Paris is a city renowned for its culture, architecture, art, science and cuisine, making it a wonderful place to visit if you want to learn about a whole range of fields. You can explore everything from museums to cookery classes during your stay – but where are the top places to discover something new?
Here are just a few suggestions if you”re after an educational trip to Paris.
Cite des Sciences et de l”Industrie
Avenue Corentin Cariou – 19th Arrondissement
This complex in Paris has the honour of being the largest science museum in Europe, so you”re pretty much guaranteed to learn something new as you wander around this vast centre. As well as permanent exhibitions relating to the history of the universe, light and mathematics, among other things, there is a planetarium, an IMAX theatre and a variety of temporary displays.
Lectures, workshops and forums are all hosted regularly at the museum, so check to see what”s going on before you travel if you”re particularly interested in the world of science.
Marian Goodman Gallery
Rue du Temple – 3rd Arrondissement
Having opened in 1995, this is definitely not one of the old established Parisian art galleries – but you”ll still learn a lot on a visit here. The original Marian Goodman Gallery can be found in New York, and it was set up to help introduce European art to the US. What makes this gallery really stand out is the amount of information available about the artists whose work you”ll see, with Dan Graham, William Kentridge and Giuseppe Penone among those to have exhibited here.
In the main gallery on the ground floor, you can peruse
the exhibitions and then head into the basement space to watch videos about or featuring the artists on display.
Le Cordon Bleu cookery school
Rue Leon Delhomme – 15th Arrondissement
If you want to learn the finer points of French cooking, you won”t find anywhere better than Le Cordon Bleu. The establishment has been training chefs for over 100 years and it now offers a host of short courses designed for foodies on a break in Paris.
You can choose to spend a few hours with the masters learning how to make the perfect macaroon or how to decide on the ideal wine to complement your dinner. Alternatively, you can spend longer in your accommodation in Paris and sign up for a course lasting several days, which will allow you to hone your bread baking skills, learn the secret to making delicious pastries or discover how to create a range of sauces.
Stade de France
Saint-Denis
You may not initially consider a stadium to be an educational place, but think again. If you”re a fan of sports, make the trip outside the centre of the city to spend an afternoon
marvelling at this impressive venue. As well as seeing the arena where countless rugby and football matches have been played, in addition to international athletics tournaments, you can take the guided tour to get behind the scenes and view the range of memorabilia in its museum.
Musee des Egouts
Quai d”Orsay – 7th Arrondissement
Exploring Paris”s sewers probably isn”t the first thing you”d think of doing when you arrive in the city, but a trip underground will allow you to learn more about one of the most complex sewer systems in the world. You can find out about engineering, public works and the history of the city”s development by exploring the tunnels both on foot and by boat.