The Georges Pompidou Center is an absolute must for your list of places to see in Paris. It is certainly not your typical Parisian building, but it has it’s own kind of beauty.
The simplest way to describe it is that it is an inside-out building. All the piping and ductwork that are usually tucked away behind walls or above removable ceiling tiles are visible in the Georges Pompidou Center – in fact you can’t miss them because they are on the outside of the building, in a riot of colors.
In keeping with it’s exterior, the inside houses a modern art museum. If you’re a fan of modern art, you will love to visit the inside. But even if you’re not into modern art, the Georges Pompidou Center is well worth a visit.
To get there, you take the Metro to Rambuteau station. When you come out, you will find yourself behind the Georges Pompidou Center. Even if you’ve never seen any pictures of it before, you will instantly recognise it because it will be the only modern building around, and the only building with brightly colored pipes on the outside.
Walk around to the front of the building and you will find a huge plaza. In the summer, this plaza is covered with people having a picnic whilst being entertained by all manner of street performers, from jugglers, to clowns to musicians to comedians. You’ll often find the traditional Parisian organ grinder and monkey at one end of the plaza as well.
Around the plaza are plenty of cafes and restaurants, and close by are a number of shops.
At one end of the plaza is the unique Stravinsky Fountain made up of brightly colored objets d’art. This will be a delight for children and adults alike.
As I said previously, even if you’re not a fan of modern art, the Georges Pompidou Center is well worth a visit.
