There aren’t many regions in Western Europe that were not once occupied by the Romans, and the city of Paris is no exception.  When we think of modern day Paris, it’s probably more likely to be medieval marvels such as Notre Dame or Sainte Chapelle, perhaps monuments of the French Renaissance, Classical revival, the Belle Epoque, and of course the boulevards lined with elegant 19^th century Haussmann-era apartment buildings, that spring to mind.  However, the origins of the City of Light that we all know and love started with the Romans.

The Pompidou Centre is celebrating the 150^th anniversary of the birth of Henri Matisse, one of the most important artists of the 20^th century.  This special exhibition uses a novel published in 1971 by Louis Aragon, Henri Matisse: Roman as a framework to display not only 230 works, but also over 70 documents, books and archives related to him.

For many visitors to Paris, if they know of its existence at all, the attraction of a leisurely boat ride along the Canal St. Martin lies in its being a great way to relax after a frenetic few days packed with sightseeing, or a few too many shopping trips.  Delightful as a canal trip is, there is a whole lot more to this northern part of Paris to discover.