France – European Traveler

Cruising the Loire River with CroisiEurope

Mouthwatering meals, comfortable accommodations and excursions to grand French chateaux highlight travels on the Loire Princesse, a great way to see France

By Randy Mink

Those who have cruised the Danube, Rhine, Seine and other popular rivers of Europe might put a fresh new destination on their radar—the Loire Valley of western France.

Gliding gently from east to west through the center of France, the Loire River flows past fertile fields, rolling hills and countless palaces and castles. Only one ship—CroisiEurope Cruises’ 96-passenger Loire Princesse—offers this route, and I was onboard November 2025.

On a five-day/four-night itinerary from Nantes, my daughter, her husband and I sailed to the Atlantic port of Saint-Nazaire and then headed east to visit the opulent Renaissance-era chateaux and do some wine tasting. To reach Nantes, we rode for two hours and 19 minutes on a high-speed train from Paris, where we spent three days both before and after the cruise.

Left: CroisiEurope’s 96-passenger Loire Princesse, shown here in Nantes, is the only ship offering overnight cruises on France’s Loire River. (Randy Mink Photo) Top Right: The lounge/bar is the gathering spot for guests of the Loire Princesse. (Photo credit: CroisiEurope Cruises) Bottom Right: Loire Princesse passengers have a chance to meet the chef and other staff members at a gala cocktail party in the lounge/bar. (Randy Mink Photo)

Enchanting Nantes

A pleasant surprise, Nantes was a highlight of our 10-day trip to France. I had never heard much about it and was expecting just another big city, but the most westerly of France’s large urban centers turned out to be a charmer.

In the heart of town, just steps from the Loire Princesse dock, lies Les Machines de L’ile, one of Nantes’ premier tourist attractions. At this gallery/workshop where oversized mechanical animals come alive, a group of us from the ship saw demonstrations of a giant spider, ant, heron, sloth, caterpillar, chameleon and other creatures in motion. Occupying former shipyard buildings in a reimagined district that preserves reminders of Nantes’ maritime past, it’s a one-of-a-kind artistic project inspired by the fantasy worlds of science-fiction novelist Jules Verne (a native of Nantes), Leonardo da Vinci’s mechanical aesthetic and the city’s industrial history.

Getting the most attention at Les Machines de L’ile is the Grand Elephant, which can be seen ambling along the quay carrying up to 50 people on its back. Made of steel and wood and fitted with a hybrid engine, the 39-foot-high, 48-ton creation has been offering rides since 2007 and is practically a symbol of modern Nantes, the sixth-largest city in France. Robotic-like, he walks by the project’s massive Marine Worlds Carousel, a three-story, interactive crowd-pleaser populated by sea animals that riders can manipulate with ropes and levers.

mechanical elephant with people aboard — The Grand Elephant, a mechanical wonder at Les Machines de L’ile in Nantes, lumbers along the quayside, just steps from the Loire River. (Photo credit: CroisiEurope)

Before boarding the ship, we had a chance to poke around Nantes’ historic core, a compact area dominated by two attractions dating from the 15th century—the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul and Castle of the Dukes of Brittany. Exhibits in the castle museum chronicle the city’s history. You can stroll the ramparts for free. Also worth a look is the 1843 Passage Pommeraye, a covered shopping gallery with a monumental iron-and-glass roof.

interior of a shopping mall — Tourists exploring Nantes’ historic core will want to take a peek at Passage Pommeraye, a shopping mall dating back to 1843. (Photo credit: CroisiEurope)

people relaxing on lawn outside of a castle — The Castle of the Dukes of Brittany in Nantes houses a museum that chronicles the city’s history. (Photo credit: CroisiEurope)

cathedral with people outside of it — The Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul is a Gothic gem in Nantes’ historic district. (Photo credit: CroisiEurope Cruises)

Saint-Nazaire: Shipbuilding Center on the Atlantic

Downstream from Nantes, at the mouth of the Loire, resides the great shipbuilding center of Saint-Nazaire. On our shore excursion, I made good use of touchscreens, videos and a handheld audio guide during an immersive virtual voyage into the heyday of ocean liners at Escal’Atlantique, a museum housed in a German WWII submarine base a short walk from the Loire Princesse’s berth.

