Clotilde Gaillard

Quel est le point commun entre le vin, le phonographe et la Préfecture de Police ? Il possède tous leur musée ! Etonnant, singulier, mais toujours instructif...

C'est ici que Messieurs François Pinault et Roman Abramovitch croisent Monsieur Tout-le-Monde : toujours en accès libre, souvent truffées d'œuvres aussi cotées que déroutantes, les galeries d'art de Paris ont le don d'attirer un public éclectique, composé de néophytes égarés, d'amateurs d'art sans le sou et de collectionneurs richissimes. Essentiellement regroupés dans le Marais, à Saint-Germain-des-Prés et du côté de Belleville, ces plus ou moins prestigieux supermarchés pour millionnaires font le bonheur de tous les flâneurs, avides de surprises visuelles 100 % gratuites. Time Out a donc relevé ses manches pour vous proposer la crème de la crème des galeries à Paris. Et même si la qualité des propositions et expositions change au gré des artistes et des œuvres, les endroits gardent toujours un peu de leur âme et de leur ligne. Bonne visite !

Si les coquins cathodiques avaient le premier samedi, les férus d’art sans le sou ont toujours leur premier dimanche. Lancée à la fin des années 1990, la sacro-sainte gratuité des musées le premier dimanche du mois continue aujourd’hui d’aguicher les visiteurs. Si le Louvre a depuis fait faux bond, la liste des institutions parisiennes accessible à l’œil le premier dimanche du mois reste belle et longue comme un barbecue à la belle saison. Jugez donc : Centre Pompidou, Orangerie, Orsay, Quai Branly, Rodin… Oui, l’attente peut être longue et douloureuse pour accéder aux expos, mais c’est le prix à payer pour ne pas payer. Pour découvrir notre liste des musées gratuits toute l’année, c’est par ici que ça se passe.

« Paysage d’eau », « aquarium fleuri »… Claude Monet ne manquait pas de périphrases pour décrire ce qui fut, de l’avis des experts et autres critiques d’art, le tableau le plus emblématique de sa longue carrière. Peintre fondateur du mouvement impressionniste et amoureux de la nature, Claude Monet était en effet un peintre paysagiste de génie. Son jardin de Giverny fut d’ailleurs l’un de ses sujets picturaux favoris. En témoignent ‘Les Nymphéas’ donc, mais aussi le fameux ‘Pont japonais’ que l’on peut observer au Musée d’Orsay de Paris.   Néanmoins, méfiez-vous de l’eau qui dort : ces apaisants et hypnotiques nénuphars blancs recèlent quelques petits secrets abyssaux dans lesquels nous vous proposons de plonger tête la première.

A l’étroit dans votre petit studio parisien ? Glissez-vous le temps d’une visite dans la peau d’un artiste de la bohème en visitant les ateliers des plus grandes stars de la peinture et de la sculpture. Baies vitrées, matos de compète et jardins trop mignons, on s’invite OKLM chez Rodin ou Giacometti, sans même avoir à apporter le dessert !

Quand on vous dit Doisneau, vous pensez immédiatement « photo de Paris », « cliché noir et blanc » ou encore « scènes de la vie quotidienne ». Pour cause : le photographe français Robert Doisneau a passé sa carrière à capturer la Ville Lumière d’après-guerre dans son plus simple et authentique appareil. Des milliers de portraits d’artisans, de bistrotiers, de gamins des rues ou d’amoureux se bécotant sur les faubourgs que l’artiste a immortalisés sur pellicule... Le poète Prévert disait d’ailleurs de cet enjoliveur de l'ordinaire : « C’est toujours à l’imparfait de l’objectif qu’il conjugue le verbe photographier. » Bref, Doisneau était un virtuose du viseur qui avait fait de l’obturateur sa plume pour composer une ode à l’existence où se mêlent tendresse, nostalgie et ironie. Ainsi, Robert Doisneau guette l’anecdote visuelle comme nous épions celles qui se cachent derrière ses chefs-d'œuvre. C'est donc en toute logique que l'arroseur se devait d'être arrosé, obligé de passer par le prisme de notre curiosité. Et, aujourd’hui, ce sont donc les petits secrets bien gardés de son œuvre la plus fameuse, Le Baiser de l’Hôtel de Ville, que nous allons vous dévoiler.

