Paris at Christmas - Art and music in the Ville Lumière

‘He who does not visit Paris regularly will never be truly elegant’ wrote Honoré de Balzac in 1830 (Traité de la Vie Élégante). His assertion goes some way to explain the allure of Paris, even at a time of deep social and political turmoil, manifested in the July Revolution of the same year. Paris, whose streets were soon to be drastically re-envisioned by Baron Haussmann into the boulevards so recognisable today, was unquestionably the place to be and be seen. Not unsurprisingly, the dazzle of the Ville Lumière and the lifestyle of its inhabitants has endured, and Parisians remain the ultimate arbiters of good taste.

Never does Paris appear more elegant than at Christmas, inevitably conjuring up the festive atmosphere of Act II of Puccini’s opera La Bohème. Led by Patrick Bade, art historian, bon viveur and part-time Paris resident, MRT aims to offer just as much fun, together with a rich cultural feast, in considerably more comfort. What better location than the Hotel Édouard VII, former love nest of Queen Victoria’s son and heir, situated on the splendid Avenue de l’Opéra?

We shall be visiting the Musée Carnavalet, museum of the history and culture of Paris, newly reopened after lengthy refurbishment; the sumptuous 18th-century Hôtel de la Marine, the former royal garde-meuble and navy headquarters whose apartments and reception rooms have recently opened to the public; and the dream-like Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature in a superb hôtel in the Marais. A Christmas Day performance at the Opéra Bastille should be an unforgettable experience.