London – Paris Art & Architecture Program Paris Activity Guide Summer 2012 Boston University Paris 3 bis, rue Jean Pierre-Bloch, 75015 Paris tel. 01 45 66 59 49 www.bu.edu/paris Photo: http://www.johnchiappone.com/hum_chapter3.html Walk and evening in the Arènes de Lutèce Discover the most important remains of the Gallo-Roman era hidden within the Latin Quarter. Constructed in the first century AD, this amphitheater was the showcase for gladiators and fights. Now, it is a public park with ample seating for picnics and an ideal terrain for playing pétanque (French version of bocce). Enjoy a picnic in the sun while also discovering some treats of French cuisine. RDV: Monday 18 June, 18h30. Métro Cardinal Lemoine (line 10). Bring a sandwich or other picnic dinner. We'll start with a walk up rue Mouffetard where you can buy a dessert or other treat, and picnic in the Arènes de Lutèce, to last as long as there are people (but count on about an hour). Cost: Cost of your own food (plan on 5-10 euros depending). “Re-architecture” at the Pavillon de l'Arsenal Take a guided visit of the Pavillon de l'Arsenal, where you will experience the Paris of today and the Paris of tomorrow. The permanent exhibit, “Paris and its evolution”, presents the architectural history of Paris from the beginning to the end of the 20th century. The current temporary exhibit, “Re- architecture” displays the proposals of 15 different up-and-coming European architects in various world cities and the effects of these projects on urban life. RDV: Tuesday 19 June, 14h. Main entrance. Métro Bastille (lines 1, 5, 7, 8) Cost: Free. Medieval Art at the Musée de Cluny, and the Roman Baths The National Museum of the Middle Ages is housed in the old hôtel of the Abbots of Cluny, where construction began in 1334 and was then rebuilt between 1485 and 1510. The building itself is a combination of Gothic and Renaissance architecture, and the museum collection contains the six tapestries of “La Dame à la licorne” (The Lady and the Unicorn), considered one of the most important works of medieval art. The building which houses the museum is also built upon the ruins of gallo-roman baths, which you can also visit. RDV: Wednesday 20 June, 14h, Front entrance to museum, inside courtyard. Métro Cluny La Sorbonne or Saint-Michel (lines 10 or 4). Cost: Free for under 26 (bring your ID/proof of age) Château of Ecouen and the National Museum of Renaissance Art The castle, built between 1538-1550 by Anne de Montmorencey, is one of the first-thought uses of the giant order by architect Jean Bullant. Aside from its architectural importance, the castle now houses the National Renaissance Museum, the only museum in France dedicated solely to Renaissance art. Using artwork from the Musée de Cluny collection, it is a unique opportunity to see artwork and historical context coincide. Amongst its many works, the most famous piece is a set of tapestries telling the story of David and Bathsheba. A walk and lunch in the quaint village of Ecouen will complete this time travel back to the Renaissance. RDV: Friday, 22 June, 10h, Gare du Nord station. Return to Paris by 16h-17h. Cost: R/T train ticket 8E. Free admission for under 26. Bring/buy your lunch. Le Louvre: Painting during the Ancien Régime Go on a guided visit of the Louvre and learn about painting under the Ancien Régime. The monarchy not only had the power to create and enfore laws, but was a significant force in every aspect of life, including the arts. On this visit, hear how François Ier was a real patron of the arts, and discuss the influence of Louis XIV, the Sun King, on art during his reign. Recognize the inescapable power of the French monarchy and how it shaped the world of painting for centuries. RDV: Monday 25 June, 14h. Carrousel du Louvre entrance to Museum; take metro to Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre (lines 1 & 7) and follow underground entrance. Students are encouraged to attend guided visit (approx. 