Paris Tourism 2.0 and Beyond

(Aug 18, 2023) For the typical Paris tourist, there is a certain point at which one will have visited and experienced all of the obvious, main attractions -- the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Notre Dame, the Sacré Coeur. In a general sense, we could call this Paris Tourism 1.0.

So, what about those of us who have surpassed that entry level and wish to take a deeper dive into exploring this amazing metropolis? I suppose the next level, Paris Tourism 2.0, would include sites such as the Orsay Museum, the Sainte Chapelle, the Arc de Triomphe, Père Lachaise Cemetery, and the Luxembourg Gardens. But having visited Paris many times now, what I have learned is that you really cannot fathom the richness of it – you could peel back layer after layer of historical, artistic and cultural wonders over the span of a lifetime, and still there would be more to see and do.

Case in point, today we have tickets to see The Al Thani Collection of more than “70 Masterpieces of Medieval Art,” from London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, at the Hôtel de la Marine. In recent years – especially since obtaining our share in a 14th century building in the Marais -- I’ve developed more of an interest in the Middle Ages, so I really liked the sound of this exhibit. While I had never heard of the Hôtel de la Marine, I learned that it was located right on the Place de la Concorde, in the heart of central Paris. Bob and I decide this will make for a pleasant stroll up the Rue de Rivoli, past the Louvre and the Tuileries Gardens.

The Place de la Concorde, originally Place Louis XV, was designed and developed in the mid-18th century for, you guessed it, King Louis XV. Today, this broad, blocks-long plaza with its busy traffic circle, is also distinguished by the ancient Luxor Obelisk, gifted to the city of Paris in 1830 by the ruler of Ottoman Egypt. Another distinguishing feature, at least during the warmer months, is a large, looming Ferris wheel, no doubt providing priceless views of the city.

We enter the museum at the Hôtel de la Marine, sleek audio guide headphones at the ready, through sliding doors that open into a dark lobby whose walls and ceiling are festooned with countless golden, butterfly-shaped ornaments and strings of ornamental lights. Instantly, the mood is set; the visitor prepares for something exotic and unique. This lobby area is encircled by several glass cases each containing individual, spotlit artifacts.

We then step into a long corridor that is full of more of these marvelous pieces, gathered from all over the world, from simple, elegant stone sculptures, to richly decorated woven priestly cloaks to brilliantly ornate, bejeweled royal portraits.

After completing the museum visit, we follow signs that lead us into the halls of the Hôtel de la Marine and realize that our entry ticket entitles us to a visit here as well. Immediately upon stepping into these rooms, we are stunned to discover a beauty and opulence to easily rival that of Versailles. One room contains several of the most ornate chandeliers I have ever seen. What’s more, my mind boggles at the fact that there are so few other visitors here. How have I never heard of this place before?

We learn that, since the days of King Louis XV, this building functioned as the Garde-Meuble Royal, basically a very beautiful, very opulent warehouse for the maintenance and storage of all of the furniture and furnishings, the works of art, the arms and armaments belonging to the king throughout all of his palaces. It even included the maintenance and security of the diamonds of the king’s crown. This institution operated without incident, in all its royal glory, until 1789, when rebels broke in and seized arms to aid in what would become the French Revolution. A few years later, another break-in resulted in the theft of the royal crown jewels and marked the final days of the Garde-Meuble Royal.

At the onset of the revolution, administrators of King Louis XVI from the Ministry of the Navy would stake a claim to rooms here for themselves and their officials. As a result of this decisive move, the Ministry of the Navy would function in this building, eventually renamed the Hôtel de la Marine, until 2015, when it was made a national monument. (https://www.hotel-de-la-marine.paris/en/discover/history-of-the-hotel-de-la-marine)

Our delightful discovery of the Hôtel de la Marine today just confirms to me that I’ll never see it all, I’ll never fail to be surprised and impressed by its endless revelations, and I’ll never stop being an eager student of this beautiful city.