Paris House Museums
We all appreciate I.M. Pei’s pyramid at the Louvre, but not the long hours spent contemplating it from the entrance line (oh, the ennui!). For a more intimate and authentic museum experience, try these early 20th-century house museums, recommended by an honest-to-goodness real Parisian, Bertrand Bourgeois.
Musée Nissim de Comondo. Inspired by the Petit Trianon at Versailles, Moïse de Comondo built this residence to display the collection of classical French furnishings he collected over the course of 20 years. Opened in 1936, this reconstruction of an 18th-century Parisian luxury home contains such period pieces as “watching” chairs, used by spectators at game tables and commissioned by the sister of Louis XVI. You will also find portraits by Elisabeth Vigée Lebrun and tapestries depicting scenes from La Fontaine’s fables. The museum is named in honor of de Comondo’s son, who disappeared in an air battle during the First World War. (63 Rue de Monceau, +33 1 53 89 06 50. To leave a message: +33 1 53 89 06 40).
Musée Jacquemart-André: Home turned museum in 1913 by Edouard André and Nelie Jacquemart, a rich couple who loved Italian art. Features collections by French artists such as Fragonard and Boucher, as well as Dutch and Italian Renaissance paintings. Equally arresting is the building's unique architecture. (158 Blvd. Haussmann, 75008 Paris; +33 1 45 62 11 59)
For after-museum music and dining, try La Maroquinerie (23 Rue Boyer, 75020 Paris; +33 1 40 33 35 05). This club in the 20e arrondissement features a literary café, a restaurant, and an eclectic concert program featuring up-and-coming artists, with music ranging from French traditional to jazz to electronic. Très chic!
Read More: Check out Traveler's "Authentic Paris" feature in our March issue, now on newsstands, our Paris photo gallery, and a plethora of Paris posts from IT.
Photo: Musée Nissim de Comondo
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