Don’t leave Paris without having visited its splendid permanent collections or its fascinating temporary exhibitions !

Hotel near the Louvre: welcome to the Hotel Britannique

An absolute must if you are staying at the Hotel Britannique :

With almost 9 million people passing through its doors each year, the Louvre Museum is the most visited museum in the world. If it attracts so many art lovers, it is above all because it houses 3500 remarkable works some of which date back to Antiquity.

Every region of the world is represented, with paintings and sculptures created in Europe as well as some exceptional works from the Near East and Asia.

The world-famous paintings on display at the Louvre include the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci (1503-1506), as well as Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix (1830) and the the Raft of the Medusa by Theodore Géricault (1819).

How to get to the Musée du Louvre?

• By metro: Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre station, lines 1 and 7
• By bus: lines no. 21, 24, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, 81 and 95
• By bike: Velib’ stations 2 place André Malraux, 165 rue Saint-Honoré, 5 rue de l’Echelle, and 186 rue Saint-Honoré
• By boat: Louvre stop with the Batobus, on Quai François Mitterrand
• Museum opening times: Open every day from 9 am to 6 pm, Wednesdays and Fridays until 9.45 pm. Closed on Tuesdays.
• Further information : Musée du Louvre

Romantic hotel in Paris: choose the Hotel Britannique

If you are dreaming of a romantic hotel in Paris for Valentine’s Day ? then prepare to fall for the charms of our Special Romantic Package. Thanks to this original offer, you will find a bottle of champagne, roses and chocolates awaiting you in your suite. From the moment you arrive at the Hotel Britannique, the staff will do all they can to make your stay magical!

For Valentine’s Day, your wedding anniversary, or your honeymoon, we will be delighted to create with you the perfect romantic break. Share your ideas with us and we’ll take care of the rest!

During your stay at the Hotel Britannique take time to discover the capital’s nearby emblematic bridges: they are the perfect places for a romantic stroll and some souvenir photos. On the Pont des Arts, over the years lovers have left thousands of padlocks of all shapes and colours as a declaration of their eternal love!

On the Pont de l’Archevêché, you can have your photo taken with the Notre-Dame as a backdrop. Finally, cross the Leopold Sedar Senghor footbridge covered in Brazilian exotic wood and leading directly to the Tuileries Garden, the perfect place for a picturesque walk, hand in hand of course.

Par Nature exhibition promises visitors an amazing experience! It takes them on a real journey through the different spaces of the 104 to discover a series of monumental works. Created by artists from across the whole world, they evoke the relationship between man and nature and invite visitors to reflect on this perpetual quest.

Par nature exhibition: some reasons to go

If you like contemporary art, don’t miss this exhibition under any circumstances! Nature, the theme running throughout the whole 2012-2013 season at the 104, is represented in a highly original way. Each artist offers up, through a metaphorical work, his or her own interpretation of the relationship between man and his environment. Poetic, political or mythological, these original installations inspire in visitors a fascinating reflection. What if, behind the idea of nature, there was the wider question of freedom?
Don’t miss the most extraordinary work of the Par nature exhibition. From here to ear, by the musician and visual artist Céleste Boursier-Mougenot, presents 65 little birds creating their own music as they flutter their way around instruments and microphones!

www.104.fr

Ice rink Paris, the very words to make you want to put on your skates and take a turn on the ice! For a particularly magnificent setting, try the largest rink ever created in France, set up under the nave of the Grand Palais until 6th January.

Ice rink Paris, a seasonal pleasure

Built for the universal exhibition in 1900, the Grand Palais is one of the capital’s emblematic sites, regularly hosting major exhibitions and prestigious events. From 13th December, its glass roof – the biggest in Europe – will shelter a giant ice rink where adults and children can enjoy all the thrills and spills of skating in a fairytale setting. It is the first time in its history that this century-old monument has been transformed into an ice palace!

Come and enjoy this unique occasion and the specially-created 1800m² rink. Around the ice, special areas have been designed for you to relax and watch the skaters in action or enjoy some of the shows and activities organised every day.
Ice rink Paris, three words guaranteeing a whole host of fabulous memories!

www.sortiraparis.com

Christmas lights on the Champs-Elysees mesmerise passersby of all ages every year. Once again this winter, the 200 trees on the famous avenue will sparkle with thousands of lights throughout the festive season! Take advantage of your stay at the Hôtel Britannique to come and admire these superb illuminations, switched on every day from 5 pm to 2 am.