1 hour) and then continue with an unaccompanied visit. Cost: 10E museum admission. The Catacombs Discover underground Paris, literally! Underneath the City of Lights are the Catacombs, miles of winding tunnels, formerly the stone quarries that provided the unified colored limestone that you see in most of old Paris construction, now lined with the bones of centuries ago. Overcrowded cemeteries within the city limits became a health hazard, and remains were moved into these tunnels beginning in the late 18th century. They have been a macabre tourist attraction ever since the early 18th century and are still a source on intrigue for Parisians and tourists alike. RDV: Tuesday, 26 June, 14h. Métro Denfert-Rochereau. Visit lasts about 1 hour. Cost: 4 Euro for under 26. Saint-Denis Basilica and the restorations of Viollet-le-Duc Visit the sites of one of the most well- known architects of the 19th century. Eugène Violet-le-Duc participated in the restoration of many famous Parisian monuments, like Notre-Dame de Paris, the Saint-Denis basilica, and the Château de Vincennes, to name a few. His style of architecture was far from historical – as he once stated that restoration was a “means to reestablish [a building] to a finished state, which may in fact never have actually existed at any given time.” His view of architecture, and this of history, as able to be shaped and interpreted as to create a more perfect work, was as controversial in his day as it is now. However, his view also gives great insight into the other arts and how they looked at history during the 19th century. RDV: Wednesday, 27 June, 14h30. In front of the Basilica, métro Basilique de Saint-Denis (line 13). Cost: 4E50 with student card. Château de Versailles Experience the center of 17th -century aristocracy with a visit to the Château de Versailles and the surrounding gardens. A marvel of both interior and exterior design. RDV: Friday, 29 June, 10h, at the Musée d'Orsay RER station. Plan on almost an hour to the Château, 2h each to visit the château and the gardens. Cost: R/T train ticket about 6E. 18E entry to château & gardens. Bring a picnic lunch to eat in the gardens, or plan on buying something there. “Circuler : Quand nos mouvements façonnent les villes” at the Cité de l'architecture at de patromoine At the Center for Architecture and Patrimony, discover the current exhibit “Circulate: when our movements shape our cities.” We'll look at how transportation networks shape the ways we live, work, and build our cities. RDV: Monday, 2 July, 14h, at museum entrance. Métro Trocadéro. Cost: 5E for under 26. Discovering the Paris Métro After our visit the previous day about transportation, we'll take a more hands-on aproach! The Paris métro is one of the oldest subway systems in the world, inaugurated and fully functioning in 1900. Aesthetically, many of the stations are in the Art Nouveau style, which was popular at the time period and completed by the architect Hector Guimard. However, many other stations are interesting in their right, from the tiles in Concorde, to the Jules Verne- inspired Arts et Métiers, and even the mysterious “stations fantômes”. RDV: Tuesday, 3 July, 13h30 at BU. Plan on about an hour. Cost: Free with your Navigo pass. The 104, the Parc de la Villette, and the Buttes Chaumont Discover Northeast Paris – both historic and romanticized, modern and reinvented. We'll start with a morning walk in the Buttes Chaumont, a 19th century fairy tale of a park, and still one of the most beautiful oases in the city. From there, we'll walk to the CentQuatre (104), formerly the city morgue recently transformed into an experimental, multi- purpose space for artistic creation and community. We'll have lunch in the 104's Café Caché (if we can find it!) and relax on their calm covered terrace. After, we'll continue on to the Parc de la Villette and check out its beautiful canal-side green spaces and larger-than-life art photo exhibit. RDV: Friday, 6 July, 10h at Avenue Simon Bolivar entrance to Buttes Chaumont Park. We should finish up at la Villette by 15h. Cost: Entrance is free to both parks and the 104; plan on about 10E for lunch at the Café Caché. Walk through la Défense Experience life outside of Paris proper and visit the quartier de la Défense – the financial center located just across the Seine. Not only a booming business neighborhood, La Défense is also a site where contemporary architecture and art can mix. Here, you will find American-style skyscrapers and straight, modern lines, which are often absent from downtown Paris. RDV: Monday, 9 July, 14h, métro Esplanade de la Défense (line 1), about an hour. Cost: Free Additional Information For some activities, your presence is compulsory. However, for most, it is optional. Even if activities are optional, students are encouraged to attend as many as possible. Sign-up sheets will be posted on the activity board one week before the activity. If you sign up, you must come. Much preparation goes into these activities, so be sure you can attend before signing up. Sign-up and changes in sign-ups will stop the last class day before the activity. There must be a minimum of 2 students for an activity to take place. Most activities and guided tours will last an hour, not including transportation.