Would you like us to call you back? It's free!
Paris, a city of culture with a unique heritage
Art, history, and heritage just a stone's throw from your hotel
Paris, or more specifically Montparnasse, has seen generations of artists, thinkers, and travelers pass through. In its streets, the lively chatter of literary cafés still mingles with colorful memories of artists' studios. Here, the Belle Époque and the Roaring Twenties seem within reach, amid historic facades, museums, and legendary addresses. A lively neighborhood where you can travel from one era to another, from a name engraved in memory to an unexpected discovery.
Montparnasse, the beating heart of the Roaring Twenties
In the 1920s, Montparnasse attracted painters, writers, and sculptors from all over the world. Even today, you can follow in their footsteps by sitting on the terrace of La Rotonde, Le Dôme, or La Coupole, hotspots of artistic effervescence.
To delve deeper into this era, head to the Musée Bourdelle, the sculptor's former studio, where monumental plaster casts and magnificent bronzes are on display. Then stop off at the Montparnasse Cemetery, where Sartre, Beauvoir, Gainsbourg, and other figures who shaped the spirit of the neighborhood are laid to rest. A walk that combines memory, architecture, and a unique atmosphere.
The Cartier Foundation and nearby museums
At the end of 2025, the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain will leave Boulevard Raspail and move to 2, Place du Palais-Royal, in a historic building dating from 1855. Architect Jean Nouvel has designed a new setting for its artistic programming.
Just a few minutes' walk from the Villa Modigliani, other visits are a must:
- the Museum of the Liberation of Paris - General Leclerc Museum
- Jean Moulin Museum
- and the Zadkine Museum, a sculpture studio and garden tucked away in a small street.
Anecdotes and curiosities of Montparnasse
The neighborhood has seen some spectacular and unusual moments. The most famous remains the Montparnasse station accident in 1895, when a locomotive crashed through the facade and ended up on the square. The image became famous.
More discreet, the Passage d'Enfer, paved and lined with low houses, retains the atmosphere of 19th-century Paris. Between these two extremes, Montparnasse conceals a thousand details: old storefronts, commemorative plaques, Art Deco facades... So many traces to spot during a stroll, which tell the story of life in the neighborhood beyond the great monuments.
The must-see monuments of Paris
From Montparnasse, it only takes a few metro stops to reach the major Parisian landmarks.
- The Eiffel Tower, its gardens, and its 360° view
- The Louvre, home to the Mona Lisa and thousands of other masterpieces
- The Musée d'Orsay, dedicated to the Impressionists
- Notre-Dame, a Gothic masterpiece undergoing a renaissance
- the Pantheon, where the great figures of French history are laid to rest
- and the Sacré-Cœur, perched on the hill of Montmartre, offering one of the most spectacular panoramic views of the capital.
All these visits form an itinerary where heritage and culture complement each other.
Contemporary art in the heart of Paris
The Palais de Tokyo, with its spectacular spaces on the banks of the Seine, hosts immersive and often experimental exhibitions.
The Centre Pompidou in Beaubourg remains an essential stop: iconic architecture, some of the world's richest collections of modern art, exhibition events, plus the Atelier Brancusi to discover on the esplanade.
Two major addresses to capture the creative energy that drives the capital.
Art on a grand scale
To the west of Paris, the Louis Vuitton Foundation unfurls its glass sails designed by Frank Gehry in the Bois de Boulogne. The collections bring together the great names of contemporary art: Richter, Boltanski, Mondrian, Rothko, Léger, Warhol... Half a day is ideal to fully enjoy the experience.
Other places to explore include the Grand Palais with its monumental glass roof, the Centquatre in the heart of the 18th arrondissement, the Picasso Museum in Montmartre, and the Halle Saint-Pierre, dedicated to art brut, naïve and popular art.
Heritage can also be explored on foot
Walk along the Seine, stroll through the parks, explore the greenways... Whether alone, with your partner, or with your family, the capital can be explored on foot, discovering its neighborhoods and their histories.
Marchez le long de la Seine, flânez dans les parcs, parcourez les coulées vertes… Seuls, en amoureux ou en famille, la Capitale se découvre à pied, au fil des quartiers et de leurs histoires.
