The Gehry architecture
Twelve glass sails above a stepped water cascade — the most important Paris building of this century, worth a full circuit before entering.
Guilhem Vellut from Paris, France — CC BY 2.0 · Romainbehar — CC0 · Rémih — CC BY-SA 4.0
For lovers of modern art and architecture: unhesitatingly yes — a full half-day with the garden. Otherwise, the central museums deserve a first visit's time more.
One of Paris's most successful family formulas: two hours of art, then the Jardin d'Acclimatation's heritage rides and animals — the combined ticket rounds the day for all ages.
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At the edge of the Bois de Boulogne floats Frank Gehry's glass ship: twelve "sails" of 3,600 curved panels, no two alike, over a white body the architect calls the iceberg. Since opening in 2014, the Fondation Louis Vuitton has become the leading modern-and-contemporary art address in Paris — and the building itself is half the reason to come. The interior changes with the programme: monumental retrospectives assembling works never otherwise seen together — from the pioneers of modernism to contemporary stars — plus the permanent collection rotating through eleven galleries. On the terraces between the sails you walk timber decks with views to La Défense and the distant Eiffel Tower. Getting there is part of the outing: the Fondation's electric shuttle leaves every few minutes from near the Arc de Triomphe, or take the metro to Les Sablons and a short walk through the adjoining Jardin d'Acclimatation — whose heritage funfair makes the perfect family finish after the museum.
Twelve glass sails above a stepped water cascade — the most important Paris building of this century, worth a full circuit before entering.
World collections assembled once per show — check your season's programme; some of its exhibitions have set Paris attendance records.
Timber walks between glass and sky with La Défense views — climb up just before sunset for the building at its best.
Bois de Boulogne, 75116 Paris