Besides furniture, artwork, dinnerware and large sections of paneling and other decor fragments, the museum showcases re-creations of staterooms and elegant public spaces of legendary French Line ships like the Normandie, a 1930s classic built in Saint-Nazaire. A movie with archival footage provides a timeline of important chapters in trans-Atlantic ship travel and explains how the airlines, beginning in the late 1950s, made ocean crossings a relic of the past. Visions of the ill-fated Titanic surface as your museum visit ends with a ride in a lifeboat that’s lowered to the floor below.

From the roof of the old submarine base, I could see the MSC World Asia under construction at Chantiers de l’Atlantique, one of the few shipyards that builds today’s mega liners. Our cruise did not include a visit there, but normally a shipyard tour is part of the program.

museum lifeboat — Guests of Escal’Atlantique, a Saint-Nazaire museum that chronicles the heyday of trans-Atlantic ocean travel, end their visit by riding in a lifeboat that’s lowered to the floor below. (Randy Mink Photo)

music room with piano and couches — A re-creation of the cozy first-class music room of the French Line’s Liberté, an ocean liner built in 1950, is on display at Escal’Atlantique. (Randy Mink Photo)

coasters and coffee mugs in a souvenir shop — Maritime-themed souvenirs fill the shelves of the gift shop at Escal’Atlantique. (Randy Mink Photo)

Loire Princesse Amenities and Mealtimes

The Loire Princesse, a product of Saint-Nazaire’s shipyards, was built in 2015. Sporting side paddlewheels, the floating hotel is outfitted with a shallow draft suited to Loire River travel.

In fact, “the MS Loire Princesse was engineered specifically for this river,” says Sandrah Gurash, North America general manager for CroisiEurope. “As this is a ‘wild’ river, water levels are not controlled by lock systems and it can impact navigation abilities. The shallow draft and paddlewheels allow her to navigate the river in all but extreme water level conditions.”

The 30 Upper Deck cabins feature a sliding panoramic window and a terrace with two chairs and a table, while the deck below has 18 cabins with high windows. I liked how my bed faced the terrace and appreciated the ample closet space and floor-to-ceiling mirror. Bright and white, the room and bathroom showed no signs of aging.

Large windows grace the Loire Princesse’s lounge/bar, where the fun and music happens. One night in this welcoming living room, we were serenaded with traditional Breton songs performed by a spunky duo that encouraged audience participation. The lounge’s outdoor patio affords great landscape views. One level above, the Sun Deck offers 360° panoramas.

The best part of a CroisiEurope cruise, we had heard, is the refined French cuisine, and the Loire Princesse culinary team did not disappoint. Indeed, mealtimes in the restaurant merited exclamation points. The courses were artfully presented, the ingredients top quality, the sauces phenomenal. Each lunch and dinner (a plated meal orchestrated by a chef from Cameroon) seemed to outdo the previous one. Breakfast was a bountiful buffet. The cruise fare includes all drinks with meals and at the bar.

My favorite dinner started with assorted canapes and a silky, melt-in-your-mouth duck foie gras, followed by a quail filet in port wine sauce, brie filled with mascarpone and the grand finale—baked Alaska flambéed in Grand Marnier. A memorable lunch starred leek quiche and salmon steak in a white butter sauce the region is known for.

Our lunches and dinners did not include a choice of main course, but, starting in 2027, a selection of mains will be standard on all CroisiEurope river and canal cruises.

slice of quiche on a plate — Leek quiche is served for lunch in the Loire Princesse’s restaurant. (Randy Mink Photo)

cruise ship dining room — Gourmet meals await passengers in the Loire Princesse’s restaurant. (Photo credit: CroisiEurope Cruises)

Clisson Walking Tour and Muscadet Wine Route

Heading east from Nantes on Day 3, our shore excursion took us to Clisson, a pretty village centered in picturesque castle ruins. Steps away from the medieval fortress is Clisson Market, a timber-framed structure where vendors sell fresh fruit and vegetables and locally caught fish. Rebuilt in the 19th century in the Italian architectural style, Clisson easily could pass for a town in Tuscany.

At our next stop, we gathered in a tasting room at Chateau Cassemichère to try several types of Muscadet, a dry white wine with a fruity bouquet that’s perfect with fish and seafood. The countryside south and east of Nantes has almost 400 wine growers, with Muscadet accounting for 80 percent of everything produced.

