I find visiting the Louvre painful. Way too many crowds to lose yourself in the art. And the sheer…read moresize of the museum and the varied collection can be overwhelming. So the museums that really appealed to me in Paris are those smaller collections with a specific point of view. More passionate and more personal. That is certainly the case of the Musée Nissim de Camondo. The gorgeous estate is dedicated to the glory of 18th century French architecture, art and furnishings. The owner, Moïse de Camondo, was obsessed with 18th century France and had a perfectionist's zeal for designing a masterpiece (although he included many 19th century conveniences) to thrill the artistic and cultural elite during his time in Paris. His dinner parties were legendary and the home was regularly visited by artists and scholars to view the masterpieces and dine at his elegant banquets. But, the commentary was quite stunning and bittersweet. All the money in the world (he was heir to one of the largest banking fortunes of the Ottoman Empire) could neither buy love (his wife left him), nor protect his family from two major forces of sorrow in the early 20th century (World War 1 and the concentration camps of WW2). Mr. de Camondo built the house for his beloved son to enjoy, but his life was cut short when he was killed in action in 1917 serving his country as a fighter pilot in WW1. Life was never the same and Mr. de Camondo all but retreated from public life and his elegant parties were drastically curtailed. He had a daughter, but she didn't share her father's interest and once she married, she moved out of this glorious estate and he was left to wander the halls alone. Her family (including husband and two children), were later killed in a Nazi concentration camp in WW2. Upon his death, his will bequeathed the home and all of its furnishings to the Arts Décoratifs in his son's name for the enjoyment of all. Although the reasons are sad, it is a joy to tour the home and listen to the excellent audio guide that really provides not just bare facts, but really describes life in that vibrant era. Highlights for me were the kitchen, the dining room with a fully set table, in anticipation of an elegant soiree with sample menu, and the oval salon with the collection of paintings describing the courtship of a shepherd and shepherdess. It is interesting to me, that sometimes it is immigrants that most fully embrace the cultural richness and heritage of their adopted homes. That is certainly the case here. Born in Turkey, he became one of the most prominent members of French society and didn't just write a check to fill it house with fine things. It is clear his hand was involved in every decision. One of his passions was reuniting items of a collection that had been scattered to the winds. Too bad he didn't have as much success creating a happy home. ---------------- -- This museum is included in the Paris Museum Pass - http://en.parismuseumpass.com/ (aka the best money I ever spent in France). -- Photography (without flash) is permitted.

Beautiful house. Beautiful furnishings. Beautiful objets d'art…read more Yet the tragic story made this visit a downer for me. Monsieur de Camondo's wife left him for another man. His son was killed in action in WWI. His daughter and her family perished in the Holocaust. Apparently they made the mistake of thinking their wealth and status would shield them from the Nazis. Interesting audio guide. If you have the time, there are lots of details about all the various things that Monsieur de Camondo acquired. (Small correction on Raffi M's review -- Moise de Camondo was the man who had the house built. He named the house after his beloved son Nissim. Also, according to the audioguide, Moise was not much of a banker himself, but rather a collector and aesthete. It was his father who made the family's fortune and Moise who used that money to build the house and acquire the collection that now constitutes this museum.)

Quality/Quantity - Another tourist attraction. Crazy busy. Still beautiful and has much history…read more One of many of France's monuments. I like the underground path to get here, to avoid the dangerous traffic. You can pay to go to the top which we did not. I believe you can buy tickets online in advance. Ambiance - See pictures. Service - Self service. Price - Free for us as we did not want to go to the top. 22 Euros, $26 USD to go to the top. Owner Comment - Congrats on all your success since 1810...? Final completion was in 1830.

This monument was even more magnificent in person than I could have ever imagined…read more Napoleon had it commissioned in 1806 to honor French armies. It wasn't completed until 1836 (after his death). The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is under the arch. It's got a flame that's lit daily. Looking at Paris from the top of the arc is incredibly breathtaking. Definitely a must for a first-time visit to Paris.

We did the after hours guided tour. I just have to say that this was an amazing experience and a…read moremust do when going to Paris. There were multiple tours going on in different languages at the same time but each group went to different sections. So your group might pass another group but you were not together. Our group was about 20 people. When you are facing the opera you go to the left and security about half way down the opera lets you in. Then you check in and wait in a rotunda area. After waiting for probably 15-20 our tour started. They take you to most of the areas and it's semi private. One of the highlights of our trip!

Wow what a beauty of a building!!…read more I cannot emphasize enough how much you should go visit this place Specifically you should book the mystery tour held at 5pm which boasts a behind the scenes look at the Paris Opera House and its beautiful Grand Foyer(note- you may recognize the famous steps from Emily in Paris ) It's a group tour - but it's after hours so it's definitely limited people and less tourists then during the day and I loved it- The guides were great , you get an ear piece to listen to in multiple languages I would love to come back and see an actual show someday

I'm not surprised this passage is the last of the four Parisian passages I've tackled in a Yelp…read morereview because it was easily the quietest one. Understand Jamie W and I were trying to avoid a torrential downpour, so we walked first through Passage des Panoramas (review: https://yelp.to/yENdlLu3l9) and crossed a boulevard to walk through Passage Jouffroy (review: https://yelp.to/CnrpUaovIV). We then crossed another boulevard, and here we were. Surrounded by antiques dealers, vintage art galleries, and small cafes, we saw only a handful of people under the canopy fishbone ceiling, primarily taking short cuts to avoid the rain. Particularly memorable was a vintage bookstore where the owner was looking particularly erudite in his Panama hat and maroon sweater and shorts set (Photo 3). RELATED - Exploring Paris? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/TDhdgjoONI

Quiet and Delicious Spaces to Wander, Rest and Enjoy!…read more So nice to be able to wander during a rainy day and see all of the cool shops. Nice break to our day and the history of these halls is very very cool.

