Paris Artists & Authors, Yesterday & Today

After settling into the elegant left bank, Hotel Le Recamier, named after Juliette Recamier, the hostess and muse of Revolutionary Paris, we’ll meet at 6pm for a welcome drink and introductions before walking to dinner at Le Recamier. 

Start your day with a relaxed breakfast at the hotel before we head out for a day full of activities and exploration. Get ready to immerse yourself in the vibrant culture and history that surrounds you. From captivating art to stunning architecture, each destination promises to offer a unique experience that will make your day truly memorable. 

Lunch is at Les Deux Musée near the Musée d'Orsay. The furniture will rival the museum's artwork. 

We'll view impressionists' art in the afternoon light of the upper floor of the Musée d’Orsay. Monet, Degas, and their friends shook the art world in their day, pulling it out of its classical realist tracks. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore the museum or spend time shopping. 

Afterward, we'll enjoy dinner at Saint Pourçain, a bistro as ordinary as it is unique, nestled along a narrow, gently sloping alley in a postcard Paris, with a few famous monuments as neighbors. 

After breakfast, we will visit painter Stephanie McKenzie, just one member of an eight-level atelier Le 100 Establishment, a community of painters and artists. 

For lunch, we'll dine at La Closerie des Lilas, a gorgeous classic. Every who's who, from Cezanne to Zola, has dined here.

After lunch, we've planned a Hemingway in Paris Walking History Tour. In the Roaring 20s, Paris was considered the world's cultural capital. Artists and writers from across the globe flocked to the city, including celebrated American writer Ernest Hemingway.

Today, our guide will take you on a journey through literary Paris with Hemingway as our guide. We'll learn about a wide range of artists, writers, and thinkers in Hemingway's circle, including Fitzgerald, Picasso, Pound, Matisse, and the inimitable Gertrude Stein. Hemingway loved the outdoors. It provided him with moments of reflection and connection to the community. Together, we will trace his path to better understand his life as a Parisian.

We are in the shadows of the great Romantic artist Éugene Delacroix, so we’ll visit his small museum in his former home and atelier, marking the final years of his life while he worked on the frescos in Saint Sulpice. Afterward, we'll visit the stunning church that holds his frescos, along with so much history. 

The rest of the night is yours. We'll give you suggestions for nearby spots that serve a casual dinner.

The Musée du Louvre was a former palace of kings that would transform into the largest museum in the world. For hundreds of years, artists have stood in the museum copying these masters. Manet, Morisot, Valadon, and many more learned how to paint from the artists who came before them. We’ll explore many of these paintings and treasures on a guided tour of the Louvre.

After soaking in the beauty of the Louvre, we’ll enjoy lunch close to the Palais Royal at the lovely Le Nemours. The restaurant is famous for its wonderful setting, delicious Croque Madame and some of the nicest servers in Paris.

After a filling lunch, we'll venture through the Jardin du Luxembourg with our very own artist, Krystal, who will teach you all the best tips and tricks for taking photos in Paris with your phone or camera. We’ll explore the gardens and hidden spots while you capture some of the over 100 statues dedicated to the artists, authors and infamous women from French history.

After a lovely day, we will head back to the hotel for a rest before meeting in the lobby to walk to dinner. Dinner tonight is at La Maison du Jardin, where we'll enjoy seasonal French cuisine. 

Today, we’ll step into Alison Grace Koehler's atelier. Alison is a poet, stained glass artist, and vibrant Parisian artistic community member. Mixing poetry into her stained glass gives it a fresh new take on the age-old art once seen only in churches and cathedrals.

For lunch, we will dine at the casual artsy French Cafe de l'Esplenade.

We'll spend the afternoon wandering the streets to our destination, Musee Rodin. The statues and historic building that houses the masterpieces will wow you.

The rest of the afternoon is yours to do as you please. Perhaps shop or browse around the Invalides. 

We'll meet in the lobby at around 5 pm to go to Shakespeare & Company, an English-language bookshop opened in 1951 in the heart of Paris. 

After exploring the bookstore, we'll walk to dinner at Otto by Eric Trochon. With its concept of small shared plates, Otto relies on an unbridled, subdued atmosphere, art direction by Ich & Kar, and attentive service that we applaud.  

After breakfast, we’ll take a stroll back in time through Montmartre to the Musée de Montmartre. Many artists lived and worked in the museum, including Renoir and Suzanne Valadon, whose studio is still intact. Walk into Valadon's life and get a glimpse into the 19th century.

From one beautiful piece of art to another, we’ll enjoy a classic French lunch at Le Moulin de la Galette. Then, you have free time in the afternoon for shopping or wandering the streets of Paris.

Our last meal will be a celebratory dinner to die for as we roll down the Seine on the famed chef Alain Ducasse’s floating restaurant. The Eiffel Tower sparkles for us as we talk about the discoveries and new memories we've made during this magical week in Paris.

“America is my country, but Paris is my home” Gertrude Stein. Paris lives on in the hearts of everyone who has visited. After a morning cafe and croissant, we bid you adieu or better still à bientôt.