Henri Cartier-Bresson at the Musée Carnavalet
Paintings, sculptures, furniture, woodwork, decorative objects, shop signs, photographs, drawings, engravings, posters, medals, coins, archaeological collections… in all, the Musée Carnavalet counts close to 615,000 pieces (exhibited in rotation), which makes it one of France’s most important museums. Located in the adjacent Hôtels Carnavalet and Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau, in the heart of the Marais, this institution dedicated to the history of Paris has just emerged from extensive renovations, both architectural and museographic, that lasted nearly four years. For its reopening, the museum teamed up with the Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson to mount an exhibition highlighting the importance of Paris in the celebrated photographer’s life and work. A witness to such historic moments as the Liberation of Paris in August 1944 and the civil unrest of May 1968, Henri Cartier-Bresson also appears as an inveterate flâneur drawn to the Seine and scenes of everyday life in the French capital.
Henri Cartier-Bresson – Revoir Paris, until October 31st, 2021. Musée Carnavalet, 23 Rue de Sévigné, 75003 Paris, https://www.carnavalet.paris.fr
Tried and True Lifestyle Addresses
A Gourmet Burger by Bernard Dubois at PNY
Third time’s the charm: For the Paris-New York chain of restaurants, the Belgian architect Bernard Dubois once again offers a space done entirely in woodwork. Dedicated to gourmet takes on the burger, this new address brings a retro tone to the Rue Sainte-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie. True to form, Dubois revisits the familiar codes of the American diner, pairing ivory banquettes with a succession of dark wood arches and an Eighties-style bar in chrome. Sleek seats designed especially for this setting reinforce a minimalist aesthetic — an ideal backdrop for a Crispy chicken burger or a Vintage Cheeseburger.
PNY, 10 Rue Sainte-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie, 75004 Paris, http://www.pnyburger.com
Coffee at Sookie, a Design Hotel by Dorothée Delaye
Nestled in the historic heart of the Upper Marais, the Hôtel Sookie was brought to life with a design-forward retro spirit by interior decorator Dorothée Delaye. Aside from its 31 rooms, the hotel counts a pared-back coffee shop on the ground floor. Here, customers may order a freshly torrefied, fair-trade Lanni coffee to go with a chocolate babka, granola with fresh fruit, or avocado toast. “I wanted to expand the space with spare lines, windows with frosted glass and old-fashioned mirrors,” the designer notes, pointing to the use of natural materials such as wood, bamboo, rattan, and stone.
Sookie, 2 bis Rue Commines, 75003 Paris, http://www.hotelsookie.com
