Paris

A travel diary

text: Nicole Ex
curated by: Lidewij Edelkoort

Guide

June 2024

text: Nicole Ex
curated by: Lidewij Edelkoort

'Is it a gamble to predict that the trend will be Paris?’ Lidewij Edelkoort is certain: ‘I engage with pleasure and confidence since fragments of inspiration can already be felt, proving without a doubt that this city, with her magical neighbourhoods and iconic monuments, will be the shining star in the years to come.’ For this travel diary, Edelkoort revealed her favourite hidden treasures of the city that stayed true to herself. ‘The secret of Paris’ great comeback lies in her tradition. “ Unnovation” is the Parisian motto.’

text: Nicole Ex
curated by: Lidewij Edelkoort

Saint Germain de Prés-See-All-This-Art-Magazine.jpeg

Fig 1. Saint Germain de Prés

1. Cimetière du Montparnasse

Cemetiére du Montparnasse-See-All-This-Art-Magazine.jpeg

Fig 2. Cemetiére du Montparnasse

1. Cimetière du Montparnasse

3 boulevard Edgar Quinet

In the early 20th century, the artistic pulse of the French capital moved from Montmartre to the galleries, studios and cafés of Montparnasse. On 25 July 1924, a cemetery opened in the same area, occupying the land of three former farms. Today, the verdant necropolis boasts 40 different tree species and lies in one of the city’s most vibrant neighbourhoods. It is the resting place of iconic figures like Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Serge Gainsbourg, Samuel Beckett, Camille Saint-Saëns Saëns and Charles Baudelaire.

Fig 3. Metro tickets on Simone de Beauvoir's grave

2. Simone de Beauvoir

Simone-de-Beauvoir-See-All-This-Art-Magazine

Fig 4. Simone de Beauvoir

2. Simone de Beauvoir

103 boulevard du Montparnasse

On the tomb of one of the cemetery’s most renowned literary residents, you will find not only flowers, but also numerous used metro tickets. This tradition is believed to have originated from the existentialist themes explored by both Sartre and Beauvoir, who frequently delved into concepts of freedom and individuality in their work. The Paris Metro tickets symbolise the notion of journey or passage, echoing the existentialist philosophy that individuals are responsible for forging their own destinies. Another destination for anyone on a Beauvoir pilgrimage: around the corner from the cemetery, you will find the house where she grew up.

3. Musée Bourdelle

18 rue Antoine Bourdelle

Musée-Bourdelle-See-All-This-Art-Magazine.jpeg

Fig 5. Musée Bourdelle

18 rue Antoine Bourdelle

From the intimacy of Bourdelle’s beautiful apartment-cum-studio to the grandeur of the Great Hall brimming with softly illuminated plaster casts, in Musée Bourdelle, you are free to choose your own path among thesculptor’s work. Émile-Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1929) was a student of Rodin and a teacher of Alberto Giacometti and Henri Matisse. He was an important figure in the art deco movement and in the transition from the Beaux-Arts style to modern sculpture. Located in the district of Montparnasse, the building and gardens are truly a hidden gem.

Fig 6. Musée Bourdelle

Fig 7. Musée Bourdelle

4. Le Rhodia

18, rue Antoine Bourdelle

La Rhodia-See-All-This-Art-Magazine.jpeg

Fig 8. La Rhodia

18, rue Antoine Bourdelle

Another surprise awaits you inside the museum: the intimate Le Rhodia restaurant on the first floor. Treat yourself to a light lunch of vegetable empañadas and a refreshing salad while contemplating Bourdelle’s sculptures and the yellow and pink roses in the garden.

Fig 9. Roses at La Rhodia

5. L’Hotel

Fig 10. Room in L'hotel

5. L’Hotel

13 rue des Beaux Arts

Once the residence of writer Oscar Wilde and regarded as the world’s first boutique hotel, L’Hotel is situated in the heart of the Left Bank, ‘amidst the cultural riches, bohemian soul, and high fashion of St Germain des-Prés’. It’s the ideal place to experience Paris’s vibrant gallery scene. While some may find the tiger print in the upholstered staircase a bit bold, the rooms are reminiscent of jewellery boxes – quiet, cosy, and adorned with the most memorable bed linens.

