Louis Vuitton

Whether you’re strolling down the Champs-Élysées or window-shopping on the Avenue Montaigne, it seems like every good Parisienne is toting around a Louis Vuitton handbag. Louis Vuitton opened his first store in Paris in 1854 and was one of the first luggage companies in the world at a time when an interest in travel became more popular. Vuitton began to design innovative flat-topped luggage that was lightweight, airtight and could be stacked in railway cars. Even more desirable than the configuration of the luggage was the elegant cover, the signature gray “Trianon” canvas. Rival luggage manufacturers and counterfeiters began to duplicate Vuitton’s patterns thus leading the company to create its famous logo and classic “Monogram Canvas” design, inspired by Asian and Oriental designs and their participation in the International Exhibitions. Louis Vuitton went from a family business to a worldwide corporation and later expanded their market by designing and selling gloves, wallets and their signature bags.  Today the brand is one of the most profitable in the world and is estimated to be worth about 19 billion U.S. dollars. Unfortunately, just like in the early days, counterfeiting is a serious problem, and fake bags are flying off the shelves faster than the real things. In a $1 billion a year counterfeiting industry, faux Louis Vuitton products amounted to 18%. The company is defending itself by only selling in Louis Vuitton shops and rare exceptions in department stores and airports. They have a network of private investigators looking for those making the fake bags, selling them and also those buying them. Getting caught doing either has severe financial punishments as well as jail time. So, just spend the money and get the bag. Besides, it’s always nicer to have the real thing!

Paris: The Capital of Art

Impressionism was pioneered by a group of radical artists in Paris during the 19th century and is the most well known artistic movement to come out of La Belle Époque (The Golden Age). The term, “Impressionism” was coined by an art critic after seeing Claude Monet’s, Impression, sunrise (Impression, soleil levant.) The artist chose this title because of the impression one has while looking at something that is obscure or lacks detail – in this case, a sunrise at the port of Le Havre. Impressionist paintings are characterized by short, visible brush strokes of bright colors that give the impression of reflected light. Prominent artists to emerge from this movement were: Manet, Renoir, Degas, Boudin and Pissarro. These impressionist masterpieces can now be admired in Paris museums such as the Musée d’Orsay, Musée Marmottan and the Musée de l’Orangerie. Paris still remains the Capital of Art and is home to one of the most recognizable street art stunts in the last decade: Space Invaders. An anonymous, urban artist, who simply refers to himself as “Invader,” was inspired by Tomohiro Nishikado's video game by the same name and began mounting mosaic tiles of these aliens in Paris. Space Invaders can be seen all around the world; however, there are over 1,000 in Paris alone, making it the most invaded city to date. Learn more about the Impressionists, street art and Space Invaders on our Montmartre District Tour!

The Louvre During the Occupation

Going to the Louvre can be a challenging feat, and visitors leave overwhelmed by the size of the museum and its vast collection. Whether you're admiring the medieval foundations, Egyptian antiquities or the French classics, there was once a time when these galleries were empty. At the start of the Second World War, curators at the Louvre wasted no time when their collection was in danger and began to pack, crate and hide these treasures all around France. When the Nazis marched into Paris in 1940 and descended the Champs-Élysées, they later arrived at the Louvre and were surprised to see that a very large percentage of the museum had been emptied. The Venus de Milo was shipped out in a wooden crate, Veronese's Wedding Feast at Cana was rolled up and the Mona Lisa was sent to a private château and hung in a man's bedroom. The Nazis filled the Louvre with stolen artwork from Jewish families and paintings thought to have little artistic or commercial value were shredded and burned. After the war, the artwork that was removed started to make its way back to the Louvre and many of the stolen pieces were later returned; however, there are still unclaimed pieces in the custody of the French government today.

French Cinema (Cinéma français)

The Artist, directed by Michel Hazanavicius, swept the Academy Awards and walked away with four prizes – including best picture. It is the first silent film to triumph at the Oscars since the original ceremony in 1929 and the first French film to ever be awarded this title. But it’s only one of many French films that are honored in cinematic history. The Lumière Brothers are known as the pioneers of cinema, and they screened their first short film in 1895 in Paris, lasting 46 seconds. In 1902, George Méliès produced, Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon) which is the first science fiction film and one of the greatest films of the 20th century. This 14-minute film is about a group of astronomers who travel to the moon by being shot in a capsule from a giant cannon. They are captured by moon-men, escape and later return to earth. The most iconic scene in the film is when the spaceship lands in the eye of the moon and Méliès’ fantasy film is one of the first to implement animation and special effects.

Hot Chocolate (Chocolat Chaud)

Hot chocolate is one of many culinary favorites enjoyed amongst common people and the very rich. This drink was introduced in France for the first time in 1615 at the wedding of Louis XIII and his bride, Anne of Austria. The drink was a big hit and became very popular during the reign of Louis XV, who insisted on making his own hot chocolate for himself and his lovers. The King would add more chocolate than recommended because of its energy-boosting qualities and its role as an aphrodisiac. Even Marie-Antoinette enjoyed a particular type of this drink that was infused with orange blossom or sweet almond. Today you can enjoy variations of hot chocolate in Paris. Whether you’re craving milk chocolate, thick African dark chocolate or spicy chocolate, Angelina is the most famous spot in town, located on the very chic Rue de Rivoli. There is also another Angelina tearoom inside the Palace of Versailles, so anyone can drink like a King or Queen!