Qu'il semble loin le temps où Paris se targuait d'être la plaque tournante du monde de l'art. Dépassée par New York, Londres ou Berlin, la Ville Lumière rame désormais cahin-caha pour rester à la pointe de l'art contemporain, paraît-il, tant la concurrence est rude côté peinture, sculpture, vidéo, street art... Exception faite de la photo. La capitale française, qui a vu naître le huitième art au XIXe siècle, demeure à bien des égards le centre névralgique de la création photographique : les musées déroulent les tapis rouges pour les maîtres de l'argentique, les galeries s'arrachent les talents émergents, le public se précipite aux portes des expos et Paris Photo, salon incontournable du mois de novembre, connaît un succès international grandissant. C'est d'ailleurs souvent ici que finissent par échouer les photographes contemporains des quatre coins du monde, en mal de reconnaissance. Pas de doute, les temps sont cléments pour les photophiles à Paris : le point sur quelques adresses à surveiller de près.

When it comes to culture, the City of Light has two faces: one overrun by millions of people seeking out the many masterpieces Paris has to offer - and another, much calmer one, a hidden face neglected by the public. We’ve picked out the more intimate, lesser known museums, which are just as full of artistic gems.  Quietly flourishing in the shadow of their big brothers – the Louvre, the Pompidou Centre, the Palais de Tokyo – they’re not trying to rival these renowned Parisian institutions. All the same, they deserve an equal following – if not just for the ability to admire art without having your toes stepped on. So if you’ve already done Paris’ must-see museums and you’re craving a calmer cultural experience, here are fifteen unmissable alternatives. Fifteen addresses removed from the touristic buzz, allowing you to escape the crowds and blockbuster exhibitions in favour of these more laid-back museums.

Tant à Noël qu'en plein été, ils sont là, au milieu des places ou dans les parcs, à vous faire tourner la tête. « Ils », ce sont les manèges. Aux Tuileries, au pied de la Tour Eiffel ou nichés au cœur des Buttes-Chaumont, les carrousels sont si bien intégrés qu’on ne les verrait presque plus. Pourtant, si l’on s’attarde un temps soit peu, leur ronde apparaît aussi fascinante que leur histoire. Saviez-vous, par exemple, que les manèges tournent dans le sens inverse des aiguilles d’une montre pour permettre aux bambins de faire signe de la main droite ? Ou que les premiers carrousels de loisir, apparus sous l’Empire byzantin, proposaient de monter de vrais animaux ? Aujourd’hui, les chevaux de bât ont fait place aux chevaux de bois, eux-mêmes remplacés par des destriers plus exotiques à certains endroits. Vous voulez savoir lesquels ? Alors accrochez-vous, c’est parti pour un tour des plus beaux (et des plus insolites) manèges de la capitale.

Ces institutions parisiennes qui pensent à vos fins de mois  Si le projet de « gratuit-ification » des musées nationaux - proposé par Nicolas Sarkozy en 2007 mais finalement restreint à quelques adresses uniquement - est loin d'avoir ouvert les portes des plus prestigieuses collections parisiennes (Orsay, Pompidou, Louvre, Grand Palais...), quelques expos permanentes ont définitivement fermé leur guichet - aux dépens, parfois, du tarif de leurs expos temporaires, de plus en plus chères. Mais qu'importe : de Cernuschi à Carnavalet en passant par Cognacq-Jay, l'accès libre à bon nombre de musées de la capitale reste une excellente nouvelle. Qui fera surtout sourire les amateurs de collections insolites.

Faites le plein d'idées pour éviter que vos enfants ne s'ennuient devant la télé Ce matin, votre chère petite tête blonde a ouvert une nouvelle fenêtre de son calendrier de l'Avent, sonnant l'avènement des vacances de Noël comme les clochettes tintinnabulantes du renne Rudolph. Or, entre les achats de cadeaux et les fêtes de fin d'année en famille à organiser, vous n'avez pas eu le temps de vous renseigner sur les sorties qui pourraient l'occuper pendant cette période hivernale. Bref, ça sent le sapin pour vous... Heureusement, Time Out Paris vous a préparé une petite sélection qui fleure bon la cannelle et le houx.  