Walking tours of historic Clisson include a stop at the covered market. (Randy Mink Photo)

Loire Princesse shore excursions visit the picturesque French village of Clisson. (Photo credit: CroisiEurope)

Chateau Hopping in the Loire Valley

Our last day’s shore tour spotlighted two of the central Loire Valley’s most magnificent country estates—Chateau d’Azay-le-Rideau and Chateau de Villandry. Both fulfilled my visions of stately French manors. But it was the latter that really captured my imagination, thanks to the elaborate geometric patterns of its terraced, Italian-influenced flower, vegetable and herb gardens, a photogenic display attended by 10 full-time gardeners.

A Loire Princesse shore excursion includes a visit to Chateau d’Azay-le-Rideau, one of the Loire Valley’s grand Renaissance-era estates. (Randy Mink Photo)

At Chateau de Villandry, you’ll see tulips, begonias, roses, forget-me-nots and other flowers, depending on time of year. Some of the hedges are shaped into symbols, including hearts, fans and daggers. Planted throughout the estate are 1,015 lime trees.

chateau surrounded by flowering gardens — Chateau de Villandry is famed for its beautiful gardens. (Photo credit: Pixabay)

Panoramic views of the adjacent village and manicured gardens are available from atop the 12th century tower, the walled compound’s only remnant from medieval times. The chateau in its present form was built in 1536 by the finance minister of Francois I. Over the centuries, owners have included an ambassador of Louis XV and a brother of Napoleon I.

sitting room with large tapestry on the back wall — Sumptuous interiors awe visitors to Chateau de Villandry. (Randy Mink Photo)

In 1906, Joachim Carvallo and his wife, Ann Coleman, scientists from Spain and America respectively, took over Chateau de Villandry and restored its interiors and gardens. They were passionate collectors of old paintings, particularly 17th century Spanish art; some are on display. Of special note is the Oriental Drawing Room’s exquisite ceiling, a creation of Moorish craftsmen that came from a 15th century palace near Toledo, Spain. Joachim and Ann’s great-grandson, Henri Carvallo, now runs the estate and lives with his family in the former stables.

Ah, to be lord of the castle. The thought may be only a dream for us commoners, but it’s fun to fantasize. Having a chance to traipse through the Loire Valley’s aristocratic estates, along with receiving royal treatment onboard the Loire Princesse, is privilege enough for me. For more information on Loire River and other CroisiEurope cruises, log on to www.croisieuroperivercruises.com.

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Gardens of the World: A Celebration of the World’s Most Amazing Gardens

From Monet’s idyllic water garden in Giverny, France, to the terraced gardens within Jewel Changi Airport in Singapore, this book introduces and explores places that uniquely celebrate the beauty of nature. Inspirational, iconic, and innovative gardens from all over the world have been selected for inclusion in this volume and are organized by theme: Carefully Curated, Mindful Spaces, Wild and Wonderful, Urban Oases, and Innovators and Influencers.

Pages from the Wild and Wonderful segment of the book include photos of the tumbling wisteria, rambling roses, wildflower-filled meadows, and sparkling crystal river that compose Giardini di Ninfa in Italy. Known as one of Italy’s most romantic gardens, lush foliage drapes over the crumbling ruins of medieval town Ninfa across a span of 20 acres. Pillaged by mercenaries and ransacked into ruin in 1381, the formerly vibrant town that Pope Boniface had bestowed upon the Caetani family became an “overgrown ghost town” until the overgrowth was cleared and some unstable structures restored in the early 20^th century. This transformation, initiated by Prince Gelasio Caetani and his mother, included creating canals and a stream from once-stagnant, swampy waters. Other family members stepped in to design and maintain the gardens, add favorite plants and perennials, and set into motion the growth of a dreamy naturalistic garden gracing history-filled, ancient ruins.

Learn about unique landscape elements, native plant species, horticulture design inspiration, and history, and discover features and flora of 67 intriguing gardens that are yours to explore.

For more DK Eyewitness titles, and further information about “Gardens of the World,” please visit https://www.dk.com/us/.

Live the French Way—Celebrate the Pleasure of Life

Story and photos by Alison Ramsey

Dozens of blooming white flowers and shimmering candles in glass holders grace the center of a long dining table. Greeted with a glass of sparkling wine upon entry to the Cigale Room, Sofitel Chicago Wine Dinner guests seat themselves around the table and sip their bubbling beverages while reviewing the printed menu of culinary delights and drinks to come. The varied-height centerpieces create intimacy between clusters of conversing guests, allowing privacy within a group setting. Per French ideals, one simple joy of life is savoring food and wine that bring out the best in each other, and Sofitel Chicago is an expert in this pairing of dishes and drinks, offering fine dining experiences through its creatively curated Sofitel Wine Dinners. This series of seasonal dinners introduces guests to exquisitely prepared courses matched with wines and cocktails whose notes enhance flavors in the meal.

