Musée
Carnavalet
History of Paris
Musee Carnavalet : 23 Rue
de Sévigné, 75004. Metro: Saint Paul. Tel.
01-44-59-58-58. Open every
day except Monday and Holidays.
The
Carnavalet Museum is located in the heart of the historical Marais, at
the angle of the street of the Francs-Bourgeois and the street of
Sévigné. It represents one of the prettiest
cultural walks of Paris by the number of its masterpieces of
curiosity. Moreover, this museum is entirely free and is
addressed to all public. It occupies two sumptuous private
mansions Renaissance whose Carnavalet hotel built in 1548 but
modernized in its time by François Mansart and in which lived
Madame de Sévigné. Just beside, the hotel Peletier
de Saint-Fargeau houses the relics of the prehistory of Paris until the
Gallo-Roman time. This museum deals entirely with the history of
Paris from the orgine to the Belle Epoque with the beginning of the
XXème century. Room after room, the history of the city
tells the times and the centuries, according to paintings, flags,
signs, models, photographs of Atget, of Brassaï or Doisneau among
many other, strange objects such as the street signs of the old
disappeared trades, the keys of the Bastille or the first declarations
of the rights of man posted in the streets after the Revolution.
Another treasure : the last letter written by Robespierre, a few
seconds before its arrest, still tried of its blood and on which its
unfinished signature just lets see a R.... Rooms 19 and 20
preserved ceilings painted by Charles the Brown one. After having
finished the visit, it is possible to rest in the style French gardens
inside the Hotel.