France is always working to show off its rich heritage in innovative ways. You’ll see some impressive changes this year.
The big news in Paris is that the extensive makeover of the Picasso Museum, which has been going on for several years, is nearing completion. The museum, which will reopen this year, is home to the world’s largest collection of works by Pablo Picasso, representing the full range of the artist’s many styles (check musee-picasso.fr for the latest news).
Also in Paris, the Rodin Museum will stay open, though some rooms will close from time to time while renovation continues through 2015. On the plus side, visitors can enjoy some rarely displayed pieces and temporary exhibits (included in the ticket price). The museum’s gardens — one of Paris’s best deals at only one euro — also remain open.
Online reservations for the Eiffel Tower, notorious for its lines, are easy if you book at least a month in advance. You can print out a paper ticket, or have the ticket sent to your mobile phone. An attendant scans the bar code on your phone, and voilà, you’re on your way up.
St. Sulpice Church is no longer allowing visits to its massive pipe organ due to space constraints. However, the church’s superb organ recitals continue as usual.
Paris is going green. The Left Bank expressway from near the Orsay Museum to the Pont de l’Alma is being converted to a pedestrian promenade and riverside park, and should be completed in 2014. Modelled on the city’s popular Velib self-serve bike rentals, the Autolib’s electric-car program, which allows users to pick up a car in one place and drop in another, has been a huge success.
In Arles, the new Fondation Van Gogh facility is the talk of the town, as it is rumoured that several original Van Gogh paintings will accompany its opening in early 2014 at Hotel Leautaud de Donines. The restoration of the city’s Roman Arena (amphitheatre) is now complete, but the Arlaten Folk Museum remains closed until 2015.
France’s second city, Marseille, is still undergoing a massive $5.2-billion facelift as part of its designation as a European Capital of Culture for 2013. The pedestrian zone around the Old Port was redesigned — it’s now as wide as the Champs-Elysees — and a new tramway system is up and running.
In Nice, construction on the green parkway La Coulée Verte continues. When completed, the 30-acre parkway will extend from the sea through Place Massena to the Museum of Modern Art, carving a swath for biking and walking through the centre of Nice.
In the Dordogne region, the prehistoric cave-painting sight Grotte de Font-de-Gaume currently is not taking reservations and is admitting just 80 people a day. Some visitors are camping out overnight to get a ticket. I recommend getting there by 7:30 a.m. — the ticket booth opens at 9:30 a.m. At the Lascaux II cave, reservations are strongly recommended for July and August, and are accepted only three to four days in advance. You can reserve tickets via the website farther ahead for other months. Of the prehistoric sights in the region, only the Lascaux II, Pech Merle and (in July and August) Abri du Cap Blanc caves take reservations — for all others it is first-come, first-served.
In Normandy, June 6 will mark the 70th anniversary of the landings of the Allies on French soil during the Second World War. There will be commemorations around this date, so anyone planning a Normandy trip near the anniversary will need to book now. New at the Caen Memorial Museum is the restoration of German Gen. Wilhelm Richter’s command bunker next door.
At Mont St-Michel, 2014 is the last year for the causeway that tourists have used for more than 100 years. It is slated to be demolished by 2015. Restoration of the island’s ramparts may block some island walkways.
In Bayeux, the MAHB (Musee d’Art et d’Histoire Baron Gerard) has reopened, offering a modest review of European art and history in what was once the Bayeux bishop’s palace. Bayeux’s three main museums — the Bayeux Tapestry, Battle of Normandy Memorial Museum and MAHB — offer combo-tickets that will save visitors money if they plan to see more than one sight.
As 2014 marks the centennial of the outbreak of the First World War, all will not be quiet on the Western Front. First World War buffs will find plenty of special exhibits and a surge in activity at many sites in commemoration of the battles.
Boasting a startling wealth of historic sights, art museums and cultural icons, France is a mecca for travellers. From its prehistoric caves to its progressive cities, it’s a rewarding destination any year.
Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts a travel show on KCTS Seattle. Email him at [email protected] and follow his blog on Facebook.
