The Paris Postcard: A Very Parisian September

le 11 septembre 2026

Bonjour et bienvenue to this week’s Paris Postcard.

Paris has returned to its regular rhythm, but the city hasn’t yet surrendered completely to the business of fall. The terraces are full, the gardens are lush, and there is still enough of summer lingering in the air to make you want to stay outdoors. At the same time, the rentrée is unmistakably here. Museums are unveiling new exhibitions, design is taking center stage, concert halls are filling up, and Parisians are settling into the pleasures of a new season.

If you’re in Paris this week, there is plenty to see and do.

Paris in Design

Paris Design Week continues through September 19, bringing designers, galleries, showrooms, artisans, and design enthusiasts together throughout the city. I love Paris Design Week because you don’t need to be a serious design aficionado to enjoy it. Much of the fun is simply wandering into places you might not otherwise discover and seeing how contemporary design fits into the very traditional fabric of Paris. The Marais, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the Opéra district, and Bastille are particularly active this year, with exhibitions and installations continuing throughout the week.

And for those of you who work in—or simply love—interiors, Maison&Objet continues at Paris Nord Villepinte through September 14. The September edition brings together some 1,700 brands from 49 countries, although do note that Maison&Objet is a trade-only event.

For the rest of us, Paris Design Week is the better opportunity to see what is happening in the world of French design without needing a professional badge.

A Very Big Week for Céline

Paris has been a little bit Céline City lately—and I am not speaking of designer handbags. Céline Dion begins her highly anticipated Paris concert series tomorrow evening, with performances continuing through October 17.

I’ve seen Céline perform three times in my life—twice in France and once in the United States—and she was spectacular every time. If you have the opportunity to see her while you’re in Paris, I highly recommend it. Her concerts are an experience, with the big hits you know and love in both French and English, an extraordinary voice, and the kind of energy that makes the entire audience feel part of the evening. There is also something special about hearing her sing in French while you’re actually in France.

A Statue for Liberty

Tuesday, September 15, brings one of the week’s most interesting museum openings at the Musée d’Orsay.

Une statue pour la liberté, le rêve de Bartholdi, de Paris à New York explores the story of Auguste Bartholdi and his creation of the Statue of Liberty—from the original conception in France to the enormous undertaking of transporting and assembling the monument in New York. The exhibition runs through January 31, 2027, and there is also an immersive experience accompanying it.

I think this could be a particularly fascinating exhibition, even for those who believe they already know the story of the Statue of Liberty. We tend to think of Lady Liberty as an American symbol, but her origins are very much French—and this exhibition brings that story back to Paris.

Another Woman Artist Takes Center Stage

There is, however, another exhibition opening on September 15 that I think deserves your attention.

The Petit Palais is devoting a major retrospective to Eva Gonzalès, the French painter and contemporary of Mary Cassatt and Berthe Morisot.

Eva Gonzalès: Parcours d’une artiste libre brings together nearly 100 paintings, pastels, and prints and is the first major retrospective of Gonzalès in France in more than a century. The exhibition runs through January 24, 2027.

If you are interested in the women artists of the Impressionist era, this is one to put on your list. Gonzalès was a student of Édouard Manet and painted many of the intimate, everyday scenes that make the work of this generation so appealing.

And there is something rather nice about visiting the Petit Palais in September. The building itself—with its grand Beaux-Arts architecture and lovely garden—is worth the visit.

A New Season at the Musée d’Art Moderne

Friday, September 18, brings another major opening, this time at the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris.

Kerry James Marshall: The Histories is the first exhibition in France devoted to the American artist and brings together 70 works, including eight paintings created especially for the exhibition.

Marshall is known for his monumental paintings that place Black figures at the center of compositions inspired by the history of Western art. The exhibition runs through January 24, 2027.

If you happen to be at the museum on opening day, there is an added treat: Marshall will take part in an opening conversation at 4 p.m. with Mark Godfrey, moderated by Fabrice Hergott, director of the Musée d’Art Moderne. The conversation is free with advance registration.

One More Reason to Visit the Left Bank

Another exhibition opening this weekend is Delacroix and Animals at the Musée National Eugène-Delacroix, opening September 12 and continuing through April 18, 2027.

It is a lovely excuse to visit this little museum tucked away on rue de Fürstenberg in Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

The former studio and home of Eugène Delacroix is one of those places that can easily be overlooked when you are rushing between the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay—but it is precisely the sort of intimate Parisian museum I love.

If you haven’t visited before, put it on your list.

And Speaking of September…

Don’t forget that European Heritage Days—les Journées Européennes du Patrimoine—take place next weekend, September 19–20.

This is one of my favorite Paris weekends of the year, when normally closed buildings and behind-the-scenes spaces open their doors to the public.

Historic hôtels particuliers, government buildings, workshops, museums, universities, the Paris Métro, and even some private spaces participate.

The 2026 theme is Heritage in Danger, and there are hundreds of opportunities throughout Paris and the surrounding region. Some visits are first come, first served, while others require advance registration, so if you will still be in Paris next weekend, this is a good time to start looking at the program.

#ICYMI

If case you missed it, my latest post, The Blogging Comeback? Eighteen Years Later, I’m Still Here, shares my reflections on blogging trends over the past 20 years. It’s a fun read, and I hope you enjoy it.

And, for a bit nostaliga check out my April 2009 post: My Top Five Tips for Visiting the Palais Garnier.