GRAND ET PETIT PALAIS, Grand Palais

As I mentioned, the Grand Palais and Petit Palais were specially designed to host art exhibitions, and they have essentially retained this role, though they have been through various ups and downs over the 20th century. Their architecture is still in the gray area between the desire for renewal and academic tradition.

We certainly can't say that the buildings were named with a stroke of genius! The Grand Palais, or "Large Palace", is made entirely of glass and steel and is substantially based on railway engineering; it's not much different from the platforms built for the Orsay station, which is also connected to the Expo of the year 1900. But what's surprising about this monument is that its modern "heart" resembles traditional architecture in refined stone, which even reminds you of the Neoclassical canons. In short, it matches the "Parisian" taste for grandeur, but is a bit dated and unfashionable for 1900.

Its long façade is preceded by a grandiose portico, and you'll probably find the whole quite monotonous even if it offers pleasant decorative surprises here and there that belong to the so-called Art Nouveau style, such as the lovely ornamental statues and beautiful wrought iron gate....