De l'art au pied de l'arbre de Noël Oubliez les bougies parfumées, les pulls tricotés main à tête de renne, les robots-mixeurs, électroménagers et autres gadgets de cuisine qui iront végéter au fond d’un placard. Cette année, soyez innovant : offrez de l’art ! De l’art dont on s’émerveille, de l’art dont on rit. De l’art qui rend plus beau ou plus intelligent, quel que soit l’âge de la personne ou le montant investi. Qu’il ou elle ait 5, 30 ou 60 ans, qu’il ou elle aime l’impressionnisme, le cubisme ou le contemporain, qu’il ou elle aime l’art sérieux, insolite ou créatif, ne mettez plus les pieds dans le plat. Et offrez à vos proches friands d’art un présent dont ils seront forcément contents (ou se serviront vraiment) grâce à notre sélection hétéroclite.

She re-blossomed last spring, leaving boulevard Arago behind for rue Grégoire-de-Tours, in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Although the store may not quite be the small prince’s rose, she’s close: the boutique store is entirely dedicated to this recognisable character from the children’s book. Thomas Rivière, the great nephew of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, is the shop's owner, and you might say that by moving the little Prince Store into one of these more touristy areas, the owner is playing more of a commercial game. Translated into more than 260 languages, The Little Prince is read by hundreds of millions of readers across the world, and there are many potential buyers. If you need convincing, take a look at the library bookshelf, which is generally flooded with differing dialects of this popular tale.  But the Little Prince products don’t stop with just books. Pens, notebooks (€7-17), snowglobes (€27), mugs (€12.5) and dolls. There are no limits to marketing on the back of this little hero. Ironic, given the book itself denounces exacerbated materialism in our society. Aside from this marketing dimension which will annoy those who are genuine lovers of the tale, children (and their parents) lulled by the story will be without doubt desperate to decorate their rooms, inspired by the tale. 

Found in the heart of the 19th arrondissement, Maria Canal is a huge cultural space, both busy and diverse, where the neighbourhood gathers to share in different pastimes. From yoga or meditation courses, cross-stitch workshops or plant design and creative workshops presented by numerous artists, there are plenty of fun and creative moments to be had. Don't go without scoffing one of their delicious (and organic, of course) snacks.

T’Cup might just be the perfect place to celebrate a (non) birthday – alone or with friends, get comfortable in this cosy loft-style cocoon, packed with solid wooden furniture. This mother and daughter team opened the place in 2016 and make everything themselves. The afternoon tea menu (€21) includes an impressive choice of teas: oriental mint, fruity, smoked, black and green. You can even smell them before you make a decision. Then there’s a procession of sweet and savoury treats on a three-level cake tier, such as finger sandwiches with refreshing salmon, cream cheese and citrus, and egg with mint and cucumber. Decent but not quite up to Queen Elizabeth standard. It’s the opposite with the scones – still warm, covered in roasted almonds, they come with a pot of churned butter and Wilkin and Sons blackcurrant and orange jam. You won't want to leave a crumb. Choose between brownies, cheesecake, chestnut muffins, carrot cake or tart – all also homemade. The carrot cake is cinnamon-tinged and melt-in-the-mouth but with a pleasant bite (and to die-for creamy frosting). The lovey-dovey soundtrack wasn’t quite our cup of tea but sometimes you can’t have your cake and eat it too. T’Cup’s strengths are in their sweet treats, but they also do brunch and lunch. We’ll definitely be coming back, not least because it’s a damn sight cheaper than getting a Eurostar for a slice of this classic British custom.

