Paris – Around Town : Tuileries and Opéra Quarters (part 1)

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These two quarters were once
the province of the rich and the royal. Adjoining the Tuileries Gardens
is the largest museum in the world, the Louvre, while the grand opera
house gives the second quarter its name. The Place de la Concorde is one
of the most historic sites in the city.

Storming of the Tuileries

Looking at the
Tuileries Gardens now, where children play and lovers stroll, it is hard
to imagine the scenes that took place here on 20 June 1792. The palace
and gardens were invaded by French citizens seeking to overthrow the
monarchy. This was finally achieved on 10 August, when the Tuileries
Palace was sacked and Louis XVI overthrown.





Sights


  1. Musée du Louvre




    Louvre façade



    Café Marly, Louvre

  2. Rue de Rivoli

    Commissioned
    by Napoleon and named after his victory over the Austrians at Rivoli in
    1797, this grand street links the Louvre with the Champs-Elysées.
    It was intended as a backdrop for victory marches but was not finished
    until the 1850s, long after the emperor’s death. Along one side,
    railings replaced the old Tuileries walls, opening up the view, while
    opposite, Neo-Classical apartments sit atop the long arcades. These are
    now filled with a mix of shops, selling luxury goods or tourist
    souvenirs.

  3. Place de la Concorde

    This
    historic octagonal square, covering more than 8 ha (20 acres), is
    bounded by the Tuileries Gardens on one side and marks the starting
    point of the Champs-Elysées on the other. It was built between 1755–75
    to designs by architect Jacques-Ange Gabriel as the grand setting for a
    statue of Louis XV, but by 1792 it had become the place de la Révolution
    and its central monument was the guillotine. Louis XVI,
    Marie-Antoinette and more than 1,000 others were executed here .
    In 1795, in the spirit of reconciliation, it received its present name.
    The central obelisk, 23 m (75 ft) tall and covered in hieroglyphics, is
    from a 3,300-year-old Luxor temple, and was a gift from Egypt, erected
    in 1833. Two fountains and eight statues representing French cities were
    also added. On the north side of the square are the mansions Hôtel de
    la Marine and Hôtel Crillon, also by Gabriel.




  4. Jardin des Tuileries

    These gardens
    were first laid out as part of the old Tuileries Palace,
    which was built for Catherine de Médici in 1564 but burned down in

    1871. André Le Nôtre redesigned them into formal French gardens in
    1664. At the Louvre end is the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, erected by
    Napoleon in 1808. Here is also the entrance to the underground shopping
    centre, the Carrousel du Louvre. Nearby, sensuous nude sculptures by
    Aristide Maillol (1861–1944) adorn the ornamental pools and walkways. At
    the far end is the hexagonal pool, the Jeu de Paume gallery and the Musée de l’Orangerie, famous for its giant canvases of Monet waterlilies.




  5. Musée des Arts Décoratifs

    This

    huge collection covers the decorative arts from the Middle Ages
    through to the 20th century. With more than 100 rooms, the many
    highlights include the Medieval and Renaissance rooms, the Art
    Deco rooms, and a wonderful jewellery collection. Also in the same
    building are the Musée de la Mode and the Musée de la Publicité, which
    are open for temporary exhibitions and worth a visit.

    • 107 rue de Rivoli, 75001

    • Open 11am–6pm Tue–Fri (until 9pm Thu), 10am–6pm Sat & Sun

    • Admission charge


    • www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr

  6. Art Nouveau Museum

    This
    small museum (part of Maxim’s restaurant and downstairs nightclub)
    houses Pierre Cardin’s impressive Art Nouveau collection – an elegant
    assembly of 550 works of art designed by big names such as Tiffany,
    Toulouse-Lautrec, Galle Massier and Marjorelle. A guided visit can be
    combined with lunch in the glamorous restaurant.

  7. Palais-Royal

    In
    the late 18th century this former royal palace and garden underwent
    extensive changes under the dukes of Orléans. The architect, Victor
    Louis, was commissioned to build 60 uniformly styled houses around three
    sides of the square and the adjacent theatre, which now houses the Comédie Française,
    France’s national theatre. Today the arcades house specialist shops,
    galleries and restaurants, and the courtyard and gardens contain modern
    works of art .

    • Pl du Palais Royal, 75001

    • Public access to gardens and arcades only




    Palais Royal courtyard

  8. Place Vendôme

    Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the architect of Versailles,
    designed the façades of this elegant royal square for Louis XIV in
    1698. Originally intended for foreign embassies, bankers soon moved in
    and built lavish dwellings. It remains home to jewellers and financiers
    today. The world-famous Ritz hotel
    was established here at the turn of the 20th century. The central
    column, topped by a statue of Napoleon, is a replica of the one
    destroyed by the Commune in 1871.




  9. Opéra National de Paris Garnier

    Designed
    by Charles Garnier for Napoleon III in 1862, Paris’ opulent opera house

    took 13 years to complete. A range of styles from Classical to
    Baroque incorporates stone friezes and columns, statues and a green,
    copper cupola. The ornate interior has a Grand Staircase, mosaic domed
    ceiling over the Grand Foyer and an auditorium with a ceiling by Marc
    Chagall. There’s even an underground lake – the inspiration for Gaston
    Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera – sadly closed to visitors .

    • Pl de l’Opéra, 75009

    • 01 40 01 17 89

    • Open 10am–5:30pm daily (closes at 1pm on day of matinee performances; closed some dates in Dec)

    • Admission charge


    • www.operadeparis.fr




    Opéra de Paris Garnier façade

  10. Place de la Madeleine

    Surrounded by 52 Corinthian columns, the huge Classical-style La Madeleine
    church commands this elegant square. On the east side a colourful
    flower market is held Tuesday to Saturday. The square is surrounded by
    some of the most up-market épiceries (food stores) and speciality shops in the city (see Au Verger de la Madeleine).