Guimard & Lavirotte in the Parisian Art Nouveau (4h)

Itinerary

We present a complete 4-hour private tour throughout the chic 16th and the 7th districts of Paris.

Your guide will focus the route in the works of two architects born in Lyon, Hector Guimard and Jules Lavirotte, clearly the two most renowned Art Nouveau figures in Paris.

You will begin your tour discovering great Art Nouveau landmarks in the 16th district, formerly a village away from the city which made it an ideal site for urban and architectural innovations.

There, you will learn about the history of the Belle Epoque and admire several beautiful buildings like Castel Beranger, the first important construction of Guimard. Unfortunately, since the building is private, we can not visit its interior during the tour.

Hector Guimard was rediscovered during the 1960’s and it needed to wait the 1980’s so he could have his own private exhibition. With a new form of architecture he resolved the idea of multiple housing in a unique way, designing floors in such a way that interior spaces could be illuminated by natural lighting and creating façades that combined materials and forms in a new style.

Traveling by The Métropolitan you will move to the 7th district. This short ride itself will be a part of the Art Nouveau visit because Guimard himself conceived the Parisian metro for the World’s Fair that took place in Paris in 1899. You will surely enjoy the decorative entrance of the metro station, with the explanation given by your specialized tour guide.

Once in the 7th district you will discover many buildings, especially relevant is the flamboyant house Immeuble Lavirotte on Avenue Rapp. Built in 1901 by the architect Jules Lavirotte, this seven-story creation is probably the most extreme example of the ornamental delirium that the French capital has hidden away.

 Paris holds a crucial place within the history of Art Nouveau in Europe and the 16th and 7th districts were “chic” neighborhoods for those modern architects, where they could find rich patrons to support their works. In fact, these two districts are still “chic” areas and this has allowed for keeping the buildings almost intact.

Enjoy Hector Guimard and Jules Lavirotte heritage in Paris. Discover the Art Nouveau of Paris in an exclusive way. Visit 16th & 7th districts with style with this exclusive private tour.