The heroic Arc de Triomphe in Paris
1. We go to museums
It was one of the projects 'was Sarkozy', the gratuity of the French national museums, and although the measure ended up not affecting the most prestigious collections in its capital , ( ** D'Orsay **, Pompidou , louvre , Grand Palais ...), the permanent exhibitions of certain museums were open to the public free of charge. This is our selection :
Le Petit Palais (Avenue Winston Churchill 1, 75008) : this beautiful palace, built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900 , houses the Museum of Fine Arts with interesting collections of ancient art and works by artists such as Poussin, Doré or Courbet.
** Carnavalet Museum ** (rue de Sévigné, 23 75003) : it is a fascinating history tour of paris in a beautiful Hotel Particulier.
** Museum of Modern Art (MAM) ** (Avenue Winston Churchill 11, 75008) : Located in the east wing of the impressive tokyo palace , the MAM has housed since 1961 a collection of avant-garde art with cubist, post-cubist painters and members of the School of Paris as protagonists. The eclectic ensemble has as its star work, Matisse's 'The Ball'.
Cernuschi Museum (7 Avenue Velasquez, 75008) : located next to the monceau park , East private hotel it was built by the banker Henri Cernuschi to store his impressive asian art collection . The more than 900 works of Chinese, Korean and Japanese art they are exposed around the so-called Buddha of Meguro, an impressive bronze statue from the end of the 18th century.
House of Victor Hugo (Place des Vosges 6) - The former home of this 19th-century French writer is a true delight.
But when it comes to museums, The thing does not end here. On the first Sunday of each month you can visit the great museums ( rodin , ** D'Orsay **, picasso and the louvre among many others) totally free. Prepare yourself, yes, for the queues at the entrance.
two. I fancy a good couscous
¡ Wish granted! We do not know how this curious initiative began in the restaurant La Cordonnerie (142, Saint-Dennis) but the truth is that every thursday and saturday the restaurant offers totally free a delicious couscous based on semolina, meat and vegetables. you just have to pay for the drink a and hurry up to occupy one of the sought-after tables, much better if it is on the terrace.
Carnavalet Museum
3. A guided tourist visit Yes, it is also possible and in addition in Spanish! every day at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in front of the fountain in Place St. Michel. The company ** Sandeman's New Europe ,** the forerunner of this initiative in other European capitals, offers in Paris a two and a half hour tour with experienced guides . Of course, it is convenient at the end of the tour to give a tip to the valiant Ciceros.
And if you want to go your own way, Download an audio guide in mp3: Zevisit (in Spanish) .
Four. Even a classical music concert
Paris offers us various opportunities to enjoy classical music and without spending a single euro! At the American Church in Paris (65 Quai d'Orsay, Saturdays at 5 p.m.) and St-Merry Church (78 rue St-Martin, Saturdays at 9 pm) , magnificent concerts take place. And throughout the year, be sure to check the **free concert program of Radio France** (116, Avenue du Président Kennedy) with really interesting proposals.
5. Marching one of monuments
Point, point: Notre Dame Cathedral , ** Saint-Dennis Basilica , Sacre Coeur Basilica , Saint-Sulpice Church ** (the same as the Da Vinci Code) , ** La Madeleine ** … all for free. And from October 1 to March 31, on the first Sunday of each month you can also visit the ** Arc de Triomphe, the Pantheon, the Towers of Notre Dame and La Conciergerie.**
And finally, while you rest your aching body on a bench in the Jardin du Luxembourg or the Tuileries, you can ta-ta-chan!, connect to the internet. The call Pass Paris Wi-Fi offers the possibility of connecting to the Internet for free from gardens, libraries or museums in the city, using a laptop or mobile. Do you still think that Paris is expensive?
'The Gates of Hell' at the Musée Rodin