Our last day in Paris was marked by the visit of museums. In keeping with the Louvre and Orsay Museums, we visited the Pompidou center, the national art and culture center inaugurated in 1977 which exhibits modern and contemporary collections.

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The modern art charmed us even if we had a limited knowledge on this period. However, contemporary art is not everyone’s cup of tea: we did not really appreciate this part, even if we liked the beauty and the creativity of some works. Inside of the building are also the Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/Music (IRCAM) and the public information library.

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As well as the exhibitions themselves, the center is attractive thanks to two aspects: first, the unique architecture of the building, which was not well taken by some visitors and inhabitants of Paris. Critics were mostly about the fact that the building was too contrasting with the rest of the city and it rather seemed like a toy. All of the weights are gathered outside of the structure (such as pipes, ventilation, stairs) in order to let more space for the exhibitions inside. Then, if you go to the top, you have a wonderful view over the city. The last floor has a restaurant (so you need to eat or drink to enter) but you can still enjoy the viewpoint on the middle floor. Even if you are not an art lover, the Pompidou center is an experience that you should not miss in Paris! 

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Then we went to the Quai Branly museum which is in the Louvre’s and Orsay’s shadow but which is worth visiting. The museum exhibits objects representing world’s cultures from each continent except Europe. There are cultural, historical and archeological items. The museum is divided into four galleries: Oceania, Asia, Africa and America. For those who are keen on history or archeology or who want to know more about the cultures of the world, this museum is absolutely to be seen. It is one of our favorites in Paris and we completely recommend it.

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On our way back home, we passed in front the town hall whose façade is very beautiful.

We went to the Ile de la Cité to see a bookshop very famous is the city: Shakespeare and Co. Since 1919, this bookshop has received a lot of famous writers such as Ernest Hemingway and has a huge collection of books in English. During the interwar period, a lot of English-speaking persons came to Paris and this place was almost the only one who had books in English (the Anglo-Saxon literature was not popular at that time in France). This bookshop is very narrow and the intimate ambiance makes it very appreciated. Near the stairs, there is a wall where you can write a little message, a thought for your favorite author or a commentary on the bookshop.

From the Eiffel Tower’s top to the Louvre’s wonders by way of the quays of the Seine during the sunset, Paris somehow knows how to charm its visitors. Victim of its own success, Paris is a worldwide tourism epicenter which is not always pleasant. However, it is always possible to admire the city, to walk along its streets not with tourist’s eyes but with traveler’s eyes, a dreamer in the unknown who knows how to find wonders in the city of lights.

As you know, our adventure in Paris isn’t over: after living in our dear city of wine, our Bordeaux that we will always carry in our heart, we will settle in Paris in a few months to pursue our way together.

Useful links:

Pompidou Centre: https://www.centrepompidou.fr/

Quai Branly Museum: http://www.quaibranly.fr/fr