Salon d'art floral
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One of my favorite springtime rituals is heading to the mairie of the 6th arrondissement for the annual Salon d’art floral. This weekend exhibition of floral art features the creations of gardeners from the Jardin du Luxembourg and neighborhood florists, who sculpt blossoms and greenery into fantastical forms.
The event is held a grand room with gold details on the walls and an enormous fresco on the ceiling. I love the juxtaposition of interior and exterior, as the flowers playfully contrast with the carefully conceived interior design. This year, the tulips and magnolias stole the show. The blossoms were so beautiful that I practically ignored the artistic arrangements, and got up close and personal with the flowers themselves.
Not to be missed: the enormous Marianne that stares at visitors as they enter the Salon. This resin bust is a larger-than-life enlargement of an artwork commissioned in 1879 by the city of Paris for the Hôtel de Ville. It never ceases to simultaneously amuse me and creep me out.
Salon d’art floral at the Mairie du 6e arrondissment (March 21-23, 2015)
Address: 78 rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris ∣ Métro: Saint-Sulpice (line 4)