The September 2022 Sofitel Wine Days Dinner at Sofitel Chicago was prepared by Executive Chef Cliff Crawford, who crafts meals that embody Sofitel’s “Live the French Way” motto. He said, “I always strive to have a noticeable French influence in the menus. It can be ingredients used, such as cheeses or pâtes, or could be a modern take on French classics.” Per this ideal, the September dinner’s first course was a beautifully plated French-style tuna tartare alongside cucumber mousse and delicate cucumber curls, ponzu onion, and topped with a marquise-shaped scoop of paddlefish caviar. This flavorful delicacy was accompanied by a generous pour of golden Domaine Gilles Noblet Mâcon-Fuissé from vineyards in Mâconnais, Burgundy, France.

Sofitel Chicago began hosting these wine dinners in late 2021, and a gourmet dinner is scheduled for each of the remaining three months of 2022. The dining room’s exquisite décor changes based on the time of year, as does Chef Crawford’s menu planning. “It is really just about the season and the ingredients that are best at that time of year. It mostly revolves around produce. Wild mushrooms, for example, are one of my favorites. I love to have morels in the spring and black trumpets in the winter,” Crawford said.

The Fall Harvest Wine Dinner on October 7 will feature wines from France, Italy, and the USA, alongside seasonal spreads. The November 11 Winter Whiskey Dinner will serve an exclusive Maker’s Mark bourbon mixed into cocktails, in lieu of wine. The December 9 Art de Noel Dinner will feature holiday décor and include festive cocktails to compliment the meal.

Regarding guests at these luxurious dinner experiences, Chef Crawford said, “I would like to see them leave with plans to return. I feel we are a bit of a ‘hidden gem’ here in downtown Chicago; we are a great location, but not everyone has heard of us. I want them to feel like they have found something special.” To purchase tickets for upcoming dinners at Sofitel Chicago, please visit https://www.sofitel-chicago.com/dining/wine-dinner-series/. To round out the evening, a convenient and comfortable overnight stay in the posh rooms above can be booked at https://www.sofitel-chicago.com/.

The 5-star Sofitel Chicago is part of a French luxury hotel chain that embodies “living the French way” by celebrating life through a sophisticated and unique approach to luxury accommodations and hospitality. Its stylish avant-garde exterior is a preview of the interior’s chic design and atmosphere. Le Bar, the glass-walled bar and lounge on the lobby level of the hotel, is a trendy place to unwind and socialize while indulging in savory appetizers, flatbreads, main dishes, and desserts, and sipping unique libations like the Banana Old Fashioned. A combination of Bacardi 8-year, Giffard Banane Liqueur, Angostura bitters, Angostura cocoa bitters, and Demerara syrup, with a dark cherry and an orange peel garnish, one patron described this drink as “a really interesting take on an old fashioned. Not too sweet, and very banana, which was fun!”

The higher floors of Sofitel Chicago offer a wide-windowed, stunning view of the bustling city below, while an easy flick of a switch lowers the blinds for privacy and comfort. In the European way, the fluffy bedding provides a warm nest in which to rest beneath a soft duvet with no need for a top sheet. Room bathrooms are supplied with bath and skin products by LANVIN Paris, a soft white robe, soaker tub, and rainfall shower. Luxurious and cozy, Sofitel Chicago provides home-away-from-home accommodations that pamper and allow for chic indulgence.

Further celebrate the art of living—l’art de vivre—and say oui to a nearby adventure that will bring the soirée to new heights. A mere five-minute walk from Sofitel Chicago, you can experience elevation to an even higher viewpoint of the city, at 360 CHICAGO, the top of the former John Hancock Center. The observation deck sits 94 floors high (1,030 feet above the Magnificent Mile) and is the home of Chicago’s highest thrill ride, TILT. To get to this height, you first stroll through an exhibition celebrating the history of Chicago and nine of its culture-rich neighborhoods. A quick 20-miles-per-hour elevator ride then lifts you to the glass-walled, 17,000-square-foot level that allows breathtaking 360-degree vistas of the city and lakefront. On a clear day, you can even see four states from this lookout deck!

