You know, I can't believe anyone had anything bad to say about the most literal and honest museum…read moreI've ever been to. I learned so much, it was a cultural journey, and I do think history is best understood by understanding how people lived rather than dates and battles. But, it is, a sewer, you are inside of a sewer, so plan for that.

This is a fun little museum and a really interesting way to see a part of Paris history that most…read morepeople probably miss. It does smell like a working sewer but if you can stand the smell, it's worth a visit. They have a book with English translations of all the exhibits.

We went shortly after the (re)opening and the place was bustling, as the villa works both as an…read moreexhibition space and a workplace for artists and curators. The exhibition is best enjoyed with a little guidance, but it's well worth asking one of the people who work there for a quick introduction or tour, as we eventually did, as it will make the experience all the more worthwhile. The staff was very helpful, friendly and informative. The villa itself is beautiful, the old blending with the new, feeling very much lived-in - such a beautiful space! Worth exploring on your own too. The space is not huge but has its little nooks and crannies, and you might stumble on an artist working from (what looked like) a tiny storage room if you do (!!) It felt like the Shakespeare & Co of art spaces. All in all, we left feeling we would to return. The curating team organise events and workshops, which we didn't get to see (there was one a few hours later that day), but will likely come back for another time.

Any place that dedicates fully four floors to photography gets high marks in my book. When you…read moreenter off the street you are greeted by cool stone garden only black and white stones (black and white...get it?). Each floor contains at least one, and sometimes two artists (there are basically two wings at each level. There is a small book store / gift shop on the second level. Accouterments include wood floors, white walls and spot halogens. On the downside and in terms of the gallery itself, there are parts of several galleries where they have images on both walls of a narrow hallway. I understand the need for quantity, but the viewing experience of having to wait, move around and sometimes in front of others is distracting. English translation of the posted information seems to be hit and miss - it was there for Alice Springs, but not for Claude Nori. I know; I'm in France. But I don't feel the need to defend this mild criticism. This format - having information, biographies, etc. - posted in both French and English is simply a more enlightened approach to their business (see also Jau de Paume). As for the exhibits currently in place, here's my take: Choi: Large, abstract and relying on darkroom and technique. I don't get it. Claude Nori: It seems like Claude traveled around Italy in the 1970s and 80s and took a lot of picture of his family and friends on vacation at the beach. That's cool, and he captured some moments for sure. But, overall I found the Nori exhibit little monotonous. Alice Springs (June Newton): Definitely the marquis exhibit. I wasn't sure what to expect and was a little surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Alice Springs is known for her straight photography and straight-on it is. In one sense, it's easy to believe that a big part of her success is simply access to the (at least in their own minds) movers and shakers of the 1970s - 1990s. But access is not all there is to June Newton's success and in fact its not really the predominant factor. Access only gets you in the door, its what you do once you're there that counts. Many of the large black and white portraits are striking, if for nothing more than their subject. And, some of the impact comes from how quickly many of these individuals are forgotten - or perhaps never really known outside of June's circle (i.e. Edmund Teske, Erte, Lou Lou de la Falaise, Alice Springs, etc.) One of the things you get to see with a retrospective exhibit is the artists work as a whole and when you look at it like this you can draw some conclusions about their vision and talent. Newton took pictures of people who were at the top of their game either as professionals or professional social climbers. Some of the images are ironic (ironic funny, not iconic) - especially the socialites who came across as insecure and arrogant in exactly equal measures. On the other hand, the two Dennis Hopper (1981 and 1986) images (the camera loved Hopper), were classic in that they capture a guy who is both believably insecure and completely confident. Ok, I guess Hopper is a bit iconic. One of the strangest images was of Gordon Liddy and Timothy Leary together in 1990 - weird. The Hells Angels images were a little contrived, until I got to the one of the HA president and his family - think chopper, small boy, top bad-ass and his smiling wife with a single almost missing tooth that is the centerpiece of the image - classic. Frederico Fellini in 1986 - neither vain nor insecure - busy. Robert Maplethorpe 1977 - cool portrait of an artist just starting. The Scott brothers (Ridley and Tony) together in 1979. Sort of sad now. If you have a chance to visit this exhibit or any other, please go. It's worth it. Probably a 10 minute walk from Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Marais or Bastille.

