From the designer Charlotte Perriand to the restaurant of Mont Valérien, Mourchevel
Charlotte Perriand, one of the great pioneers of design and modernity, earns recognition at last! Despite spending far too much time in Jean Prouvé and Le Corbusier’s shadow for whom she designed the famous swinging lounge chair, Perriand actually remained independent and politically committed her entire life.
Her career began in 1927 at the precise moment when the artistic avant-garde dreamed of building the house of the "new man", sportsman and productive, and she immediatly imagined a program of steel tube furniture for Le Corbusier's agency. From 1929, she took part in the creation of the UAM (Union of Modern Artists) with the architect Mallet-Stevens, then worked with Fernand Léger, and later with Jean Prouvé, the magician of folded sheet metal. Ahead of her time, this great traveller -she worked in Europe, but in Japan and Brazil too- produced an "art of dwelling", which combined furniture with architecture and other arts. She also designed adjustable housing -for the Cité Universitaire or for Les Arcs ski resort- to improve daily life by excluding the unnecessary. Many of her creations have become classics whether they are seats, bookcases or lighting. Discover the reconstructions of her iconic works: the house by the water presented opposite the Foundation's waterfall is a great example.
Later in the evening, why not cross the Bois de Boulogne for a surprising change of scenery in Suresnes? If you missed out on Megève or Courchevel over Christmas this year and have not had a chance to wear your snowboots yet this winter, you will find here the rare nugget. At the top of Mont Valérien, at an altitude of 530 ft, Mourchevel has set up a temporary mountain restaurant. It is designed as a miniski resort with unbeatable views over Paris, the Eiffel Tower and other monuments, plus yodeling in the background! The ski lifts turned into mini dining booths (for 2 to 8 diners) are the best attraction – diners choose fondue and other mountain specialities from the Christmas-market style stands and then enjoy them inside the old lifts!