The Hidden Treasures of Paris Tour Itinerary 10 18 September 2012 The Johnston Collection Travels Through Time Travels Through Time Cultural Studies and Tours Melbourne : (03) 9017 0897 Sydney : (02) 8205 7764 email : enquiries@travelsthroughtime.com www.travelsthroughtime.com
The Hidden Treasures of Paris Tour Day 1 : The Parc Monceau Following our check in to the Hotel Carlton s in Paris, our discovery of the exquisite corners of Paris will begin in the afternoon with the Parc Monceau area, dear to 19 th century writers such as Proust and Zola and members of the Impressionist circle, such as Gustave Caillebotte and Jean Forain. The Plaine Monceau belonged originally to the Duc d Orléans who had it landscaped as an English garden complete with follies. In the 1850 s under Napoleon III, it became the real estate jewel in the Paris of the wealthy bankers and financiers such as the Ephrussi, the Rothschild and the Péreire who were creating the myth of Paris City of Light. Their ornate and sometimes bizarre mansions remain there today, still owned by the Parisian elite. A stroll through this secluded garden is like stepping back into a Proust novel. Moise de Camondo s banking family came to Paris from Istanbul and was known as the Rothschild of the East. He was an art connoisseur and a passionate collector of 18 th century objets d art. At the death of his son, he bequeathed the entire collection and the mansion he had built to the city of Paris. His daughter and grandchildren died at Parc Monceau Musée Camondo Dinner at Petit Riche * Auschwitz. A visit of this amazing collection has the poignancy of stepping into the life of a sophisticated family who in no way suspected their fate. We will return to our hotel and then set out down the Rue des Martyrs for our first dinner together at the 19 th century Petit Riche, referred to in Zola s novel about the Parc Monceau. Follies at the Parc Monceau Front Page : Courtyard in the Musée Carnavalet 2 Travels Through Time
10 18 September 2012 Day 2 : Paris of the Romantics The morning will be devoted to an unusual and little explored history lesson about 19 th century Paris; the cemetery of Père Lachaise. This was the first of the garden cemeteries opened up after the Revolution by Napoleon Bonaparte in accordance with Romantic ideas about the departed sleeping in Nature. Most of his generals, scientists and artists were buried here and Père Lachaise became an outdoor history garden. By the Second Empire every bourgeois who had a mansion on Monceau wanted an equally extravagant tomb here and so the history park became a confusion of the most extraordinary sculptures, monuments and effigies. From Molière to Delacroix, Victor Hugo to Pissarro, Piaf and even Oscar Wilde, this is a fascinating journey through these permanent Parisians. Our guide is a specialist on Père Lachaise and will recount the amazing stories attached to the tombs and Paris. After lunch at a little bistro nearby we return to the Boulevard des Italiens for a private visit of the headquarters of the Société Générale bank with its amazing Art Nouveau interior and staircase which is usually closed to the public. Our afternoon will be spent in the charmingly named Musée de la Vie Romantique in a quiet Père Lachaise cemetery Headquarters of Société- Générale Bank Musée de la Vie Romantique courtyard filled with roses and wisteria. It was originally an artist s studio belonging to the fashionable painter Ary Scheffer and it was here that the great writer and cross dresser George Sand would pose for the painter Delacroix while her lover Chopin and Liszt composed at the piano. George Sand s collection gives a glimpse of the lives of the artistic elite that lived in this arrondissement. We will walk back to the hotel through the 9 th arrondissement and visit a handmade chocolate shop as well as a tiny perfume boutique started by a Duchess in the 1920 s. In the evening we will go into Montmartre for an absinthe! Detail at Père Lachaise Cemetery The Hidden Treasures of Paris Tour 2012 3
The Hidden Treasures of Paris Tour Day 3 : The Marais The quaint little streets and the chic boutiques of the Marais buzz with life on a Sunday. We will start our day at the little known Musée Cognacq Jay, in a 17 th century hôtel particulier which houses the collection of art and decorative arts bequeathed to Paris by the founders of the Samaritaine department store. Like the founders of other Grands Magasins such as the Bon Marché, they felt they were an essential element of the new Paris and had a philanthropic duty to their employees and customers and even set up exhibits in the stores. Clients would wander through collections of exquisite snuff boxes to get to the perfume counter. After lunch in the old converted market of the Enfants Rouges we will pop into the Musée Carnavalet to see some exquisite rooms of former 17 th century mansions which were demolished but then rebuilt here. We will also see an entire art nouveau jewellery shop and Proust s bedroom. Following afternoon tea at the quaint Loire dans la Thèire we will explore the Musée de la Poupée. This charming little collection traces the development of dolls from the 18 th century onwards, when they were used for exporting French fashions to the courts of Europe. Musée Cognacq Jay Converted market of the Enfants Rouges Musée Carnavalet Musée de la Poupée Louvre des Antiquaires To finish our day in the Marais we will wander into the Village St Paul and its winding lanes of antique stalls and then go on to the grand Louvre des Antiquaires. This elegant building was once a luxury hotel opposite the Louvre but now houses galleries and antique shops selling everything from jewellery to Lalique vases. Musée Carnavalet 4 Travels Through Time