As far as photography museums, this one really delivers!…read more Beware, however, as the exhibits change regularly- What I saw today is leaving! There are several floors in this old Hotel Paticulaire (Private Mansion) that has been converted to a museum. There are 4 levels. We started at the top and worked our way down. At the top, was Martin Parr-I will for the rest of my life seek this photographer and any exhibits or books pertaining to him out. On the second level, we found some great 70's-80's examples of paparazzi celebrity photography- including some of Mick Jaegar and ironically Princess Di. O course Jackie O and Kate Moss. On the same level was a grossly self indulgent 1970-80's exhibit of Luciano Castelli. Fun weird stuff. We breezed throughout he rest of the exhibits on the bombing of Lebanon and others, and seemed to get heavier as we went down. We ended up in the basement with the creeped out freakshow and private terrifying universe of Jean-Michel Fauquet. While the material was dark and disturbing, he clearly makes a lasting impression. However, we left the scary basement and opted for brunch nearby at le Chimiere. The museum seems to carefully curate and present this exhibits in a meaningful context. I am looking forward to coming back.

I've probably been to Versailles 10-12 times and never grow tired of it…read more Sure there are political and historical lessons to learned ...perhaps no one listens There are aesthetic lessons which surely everyone can appreciate But mostly I marvel at the sheer skill, force, and brilliance it took to create this homage to Louis XIV the sun god I love mostly shopping the village for a 10£ Bordeaux, cheeses, pates, bread etc and taking friends and family to experience it If you have not gone take the train out C lline 35 minutes and go back250 years in time

Grand Trianon was absolutely stunning. Love the pink facade and all the marble. It is very grand…read moreand would be an attraction on its own. Don't forget to walk out the back to see the gardens and the lake. It's a lot less crowded here and you can really breathe and enjoy the scenery.

Mmmmm.... this stop is great if you have a visitor pass and you aren't paying admission…read more It's interesting, mostly - telling the story of Paris from the earliest days. That said, it's small and there isn't a huge amount to see. Plan on 20 minutes. Again if you have a pass and are nearby - why not? Pay €9? I wouldn't.

I am an archeology nut. I can stare at a hole in the dirt, and get fascinated visualizing the…read morepeople that once lived there. That said, it may take that fantasy sense to appreciate the Archeological Crypt of Notre Dame. There is a charge to get in, but we scoffed that with our Museum Passes. There is a fascinating history of the development of the city of Paris from Roman times, but it is mostly shown in charts and pictures, the only things you actually see in the crypt are the stone foundations of the Roman city. So, I would recommend this for archeology buffs or history buffs. One tip if you have asthma, it is a bit airless in the crypt, although cool!

I had read that the Musée Édith Piaf was one of the most underrated, must-see museums in all of…read moreParis. A huge fan of Ms Piaf's music and always up for an adventure and a museum, I was majorly excited for this place. And then we got there. Musée Édith Piaf is actually a small apartment full of Edith memorabilia. She lived in this very apartment, which is cool and exciting, but only two rooms are dedicated to her legacy an, quite honestly, they aren't nearly as impressive, grand, or special as this lady deserves. They're full of photos, clothing and knick-knacks you can peruse whilst listening to Edith's music blaring over a sound system, but that's about it. The apartment building it's in is still residential, so it's nice to get a glimpse of real Parisian life while you're here and in the neighborhood. I'm glad we went, and while I wasn't blown away by the collection, it was fun and a pretty memorable experience.

Having seen the grave in the cemetry i visited the museum for more information on ths singing…read morelegend. I wa not dissapointed.This museum was founded in 1967 by fans. It is just a small apartment crammed with photographs, portraits and letters. They willplay records on request and it is a lovely tribute to this little sparrow

Also had a chance to visit the library here. All in French the collection is a handy tool used to…read moreteach dozens of students daily. Nice tables and chairs also make it a good place to read and find out more - open afternoons.

Extremely interesting. On the first floor there's a little…read moreexhibit on the history of the Palais de la Porte Dorée itself, which first hosted a colonial exhibition in 1931 and a series of colonially-minded collections before becoming the museum it is today. You can then find a section made of personal items donated by individuals to the museums: family photographs, objects of devotion, musical instruments, old postcards. I found it a very interesting insight on the 'plural voices of migration', as the museum puts it, and liked the fact that this section is varied chronologically and geographically. The centerpiece is the exhibit on migrations which develop thematically rather than chronologically/geographically. Some topics I remember: sport as a means of integration, music as a means of integration (with a nice jukebox of French songs written by / about migrants), lodging issues connected to immigration, food and immigration. It's a small museum and I personally spent about 2hrs inside. Tip: if you visit on Sundays (but apparently also on Thursdays) you can enjoy the local market (Marché de la Porte Dorée) and have a snack there. Just across the museum is the nice Bois de Vincennes. While I visited, the Palazzo Café just outside the museum (not the museum coffee shop, which is inside the Palais) offered snacks and drinks on a very nice patio. The only reason why I did not give a 5 stars rating: only some of the explanations are translated (into English, some are translated also into German and/or Spanish), therefore visitors who do not read French might only partially enjoy the exhibits.