Paris Grand Palais - A Photo History and a Creme Cafe, Maybe?

Not that I am big on musuem restaurants or cafes, but at the Grand Palais, I must admit I do like the new cafe.Inside the Grand Palais, there is a brand new café,Starting with breakfast, the place serves food all day: at lunch try the 20€ prix-fixe menu (main, glass of wine, coffee), or nibble between 3-7pm on a range of indulgent snacks, such as a Foie gras, popcorn and caramel balsamic remoulade (7€), or the Upside-down lemon tart (7€). A la carte at lunch or dinner might propose prawns à la plancha or rumsteak (28€). But the restaurant’s magnificent stone terrace, decorated with elaborate columns and friezes, rivals that of the Café Marly, and competes with the cosmopolitan menu for your attention. Inside is sobre and spacious, brightened up with splashes of colorful cushions, and large spy holes through to the interior of the Grand Palais. After 11.30 the place turns into a ‘lounge’, a place to hang out and drink cocktails (12€-15€)

Art Musuems Closed in Paris for 2010 and beyond!

If you are planning to visit Paris this year (I Hope so!), please be aware that for museums lovers, there may be some disappointments ahead for 2010.The Palais Galliera (The fashion museum) and the Picasso Museum have closed their doors for a massive renovation that will continue until 2011 and 2012.

As already noted, the Musee d’Orsay is undergoing a year long makeover and its roughly 220 Impressionist and Post Impressionist masterpieces will vacation overseas at the De Young Museum in San Francisco. The Dejeuner sur l’Herbe ( see painting above) is staying put! Hurrah!

But on the better art news front: Giverny is hosting a big Impressionist show with some of the D’Orsay loans in April and there will be a major Monet exhibit at the Grand Palais in September.
The long awaited Cite de la Mode et du Design will open in May in the re-vamped dock house on the Quai d’Austerlitz.

TURNER & THE MASTERS COMES TO PARIS

National Galleries, Grand Palais: February 22 – May 24
One of the world’s great landscape painters, J.M.W. Turner’s work is also considered a segue into the Impressionist style to follow. The magnificent exhibition at the Grand Palais showcases the artist’s work as it evolved into his unique signature style through more than 100 paintings. Hanging alongside them are works by many of the artists who influenced him, including Titian, Canaletto, Poussin and Rembrandt.

Hours: Fri. – Mon. 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Tues., 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Wed., 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Thurs. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.