Christmas lights Champs-Elysees: a dream backdrop

If you are lucky enough to be staying in the capital during the festive season, make sure you head to the most beautiful avenue in the world at nightfall to see the majestic plane trees lining the Champs-Elysees lit up. This magical scene, created by the Belgian agency ACT Lighting Design, was switched on by the actress Diane Kruger on 21st November. Until 10th January you can admire the light rings which adorn each of the trees along the avenue, also lit up by sparkling garlands and powerful spotlights. The sight of the Champs-Elysees decked out in this way is quite simply breathtaking!

Did you know? On New Year’s Eve, the lights along the Champs-Elysees will be left to sparkle all night long right through to dawn.

www.parisinfo.com

Christmas market, two words which conjure up all the magic of the festive season. All across the capital, come and discover the pretty villages brimming with arts and crafts, Christmas decorations and gourmet specialities.

Christmas market, chalets to be discovered across the city

A Christmas market devoted entirely to arts and crafts can be found close to the Hôtel Britannique. A number of talented artists proudly display their work on their stalls set up at the crossroads of the Huchette quarter, Boulevard Saint Germain and Notre Dame, just 30 m from the cathedral’s esplanade!
Thanks to line 1 of the metro which stops at Châtelet station, just next to our hotel, within a quarter of an hour you can be strolling through the Champs-Elysées Christmas Village. On the most beautiful avenue in the world, 160 white chalets are erected for the duration of the festive season. Attractions are laid on for little ones, who might even catch a glimpse of Father Christmas riding off each evening on his sleigh! While you’re there, visit the nearby Maison de l’Alsace, where you can sample some of the region’s delicious specialities.

www.parisinfo.com

Hotel Britannique: why choose the Junior Suite?

Like all the rooms at the Hotel Britannique, our Junior Suite will appeal to you for its charming decor, its luxury bed, the numerous stylish little touches as well as its designer-style bathroom. In this room, as spacious at it is intimate, available from €304 a night, you will appreciate the harmony of the tones and the subtle lighting which enhances the various shades of beige, yellow and red, bestowing on the room a warm and relaxing atmosphere.

A perfect mix of comfort, elegance and generous dimensions, the Junior Suite also boasts the full range of facilities for your enjoyment: Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, flat-screen television, courtesy tray, Annick Goutal welcome products, soft towels and dressing gowns.

Canaletto-Guardi: almost fifty works on display

This highly informative Canaletto-Guardi exhibition is divided into six sections. The first looks back at the origins of the veduta genre – this very realistic pictorial art, based on the precise representation of perspectives and topographic details – and the early career of Canaletto, influenced by his illustrious predecessors.

The exhibition continues with a side-by-side comparison of works by Canaletto-Guardi, who began his career a few years later, to highlight their similarities as well as their differences. Venetian squares and canals are painted in amazing detail and with a remarkable representation of the light at different times of the day.

The third section is devoted to the triumph of Guardi and his most emblematic works. The visitor is then invited to reflect on works evoking the allure of the lagoon, Venetian festivals and ceremonies and the capricci, fascinating imaginary views of the city.

Canaletto-Guardi at the Jacquemart-André Museum – Official Website

Romantic hotel: personalised welcome and service

Couples staying at our hotel firstly fall in love with its charming decor, the cachet of the superb Haussmann building dating back to 1860 and the cosy atmosphere of the rooms, like the elegant Junior Suite, ideal for your romantic breaks. Couples also fall for our special romantic package, which includes a personalised welcome, champagne, roses and chocolates!

Finally, those in search of a romantic hotel will also appreciate our surroundings, right at the heart of historical Paris, a stone’s throw from the Seine and its bridges, gardens and most romantic places in this City of Love. The website ousebalader.com will give you a few ideas of places perfect for strolling hand in hand!

Grand Tasting: a preview of the programme

The Grand Tasting is first and foremost a gathering of dozens of exhibitors representing all of France’s winegrowing regions and listed in the famous Guide Bettane & Desseauve des Vins de France. Among them, you will find wineries whose reputations are well-established brought together in the tasting area. You can also discover talented up-and-coming winegrowers and high quality estates from lesser-known appellations taking centre stage at the round tables.

The Grand Tasting also organises a number of exceptional events, led by leading wine experts. If you want to learn how to pair food and wine, take part in the Gourmet Workshops! If you would love to listen to a top winegrower talk about his creations, don’t miss the Master Class! And if you want to learn all about a particular appellation, the School of Terroirs is for you!

Grand Tasting Official Video

More Informations on : Grand Tasting 2012 Official Website