Since humans have always had to adapt in order to survive, it seems appropriate that Paris’s ‘museum of mankind’ should have done the same. After six years of renovation work, the hotly anticipated new Musée de l’Homme finally reopened its doors in October 2015. The wholesale makeover was spearheaded by architect Zette Cazalas, who has turned the Trocadéro site into a radiant, interactive space bursting with playful installations like actual, touchable prehistoric human brains and silicon tongues that speak in obscure foreign dialects. Laid out like a vast labyrinth-cum-cabinet of curiosities, the museum has been redesigned with both adults and children in mind, with tactile tables, giant screens and fascinating audio exhibits meaning visitors can both learn and have fun at the same time.The permanent exhibits have been cut back, with its 2,500 square metres now hosting only (only!) 1,800 wisely selected objects split into three sections: ‘Who are we?’, ‘Where do we come from?’ and ‘Where are we going?’ The opening displays make a point of highlighting our species’s biological, cultural and social diversity, before the focus shifts more toward the future of humankind and our environment. Throughout, the museum’s curators have religiously respected the stated aims of its founder, Paul Rivet: to rebuff all stereotypes, to avoid any haphazard theorising, and to celebrate the sheer diversity of humankind. That’s something the colossal gallery of busts of men and women of all diff

Do you smell the whiff of cultural revolution? If not, then you’ve either got a blocked nose, or not yet heard about the opening of the Grand Musée du Parfum. Two years of intensive construction and some serious technological enhancements are guaranteed to awaken your senses. As the president and director Guillaume de Maussion precises, this Grand Musée du Parfum has no link to the existing Musée Fragonard. As a result, this museum offers a more holistic vision of the olifactory arts, over four floors in a refurbished hôtel particulière on Fabourg Saint-Honoré.   TRANSLATION: ALICE WHITE WALKER  

A five-minute train journey from Versailles, in Elancourt, five hectares have been transformed into a miniature France, complete with 116 hyper-realistic models in a 1/30th scale replica. Follow a numbered route through the ramparts of Carcassonne, a small Savoyard village, the Chambord castle, right up until the port of Saint-Tropez. You can even see the TGV crossing the Pont du Gard and Mont-Saint-Michel bathing in the middle of the artificial lake. Not a single French region is forgotten – even Corsica and its rocky expanse is recreated at France Miniature. With its descriptive, clear labelling, this Lilliputian world manages to be both educational and unusual. To justify the pricey entry fee (€15-21), the trip includes extra activities, including the exploration of a reconstituted Lascaux cave or the remains of an archaeological dig. A telescope helps parents and children admire diminutive pastures and valleys close-up: a boredom buster if ever there was one. Finally, a walk by Fort Boyard (the same one from the famous gameshow) and a mini theme park to keep your toddlers satisfied. For the first time in their lives, they can get excited about architecture and abbeys. As for the others, they’ll find that even though it looks like it, the Lourdes’ Rosary Basilica looks nothing like the Disneyland castle. But hey, who’s to say it won’t make them want to visit it themselves? TRANSLATION: MEGAN CARNEGIE

Established in spring 2015 at the heart of Drouot, Paris’s main auction house, L’Adjugé is a vision of glass and modernity in the middle of a vintage gem. A black and gold backdrop, with art deco detailing, is designed by Erwan Boulloud, a graduate from one of Paris’s finest design schools. High stools are slipped under a splendid bar and a sanded wall of golden waves make this bar-restaurant chic and welcoming. Dishes, served by sincere and friendly waiters, are created by Chef Amandine Chaignot. After inhaling a truffle croque monsieur, with spring leaves and fresh herbs (€18), we spy the €25 brunch – to be saved for special occasions perhaps. Served on a wooden board piled high with a vast selection of the menu; boiled eggs, diced vegetables and creamed corn, a deconstructed Caesar salad and a chocolate-coconut mousse and a procession of mini-madeleines. Perfect with a freshly squeezed orange juice and a black smoky Lapsang Souchong to wake the senses.   Sadly, the Angus beef was more blue than we would have liked, which is a shame because the new potatoes and roasted shallots on the side were superb. But at €24, the mistake with the cooking is not something we can ignore. So are we sold on L’Adjugé? Yes, but with a few reserves. TRANSLATION: MEGAN CARNEGIE

The Loft du 34 gallery marks the death of the "white cube". This unusual space is situated in the middle of Saint Germain des Prés, in a paved courtyard on the rue du Dragon - making it more of an apartment than an art gallery. The American kitchen, now open for the use of some of the best street artists, is proof of its past. Having kept the charm of its stone walls and exposed beams, the Loft du 34 still has the warmth of house rather than aseptic waiting room. A friendly and welcoming atmosphere is reinforced by the colourful works, not to mention the beaming smiles of the owners. And the cherry on top? It's linked with an apartment on the third floor, where some of the biggest names in the urban art scene (Astro, Dacruz, Marko93) have poured their heart and souls onto walls, the floor and even the ceiling.  

