Paris is one of the world’s most beautiful cities. Many famous artists have lived and worked in Paris, and this heritage has endowed the city with a wealth of art galleries, such as the Louvre Museum and the Musee D’Orsay. Enjoying attractions such as these means finding a good hotel in Paris, in a central location.
That Enigmatic Smile
The Louvre Museum is arguably one of the world’s most famous art galleries. Filled with treasures such as the Roman statue of Venus de Milo and Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, The Mona Lisa –the lady with the enigmatic smile – its central location on the Right Bank of the Seine ensures that millions of annual visitors walk through its wings, seeking these and other, less-well-known works. In its basement, art loves can still see the ruins of the 12th-century Louvre Castle, upon which it is built. Guests of the Hotel Bedford, located on Rue de L’Arcade, will have no trouble reaching the Louvre Museum by taxi or via the Paris Metro.
An Impressionist Wonderland
In the nearby Tuileries Garden is the Orangery Museum. Paintings by impressionist artists such as Paul Cezanne, Pierre-August Renoir and Alfred Sisley fill the remarkable architecture of this building. Indeed, you could call the Orangery Museum an impressionist wonderland. Just across the river on the Left Bank, is the Musee D’Orsay. Works by Edourd Manet, Edgar Degas and Vincent Van Gogh grace the walls of this lovely Beaux-Arts building, which was formerly a railway station. In addition, the Musee D'Orsay stages frequent exhibitions of works by contemporary French artists. Staying at the Hotel Bedford will facilitate guests to enjoy all of these gems.
Modern Art in Perspective
Just east of the Tuileries Garden is the Georges Pompidou Centre, which houses the National Museum of Modern Art. Every genre of world-defined modern art is represented here, from Fauvism and expressionism in the late 1800’s, to twentieth-century works by Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Francis Bacon. Media on view include painting, sculpture, photography and cinema. Since the directors of the Centre circulate works from their vast collection routinely, art lovers will need to visit it more than once. Again, staying at a good hotel in Paris, like the Hotel Bedford, will allow the visitor to do this.