10 18 September 2012 Day 4 : Rueil Malmaison Today we will travel by private coach to the Château de Malmaison where Napoleon and Josephine spent the happiest years of their life together before he became Emperor and was consumed by ambition. Josephine characteristically overspent as she had the gardens redesigned in the fashionable English style, complete with winding streams, hothouse and garden theatre. It was here that she let loose the emus, swans and wallabies brought back from the Baudin voyage to Australia. After their divorce Napoleon paid for Josephine s continued interest in the cultivation of roses. Her personality shines through in the elegant rooms of the little chateau and in her collection of Sèvres porcelain and art work. We will lunch on the Island of the Impressionists in Chatou at the Auberge Fournaise made famous by Renoir s Lunch of the Boatmen s Party. If it is fine we will sit exactly where it was painted. In the afternoon we will continue on to the Musée de Sèvres with its magnificent collection showcasing the development of hard porcelain in the late 18 th century under the patronage of the royal mistress, Madame de Pompadour. Château de Malmaison Island of the Impressionists at Chatou Musée de Sèvres Ballet at the Opéra Garnier * This evening the Tokyo Ballet will be performing in the opulent Opéra Garnier, built as the glittering centre piece of the City of Light by Napoleon III. Château de Malmaison The Hidden Treasures of Paris Tour 2012 5
The Hidden Treasures of Paris Tour Day 5 : Off the Beaten Track We will begin early at the quaint little market at Maubert Mutualité on the Left Bank where you can buy everything from hand crafted jewelley and silk scarves to pungent cheeses and glorious flowers. After a quick coffee at the turn of the century Mosque where we will be transported into the Orient, we will head up the Rue Montorgueil which is packed with 19 th century bars, bistros and food shops. We will thread our way through the tiny streets of the Sentier quarter up to two enormous triumphal arches which were originally gates given to Louis IV by the city of Paris to commemorate his victories. We will continue on to the Canal St Martin in the now trendy area of Republique. It is strange to see boats in locks a metro stop or so from the Bastille. This tranquil quarter is now home to some of the cutting edge designer boutiques. Next we will head back down the boulevard to the Passage des Panoramas, one of the first covered passages to emerge at the end of the 18 th century. These passages invented the first browsing experiences as they housed little boutiques and kept the customers out of the rain. Panoramas or static cinemas were set up to draw the crowds. Not far away is our lunch destination, the Bouillon Chartier, a bustling 19 th century popular restaurant which has recently been classified by the City of Paris. After lunch we will return to the Left Bank Left Bank markets Canal St Martin Passage des Panoramas Gobelins Tapestry W shop Drouot Auction Rooms for a guided visit of the Gobelins Tapestry Workshops. These were established by Louis XIV in 1669 and produced tapestries initially for the royal palaces and now for the French Government. We will visit the historic ateliers and see the artists at work. On our way home we will visit the Printemps gourmet food store and admire the magnificent turn of the century stained glass domes of the oldest part of the store which normally are out of sight. The Drouot Auction Rooms are the French equivalent of Southerbys or Christies. They will be open in the evening for us to inspect their treasure trove of jewellery, furniture, decorative and fine arts up for sale the next day. Canal St Martin 6 Travels Through Time
10 18 September 2012 Day 6 : Quiet days in Passy Until Napoleon III annexed it to Paris in 1860, the quiet area of Auteuil in the 16 th arrondissement was comprised mainly of summer residences of the wealthy such as Marcel Proust s aunt. By the time the Marmottan family had made a fortune in the reconstruction of Paris, the area had become very fashionable. Paul Marmottan began a prestigious collection of First Empire decorative arts and documents which he housed in the former hunting lodge of the Duc de Valmy. Inspired by its layout, other collections were soon donated and the Musée Marmottan is now known as housing one of the largest collections of Claude Monet s work in the world. To this have been added collections of Berthe Morisot, Renoir and recently, an important donation of mediaeval illuminated manuscripts. After a quick lunch on the Avenue Mozart we will visit the Rue Fontaine which was developed at the turn of the century and showcases the Art Nouveau architecture of Hector Guimard. We will view the exterior of the Castel Béranger and the Cafe Antoine. We will have special access to the Hotel Mezzara where he designed not just the building but everything down to the egg cups, taps, carpets and dishes. Later in the afternoon we will return to the Ile Musée Marmottan Hotel Mezzara Hotel de Ville Rue Fontaine River Seine cruise de la Cité for a private visit of the extraordinary interior of the Hotel de Ville. Our guide will explain the centrality of the building in the history of Paris from mediaeval times onwards and how it was designed to represent the Republic s Hall of Mirrors. We will mount the inner staircase usually reserved for foreign dignitaries! If we have time we will quickly go into the Archives Nationales to see documents that have shaped French history: the Edict of Nantes, the Declaration of the Rights of Man as well as Napoleon s and Louis IV s wills. In the evening we will take a Bateau Mouche trip down the Seine and cruise under the bridges of Paris illuminated against the night sky. Musée Marmottan The Hidden Treasures of Paris Tour 2012 7
