Main Sources: Paris Convention and Visitors Office, Paris Mayor's Office
Seasonal Events and Festivals
- Saint Patrick's Day: Paris has a lively Irish community, making celebrating St. Patrick's day in Paris a memorable experience. From concerts and shows for where to spend away the wee morning hours, our guide to celebrating Saint Patrick's Day in Paris provides plenty of ideas.
- Easter in Paris: Chocolate chickens and bells and other springtime delights will fill the city on March 31st (Easter Sunday) and Monday April 1st, which is a public holiday in France.
Arts and Exhibits Highlights
- Salvador Dali
A monumental retrospective on one of the world's most celebrated surrealists is being held at the Centre Pompidou through most of March. Some of the mustached iconocolast's most iconic paintings are among the originals on display, including The Persistence of Memory (think melting watches). Expect crowds and book tickets early for this one.
Where: Centre Georges Pompidou
When: Through March 25th, 2013
- Vincent Van Gogh - Dreaming of Japan and Hiroshige- The Art of Travel
This joint exhibition at the Pinacotheque gallery near Madeleine highlights a lesser-known Japanese painter whose work influenced the likes of Vincent Van Gogh and several Impressionist painters. Underlining that Hiroshige was one of Dutch artist Van Gogh's main influences, the exhibit invites visitors to compare the work of the Japanese master to several works by the artist best known for his "Starry Night". The Van Gogh exhibition includes 40 works, mostly landscapes, with a focus on those informed by Japanese painting techniques. It's recommended that you purchase a joint ticket to see both exhibits, although if you prefer to see only one, you can buy a ticket for one or the other.
Location: Pinacotheque de Paris
28 place de la Madeleine
Metro: Madeleine or Opera
When: Through March 17th, 2013.
- Trompe l'oeil (Tricking the Eye)
A show which opened last month at Paris's Arts Décoratifs museum celebrates the "trompe l'oeil" technique and the complex art of deception. The exhibit features over 400 works, from paintings and sculpture to textiles, highlighting techniques of trickery originating in ancient Greece.
Location: Musee des arts decoratifs
107 rue de Rivoli,1st arrondissement
Metro: Louvre-Rivoli or Palais Royal
Tel: +33 (0)144 55 57 50
When: Through November 2013
Visit the official website
Read our full review here
- The Michael Warner Collection
The Modern Art Museum of the City of Paris is also hosting an exhibit showing the holdings of one of the twentieth century's most extraordinary collectors, bringing together over 900 paintings and other works from artists including Yves Klein, Francis Picabia, Otto Dix or André Derain. The show offers fascinating perspective on the evolution of several major 20th century schools of painting and sculpture, including the "Paris School".
When: Through March 3rd, 2013.
Where: Centre Georges Pompidou
