Montparnasse Paris – All our local tips

The Fondation Cartier is a young and modern exhibition space in the south of Paris that has refreshing exhibitions that change frequently.

Housed in a glass and steel structure, the subjects and quality of the exhibitions is of high level, as you may expect from this luxury-brand sponsored institution. Especially visual arts (photography, graphics) are well represented, and no region of our planet is missed when choosing its topics.

Their website gives you an overview of the current exhibitions.

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Fondation Cartier | Art & culture | Entrance € 6,50
261, boulevard Raspail | Montparnasse | +330142185650
Tue – Sun 11:00 – 20:00

Henri Cartier-Bresson died in 2004 and is remembered as one of the most important French press photographers of the past century (he co-founded Magnum Photos agency in 1947). In 2003, he and his family decided to create this foundation in order to conserve his works and to organise lectures and exhibitions related to photography.

Not to be confused with contemporary art orientated Fondation Cartier (check the Fondation Cartier article) which is in the same neighbourhood, Fondation Cartier-Bresson is located in an elegant building (once an atelier) in a small and isolated cul-de-sac. A bench and 5 birches confer an original charm to the place. The building has four floors, with the reception (plus vast convenient lockers) on the ground floor, exhibition rooms on the first and second, and a relaxing space on the third floor.

Temporary exhibitions are not focused only on Cartier-Bresson’s photographs, but generally display other artists whose style, period or favourite themes are similar to Cartier-Bresson’s.

The top floor is a relaxing area with a dozen of Cartier-Bresson’s photographs, and a resource centre, with books and audiovisual material.

On Wednesday evenings, it’s possible to visit the foundation for free between 18:30 and 20:30 (last admission 20:00). For photo lovers on a budget, it can thus be combined with the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (check the Maison Européenne de la Photographie article), also free on Wednesdays after 17:00.

Current exhibition (until April 18th): Robert DOISNEAU, not so famous photographs of Paris’s suburb.

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Fondation Cartier-Bresson | Art & culture | Entrance € 6.00
2 impasse Lebouis | Montparnasse | +33156802700
Tue – Sun 13:00 – 18:30, Wed free 18:30 – 20:30

The restaurant “Le Café du Commerce” was originally a canteen, an atmosphere that is still present today. The large inner courtyard echoes the conversations of the many customers on the three floor levels in bits and pieces, enjoying their lunch or dinner. The menu is standard French and ok, while service is very quick and without pretensions. Avoid the cheaper wines.

The restaurant is located in the heart of the 15 arrondissement. The pleasant Rue du Commerce has a village-like feeling, which is more enjoyed during lunch than dinner.

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Le Café du Commerce | Restaurants (French)
51 rue du commerce | Montparnasse | +330145750327
12:00 – 15:00 &19:00 – 00:00 daily

The Russian born artist and sculptor Ossip Zadkine settled in Paris in 1910. In 1928 he moved to the rue d’Assas where he lived and worked in the (now museum) house/studio until his death in 1967. Zadkine was part of the Cubist movement (1914-25) and his work is thought to have been influenced by aspects of the primitive arts as well as by his experiences as stretcher-bearer in the First World War. Look out for one of his best known pieces in the garden: La Ville Détruite: a memorial to the destruction of Rotterdam by the Germans in 1940.

Thoughtfully arranged in this lilliputian gallery are some 300 or so sculptures in wood, clay, marble, bronze and stone, in addition to drawings, photographs and tapestries. Inside, light from huge atelier (studio) windows illuminates these intriguing works – some subtly sensual, others intricate and obscure – against the oak-floor and white-walled interior.

Outside in the garden (for me a real highlight) powerful, contorted metal structures sprawl amid the greenery whilst twisting metallic limbs and sections of intertwined machinery protrude from the foliage.

Far off the standard Paris museum trail, the Zadkine allows for a more intimate glimpse at the life and works of an inspiring and influential artist.

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Musee Zadkine | Art & culture | Free
100 bis rue d’Assas | Montparnasse | +33155427720
Tue – Sun 10:00 – 18:00

A pretty little haven of homely culture ideal for anyone seeking English literature and a warm hospitable environment in which to pass an afternoon. Tea and Tattered Pages boasts a wide selection of second-hand English and American literature, poetry, history, biography amongst other sections (home, education etc); all at reasonable prices.

In spite of being somewhat out-of-the-way this delightful book shop is well worth the journey; what’s more, English tea, scones and carrot cake are served in the diminutive tea room at the back.

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Tea and Tattered Pages | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks
24 rue Mayet | Montparnasse | +33140659435
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 19:00, Sun 12:00 – 18:00

Most people, when asked for the best view of Paris, would immediately answer “the Eiffel Tower” or “from Montmartre”; But there is a far better way: the Tour Montparnasse.

The building is one of the highest of the city and has devoted its top floor to the breathtaking look it has over whole Paris. The big advantage over the Eiffel tower is that the capacity is much higher, so no hours of queuing before you can go up.

It also is much bigger, so no arm and back-scratching with all the others. The advantage over Montmartre is…that you also have a view of Montmartre!

The way up is by high speed elevators. At the top floor (56th!) you have an interesting exhibition of some of the history of Paris and some main city projects. And the view of course, inside, so no problems if the weather is bad.

Even better is the large rooftop (outside, so whether permitting) where you have lots of space so can enjoy the view without feeling pressed by people eager to take your spot.

From the tower you will notice that Paris has a very strict policy on high rise building and the almost all buildings in Paris have the same roof top level. In fact the Tour Montparnasse, which is a tall and rather dark and dull monolith, is the living example of how things could get if no such limitations were in place, and forms a daily warning sign for all Parisians. The ugliness of the exception at least offers a spectacular view.

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Tour Montparnasse | Art & culture, Relaxing | Adults € 10.50
Rue du Départ | Montparnasse | +33145385256
Apr – Oct: 9:30 – 23:30 daily | Oct – Apr Sun – Thu 09:30 – 22:30, Fri – Sat 09:30 – 23:00