Okay, so the museum is amazing. The rainbow stair case of Dior is amazing to behold and the…read morefashions throughout are just incredible and it's better than most Met fashion exhibits I've been to (the McQueen & China exhibits being the notable exceptions.) But I'm here for the food. The chocolate and blackberry mousse tartlet was hands down the best pastry I had in Paris. The offerings are beautiful but pricey. However, totally worth it and wish I'd ordered more.

Located on Montaigne Avenue, the Dior Gallery is a stunning walk through experience through…read moreChristian Dior's journey and designs across the years. Tucked amongst the buildings on the street, it's almost hard to believe how large the gallery is on the inside as there is so much to see from dresses to accessories to magazines and more. Upon entering, the exhibition starts at the top floor, where you make your way through the building and steadily downwards on a journey through time. This is a fun experience for those who love fashion, history, and art, but there is truly much to appreciate for someone coming in with no prior knowledge or expectation. This gallery is extensive and they change out the pieces periodically, so there's a lot of re-visit value. The gallery goes beyond fashion and has moments discussing Christian Dior's personal life, the building itself, and how the Dior name continues to thrive in modern-day couture. At the end of the gallery they have their own Dior Le Café, which carries both drinks and food, and a mini gift shop section. I found it a great spot to relax and rechage. *Lucky Sando en trio: This trio of sandwhiches was delicious and larger than expected for a tea-time-style snack. The egg-mayonnaise was moist and flavorful, tasting as expected. I enjoyed the smoked salmon and cucumber one which provided a refreshing and cooler-tasting sandwich. The chicken with spices was the most unique one of the three. It had tumeric and other spices that made it stand out. It held the most umami. *Caesar salad with Chicken: This dish was crafted together at table-side which was both unexpected and lovely to experience! I appreciated the different toppings to what I thought was going to be a generic salad, and the overall outcome was very vibrant. The chicken itself is a fully seasoned and cooked fillet, making this dish very filling. *Chocolate Chaud: This is my favorite drink in France, and ordering it here was no different. Deeply rich and made with heavy cream and dark chocolate, chocolate chaud tastes like drinking liquid chocolate straight from a pot. Generally, you can purchase tickets online for a specific date and time with full price being 16 EUR, though there are discounted options available. You can also try your hand for a walk-in visit, though the line can get rather long. I was fortunate enough to enter for free and without a wait, which I am extremely grateful to the team for!

Once we walked away from the Basilique du Sacre-Coeur into the residential area of Montmartre, it…read moregot a lot quieter and easier to stroll. Jamie W and I didn't even know there was a museum here, but we decided to give it a look. Housed in an atmospheric 17th-century manor house and an adjacent hotel, it chronicles a helpful bit of Montmartre history since the Belle-Epoque period. Artists like Picasso, Renoir, and Toulouse-Latrec were starting to emerge. You might expect more definitive works from masters of this caliber, but no, this is a small museum not at the level of Musee d'Orsay and Musee de l'Orangerie. It was fairly crowded because the rooms were somewhat claustrophobic. On display was a special exhibition of the paintings of Divisionist artist Maximilien Luce. His work was unfamiliar to us though he seemed inspired by his more famous contemporaries like Seraut and Monet. There was a popular cafe in an interior garden, but the limited seating became a pushy table grabfest (Photo 3). Admission is 15€, and it's not included in the Paris Museum Pass since it's a private institution. I'd still recommend a visit if you want a crash course on Montmartre. RELATED - Exploring Paris? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/TDhdgjoONI

Update 2025 This was like a new visit but still remembering…read morewhat was the same. It's a mansion, art gallery , cafe and pleasant garden. There is a tree swing in the yard Renoir did a painting of. Simple, both the swing and Painting live on. As well as the tree itself. Come Again.

While walking around Montmartre, we came across Espace Dali, a small museum and gallery of Salvador…read moreDali's work. Being a fan of Dali, of course I had to check it out. The museum was quite small, and we only spent a little over half an hour in there. While I enjoyed looking at Dali's sculptures and paintings, it wasn't worth the €16 admission, which I found a little steep. (It had previously been €13 -- the brochure we picked up had the former price crossed off and the new price written down in pen.) All in all, a nice little museum and gallery, but not worth the price. If you are in the area, go ahead and check it out, but don't go out of your way to see it. [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; Paris, France; Museums and Art Galleries]

Expensive. That's the first thing that comes to mind about this museum…read more It's a small gallery/ museum in Paris dedicated as the title would say to Dali. I spent a lot of time in small museums, the most recent visit to Paris, and this was certainly one you should consider if you are looking for the small Museum experience.

What a breathtaking church! They often do concerts inside,…read moreso check with Classictic.com before going. We saw a performance of Vivaldi, and it has become a core memory.

I mean how can you rate a church yet here I am doing it.. From the outside, it seems like you're…read moreabout to enter a miniature Pantheon. However, once you enter, you are transported into a beautiful church. Luckily for us, there was an evening mass when we went and so we decided to stay. It's absolutely beautiful inside. Highly recommend visiting this church if you're just passing by or seeking refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city.