.
- You will have to use only 4 yellow in this recipe.
- Whip them with the icing sugar until the preparation clears, add almonds, flour and melted butter.
- Mix, please.
- Beat white firm until stiff by adding the caster sugar at the end.
- Incorporate them delicately into the previous preparation.
- Spread regularly the preparation over the cooktop covered with buttered parchment paper and cook 8 - 10 min.
- Take out then the biscuit of the oven, recover it of a linen and let cool.
- Melt the chocolate broken in pieces in the bain-marie (or in microwaves).
- Add the butter, then the egg yolks and mix, please. Incorporate then beaten egg whites farm with the caster sugar.
- Reserve for the cool a few moments. Unstick the biscuit of the paper of cooking.
- By means of a brush, soak the side unstuck from some paper of alcoholic mixed syrup.
- Spread regularly the chocolate mousse praline over the biscuit, by leaving of a big side, then roll it on itself by squeezing well.
- Reserve the log at least 4 hours for the cool.
- One hour before serving, prepare the glazing: made warm on slow fire the dark chocolate broken in pieces with the cream then add the butter off the heat by moving, coat completely the log, arrange it on a dish, decorate it and protect it with a clingfilm.
Traditional French Cuisine for Christmas
If you would like to have more information regarding French Cuisine for Christmas, please contact me. I will be more than happy to answer your questions.
Emy,
Salvator Mundi Mona Lisa by da Vinci
|Salvator Mundi Mona Lisa|
Salvator Mundi and Mona Lisa : The fabulous paintings, the Savior of the world and La Joconde also called Mona Lisa at the Louvre Museum in Paris are or not both from Leonardo da Vinci. Salvator Mundi is a painting attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, though its authorship has been a subject of debate among art historians and experts. The painting depicts Christ as the Savior of the World, holding a crystal orb in his left hand while raising his right hand in a gesture of blessing.
Salvator Mundi only without Mona Lisa
Salvator Mundi, Leonardo da Vinci’s 500-year old mystical masterpiece, was sold for US$450,312,500, after 19 minutes of bidding. Indeed, this is a new auction record at Christie’s, in New York, on November 15th, 2017. The winning bid was placed by Christie’s Alex Rotter, on behalf of his client.
It is a painting of the most iconic figure in Christian Faith by one of the most important artist of all time :
- Salvator Mundi is the name given to representations of Christ carrying an orb in his left hand while using his right hand to bless. The composition emphasizes the significance of Christ's earthly mastery.
- Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath whose areas of interest included invention, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, writing, history, and cartography.
- Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Salvator Mundi, painted circa 1500. Oil on walnut panel. Panel dimensions: 25 13/16 x 17 15/16 in (65.5 x 45.1 cm) top; 17¾ in (45.6 cm) bottom. Painted image dimensions: 15⅜ x 17½ in (64.5 x 44.7 cm) versus Mona Lisa 30 in × 21 in (77 cm × 53 cm)
Created around 1500, the work showcases characteristics of Leonardo's style, such as delicate sfumato (a technique of subtle blending) and intricate attention to detail. However, questions about the painting's authenticity and the extent of restoration work have led to controversies regarding whether it is entirely by Leonardo or partly the work of his workshop or assistants.
Salvator Mundi & Mona Lisa similarities
Salvator Mundi was painted at the same time, in the 16th century during the Renaissance period. Like the Mona Lisa is from the 16th, La Joconde can be seen in Paris at the Louvre. From both of them, there is this mystery emerging thanks to their master, the genius of Da Vinci. Both of them are portraits, alike in their composition. They both disappeared to reappeared. Both of them hold this power of a mystical universe.
You may see the Salvator Mundi in The Louvre Museum of Abu Dhabi or not but you can see Mona Lisa, at the Louvre in Paris and many others major paintings from Da Vinci and masterpieces from other amazing artists.
The Musée du Louvre has 8 departments: paintings, Greek - Etruscan - Romane antiquities, Egyptian antiquities, oriental antiquities, sculptures, works of art, art of the Islam, graphic arts, and the detached house of the clock (history of the Louvre).
Mona Lisa only without Salvator Mundi
La Joconde is at the Louvre. This portrait was doubtless started in Florence, Italy around 1503. It may be a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of a Florentine cloth merchant Francesco del Giocondo. Thus the alternative name of the portrait, La Gioconda. However, Leonardo da Vinci seems to have taken the portrait to France with him. Indeed, than giving it to Francesco del Giocondo who commissioned it. It came to be in the French royal collection.
Leonardo da Vinci spent the final years of his life in France under the patronage of King François I. In 1516, the French king invited the great Italian artist, scientist, and inventor to live at the Château du Clos Lucé near the royal residence of Amboise in the Loire Valley. Da Vinci brought with him some of his most famous works, including the Mona Lisa. Deeply respected by François I, Leonardo served as a painter, engineer, and advisor. He died in 1519 in Amboise, and legend has it that the king was at his side when he passed.
Among the Louvre Museum, there is “The Wedding Feast at Cana”. From 1563, Renaissance period, it is the biggest painting of the Louvre, by the Italian Veronese. With the Wedding Feast at Cana, Veronese transposed the biblical episode to the sumptuous setting of a wedding. This is where Jesus had His first miracle. When the wine was running low, He asked the servants to fill the jars with water. He then offered them to the master of the house, who found that the water had been turned to wine. This miracle is in the Gospel of John.
Have a private tour of the Louvre museum.
Emy,
