Museums in France
- tmatson
- Dec 4, 2014
- 9 min read
Through toppled monarchies and countless wars, France has managed to preserve its rich history, art and culture. Of course, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit the most well-known of these tributes to French culture: the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and the Musée d’Orsay. However, I actually found myself enjoying some of the smaller, lesser-known museums that I stumbled upon. These smaller museums had no lines, no tour groups and very few people constantly clicking their camera over your shoulder. Often, the museums were free, which could be why I enjoyed them so much!
Voila a compilation of my thoughts about some of the museums I’ve visited in France.
Le Louvre | Paris
The line for the Louvre at 11 am had snaked all the way around the pyramid, TWICE. We had initially tried to get in from the metro stop, but the gate to the Louvre had been locked. The estimated wait time outside the main entrance was about 2 hours and of course it was pouring rain. But the Louvre is one of the world’s most grand collections of art and artifacts, and I was desperate to visit. We waited about 20 minutes in line before remembering that there is another entrance through the Carousel, an underground mall that connects to the Louvre. The second entrance proved much quicker and we waited less than 20 minutes to get admitted.
The Louvre is so big that there is simply no way you could see it all in one day. Therefore, you must choose where you want to spend your time. Since I had already seen the Mona Lisa and The Winged Victory from my first trip to the Louvre, I focused on some less popular exhibits such as Pharaonic Egypt (still crowded), Greek and Roman Antiques, Italian Sculptures (still crowded), Napoleon III Apartments, Louis XIV and the Régence (maybe my favorite), French Paintings (14th-17th c.), French Paintings from the 19th c. and German Paintings (17th-18th c.).
The entire Italian paintings floor was shoulder-to-shoulder crowded, but admittedly I did power through to get just a quick glimpse of the Mona Lisa before I left. And there she was, a tiny portrait beyond the mass of tourists all clambering to get their pictures taken with her. I didn’t stay long and was grateful for my trip six years ago in April when there had been no crowd at all.
** This photo was taken in 2008 when I went to the Louvre with a school group
L’Orangerie | Paris
This museum will always hold a special place in my heart. I first fell in love with the long panels of soft focus water lilies and diffused light when I was in high school. Monet’s Nymphéas are even more incredible when you realize that the artist was practically blind when he painted them! Nevertheless, it’s easy to imagine the Giverny garden inspiring these huge paintings when they wrap around you on all sides.
Impressionistic and post-impressionistic paintings are probably my favorite genres of art. And in the basement of the Musée d’Orangerie, I got to see some of my old friends: Renoir, Rousseau, Matisse and Sisley. There were also works by Picasso, Cézanne and Modigliani. However, I was blown away by a visiting exhibition of an artist I had never heard of: Emile Bernard. Bernard was a French post-impressionistic painter and peer to other greats such as van Gogh, Gauguin and Cézanne. Accounts of Bernard’s personality paint him as an egotistical, perfectionist genius. Excerpts of his writing and critiques were painted on the walls of the exhibition, explaining his very specific, and somewhat narrow-minded, theories on art. I loved, however, being able to see the progression of his work in relation to his life history.
** This photo was taken in 2008 when I went to the Musée de l'Orangerie with a school group
Musée d’Orsay | Paris
The former railway station housing the Musée d’Orsay is a work of art, itself, with an arched glass ceiling and beautiful horlage windows. The museum has one of the most wonderful collections of impressionistic work, and I got to see Degas’ dancers, none of which are not on display at the Musée de l’Orangerie. However, I didn’t see any visiting exhibits (quite possible I just overlooked them), and there seemed to be less novelty for me during this visit. Though less crowded than the Louvre, this museum still seemed extremely busy for mid-October.
Versailles | Paris
Somewhere between the Louvre and Disneyland is the Palace of Versailles. The 17th-18th c. chateau is just as grand and impressive as you could imagine with marble columns, gilded doors and floor to ceiling windows that exude luxury and excess on an incomprehensible scale.
We arrived a few minutes after Versaille had opened and waited about twenty minutes to buy our tickets, which include the Grand and Petit Trianon and an audioguide. Inside the chateau, we were directed to follow the hoard of other gawkers. The rooms have been spectacularly restored with much of the original art and furnishings! However, the large tour groups that barricaded the exits and snapped photos at every item with a plaque made the experience feel less authentic.
My favorite part of Versailles is the grand garden that stretches 800 hectares. In fact, to call the chateau grounds a garden is somewhat misleading because it is big enough to be a forest. A map of the grounds helped us choose where we wanted to explore, and we zigzagged our way through the labyrinth of classical hedges, past cafes and gelato carts to the Grand Trianon. The Grand Trianon provided the king and his relatives a “small” respite from the main chateau. The marbled walls were colored crème and rose and the mirrored fenêtres reflected back the delicate rose garden.
Deeper into the garden, we came across the Petit Trianon, gifted to Marie Antoinette by the king. Here, she played house with a “working” farm that seems just a little too picturesque to be practical. The charming stone residence is simple with subtle details that hint at the grandeur of Versailles. A short walk away is her farm, complete with a menagerie, vegetable gardens, a small plot of grapes and cottages for the workers
I am very glad that I finally had the opportunity to experience Versailles. The visit is one I would definitely recommend although I don’t think I would revisit the chateau. Instead, I would lace up my running shoes and explore the acres of free gardens on a morning jog while tourists are still preoccupied with the castle.
Musée des Romantiques | Paris
Although I’d never heard of this museum, I read in a small museum guide that it was free. A quick navigation search showed it was only a few blocks from the apartment where we were staying. We found the museum tucked away in a gated courtyard just outside of the Montmontre neighborhood in a cozy house that used to belong to George Sand. A novelist, George Sand entertained the artistic geniuses of her time. She is also known for carrying on a love affair with famous pianist, Chopin, whose hand was cast in plaster and preserved by Sand and the museum.
