The Enchanted World of the Musée des Arts Forains
Join Us in France Travel Podcast
Annie Sargent
4.8 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 12 November 2023
⏱️ 59 minutes
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Summary
Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin delve into the captivating world of the Musée des Arts Forains in Paris, a treasure trove of fairground history and carnival artifacts. This episode traces the evolution of French fairs from the Middle Ages to modern times. Originating in the 900s in Northern France, especially Champagne, these fairs were essential trading hubs, gathering merchants from all over Europe. They were not only commercial centers but also cultural and knowledge exchange venues, featuring exotic goods and varied entertainment.
The French Revolution marked a decline in fairs, but they re-surged in the 19th century, transitioning towards entertainment, particularly during the Belle Époque. Today, fairs like the Foire du Trône in Paris continue this legacy, focusing more on amusement rides and attractions.
The Musée des Arts Forains offers a unique glimpse into this history. Located near the Bercy Pavilion, the museum immerses visitors in a world of vintage amusement rides and games. The guided tours, predominantly in French, are richly informative and interactive, allowing guests to engage with the exhibits. The museum particularly comes to life during Le Festival du Merveilleux around Christmas, offering a festive experience with performers and attractions, making it a popular destination for families and those interested in historical entertainment.
Table of Contents for this Episode
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | And the This is a |
| 0:20.7 | This is Join us in France episode 467 |
| 0:24.0 | Katra's Sans wasn't set B'oel I'm Annie Sergeant and join us in France is the podcast where we talk about France. |
| 0:30.0 | Everyday life in France, great places to visit in France, French culture, history, gastronomy, and news related to travel to France. |
| 0:39.0 | Today I bring you a conversation with Elise Riven of Toulouse guided walks about the Musee des Arfurin in Paris. |
| 0:47.0 | What a gem this museum is. Now, we've mentioned it a few times on the podcast on different trip reports, but we never went in depth about it. |
| 0:56.5 | And I think you're going to be surprised how cool of a place it is. |
| 1:02.0 | And especially if you are going to be in Paris this year |
| 1:05.3 | between Christmas and New Year, then you must really get some tickets to visit the |
| 1:10.8 | Museum of Arforin because they have a special event every year. |
| 1:15.2 | They hire a bunch of performers and you can go and look at everything without a guided tour. |
| 1:23.2 | It's a big party. |
| 1:24.3 | This podcast is supported by donors and listeners |
| 1:26.9 | who buy my tours and services, |
| 1:28.8 | including my itinerary consult service, |
| 1:31.9 | my GPS self-guided tours of Paris on the Voicemap app, or take a day trip with me around the southwest of France in my electric car. |
| 1:41.6 | You can browse all of that at my boutique. |
| 1:44.1 | Join us in France.com for a slash boutique. |
| 1:47.3 | For the magazine part of the podcast, today |
| 1:49.4 | after my chat with Elise, |
| 1:51.0 | I'll discuss a question, the wonderful Jenny Wenham asked on the Facebook group for the |
| 1:56.8 | podcast. She asked. The piece of French life I'd most like to take home with me is, and the responses were wonderful. Bonjour Elise. |
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