A day in Paris by Esprit de France #37

The Musée des Ars Décoratifs, located only 5 minutes from the Hotel Brighton in Paris, features a complete retrospective devoted to the architect and designer Gio Ponti’s long career (1921-1978). Despite being a legend in Italy, his name is less well-known in France. This is the man behind the superbly elegant Pirelli tower (first skyscraper in Milan -1960-) and the 1931 Bilia lamp -an opalescent globe balanced on a pale wooden cone- which has become a modern classic. Founder of the famous Domus magazine, he has spread his ideas about lightweight, transparency and clarity which he applied to his table art creations for Christofle in Paris as well as the various objects he designed for Venini glass factory in Murano and Fontana d'Arte. From spoon to skyscraper, he neglected nothing, interested in objects as much as in furniture or architecture. The exhibition focuses, in the second part, on six "period rooms" which are spectacular reconstructions of some of his most striking commissions: the global aspect of his approach is largely highlighted as he chose the colours and designed not only the tiles and lights but also the outer shell. This suite begins with his villa L'Ange Volant built in Garches for one of the directors of Christofle which establishes the principles of the « Italian house » according to Ponti, where classicism and modernity combine to create harmonious and welcoming volumes. It ends with the Villa Planchart built in Caracas in the 50s and which, in a structure both simple and complex, explodes with colour and brightness.

Exiting this exhibition not to be missed if you keen on understanding all the glory of Italian design, you may enjoy the neighbouring Seine for an extraordinary experience.

Have you ever been on a city dinner-cruise? Ducasse-sur-Seine offers a one-of-a-kind experience to enjoy in the heart of Paris, the city of lights. The Chef with the most Michelin stars on the planet will be serving classic and modern French cuisine. An excellent opportunity to see the sights while enjoying high-end gastronomy. A French cuisine both traditional and contemporary. It's a real introduction to travel and gastronomic discovery. During these exceptional cultural and gourmet dinners on the Seine, diners will see the river, its bridges and its banks which are now UNESCO World Heritage, as well as the city’s most symbolic monuments, in a whole new light.