Contemporary Art and Architecture

Stunning creativity from Paris to Normandy

Discover some of the most outstanding achievements in art and architecture in France since the middle of the 19th century. Admire the Impressionist art of Claude Monet, the Cubism of Pablo Picasso and the brightly colored sculptures of Niki de Saint Phalle, plus the modern architecture of Jean Nouvel, Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers and Gianfranco Franchini. While Paris is the ideal backdrop for such a creative display of art and architecture, Honfleur and Le Havre are other high points on this fascinating exploration.

SUGGESTED VISITS

1. Panoramic tour: the Palais Royal, the Louvre Museum, the Champs Elysées, the Le Corbusier Foundation, the Palais de Tokyo (a contemporary art museum which opened in 2002 - inside visit), Clara Halter's Peace Wall (located in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower) and architect Jean Nouvel's new Quai Branly Museum dedicated to non-Western arts (inside visit).

2. Visits of the East and North districts of Paris where the largest re-development projects have taken place during the last decade: the new National Library (Dominique Perrault, architect); Les Frigos, an old warehouse turned into homes and workshops for artists; Les Moulins de Paris, an old flour mill remodeled as a university building; Bercy Village, a new cultural and commercial site located in the old wine market; and the new Ministry of Economy.

In the North district at La Villette, afternoon tour of the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, a combination museum and center for conferences, media and the performing arts focusing on science and technology; the Cité de la Musique (Christian de Portzamparc, architect); the Stade de France, built by architects Michel Macary, Aymeric Zubléna, Michel Regembal and Claude Constantini for the soccer World Cup in 1998; the Opera Bastille.

3. Morning tour of the business district La Défense, with La Grande Arche as its centerpiece and sculptures by major international artists such as Calder, Miro, César, Takis, Morellet and Agam. From the upper floor of the Grande Arche, you can admire the famous Parisian vista stretching from the Arc de Triomphe to the Louvre, as well as stunning views of the surrounding city.

Return to the center of Paris for a visit of the Orangerie Museum, recently modernized to highlight Claude Monet's famous paintings the Nymphéas. Afternoon visit of Centre Georges Pompidou with its famous modern and contemporary art museum and the adjacent Place Igor Stravinsky with whimsical and colorful sculptures by Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely.

4. Morning visit of Le Grand Louvre, the open spaces - including I.M. Pei's famous glass pyramid - at the entrance of the museum. Enjoy Pei's creative architecture as you walk around the Carrousel with inviting restaurants, elegant boutiques, Napoleon Hall under the pyramid, the patio of sculptures and the recently excavated medieval Louvre. Free time before visiting the superb Picasso Museum in early afternoon.

5. Morning visit of the world-class Orsay Museum with works by Degas, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Cézanne, Gauguin and Van Gogh, just to name the most famous. This museum, housed in a railway station built in 1900, offers a stunning display of Impressionist paintings - the largest Impressionist collection in the world. Afternoon visit of the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art, a collection devoted to works by living artists (building by Jean Nouvel).

6. Transfer by motorcoach to Deauville, an elegant seaside resort on the Normandy coast. Short visit of the resort, then drive on to Le Havre, passing through the colorful fishing port of Honfleur - the birthplace of Impressionism. Afternoon tour of Le Havre city center, a World Heritage Site. Admire the Volcano, a cultural center designed by architect Oscar Neymeyer, the Saint Joseph church and Le Bain des Docks, a new aquatic center and another Jean Nouvel creation.

7. Morning visit of the André Malraux Museum and its contemporary building facing the sea. This museum has an impressive collection of Pre-Impressionist (Eugene Boudin) and Impressionist paintings that is second only to the Orsay Museum in Paris. Return to Paris in the afternoon.

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Please tell us where and when you want to travel and we will create a custom tour that fits your specific interests, schedule and budget.

Your tailor-made package will include ground transportation, guided tours and hotel rooms.

The price of your program will depend on your needs (scheduled group tours, private guides...) and the number of participants in your group, the length of the trip, the category of hotels, the number of places visited, the time of year, etc.

We will do all the bookings and pay each individual provider on your behalf. In other words, you go and have fun and we'll take care of the details for you.