France, formerly Gaul, is a jewel of history, art and culture that has nothing to envy other countries in the world. To preserve and present the rich artistic and cultural heritage of France and Europe, the country is home to many museums. Some of them are not to be missed, so let’s discover them here.
Their collections are exceptional and their buildings are majestic. The museums dotted around France are internationally renowned. Although most of them are concentrated in the capital, some stand out in certain provincial towns.
Paris museums
First and foremost is the Louvre. A historic monument and the world’s largest museum, it houses thousands of works of art. Some are canonical, such as Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” and the marble statue of the Greek goddess Aphrodite entitled “La Venus de Milo”.
Housed in a former railway station in Paris’s 7th arrondissement, the Musée d’Orsay is renowned for its rich collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art. Visitors can discover the wonders of painting and sculpture by Édouard Manet, Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas and Claude Monet.
Recognisable by its unique and legendary architecture in the heart of Paris, the Centre Pompidou – Beaubourg – houses Europe’s leading collection of modern and contemporary art. It is a multi-disciplinary venue that offers not only art exhibitions, but also shows, debates and activities for children.
Located a few kilometres from Paris (in the Yvelines department), the Château de Versailles is the emblem of French royalty. It was the residence of kings Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI. While the château is famous for its sumptuous gardens and royal architecture, it is also home to works of art, furniture and artefacts dating from the pre-revolutionary period (1789).
Provincial museums
Head for the city of Lyon to visit the Musée des Beaux-Arts. It is housed in a magnificent 17th-century abbey in the heart of Lyon’s peninsula. The museum has one of the largest art collections in France, ranging from Antiquity to the modern era.
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Further north, in Strasbourg, is the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. Its building is organised around a large glass nave and houses a vast art collection. It includes works by Gustave Doré, including “Christ Leaving the Praetorium” (1867-1872), as well as Victor Brauner and Jean Arp.
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The Matisse Museum is located in Nice, a coastal town on the Côte d’Azur. Housed in a 17th-century Genoese villa, it is dedicated to the French painter Henri Matisse. It houses an impressive collection of his works (paintings, sculptures and drawings), tracing his career and development from his earliest beginnings to his most recent works.
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