When we talk about the City of Light, we think about its rich and fascinating history, its numerous monuments and cultural places, or the beauty of its architecture. Nevertheless, the French capital is also a reference in the world culinary scene. For this reason, the Conciergerie invites you to discover Paris from the perspective of gastronomy in its exhibition “Paris, Capital of Gastronomy”.
You can discover or rediscover works from several French cultural sites, such as the Louvre Museum, the BnF, the Carnavalet Museum, the Château de Fontainebleau, as well as from some private collections.
The tour is divided into five sections that will allow you to dive into the history of gastronomy in Paris. The first section, “Paris Receives”, focuses on the political role of Paris in the promotion of French gastronomy outside of France. Indeed, it is from the capital that the international reputation of French gastronomy has been built over the years.
The title of the second section is “The Belly of Paris”, a reference to the famous book by Emile Zola about the reputation of Paris as a city of great appetite.
The tour continues with “The restaurant, a capital invention”. Here, we tell the story of the invention of the restaurant, from the Palais Royal to the grand boulevards, from the great tables to the small bistros, from the bouillons to the places that still maintain their prestige today.
And how can we forget bread and pastries, which attract thousands of tourists from all over the world? The fourth part of the exhibition, “Bread and pastries, Paris in the spotlight”, presents the capital's sweet must-haves, such as the croissant, the macaroon, the Paris-Brest, and of course the irresistible baguette!
But would this gastronomic wealth have been possible without influences from elsewhere? This is the final question of the exhibition, which ends with the section “Paris, land of affluence and influences”. The many exchanges that have taken place in Paris throughout its history have been a fertile ground for creativity and novelty.
As you can see, “Paris, Capital of Gastronomy” is a golden opportunity to discover Paris from another angle and to reconcile history and gastronomy!
Until July 16, 2023. Every day from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., last admission at 5 p.m. Saturday night until 8 pm, last access at 7 pm.
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