Is it a museum? Or a shop? All the animals and birds are stuffed, labelled and for sale. But you can wander as you please, getting up close and personal with a gigantic brown bear or a taxidermy unicorn (seriously). Established at 46 rue du Bac since 1888, Maison Deyrolle knows how to combine serious natural science with fantasy. Specialising in taxidermy and entomology, it’s the eccentric staging of these fabulous beasts that makes it so original. Not only is it a mecca for enthusiasts and collectors, but also an unforgettable attraction for intrigued beginners. Expect to brush shoulders with exotic animals (a giraffe, pink flamingo, zebra, toucan, lion) and domestic pets (a fox, chicken, pig, peacock and a small white rabbit). There’s also mounting boards pinned with butterflies, insects, shells, giant clams and skeletons of small animals. And for anyone who finds this mad scientist’s den cruel, keep in mind that none of these animals were killed to be stuffed. According to the Washington Convention, all protected species come from zoos, circuses or farms where they died of old age or illness. This echanting mélange has earned the Maison Deyrolle a reputation among the greatest artists of its time, from the Dubuffet painters to Salvador Dali. Woody Allen even filmed a few scenes here for ‘Midnight in Paris’.Many famous personalities supported Deyrolle during restoration after a fire in 2008, including Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Bettina Rheims and Nicolas Darrot. And quite rightl

Trousselier, a quaint 650-square-metre boutique near the Printemps department store, has been creating floral art and selling home decoration on this site since 1877. You may recognise the name, as it was made famous by Chanel, for whom it used to grow carnelias. The boutique is divided into two parts. Walking into the first is like stepping into the Garden of Eden with its large space entirely dedicated to artificial flowers. Here, you’ll discover cascades of silk wisteria, wedding bouquets, cornflower bridesmaid crowns and even framed floral arrangements on the walls. This stuff is expensive, so it’s best to look and not touch. We emerge out the other side of this floral paradise into a completely different, much more accessible space. This room is where you can pick up an eclectic range of items to decorate the home, and at pleasing prices to boot (six glasses are €5, a cute chick eggcup €3, a velvet jewellery box €34).TRANSLATION: FLORA HUDSON

A cute concept café in the 19th arrondissement, the Topknot Café is the perfect place for a relaxed and slightly offbeat weekend brunch. Each week the staff offer a new menu of brioche buns (the café’s speciality), like an inspired chicken and plum number, a more classic goat’s cheese, bacon and apple, or a Chinese gua bao bun, which is stuffed with a traditional boeuf bourguignon and accompanied by a vinegary chicken gizzard salad (or a soup in winter). For those with a sweet tooth, you can’t really go wrong with chocolate brioche, which comes served with a pear and rhubarb compote. Bill wise, you can usually come away with a brioche and dessert for €13 (or €17, including a freshly squeezed juice). TRANSLATION: FLORA HUDSON

Coats, cords, leather bags, crop tops, jackets and ’80s Levi’s: pretty much anything can be found hanging on the overflowing rails in this vintage boutique on the Rue des Petites Écuries. From the bold (a canary yellow bustier) to the even bolder (a green velvet dress), Chine Machine offers an eclectic stock of bright, colourful, verging on garish garments. If ‘vintage’ makes you fear for your wallet, don’t worry – at this boutique, the low price tags are one of the main draws. A woollen jumper with a rose motif is €5 and rare jewellery pieces start from €2, while for men, converses and a shirt will cost roughly the same as two McDonald’s ‘meal deals’. If you want an even better offer, the shop will sell on any unwanted clothing, handing you 30% of the resale price. Of course, a decent amount of rummaging is required to scoop up the best finds, and many clothes are unfortunately without their size labels. But most of the fun is in the trying on anyway. TRANSLATION: FLORA HUDSON