An add-on to the observation deck entry is a ticket to experience TILT, where guests 42 inches and taller can spend 2-3 minutes safely angling forward over the cityscape and peering downward through the glass window. While excited participants tightly grasp handles to their right and left sides, the glass wall is set into action in a series of motion profiles, allowing people to feel the sensation of leaning out into the sky and over the skyscrapers. Energizing music builds as the windows tilt farther and farther out at each interval, causing some people to close their eyes, some to giggle nervously, and others to shriek in terror. At night, colorful lights outline each panel separating participants. In “Extreme” mode (an experience that requires a prerequisite signing of a safety waiver), a window can even slide open for guests to enjoy further thrills and feel the city breeze. Trying out the basic mode, with its increasing angles and exhilarating music, Megan Pletzer from Madison, Wis., said, “You think it’s done, and then it just keeps going!”

A general admission ticket to the observation deck includes entry to the brand new CloudBar, which officially opened on September 14, 2022. Owned and operated by Magnicity, a Paris-based company, 360 CHICAGO’s CloudBar is a novel, sky-high bar and lounge that magnifies the best of Chicago by featuring local food and beverage partnerships and décor by area artisans. Magnicity CEO, Alexia Vettier, said, “We want each Magnicity location to act as a true city ambassador for our guests—encouraging exploration of the vibrant neighborhoods within our cities and forging new adventures and experiences. We are thrilled to introduce our brand-new bar concept with CloudBar.”

Photos above courtesy of 360 CHICAGO.

The Gettys Group Chicago design team fashioned the area to give people the feeling of “floating in the air.” Numerous reflective surfaces (including the ceiling, drink rails, and back wall) echo the spectacular sights visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Modern European lounge furniture and stylish lighting coupled with customized, original graphics by Chicago-based muralist Lauren Asta emphasize the blended cultures found in the city.

At this great height and surrounded by inspiring art and lights, you can also stimulate your sense of taste with snacks and sips from CloudBar’s offerings. The “Feeling Tilt-sy” cocktail carries on the “TILT” theme, served in a unique glass that leans to one side. Another colorful drink emits a haze of white mist from its lime-accessorized martini glass. Exclusively available at CloudBar is the Magnicity Pilsner, created by Moody Tongue brewery in partnership with 360 CHICAGO. Other true Chicago brands and products can be found at this exciting altitude, including wares from Garrett Popcorn, Vosges Haut-Chocolate, Carol’s Cookies, Kit Kat Lounge & Supper Club, and Kikwetu Coffee Company.

Photos above courtesy of 360 CHICAGO. Pictured at center above is artist Lauren Asta.

This space in the clouds is also available to be rented for private events, weddings, and parties. For information on event reservations, please visit 360chicagoevents.com. Relax at cloud level with besties and beverages, elevate your mood, and let the spectacular city views fill you with joie de vivre, the joy of living.

Eurostar on a Roll

By Don Heimburger

Don Heimburger and Eurostar Driver Detlef Hofmann shake hands prior to departure from Waterloo Station, London, when the train left from this station.

Nearly 22,000 travelers hop aboard a Eurostar train each day, and more than 75 million have traveled the Eurostar routes over the last decade.

That figure represents more rail passengers than all the airline passengers combined on both Eurostar routes out of London.

So what’s new with Eurostar for 2008?

NEW FOR 2008

For one, since November, 2007 Eurostar has moved to a new station, from Waterloo to St. Pancreas, reducing the rail journey between London and Paris by 20 minutes. (I loved Waterloo Station!)
The travel time is now 2 hours and 15 minutes, and between London and Brussels it is only 1 hour and 51 minutes.

Also opened was Great Britian’s first high-speed line (called HS1) which carries the Eurostar exclusively. This allows travelers from London to Paris or Brussels to use the train for a one-day business or leisure trip. Every day the train runs 18 roundtrips between London and Paris and 10 between Brussels.

Eurostar trains feature 18 cars each, with car configurations changed depending on if the train is designated as a Business Premier train or a Leisure Select train. The train also runs to Lille, Eurodisney/Marne La Valle, Avignon (summer only), and Bourg St. Maurice (winter only).

TRAINS SEAT 766

Trains seat 766 persons, with special cars situated between cars 7 and 12, and standard class cars 1-5 and 14-18. There are always two bar cars, 6 and 13.

