Spring break between art, culture and a pinch of romance, which never spoils. Where? But to Paris, ça va sans dire! In this season the French capital is a real splendor, the climate is perfect for romantic sunset walks along the quay of the Seine and the cultural offer between exhibitions and various events is very embarrassing. If you love art, the itinerary not to be missed is on Rive Gauche, the area of Paris on the left of the Seine, on the traces of the artists of early '900.
It is among the streets of the bohémien district par excellence that are in fact concentrated the most prestigious art and antique galleries of the Ville Lumière, where usually the Biennale des Antiquaires. Exhibited by the frame of the glass palace masterpiece of Art Nouveau and the dialectical relationship with the oldest works, the paintings signed by the great protagonists of Modern Art are the core of this event: one of the rare occasions where visitors can observe closely (out of auction houses, museums or vaults) works by Monet, Matisse, Mondrian, Picasso, Braque, Modigliani, Chaga
Visit the Biennale des Antiquaires means approaching works of great level, knowing that it will be difficult to find them because they are destined to important collections, not always public. An emotion to add the stories and details told by the gallery owners, always available to bring visitors to the discovery of the hyper-selected works presented at the Biennale.
The Applicat-Prazan gallery reserves until the opening of the Biennale (as many gallerists) the great surprises to which it has accustomed the public and for now only anticipates the presence of the work of the Russian abstractist Serge Poliakoff Fond noir aux traits (1952). The 1950s are among the specializations of the gallery Applicat-Prazan, which at 16 Rue de Seine is one of the focal points of the Rive Gauche along with the Galerie Berès, directed by the founder's daughter, Anisabelle Berès-Montanari (35, Rue de Beaune), one of the galleries that marked an era in Paris (www.galerieberes.com) .
Also on the Rive Gauche it is worth looking at the galleries of Pascal Lansberg (36 Rue de Seine) and Antoine Laurentin (23 quai Voltaire). Between Boulevard Saint-Germain des-Près, where there are streets and squares with historic bistros such as Les Deux Magots or Cafè de Flore, and the Latin Quarter with the Sorbonne square – overlooking the Parisian university -, St-Michel Square and the Panthéon are many references for lovers of the reusing early 20th century.
You can not miss a visit to Musée d'Orsay (62, Rue de Lille) www.musee-orsay.fr – which embraces the activity of figurative arts from 1848 to 1914 and collects the greatest masterpieces of Impressionism. The Musée du Luxembourg (www.museeduluxembourg.fr 19, rue de Vaugirard) will open to the public the exhibition De l’impressionnisme à l’art moderna – Collectionneurs d’avant-garde au Havre dedicated to the collectors of Le Havre who first became passionate about post-impressionism and Fauves from January 10, 2013.
At lunchtime, visiting the galleries of Rue de Seine you can not miss a stop at the legendary bistro La Palette (www.cafelapaletteparis.co 43 Rue de Seine), a traditional meeting for students of Fine Arts and a historic place frequented by Cézanne, Ricasso, Braque and then by Hemingway.
A very popular restaurant that serves typical French cuisine is Les Papilles (www.lespapillesparis.fr 30, rue Gay Lussac), while it is really suggestive the dinner on the Seine on the Bateau Le Calife (www.calife.com 3, Quai Malaquais). For the golosis, finally, macaron and the best croissants of Paris by Pierre Hermé (www.pierreherme.com 72, rue Bonaparte).
To sleep with style, a good address is the Hotel Relais Saint-Germain, inside a 17th century building, with original wooden ceilings and antique furniture (www.hotel-paris-relais-saint-germain.com 9, Carrefour de l’Odeon), double by 285 €. Cheapest, in the Latin Quarter, is the Hotel College de France (www.hotelcdf.com 7 rue Thénard), double from 92 €.
