Image by Frédéric Moussaïan

Between Bastille and the Île Saint-Louis, in the Eastern Marais, the Pavillon de l’Arsenal is a nice modern space run by Paris municipality, dedicated to Paris’s modern and historical urban history.

A very good counterpart of Musée Carnavalet (see the Musée Carnavalet article), which tells the history of Paris through art works, Pavillon de l’Arsenal is more an educational cultural centre, and explains the history of urbanization in a more scientific way.

The ground floor is the most interesting space for the average visitor. It illustrates Paris’s growth from Middle Age until today, with different resources such as texts (French and English), chronological tables, old maps showing the expansion of Paris’s walls, models, screens for pictures and videos, and fairly comfortable pouffes to seat while reading or watching the screens. This section is followed by an overview of significant recent architectural projects in Paris, which also questions contemporary urban issues in Paris and its suburbs.

First and second floors are dedicated to temporary exhibitions, and will interest mostly professional architects, designers or urban planners, though some are really accessible to most public.

A documentation centre with books, journals, papers etc. is also open from Tuesday to Friday (14:00 – 18:15, 14:00 – 17:15 on Fridays).

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Pavillon de l’Arsenal | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
21 Boulevard Morland | Marais/Bastille | +33142763397
Tue – Sat 10:30 – 18:30, Sun 11:00 – 19:00

Image by Frédéric Moussaïan

With its two screens showing only “Latin” films (ie films from Spain, Portugal, Italy, Latin America, and more rarely Romania), and its dance-floor upstairs hosting latin dances classes, Le Latina cinema has become over the years an inevitable place for latin cultures’ enthusiasts wishing to watch an Almodovar film downstairs while hearing the noise of High Heels on the floor above…

In 2009, Le Latina was slightly renamed in Le Nouveau Latina (The New Latina), and it slightly changed too, even if it keeps its strong Latin identity. Most of the films are still from Latin countries, but the programming is broader now, and also includes international auteur cinema (with a preference for films about homosexuality: we’re in the deep heart of the Marais), midday thematic cycles, and midnight cult films on Saturdays (very rare in Paris).

The first floor has been renovated and is now Le Salon Rouge, a very cosy tea salon (open from 14:00 to 21:00) which also hosts a small store selling DVDs, film posters and books about cinema. If you add photography / drawing exhibitions and tango classes on Monday evenings (beginner / intermediate / free practise), it makes Le Nouveau Latina the perfect multidisciplinary space for modern “Latin lovers”…

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Le Nouveau Latina | Art & culture, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Snacks
20 rue du Temple | Marais/Bastille | +33142466271
11:30 – 00:00 daily

Image by Pierre BISMUTH

From Place de La Bastille, named after the Bastille Prison which was taken by the people of Paris on July, the 14th 1789, you can follow Rue Saint Antoine and Rue de Birague, which leads to the most beautiful place in Paris, Place des Vosges, known in the whole world and not just because of the House of Victor Hugo or the 3 michelin star restaurant L’Ambroisie or the magnificent hotel “Le Pavilion de la Reine”, but also because of the renowned art galleries

This spot, called Place Royale before 1800, was renamed in honor of Les Vosges County, which was the first to pay taxes after the Revolution, and is the “sister” of the Place Ducale in Charleville-Mézières.

Between the numbers 21 and 24 lie at least six art galleries, which onstitue an open-air museum, dedicated to the contemporary art and procures a panorama of the vitality of this discipline. You have also lots of galleries around and just near the place, 

At number 21, and 24, you’ll find the two art symbol galleries, run by the same family, and which organizes varnishing around their artists like Chinikov, Micha Tauber, or photographer Lirone (you can see their work on the web).

At number 28, you can enter the Vivendi Gallery, where you currently can admire some Andy Warhol reproductions, and also some paintings from Arnaud or Lee Kui Dae.

To complete the panel, I can also cite Galerie 26, and Galerie Modus which presents also very contemporary works. Feel free to enter !

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Galleries of Place des Vosges | Art & culture
24, Place des Vosges | Marais/Bastille
Mon – Sun 12:00 – 20:00

Image by Pierre BISMUTH

There is a walk I like the most in Paris, it is the one from Bastille, the site of the former prison took by the people of Paris in 1789, to the City Hall (Hotel de Ville of Paris) by passing through the quarter of Le Marais. This quarter is called the marsh because it was a real swamp at the beginning of the IXth century before being used as pasture in the XIIth century.

So, from Bastille, you can easily walk on the Beaumarchais Boulevard, and then turn left on the Rue du Pas de la Mule and arrive at the Place des Vosges, the most beautiful place in Paris. Passing by the art galleries, you reach on your left the Rue de Turenne, where you will find lots of clothes shops, with prices you never imagine in Paris. Indeed, there are lots of manufacturers in this district of Paris.

At number 41 in the same street, there is the Bernard Garbo Shop, that you have to know if you are looking for suits at €150 or very trendy shirts at €95 for 3. The prices are quite low because they are manufactured and they sell the same merchandise to other shops.

On sale, you can take €50 off on every suits or jackets (but not on shirts or ties). Go there if you want to mix a wonderful promenade with fashionable shopping!

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Bernard Garbo | Relaxing, Shopping
41, rue de Turenne | Marais/Bastille | +33142720967
10:00 – 19:00 daily

Image by Pierre BISMUTH

As normal parents whose children are on vacation at their Grandparents’, we are rushing to the theater or cinema, as soon as we are alone in Paris.

So last august, as we had family on visit, we went out and see a show at the point virgule, a very tiny theater of 110 seats located in the gay district of Paris, just nearby the City Hall.

In this theater, you can see future comic stars of the french scene, like Walter we saw taht night for his first show, and who is now on Europe 1, a famous french radio.

You have between 4 and 5 artists by night and the shows lasts around 1 hour. You can of course check the program ont he internet : all you have to do is to type www.lepointvirgule.com.

By the way, after the spectacle, do not hesitate to go and eat at Sancho (see critic on that blog)

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Le Point Virgule | Theaters | Show € 20
7, rue Sainte Croix de la Bretonnerie | Marais/Bastille | +33142786703
From 17:30 or 19:00 daily (see website)