6. Aurélien Serre

2 rue des Saints-Pères

Aurélien Serre gallery-See-All-This-Art-Magazine.jpeg

Fig 11. Aurélien Serre gallery

2 rue des Saints-Pères

The gallerist of the brand-new Aurélien Serre gallery was trained at the Bordeaux School of Architecture, but quickly became passionate about 20th-century design, particularly that of the 60s and 70s: ‘The immense creativity of the period was a real aesthetic shock for him.’ The Capri sofa by Johannes Andersen with its wool velvet upholstery, is a personal favourite, as are the sculptural lamps of Achille Castiglioni.

Johannes Andersen-The Capri Sofa-See-All-This-Art-Magazine.jpeg

Fig 12. Johannes Andersen, The Capri Sofa

Achille Castiglioni

‘A good project comes not from the ambition to leave a mark, but from the willingness to establish an exchange with the unknown person who will use the object you design’

7. La Palette

43 rue de Seine

Fig 13. La Palette

43 rue de Seine

What’s in a name? For many decades, La Palette has welcomed students from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, as well as Parisian gallery owners and artists, including Picasso and Braque. This quintessentially Parisian bistro, with its historic façade, boasts a charming terrace,
bathed in sunlight, that makes it one of the loveliest spots in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Inside, the ambience is enhanced by paintings and ceramics dating back to the 1930s.

8. Musée de l’Orangerie

Claude Monet-Water Lilies-See-All-This-Art-Magazine.jpeg

Fig 14. Claude Monet, Water Lilies 1997-1926

8. Musée de l’Orangerie

Musée de l’Orangerie, Jardin des Tuileries

Nestled along the banks of the Seine, amidst the Tuileries gardens, lies the home of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces. At its heart is Claude Monet’s magnum opus, The Nympheas, the water lilies series that he donated to the Orangerie in 1922. Its presentation in a space created in close collaboration with architect Camille Lefèvre is a harmonious fusion of art and architecture. The installation comprises eight panels, each standing two metres tall and spanning an impressive 91 metres in length.

Calude Monet-See-All-This-Art-Magazine.jpeg

Fig 15. Calude Monet

9. Astier de Villatte

173 rue Saint-Honoré

Astier de Villate-See-All-This-Art-Magazine.jpeg

Fig 16. Astier de Villatte

173 rue Saint-Honoré

Astier de Villatte is many things: an artisanal ceramics workshop, a typographic printing press, a publishing house and a perfume workshop. It’s a unique place that revives and modernises the tradition of 18th-century Parisian manufactures while updating the art of printmaking. Even so, the shop evokes a sense of nostalgia, with its ceramics, candles, and scents creating a feeling of time gone by.

10. Ogata

Fig 17. Ogata

10. Ogata

16 Rue Debelleyme

In a 17th-century hôtel particulier, Tokyo-based architect, designer, restaurateur and chef Shinichiro Ogata has created Ogata: a multistorey complex comprising a tea shop and salon, a restaurant, a pastry shop, a bar, an art gallery, and a crafts and houseware store. The place is a tour de force, showcasing one man’s vision of the best Japan has to offer. Step inside the serene space to discover how time becomes fluid.

11. Chez Janou

2 rue Roger Verlomme

Chez Janou-See-All-This-Art-Magazine.jpeg

Fig 18. Chez Janou

2 rue Roger Verlomme

Chez Janou is a cosy Provençal-style French bistro serving dishes like ratatouille, duck breast, sea bass, and an unforgettable chocolate mousse. The mousse used to be served in a large terrine on your table, allowing you to help yourself ad lib, but now you have to make do with a dollop on a plate. Make sure to reserve your spot in advance.