Archive for 'Museums & Galleries in France'

Macarons are a sweet treat that have exploded in popularity in recent years. The elegant, delicate, luxurious sweet meringue-based confections are made with egg white, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder or ground almond, and food coloring and are formed of two layers that sandwich a ganache, buttercream or jam. While they were originally invented in Italy and the name comes from an Italian word, the sweets are now most commonly associated with France.

The iconic Louvre is one of France's biggest bragging points and has an unimaginably priceless collection of artworks. Amongst them, of course, is the famed and beloved Mona Lisa. However, there is much more to the collection and we've been taking it upon ourselves to highlight some of the other must-see pieces in the gallery in this series of posts. Why not find a vacation rental in Paris and visit for yourself and be sure to check out these works!

5. Virgin of the Rocks, da Vinci, 1483–1486

While you may have to queue just to peek at the Mona Lisa (while dodging selfie sticks), there are other works by Da Vinci (dare I say, more interesting works?) in the gallery. This work is a beautiful and intriguing painting and is one of two versions of the scene by the artist, with another in the National Gallery of London. This is generally considered the first version.

Few have not heard of Paris' famous Louvre. The most iconic and beloved art museum in the world, it is home to an incredibly rich and priceless collection that includes pieces from ancient civilizations all over the globe and works by history's most famous artists. Among these works is the impossibly famed Mona Lisa but there is much more to see. Just find a vacation rental in Paris and check out our picks of other must-see works in the collection.

3. The Lacemaker, Vermeer, c. 1669–70

One of just seventeen works by Johannes Vermeer that still exist today and can be definitely attributed to the artist, this painting is a must-see purely because his works are so rare. In fact, if any gallery you visit has a Vermeer, make time for it.

The Louvre, or Musée du Louvre, is, without a doubt, the most famous art gallery in the entire world. It is the third most visited museum in the world after the Palace Museum and National Museum of China in Beijing, with over seven million visitors annually. Originally a fortress, the building has gone through many different periods of uses, alterations and expansions and reflects many centuries and stylistic periods. It, in of itself, is a tourist attraction. However, it is the insane, priceless collection of artworks that attracts visitors in their millions each year. This collection is made up of works by Picasso, Titian, Da Vinci, Raphael, Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Velázquez, Monet, Manet and many more world-famous artists besides, as well as ancient artifacts and artworks from all over the globe.

No doubt, the most famous work of all in the Louvre, is Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, however, there is much more to see besides. So, once you have found a vacation rental in Paris, makes sure to drop by and track down our picks of other must-see works in the museum.

If you have found a vacation rental in Paris, it is likely that you have plans to visit a few museums. However, if you wanted to try something a little bit different, there is a rather unique museum that should make it onto your list: “The Museum of Vampires and Legendary Creatures”.

Okay, technically, this museum is not actually located in Paris but on the outskirts, in Lilas, but is still accessible by the Paris Métro and is just a 15-minute Métro ride from the center of town. The closest Métro station to the museum is Porte des Lilas but the journey from Mairie des Lilas is much simpler.