Just because temperatures are flirting with the unreasonable doesn’t mean you have to stay cooped up at home. In spite of the heatwave, Paris Secret offers you the chance to spend a vibrant summer with its list of refreshing cultural spaces to continue enriching yourself in very high temperatures. Cool mode: on!
Frozen” museums: these air-conditioned cultural spaces
In the 11th arrondissement , the Atelier des Lumières offers visitors an alternative to traditional museums with its famous immersive exhibitions. Featuring aural ambience and 360-degree digital projections, this multi-sensory experience allows visitors to wander freely through an air-conditioned space with contrasting industrial decor, and immerse themselves in a variety of artistic worlds. Right now, don’t miss the exhibitions dedicated to Van Gogh and The Little Prince!
The Musée Rodin, with its beautiful garden, shady areas, Café Augustine with its lovely terrace and workshops: perfect for admiring Auguste Rodin’s colossal sculptures without breaking a sweat.
With its blue air-conditioning pipes, the Centre Pompidou is an excellent alternative for lovers of contemporary art and fresh air. On view now, and just before it closes in September for five years of renovation, is the exhibition dedicated to photographer Wolfgang Tillmans (whose superb photo was used by Frank Ocean for the cover of his album Blond).
Nestled in the 15ᵉ arrondissement, the Musée Bourdelle welcomes visitors to Antoine Bourdelle’s former studio. Under its natural air-conditioning thanks to northern skylights and high ceilings, its two lush sculpture gardens, punctuated by bronzes, all in a red brick gallery with air conditioning: this is the cool place par excellence.
TheBeaux-Arts-style Palais Galliera also known as the Musée de la Mode, is located in Paris’s chic 16th arrondissement. Thisneo-renaissance palace, with its vaulted cellars transformed into exhibition halls, is the perfect place to take shelter. Right now, you can admire Temple of Love, Rick Owens ‘ curious new exhibition .
If you can’t take a dip in a swimming pool, relax behind the scenes of creation by visiting the Clinameninstallation at the Bourse de Commerce– Collection Pinault: a world of sound and water right in the heart of downtown.
When the Parisian asphalt turns into a furnace, there’s nothing like a refreshing jaunt to the Banksy Museum, a veritable urban oasis nestled at 44 rue du Faubourg Montmartre. Behind its discreet façade, this temple to street art immerses you in 900 m² of frescoes and projections, recreating the iconic works of the most elusive artist of our time. From “Flower Chucker” to “If Graffiti Changed Anything”, each piece transports you from Bristol to Bethlehem without leaving the air-conditioned comfort of Espace Lafayette-Drouot. Open every day, this museum is the perfect ally for a cool, cultural break in the heart of the 9th arrondissement.
The Louvre, Petit Palais, Musée d’Orsay and many other of Paris’s most iconic museums also offer a cool break in their air-conditioned galleries.
Cinemas: the coolness of dark rooms
The air-conditioned darkness of your favorite cinema (Pathé, CGR, Le Grand Rex…) is an excellent remedy for the heatwave.
Nocturnes, the perfect antidote to the heatwave
At night, when temperatures are milder, it’s a good time to get outside. Nocturnes are an excellent way to do just that. Not to be missed: Les Invalides, which offers a superb sound and light show every evening .
Workshops and Science: interactive and enriching
When the thermometer flirts with 40°C, head to Bercy Village for a refreshing dip at Science Expériences: the perfect antidote to the heatwave! Set in 850 m² of air-conditioned space, this immersive museum pulls out all the stops: virtual reality, video-mapping, multisensory effects… More than 9 themed rooms to take you on a scientific whirlwind. From Thomas Pesquet’s ISS station to the abysses at -11,000 m, from the center of the Earth to the secrets of quantum physics (teleportation, levitation and electrostatics), scientific mediators transform each stage into a playful and intelligent adventure. In 1 h 30, you can learn, test (including VR thrills and slidochutes), and leave with a head full of stars. In short, it’s a must-see for curious youngsters in search of a thrill.
The Cité des Sciences at Villette is a smart way to take shelter. Combine business with pleasure with a playful visit. Interactive exhibits, planetarium, VR and more: if your kids are complaining about the heat, it’s time to keep them busy and entertained!