If you are a U.S. citizen, you will probably want to book your trip through Rail Europe, especially if you want to purchase a Eurail Pass that can include the Eurostar (and you can receive up to a 60% discount). Go to http://www.raileurope.com for the details.

In other European rail news, last summer the new French Railway TGV East train broke the world’s rail speed record, reaching a top speed on the trip of 357 miles per hour! A Rail Europe spokesman said, “This accomplishment is monumental for the SNCF and the rail community, and will have a positive impact on all who wish to travel east from Paris.”

The average speed, however, of the TGV East trains is 200 miles per hour. Each first class seat features its own electric power outlet, and broad seat cushions; first class passengers can book a taxi through the train conductor; and on-board messages are in French, German and English.

As an example of faster speeds on the TGV, here are new travel times posted by Rail Europe for travel between some stations:

France-Geneva:
Paris-Bellegarde: 3 hours 10 minutes;
Paris-Geneva: 3 hours 45 minutes
France-Switzerland:
Paris-Lausanne: 4 hours;
Paris-Zurich: 6 hours 10 minutes
Brussels-France:
Brussels-Lyon: 3 hours 40 minutes;
Brussels-Avignon: 5 hours

The Museum Shops of Paris

Photos courtesy the Paris Convention and Visitor’s Bureau

Museum shops. Parisian museums present the opportunity to combine culture with shopping. After a visit, you can pick up the hottest new design object to take home; find a special work on architecture, science, or cinema; or choose the latest trendy image or object as a souvenir.

THEMATIC AND SPECIFIC SHOPS
Museum shops offer works and objects of a high quality representative of those found in the exhibitions themselves. They often present the opportunity to find rare or very specialized objects, recordings, or books.

Close to the Jardin des Plantes, the bookshop of the Institut du Monde Arabe, designed by Jean Nouvel, has many precious items. Once through the entrance of this magnificent institution encased in moucharabiehs, the shop offers insight into Arab culture with high-quality exhibition catalogs and books on photography, architecture and craftsmanship.

Cinematique Francaise
Cinémathèque Française

In the Bercy district, the bookshop of the Cinémathèque Française is housed in a building designed by the architect Frank O. Gerhy. This bookshop for cinema buffs is situated on the mezzanine of the Cinèmathèque and is the main reference for cinema in Paris. Books about the history of cinema, experimental cinema and film music, as well as posters, and photos are for sale.

The bookshop at the Jeu de Paume, at the Place Concorde, is a landmark bookshop for all areas of photography, the visual arts and cinema, and has built a collection of more than 10,000 titles. The bookshop also operates a high-quality mail-order service for visitors abroad.

The huge bookshop Harmonia Mundi is located between the concert hall and the Musee de la Cita de la Musique, at the entrance to the Parc de la Villette, in north Paris. Lovers of classic, jazz and world music can choose from among the 9,000 CD and DVD references and benefit from the advice of professionals.

Linked to the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, just across from the Eiffel Tower, the Moniteur Bookshop is entirely devoted to the subject of architecture and stocks works on architecture, town planning and heritage.

NATIONAL MUSEUMS
The national museums in Paris also have their prestigious shops. The Musée du Louvre shops, in several locations at the Carrousel, sell elegant objects like reproductions of jewelery and sculpture from the museum’s collections, as well as a selection of monographs by artists, essays and art books.

The Musée d’Orsay, a former train station built for the World Fair of 1900, has a delightful shop inspired by the collections of the museum selling posters, table and home decor objects, and exhibition catalogs.

Finally, the Flammarion bookshop at Beaubourg, in the Centre Pompidou, offers exhibition catalogs, postcards and multimedia products as well as a large selection of publications on art and design.

CONTEMPORARY SHOPS
Some museums boast highly-contemporary shops designed like a second exhibition area to extend the length of a visit and offer a sales area with a striking decor. The ultra-trendy Palais de Tokyo, powerhouse of the contemporary artistic avant-garde, close to the Eiffel Tower, asked the graffiti artist André, the creator of the character of Monsieur A., to design its Blackblock gift shop. The design of the shop was inspired by a gas station in the suburbs of Stockholm. Encircled by refrigerated glass windows with integrated pink lights, the shop displays rare objects and limited editions. The space is also regularly used for special events.

