8 inspiring or surprising places of culture to discover in Île-de-France
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Looking for culture and exploring by public transport, close to home? Theatre, museum, castle, concert hall or cinema: we take you on a journey to discover 8 inspiring or surprising cultural places, among the thousands that make up the beauty of the Île-de-France!
The Luxor cinema in Paris. Inaugurated in October 1921, the Luxor was inspired by the Egypt of the pharaohs, which was very fashionable at the time. Columns, mosaics, papyri, beams decorated with hieroglyphics, bas-reliefs: it's a must-see... before seeing his film!
Seine et Marne (77)
The castle of Champs sur Marne. It is nothing less than Marie Antoinette's castle. Finally, in the cinema, in Sofia Coppola's film. It is also much less known than Fontainebleau, Chantilly or Versailles.
Discover the quiet and pretty castle of Champs sur Marne, its collection of objects from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and its impeccably designed gardens.
Yvelines (78)
The castle of Monte Cristo in Port-Marly. Welcome to Alexandre Dumas. It was the writer who, at the height of his glory, had this small Renaissance-style castle built, accompanied by a mini-replica of the Château d'If, which he made his study.
Delightful park and sublime interiors (we recommend the Moorish salon), discover the "earthly paradise" (these are his words) of the father of the Three Musketeers!
Essonne (91)
The Massy opera . You don't have to go to Paris to enjoy the sublime voices of the greatest tenors. In Massy, since 1993, opera has been offered to those who like to vibrate.
And because the thrill of art also passes through the eyes, by 2025, the Centre Pompidou will set up (and make discovered) its reserves, right next door. A stone's throw from the future "Massy Opéra" metro station of the Grand Paris Express!
Hauts-de-Seine (92)
The Mastaba 1 in La Garenne-Colombes. Imagine a white-tiled house, three-quarters of which is buried, lit by a huge skylight... A monumental red flowerpot welcomes you: you are at Mastaba 1.
This house, inspired by Egyptian funerary monuments (the "mastabas"), was designed by the artist Jean-Pierre Raynaud with the architect Jean Dedieu in 1986. First to store his works, then to live there. Before selling it to the city, which opened it to the public and exhibits its works there.
Astonishing, fascinating: to visit!
Seine-Saint-Denis (93)
The National Dance Centre in Pantin. On the banks of the Canal de l'Ourcq, this building with its brutalist architecture cannot be missed. We love, we hate, but above all we live there, we enjoy a culture open to all.
Val-de-Marne (94)
The Ferme du Buisson in Noisiel. You are here in what was once an experimental farm of the Menier chocolate factory. Bricks, exposed framework: this national stage also hosts 2 cinemas and a contemporary art centre.
Val-d'Oise (95)
The Théâtre 95 in Cergy-Pontoise. Renovated, enlarged, this emblematic theatre, in copper and aluminium, stands in the new town of Cergy-Pontoise all dressed in gold scales. A strong architectural gesture, an unexpected and poetic urban encounter, the work of architect Gaëlle Penault and urban planner Dominique Montassut. The building is certified high environmental quality.