What started as a personal collection of books by an ambitious and adventurous American evolved into one of the most famous bookstores in the world. George Whitman, originally from Salem, Massachusetts, fell in love with the city of Paris after his time traveling Europe and decided, with some necessary persuasion from his friend, to open his own little store in ... Read More »
With his eyes glued to the scenery fleeting before him on a French train in the northern countryside of France, Claude Monet caught sight of the village of Giverny, and made up his mind to live there. The train’s windowpane serving as a temporary picture frame, foreshadowing the type of signature paintings Monet would create for years to come; Giverny ... Read More »
Represented in countless artistic landscapes, films, and transformed into a mythical prison for its legendary and fictional bell ringer, the Notre-Dame de Paris is an iconic and architectural marvel in the heart of Paris. Built in the 12th century, this gothic style church was one of the first to adopt the technique of flying buttresses in order support the weight ... Read More »
Nestled comfortably in what was once a quaint suburb of Faubourg Saint-Germain (now Paris’s upscale 7th arrondissement), the stunningly chic Hôtel Biron was built between the years of 1728 and 1730. The beauty of both its exterior and lushly appointed interior, no doubt struck the several artists who took temporary residence there, such as Jean Cocteau, Henri Matisse, and lastly, ... Read More »
The “Great Palace” or Grand Palais, of Paris, France was constructed in 1897 along with its accompanying Petit Palais. This large museum complex was built in only three years in order to be ready for the World Fair of 1900, which showcased innovations in industry, business, and fine arts. Determined to assure that the complex would display the marvelous advancements ... Read More »
In 1858, when Emperor Napoleon III decided to visit the old opera house of Paris, an assassination plot was uncovered as bombs exploded near the opera house. The devastation of the attempt left the old opera house in desperate need of repair. Yet from the ashes of this tragedy emerged a breathtaking architectural sculpture designed by Charles Garnier. Read More »
Located across from the Opéra de Paris and designed by Charles Garnier, the same architect who built the future setting for the legendary novel and musical, The Phantom of the Opera, the Café de la Paix still stands proudly in the heart of Paris. Opened in 1862, preceding the grand opening of the stunning Opéra Garnier in 1875, the café ... Read More »
What is more quintessentially Parisian than a small café where guests sipped on coffee and nibbled on croissants? How about a café that also seconded as a meeting place every Thursday and Sunday for Impressionist masters Manet, Monet, Bazille, Renoir, writer Émile Zola and countless others to participate in lively discussions from 1866 to 1874? Read More »
MUSEYON BOOKS Smart City Guides for Travel, History, Art and Film Lovers