In another vein, Le Laboratoire has opened near the Louvre; it is an experimental venue at the crossroads of science and contemporary creation with a bookshop called Laboshop. A veritable bubble in white, the shop invites visitors to discover a variety of prototypes that have been devised and created by participants at the venue, and which it is possible to test or buy. Among the most astonishing, “the Whiff” is a process which enables you to eat by inhalation, while “the Bel-Air” is a filter that enables plants to filter the air. These unique objects are signed by Designer Mathieu Lehanneur, and scientist and founder of this unique place, David Edwards.

The mezzanine of the Centre Pompidou, a dynamic Parisian cultural institution, houses the Printemps du Design, a shop with a grey concrete floor and minimalist windows. It offers 3,000 types of objects around five themes: living, savoring, charming, communicating, getting around and playing. Eggcups, seats, cameras, jewelery, sweets and spinning tops catch the eye. Striking for its selection and display of objects, it offers design classics as well as the latest in contemporary creations.

The 107 Rivoli is the sales area of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, close to the Tuileries Gardens in the center of the capital. Specializing in specific areas of the decorative arts, fashion and design, the shop offers a rare selection of books, accessories, stationary, tableware and toys. For more up-to-date shopping, celebrities and designers are invited to suggest a selection of special objects for the duration of an exhibition or an event.

The new Galerie de l’Opéra is a gem of a shop situated within the prestigious Palais Garnier. A place to discover talents and trends in Europe, it specializes in the operatic and choreographic arts and is divided into four areas: multimedia library, art for children, memory, and performance, and is linked to the artistic program of the famous institution. Educational games, designer objects, books, technological or even signature and showcase objects already make this a cult address for the latest in museum shopping.

Shop of l'Opera
Galerie de l’Opéra

The prestigious Pinacothèque de Paris, situated opposite the Madeleine church, rounds off this tour of contemporary museum shops. Its shop showcases French and European designers who are not well-known to the general public, like the La Tonkinoise jewelery brand, for example. There is also a great selection of items for children: memory games, card games, wooden toys; and for adults, superb decorative objects and even luxury stationary.

For the curious and contemporary art buffs, there is the Merle Moqueur, situated in the north wing of the Halle Curial at the Centquatre, the city of Paris art establishment in northeast Paris. The shop features an epoxy floor, suspended acoustic cassettes and ramps with fluorescent lighting. Reference works for children and adults are offered in the different sections: general, youth and arts.

Also centered on contemporary creations, the bookshop of the Maison Rouge in Paris, Bookstorming, has wall decoration by the artist Jean-Michel Alberola. Books on art, monographic works, and critical essays, as well as many original works are on sale. Numerous events and encounters with artists and authors, like book signings, talks and video displays are featured regularly.

The bookshop of the Musée du Quai-Branly, situated on the Seine quayside near the Eiffel Tower, is devoted to art from outside Europe. This unique place offers a variety of ethnic objects while advocating the values of fair trade, for example with A-Typik and its Colombian jewelery, whose profits go to the reconstruction of schools in Colombia.

UNUSUAL SHOPS
Reflecting the museums in which they are housed, this type of shop offers unusual and miscellaneous articles.

At the Musée de la Poste, the shop Correspondances offers a fine choice of objects linked to the role and history of the Post Office: original postcards, objects and ideas for gifts.

Below Sacré-Coeur in Montmartre, the Halle Saint-Pierre is an exhibition area showing unusual and popular primitive art. The bookshop of the Halle Saint-Pierre is as surprising as the museum. Built of iron and glass, it houses books on art and literature, often illustrated and covering all types of contemporary creation.

Not far from the Halle Saint-Pierre, in north Paris, the shop of the Musée de l’Érotisme caters to shopping with an aphrodisiac edge. On sale are books of modern art and erotic photographs, and old films and comic strips on the same theme.

There is also the bookshop of the Hôtel de Sully, located in a 17th-century mansion. This exceptional establishment presents national heritage treasures and heritage publications.

The shop of the Monnaie de Paris delights fans of coins, medals and jewelery.

The bookshop of the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, situated near City Hall, offers atypical shopping opportunities with very specialized literary and artistic publications on the subjects of nature and hunting.

For honing technical and scientific knowledge, the shop of the Musée des Arts et Métiers offers fine objects and books linked to the current exhibitions. Badges, fans, model aircraft, and literary works provide a close-up view of the fascinating world of technology.

Finally, in the Hôtel de Saint-Aigan, in the heart of the Marais, the bookshop of the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire du Judaïsme offers a selection of varied objects and books on religion, philosophy, history and ethnography, continually updated according to what’s at the museum.