The Hidden Treasures of Paris Tour Day 7 : The 19 th Century Connoisseurs Parisian society was stunned when the debonair and wealthy Protestant banker Edouard André married his portraitist, Nelly Jacquemart. Together they travelled widely and amassed an enormous collection of art from Italy which they displayed in a sumptuous mansion built in the Parc Monceau area. Their glittering receptions were reported in the press as were their latest acquisitions. As they had no children, the entire mansion and collection was left to the Academy of Fine Arts and is now open to the public. It is a unique opportunity to view first hand what the life of the wealthy must have been like in Paris in the 1860s. We will have lunch in the mansion s dining room with its Tiepolo ceilings before setting out to visit the collection of one of their acquaintances, the Italian banker Henri Cernuschi who had escaped to France. He travelled widely to the East and set up highly esteemed collection of Chinese and Persian statuary as well as silks and objets d art. We will have a private tour of this little known collection. At the end of the Avenue Velasquez nearby, stands a strange pagoda style mansion built by Ching Tsai Loo, a preeminent dealer in Chinese art who was almost entirely responsible Musée Jacquemart André Musée Henri Cernuschi Ching Tsai Loo Mansion Train Bleu at the Gare de Lyon for introducing early Chinese jades and bronzes into the Parisian market. The building contains superb sculpted 16 th and 17 th century wood and lacquer doors. This is a wonderful setting for collectors interested in buying Chinese prints and antiques. Later in the afternoon we will take the metro to the extravagantly decorated turn of the century Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon. It was designed for the first trains that went from Paris to Nice and so has paintings of every town on the way. Having a cocktail here is like taking part in Agatha Chrisitie s Orient Express. Musée Jacquemart André 8 Travels Through Time
10 18 September 2012 Day 8 : Paris City of Light Built for the World Exhibition of 1900, the majestic Petit Palais was designed to be the show case of the modernity of French art and design. Its Italianate exterior belies its soaring glass interior inspired by the art nouveau interest in ceramics, mosaics, stained glass and metal. It houses State owned collections of Salon and Impressionist art but like the Marmottan has attracted donations of paintings and decorative arts from Ancient Greece through every century up to 1900. It is a treasure trove of French history seen through exquisitely crafted work. The collections are exhibited in small rooms and the visitor never feels overwhelmed as in large museums. We will have lunch in the secluded Crystal Room at the Baccarat Museum. This is a small collection in a majestic mansion showing the development of Baccarat crystal ceremonial pieces and table ware in the 19 th century. In the early afternoon we will take the Metro to the Place de la Concorde for a private visit of Pierre Cardin s collection of art nouveau decorative arts, set up in what were the courtesan s rooms above the famed Maxim s. This is a glimpse into the private luxury world of Belle Epoque Paris. Nearby are the two great food stores of Paris, Petit Palais Baccarat Museum Maxim s Farewell dinner at the Grand Colbert * Hédiard and Fauchon, which have become the world wide reference in luxury food products and display. Nearby, downstairs from the Madeleine, are the only remaining Art Nouveau public toilets in Paris and they are certainly worth a visit! Some tour members may wish to spoil themselves with coffee and macaroons at the legendary Ladurée with its delicate 17 th century ceilings and crowded with chic Parisians pushing a tiny cake around an even tinier plate. On our way home we will have a quick visit of Dary s Jewellery Store where you can sometimes unearth a vintage Parisian treasure on the walls dripping with jewels for all tastes. That evening we will have our final dinner at the Grand Colbert, an atmospheric 19 th century brasserie built in one of the most elegant of the early covered passages. Petit Palais The Hidden Treasures of Paris Tour 2012 9
The Hidden Treasures of Paris Tour Day 9 : Farewell to Paris After a last breakfast together, tour members can check out up until 12 noon. Just time enough for a stroll through the winding streets of Montmartre across from the hotel. Note : Items on itinerary marked with a * are optional and not included in the price of the tour. Bibliography Novels The Assommoir Emile Zola Ladies Paradise Emile Zola Nana Emile Zola The Kill Emile Zola Bel Ami Guy de Maupassant A Moveable Feast Earnest Hemingway Works on Paris True Pleasures: A Memoir of Women in Paris Lucinda Holdforth Paris: Capital of the 19th Century Pauline de Tholozany Metro Stop Paris; an Underground Hstory of the City of Light Gregor Dallas The Judgement of Paris; The Revolutionary Decade that gave the World Impressionism Ross King The Flâneur Edmund White The Invention of Paris Eric Hazen Parisians Graham Robb The Dawn of the Belle Epoque Mary McAuliffe Sylvia Beach and the Lost Generation Noel Fitch Paris was a Woman 1995 documentary of Paris in the early 20th century Place des Abbesses Metro Station 10 Travels Through Time