Artcurial - Paris Shopping

Set within minimalist showrooms in one of the most spectacular 19th-century mansions in Paris, this is one of the best outlets in Europe for contemporary art. Since it was established in 1975, it has represented megastars such as Man Ray and the "enfant terrible" of France's postwar intelligentsia, Jean Cocteau. Today, the names of showcased artists read like a Who's Who of contemporary art: Arman, Sonia de Launay, and Niki de Saint Phalle for painting and sculpture; Claude Lalanne for jewelry design; and Matta for contemporary carpets. Director Pierre-Alain Challier's bilingual staff is well versed in the merits of each individual artist on display. Despite an address that might be among the most expensive in the world (the intersection of avenue Montaigne and Champs-Elysées), the place is more welcoming than, and not as forbidding as, its location implies. Open Monday to Saturday 9am to 7pm.