The eclectic collection contained portraits, forgotten paintings, antiques and family heirlooms, and of course… Chopin’s hand. Although the collection had little meaning for me, I appreciated the effort to take me back in time. The house was small and the museum had a very intimate feel without the crowds and photos and red velvet rope.
My favorite part was the little tearoom nestled in the petit jardin of the museum. The quiet, relaxing pace provided the perfect atmosphere for quiet reflection away from the bustle of the big city.
Clos Lucé | Amboise
I wrote pretty extensively about how much I enjoyed this tribute to Leonardo DaVinci in this blog post. It’s worth mentioning again that Clos Lucé was one of my favorite museums/historic chateaus to visit. When I visited there were no crowds—very few people at all, in fact. Perhaps this is why the rooms aren’t roped off, separating the visitors from the display, like they are in Versailles. At Clos Lucé, there was a greater sense of authenticity for me; when you enter a bedroom, it feels like a bedroom rather than an exhibit. The chateau, itself, is not all that impressive in comparison to any of the other 75+ castles in the Loire Valley. But you have a spectacular view of the Chateau d’Amboise from Leonardo DaVinci’s bedroom, and the chateau is one of the oldest ones I visited, as is evidenced by the steep narrow spiral staircases and small arched doorways.
Replica’s of Leonardo DaVinci’s famous paintings are casually on display in many of the rooms. The basement is a tribute to his visionary inventions, and the gardens bring his ideas to life on a life-size scale. The gardens themselves are pretty in a tranquil and serene way.
Even though there isn’t much more to see at Clos Lucé, I would come back if I were in the area just to learn more about DaVinci’s personal history and creative works
Wine Museum | St. Emilion
This is hardly a museum, but I had a lot of fun learning about winemaking at this small viniculture school. Upstairs, the rooms resemble chemistry classrooms but are meant to host wine tasting classes. Downstairs is a small room lined with posters depicting each stage of the wine making process. Start with the season of your visit and follow these posters around clockwise. In the center of the room is a game for testing your knowledge of aroma. Stick your nose inside a small canister and try and identify the scent from three given options. Make your pick and a red or green button will light up in response.
The staff at this school are friendly and knowledgeable. There is a large wine shop in the next room where they can help you decide on the perfect Grand Cru. It is also one of the only public areas in St. Emilion that has free wifi!
Matisse Museum | Nice
Although the Matisse Museum in Nice did not include my favorite works by the artist (during his fauvist period), the museum itself was well organized, had extensive information about Matisse written in large font French, English and Italian, and was bright with lots of natural light. Despite lacking his most famous paintings, the museum did have an interesting collection of his sketches, and gesture drawing, and thanks to a family member who must have been doing some light housekeeping, they also have a series of geometric shapes that Matisse used for printmaking and collage later in his career.
This museum was also GRATUIT, and you now how much I appreciate free things. :)
Chagall Museum | Nice
I also wrote quite a bit in my Nice blog post about how this museum and this artist fascinated me. If for no other reason at all, visit the Chagall Museum to energize your senses with the array of pigmented colors! Oh, the colors! Sit in one of the circular exhibit rooms and take in the grand paintings. Unlike Monet’s magnificent Nymphéas that gently bathe you in feelings of tranquility, Chagall’s work crashes down on you feelings of excitement and sorrow.
Beyond the use of color, the symbolism and story telling of Chagall is impressive. Most of Chagall’s work carries Christian and Jewish allegory, but not all. Chagall was also inspired by the circus and other performance art. With diverse subject matter, however, Chagall consistently evokes rich emotion from the characters depicted and deep empathy from the viewer.
Like Matisse, Chagall received success as an artist during his lifetime, and like Matisse, Chagall created on multiple mediums (stone, tile, class, canvas). Although they both found inspiration in Nice, the similarities between these two artists go no further. While Matisse’s work often has an unfinished quality, Chagall’s work is immaculately detailed to the point of being almost overworked.
Included in the ticket price is an audioguide, which makes the visit more engaging. The audioguide will give you the backstory and inspiration behind most of the pieces displayed. A small café serving salads, crepes and paninis also makes the museum a must-see.
Musée d’Art Moderne | Nice
I was having pretty good luck visiting museums in Nice, so I decided to try out the contemporary art museum, which was only a few blocks away from where I was staying. The museum occupies the 2nd-5th floors of an elegant, modern building overlooking the pedestrian place Gabibaldi. Entrance was free!
Modern art can be really difficult to absorb sometimes because contemporary artists often challenge the viewer by provoking uncomfortable—or repulsive—images. Other times, the physical artwork may seem overly simple, forcing the viewer to work harder in order to understand the significance of the piece. This can make contemporary art less accessible and sometimes frustrating or annoying. However, when I do find those gems of contemporary art that resonate with me, I feel as though I’m having a very personal dialogue with the artist. In essence, contemporary art isn’t always a pretty picture, but that’s not always a bad thing.
At le Musée d’Art Moderne, I found a wide range of contemporary art: performance, sculpture, paintings, video and found or recycled art. Although I could not determine any organizational pattern as to how the pieces were arranged, the exhibits were well signed and easy to find without a map.
The museum had a large collection, and I found a few artists whose work I really enjoyed, such as Julião Sarmento. The rest of the artwork was less intriguing. With the exception of two Worhalls, I didn’t immediately recognize any famous pieces or artists, but this may not mean much since my knowledge of contemporary art is limited.
I would definitely visit this free museum again to see the visiting artists and the rotating collection. An outdoor terrace and a wine bar outside the museum, on the second floor also makes this museum worthy of a return trip. Free art and a glass of wine sounds like a good afternoon to me!
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