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This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s guide to Paris
Palais de la Porte Dorée
293 Avenue Daumesnil, 75012 Paris
One of my childhood memories is visiting the Palais de la Porte Dorée with my father — more specifically, its aquarium, where I would marvel at crocodiles and a kaleidoscopic array of fish. Built for the 1931 Exposition Coloniale and located in the 12th arrondissement near the Bois de Vincennes, it used to be France’s colonial museum, which explains its exotic architecture and decor. It now houses the Musée National de l’Histoire de l’Immigration (National Museum of Immigration History), celebrating immigration’s contribution to and importance for France. Should you be hungry after your visit, head to the Foire du Trône, a nearby amusement park, for some fries — and if you’re in the mood, a rollercoaster ride. Website; Directions
Musée de la Contrefaçon (Museum of Counterfeiting)
16 Rue de la Faisanderie, 75116 Paris
This unusual museum was founded in the early 20th century by the Union des Fabricants, an association of manufacturers who were tired of seeing their products counterfeited. Located in the chic 16th arrondissement, it’s a cabinet of curiosities dedicated to fakes and counterfeits of all sorts — fake Cartier socks, fake cosmetics and condoms, fake car parts . . . It’s a unique place where one can witness not only the inventiveness of the human spirit, but also the desirability of major brands. As it is on the edge of the Bois de Boulogne, take a walk through this beautiful park and go all in by lunching at Le Pré Catelan, a legendary three-Michelin-starred shrine to French gastronomy. Website; Directions
Le Silo — Collection Billarant
3 Route de Bréançon, 95640 Marines
I first heard about collectors Françoise et Jean-Philippe Billarant while collaborating on an exhibition of works by the artist Niele Toroni at the Swiss Institute in New York. He is a friend of the Billarants and told me about Le Silo. When I moved to Paris, I wanted to go see this unusual place — a former grain silo converted into an exhibition space for minimal and conceptual art — and met this charming, passionate artistic couple. Right there, I understood what a collection anchored in friendship was. The Billarants personally know almost all the artists they collect — Richard Serra, Véronique Joumard, and the late Fred Sandback. You have to book an appointment to visit but you’ll be welcomed by the collectors themselves. To reach it by public transport, you’ll have to take a train from the Gare Saint-Lazare; grab a sandwich at one of France’s most iconic bakery chains, Brioche Dorée. It’s like Pret A Manger, but somewhat less ambitious. Website; Directions
Musée Bourdelle
18 Rue Antoine Bourdelle, 75015 Paris
Truly one of my favourite museums. Managed by the City of Paris, it is dedicated to the work of sculptor Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1929) and is in his former studio. Bourdelle’s practice was both epic and heroic: he created sculptures of horses, heroes, centaurs, knights, goddesses . . . Visiting this place is quite an experience; it’s like a moment frozen in time. For lunch, I recommend Le Duc, one of the oldest fish restaurants in Paris. Allegedly, salmon tartare was invented there. Former guests include Marianne Faithfull, Alain Delon, Mick Jagger — in fact, they all went to Le Duc together. A place of legends! Website; Directions
Le Crédac
La Manufacture des Oeillets, 1 Place Pierre Gosnat, 94200 Ivry-sur-Seine
Le Crédac is a small, avant-garde exhibition space in Ivry-sur-Seine, on the edge of Paris. Its singular programme reflects the vision of its director, Claire Le Restif; shows by the likes of sculptor Alexandra Bircken and photographer Jochen Lempert have been held there. Le Crédac is very involved in supporting young artists and conscious of the role it plays locally, making a real effort to implicate Ivry’s population. A real hub for artistic freedom and experimentation, it’s also an institution that contributes to the undoing of clichés people may still have about Paris’s banlieues, which are increasingly dense with exciting cultural initiatives. (It is closed for the summer and will reopen in late September.) Website; Directions
Le Cyclop
Le Bois des Pauvres, 91490 Milly-la-Forêt
More than a museum, this is a destination. Le Cyclop is a monumental sculpture by Jean Tinguely that he created in collaboration with fellow artists, including his wife Niki de Saint Phalle and Daniel Spoerri, between 1969 and 1994. (Tinguely died in 1991, and de Saint Phalle brought the work to completion.) Covered in mirrored tiles, it represents a face with a single eye sticking out a humongous tongue that is also a slide. “Le Cyclop” can be found in the woods of Milly-la-Forêt, about an hour’s drive from central Paris; the environment certainly contributes to its charm. Website; Directions
Musée des Moulages at Hôpital Saint-Louis (Museum of Medical Waxworks at St Louis Hospital)
1 Avenue Claude Vellefaux, 75010 Paris
Located in the grounds of a hospital, this museum used to be accessible to students only. I discovered it because I studied the history of medicine before entering the art world. It houses one of the largest collections of casts taken from skin-related pathologies in the world — almost 5,000. Most of them were created by Jules Baretta, an artist who had initially developed a method to cast fruit, which bore the advantage of precisely representing uneven surfaces — a perfect match for dermatology. I feel like I took the same route as Baretta, but in the opposite direction: I was an aspiring historian of medicine who ended up in the art world, and he was an unsuccessful artist who ended up in medicine. If you’re still in the mood for a meal after your visit, I suggest Le Cadoret on Rue Pradier — a charming neo-bistro offering delicious and affordable options. Website; Directions
Clément Delépine is the director of Art Basel Paris, which will be held at the Grand Palais from October 18 to 20
Tell us about your favourite Paris museums in the comments below. And follow FT Globetrotter on Instagram at @FTGlobetrotter
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