Paris Culture

Paris is a city well known for being steeped in culture. The city is a popular gathering place for artist, and it celebrates various forms of artistry, like painting, sculpture, music, theater, and comedy. You can visit various museums, theaters, and art galleries in Paris to soak up this rich culture.

Lifestyle

Parisians tend to live a cultured lifestyle. They place a great deal of emphasis on established manners, like being quiet and low-key in public places and wearing black or clothing in low-key colors. Shopkeepers in the city expect a polite salutation when you enter their stores. People in the city do not rush their meals. They eat dinner at 8 p.m. or later and often spend hours slowly enjoying a gourmet meal. Leisurely dining at fine Paris restaurants is a highly regarded cultural experience.

Art

Painting, sculpture, and other forms of art have been part of Parisian culture since the Middle Ages, with its artists embracing styles from Romanticism to Impressionism. Modern Paris is home to literally hundreds of art museums, which is not surprising since it's spawned many native artists and has served as a mecca to those born in other countries. For example, notable French painters and sculptors include Gauguin, Rodin, Monet, Cézanne, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Manet, and although Van Gogh was Dutch, he lived in France and produced some of his most famous pieces there. You can see classics at places like the Louvre or view modern pieces at contemporary venues like the Centra Pompidou and the City Museum of Modern Art.

Museums

Paris museums showcase everything from military history at the Hotel des Invalides complex to French wine, which is showcased at the Musee due Vin. This museum has more than 2,000 tools related to the art of wine making while the the Musée de l'Éventail displays fans and celebrates the art of fan-making.. The Musee d'Orsay showcases artwork in a wide variety of mediums, including paintings, photographs, sculptures, and even furniture. Most of its collection dates back to the period between 1848 and 1915. It is especially noted for collection of Impressionist paintings by noteworthy artists like Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cézanne,Seurat, Van Gogh, and Gaugin.

Theatre

Theatre has a long history in Paris, dating back to the 1500s. Notable early playwrights include Molière, Voltaire, and Cyrano de Bergerac, who was a real person even though his life was later fictionalized. Victor Hugo is a a noted French playwright, most well known for “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” Modern day theatre in Paris runs the full spectrum from performances of traditional works by playwrights like Hugo, Alexander Dumas, and Samuel Becket to modern shows and avant garde productions. You will most fully appreciate theatre in Paris if you are fluent in the French language.

Some Parisian theatres have a long history. For example, the Théâtre Antoine-Simone Berriau dates back to 1866. It went through many incarnations, but in 1943 it was christened for director and actress Simone Berriau. She presented the works of Jean-Paul Sartre in this venue, starting in 1943. The Odéon-Théâtre in Paris is one of six French national theatres, dating back to 1782. Today it hosts shows by contemporary playwrights. The Moulin Rouge in Paris was the birthplace of cancan dancing, and it still hosts performances that are must-dos for many tourists. The Théâtre de la Ville, which was built in the mid-1800s and rebuilt after a devastating fire, also hosts dance shows, but its productions focus on contemporary dance.

Music

Music is an important part of Paris culture, from the classical style that dates back centuries to more modern musical genres. Church venues like Notre Dame Cathedral and Sainte Chapelle often hold classical music concerts if you prefer to steep yourself in history, while venues like Caveau De La Huchette, Le Slow Club, and Le ParisParis offer more contemporary sounds like jazz and rock. Paris also has an opera company, originally the Opéra de Paris and now called the Opéra National de Paris, dating back to 1669. The opera company has an affiliated ballet company.

Comedy

The French are well-known for enjoying slapstick comedy and those who perform it, with Jerry Lewis considered a legend in a France. The taste for comedy in Paris actually runs the gamut, from stand-up comedy to shows by multiple artists and troupes to mime performances. Every year, the L'Humour en Capitales, or Paris Comedy Festival, takes place over a span of several months to celebrate humor in the city. More than 300 artists spread out among some of the biggest venues. If you're looking for a comedy show when you visit Paris outside of festival time, two popular venues are Comedie de Paris and Comedie Bastille.