There’s no better place than the City of Light in warmer weather.
Paris is buzzing this spring and summer with a calendar of cultural events that may be worth making a special trip for. Here are five of our top picks.
Calder Rêver en Equilibre at the Louis Vuitton Foundation
Richard Nahem
Filling the entire premises of the enormous Louis Vuitton Foundation, with over 10,000 square feet on four floors, a major retrospective of American artist and sculptor Alexander Calder is taking center stage. Calder, Rêver en Equilibre/Dreaming in Balance, displays over 300 works in chronological order including his iconic mobiles and kinetic sculptures, jewelry, paintings, and drawings. A highlight of the exhibit is Cirque Calder, his masterpiece of a series of small, wire sculptures inspired by the circus, which he created in Paris from 1926 to 1931. The exhibit also marks two significant milestones, the centenary of Alexander Calder’s arrival in France in 1926 and the 50th year after his death.
Until August 16, 2026
8 Av. du Mahatma Gandhi, 75116 Paris
Matisse 1941-1954
Richard Nahem
In 1941, Henri Matisse, almost died from a rare form of cancer, leaving him bedridden for three months, and later confined to a wheelchair. Despite his physical restrictions, he miraculously had a prolific output of hundreds of new works in the last 14 years of his life until he died in 1954 at the age of 84. Celebrating Matisse’s creative streak, the Grand Palais is presenting an extensive exhibition of over 300 works including paintings, drawings, cut-out gouaches, illustrated books, textiles and stained glass.
Until July 14, 2026
Grand Palais 17 Ave. du General Eisenhower, 75008
La Vie Parisienne
A hit musical from 1866, La Vie Parisienne, first performed at the Palais Royal theatre, is having a major revival. The lighthearted show is about the daily life of carefree Parisiens enjoying the pleasures of life during the Second Empire, a rich period of culture and innovation. The cast includes actors from the prestigious troupe from the Comedie- Francaise Theatre.
June 12 to July 11, 2026
Chatelet Theater
1 Place du Chatelet, 75001
Renoir And Love: A Joyful Modernity (1865-1885)
Beloved French painter Pierre Auguste Renoir was one of the foremost painters of the Impressionism movement started by Monet in the late 19th century. A new retrospective focuses on Renoir’s paintings between the 1860s and 1880s and depicts the relationships between women and men in social settings such as restaurants, dance halls, theaters, boulevards, and gardens throughout Paris.
Until July 19, 2026
Musée D’Orsay Esplanade Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, 75007 Paris
Fashion in the 18th Century
Richard Nahem
Palais Galliera, a former private palace from the 1800s, is now the official fashion museum of Paris. Their latest exhibition, Fashion in the 18th Century A Fantasized Legacy, focuses on the fashion design, fabrics, silhouettes, and accessories from the Second Empire of France in the late 18th century. An entire room is devoted to modern day interpretations of the period with designers and fashion houses such as Chanel, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Christian Lacroix, Vivienne Westwood, and Dries van Noten. A standout of the exhibit is one of the original corsets worn by Marie Antoinette.
Until July 12, 2026
Palais Galliera 10, Avenue Pierre Ier de Serbie 75116
https://www.palaisgalliera.paris.fr/en/exhibitions/fashion-18th-century-fantasized-legacy
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