What more can we do alongside enjoying the Olympic Games in France?

The modern Olympic Games are the most important international sporting events, involving summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of competitors from all over the world compete in a range of activities. This year, the Games are taking place in Paris, France.

By the way, France is a haven for art enthusiasts, with a plethora of cultural events. It offers numerous possibilities to immerse oneself in its rich cultural past, including major museums and modern galleries, historic locations, and dynamic street art scenes. Whether you visit renowned institutions like the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay, tour artists’ studios, or attend art festivals, France’s broad and lively art scene is sure to captivate and inspire.

Visit Iconic Museums

Explore renowned museums such as the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Centre Pompidou, and Musée Rodin to see masterpieces from various art movements.

The building of the Louvre itself – the Louvre Palace – has a history as compelling as the works housed inside it. Originally a fortress built in 12th-century France, the building received numerous extensions, leading to it becoming the French Royal Palace. Its role as royal residence diminished upon the Royal Family and Court’s quitting of the Palace in favour of the luxurious Versailles Palace, the decision was made to utilise the residence instead for the purposes of displaying the art collection of the Royal Family. The period of the French Revolution proved to be not only a time for change for the country of France, but also for the Musée du Louvre, as it was given the office of public museum.

The Lourve, France — The Lourve (Credit: The Lourve website)

Although the museum opened with a mere 537 paintings in 1793, the collection increased greatly under the rule of Napoleon. After Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo, the museum returned many of the artworks, which had been seized by the Napoleonic Army, to the original owners. The rules of Louis XVIII and Charles X, as well as the period of the Second French Empire increased the museum’s collection again, as it gained over 20,000 works of art.

Jacques-Louis David, The Oath of the Horatii, 1784, Activities alongside Olympic in France — **Jacques-Louis David**, *The Oath of the Horatii*, 1784. Oil on canvas, 330 x 425 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris.

Egyptian, Near Eastern, Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities, Islamic Art, Sculpture, Decorative Arts, Paintings, Prints and Drawings are the main departments that are curated in the Louvre. The large variety of the collection, in addition to the fame of the museum itself, may account for the large number of visitors that the museum receives – about 15,000 each day.

Explore Art Galleries

Wander through contemporary art galleries in Parisian neighborhoods like the Marais and Saint-Germain-des-Prés, showcasing modern and emerging artists.

The Marais, France — The map of the Marais

Le Marais (the Marais) is a historic area of Paris, France. It covers parts of the 3rd and 4th arrondissements along the Seine’s Rive Droite, or Right Bank. It was formerly an aristocratic district and now has numerous historic and architecturally significant structures. It lost its reputation as a fashionable district in the late 18th century, and only small nobles lived there. Following the French Revolution, the neighborhood fell into disrepair and was abandoned by the nobles. After a lengthy period of degradation, the region has been transformed in recent years and is now one of Paris’ most attractive neighborhoods, famed for its art galleries, luxury restaurants, and museums.

Interior of Saint-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais Church

Tour Historic Sites

Visit historical landmarks like the Palace of Versailles, with its stunning art collections and opulent architecture, and the Château de Fontainebleau.

The Palace of Versailles is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about 19 kilometers (12 mi) west of Paris, France.

Palace of Versailles, France — Palace of Versailles (Credit: Condé Nast Traveller)

The palace is owned by the government of France and since 1995 has been managed, under the direction of the French Ministry of Culture, by the Public Establishment of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles. About 15,000,000 people visit the palace, park, or gardens of Versailles every year, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.

Eugène Delacroix, The Battle of Taillebourg, Activities alongside Olympic in France — **Eugène Delacroix**, *The Battle of Taillebourg*, 1242. Oil on canvas, 489 × 554 cm. Palace of Versailles

The palace and park were designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979 for its importance as the center of power, art, and science in France during the 17th and 18th centuries. The French Ministry of Culture has placed the palace, its gardens, and some of its subsidiary structures on its list of culturally significant monuments.

Attend Art Exhibitions

Check out temporary exhibitions at major cultural venues like the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais, which host a variety of art shows.

Grand Palais, France — The Grand Palais des Champs-Élysées (Credit: Olympic Games, France)

The Grand Palais des Champs-Élysées is a historic site, exhibition hall and museum complex located at the Champs-Élysées in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France. Construction of the Grand Palais began in 1897 following the demolition of the Palais de l’Industrie (Palace of Industry) to prepare for the Universal Exposition of 1900. That exposition also produced the adjacent Petit Palais and Pont Alexandre III.