Day 19

Today was an Excursion day! Destination: Chez Maxim's, a famous restaurant built during the Belle Epoque. However, since a single entree at Maxim's costs between 75 and 100 euros, we ate instead at Chez Minim's, the sister restaurant next door.

The French method of dining never ceases to confuse me. They have an entire course just dedicated to cheese, and it comes between the main course and the dessert!

Following lunch, we entered Maxim's, which wasn't closed until dinner.

Here's a glimpse of the dining room, a destination for the rich and famous during the Belle Epoque.

Kinda spooky isn't it? Can't you just imagine it brimming with decadence?

This image is Maxim's a bit after the Belle Epoque, but still!

Upstairs, we visited the museum housed above the restaurant, which consists of an impressive collection of "art nouveau"-- decorative art (like furniture and vases)-- from the Belle Epoque. I must say though, I kind of hate the style. Everything was twiddly with lots of dark wood, florals, and naked women. The "art nouveau" artists didn't believe in right angles. Everything had to look "woodland fairy-like."

Take a look:

Even things as simple as lamps and candlesticks had to be twirly-whirly!

We had the most extraordinary guide, dark haired and dressed in a tuxedo despite the 80 degree heat. He was the most flamboyant Frenchman I've ever seen, and he had seemingly memorized every quip ever made by a famous visitor to Maxim's restaurant. He had all these stories about the famously promiscuous courtesans who eaten there, from the names of their lovers to the tables at which they'd sat. We were all in stitches because his accent was SO strong, and he often butchered English words, pronouncing "dowery" like "diary," so that the punchlines of his jokes were ruined.

Anyway, it was an interesting Wednesday! I'm not surprised that the brief period during which "art nouveau" thrived was followed by a reactionary movement called "art deco" -- straight lines, geometrics, simplicity. It must have felt like a breath of fresh air after all the stuffiness of the Belle Epoque!!