Ruby Boukabou

Underground Paris

Paris isn't just about what’s on the surface but also what lies, and lurks, beneath...

Sculptures in Public Places – Paris

Sculptures are to be found all around Paris and many of them are exquisite. Instead of just passing them by, why not stop, take the time to read the plaque and admire the public art, often, but not always, a memorial. Here are some of my favourites.

Paris Panoramas

No matter how many times you see images of a famous city, you’re still an armchair traveller. Books, films and artworks can make you feel like you know a place, but there’s nothing like having the real thing right in front of you.

Châteaux – Close to Paris

It would be a shame to go all the way to France and not visit a château! Many of these former royal residences, homes to nobility, hunting lodges and aristocratic retreats are now open to the public with museums, variously themed guided tours and cultural activities for all ages.

Perfumes in Paris Extract from Sense in the City – Paris

In Grasse, the home of scent in the south, master parfumeurs, or ‘noses’, have been creating superb-smelling blends since the sixteenth century.

Paris Street Art

Street art and wall art has existed for centuries in various forms. But the contemporary phenomena, in Paris, began partially in the forms of slogans on the walls and posters of the Fine Arts students during the student riots of May 1968. It was also kickstarted with artists such as conceptual artist Daniel Buren, who pasted stripes over advertisements at metros to demonstrate that art can exist anywhere and will create a conversation.