Paris
Rick Owens Temple of Love at the Palais Galliera
Joyaux Dynastiques at the Hôtel de la Marine
Sargent at the D’Orsay and ballet at the Paris Opera House
Monday 1st – Thursday 4th December 2025
AHA prides itself in making extraordinary opportunities for small groups of 10 or fewer. In response to the success of our couture trip to Paris earlier this year we have decided to continue our theme of delving into Parisien glamour.
We have three great exhibitions in our sights, one at the Palais Galliera, one at the Hôtel de la Marine and one at the Musee D’Orsay. Paris is always a thrill with its elegant boulevards, enticing shops and delicious cafes. This will be a unique chance to see these fashion led exhibitions in amazing settings, and we are very lucky to have Olivia Pomp with us. Olivia is an internationally renowned stylist, couturier and costumier – with over 35 years’ experience spanning the breadth and depth of the fashion and dance worlds. Working on projects as diverse as Gucci ad campaigns to the costumes for The Royal Ballet’s performance at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Olivia will be able to give us an understanding of the world of high fashion and dance. Though it is unlikely Olivia will be able to speak to all of us at once in the gallery space, she will explain the context and history of what we see before we enter and over meals.
We will stay in St Germain du Près in the charming Hotel Saint Père and there will be a ballet at the Paris Opera House.
Itinerary
Monday 1st December
We will take the 08.01 train to arrive in Paris in good time to leave our bags at the hotel and head out for a delicious lunch and a busy afternoon. Just a 10-minute walk from our hotel is Les Deux Magots, one of the more famous Brasserie in Paris. Since 1884, Les Deux Magots has the quintessential Paris café. Cultural giants like Picasso, Hemingway, James Baldwin and Jean-Paul Sartre passed the time of day here, watching the world go by and sharing ideas. We will then see the exhibition of Rick Owens at the Palais Galliera. This will be an extraordinary view into the world of Avant Guard fashion and we are very fortunate to have Olivia with us who will explain his place in the fashion world. For supper we will eat nearby the hotel in a restaurant specialising in souffle.
Tuesday 2nd December
In the morning, we will make our way to the Hôtel de la Marine to see the exhibition Joyaux Dynastiques. Among the jewellery on display will be accessories and goldsmith’s pieces that have marked the history of jewellery. Some worn by members of Europe’s royal families; Queen Victoria, Josephine de Beauharnais and Catherine the Great.
After a Brasserie lunch we will make time for shopping in the area around Notre Dame where there will be a Christmas market – very atmospheric on a December afternoon. We will be sure to make time to get back to the hotel to refresh before we head to the extraordinary Paris Opera House, or Palais Garnier, to see ‘Contrasts’ a modern dance piece written in two parts for the Paris Opera Ballet. Furthermore, the ceiling of the auditorium is painted by Marc Chagall, which is itself amazing. Late Supper Brasserie close by.
Wednesday 3rd December
After a relaxed breakfast we will take private transport to the Louis Vuitton Foundation in the Bois de Boulogne. Designed by Frank Gehry in 2014, this is a wonderful building. We will see a major retrospective of Gerhard Richter, widely regarded as one of the most important and internationally celebrated artists of his generation.
We will lunch back near the hotel and then take advantage of Olivia’s fabulous stylist’s eye and in-depth knowledge of the left bank to find best shops in Paris. Supper at an old favourite within walking distance of the hotel.
Thursday 4th December
No visit to Paris is complete without seeing Notre Dame, so shortly after breakfast we will pay our respects. The Musee D’Orsay is always wonderful and in December there will be an exhibition of John Singer Sargent. Famous for his swagger portraits this will fit so perfectly with our fashion theme. Lunch in the museum in what was the dining room of the old Hotel D’Orsay, which was itself modelled on the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.
In the afternoon, we can stroll back to the hotel and take advantage of the shops on our way; there is also another Christmas market on Rue Saint-Germain du Pres. We will leave the hotel at 16.00 to take the 18.02 Eurostar back to London arriving 19.39.
Further Details
Tutors – The trip will be taken by Olivia Pomp and Cressida Ross. Cressida has taken many AHA groups to Paris and Olivia Pomp is an internationally renowned stylist, couturier and costumier.
Hotel – We will stay at the Hotel Saint Perè, a lovely hotel in the heart of the city which has been restored with a contemporary interior.
Train – We do not book the train thus allowing you to travel with flexibility. However, we recommend buying the following train with Eurostar:
1st December London St Pancras Int’l to Paris Gare du Nord 08:01 – 11:23
4th December Paris Gare du Nord to London St Pancras Int’l 18:02 – 19:39
If you would like to travel out the day before to avoid the early start, do let us know and we will check availability in our hotel for you.
Transport – Private transport from the station to our hotel. While in Paris we will walk or use the Metro.
Ability – There is quite a lot of walking on this trip, as well as slopes and uneven cobbles. As is the case for all our courses, there is a lot of standing while we discuss the works we are looking at.
Lunches and Dinners – Lunches are a set menu of two courses to include drinks. Dinner is by no means compulsory, but we book a table for the group each night at different restaurants and divide the bill equally between everyone. Sometimes these may also need to be a set menu but we try our best to avoid this. We will adjust the bill for those not drinking alcohol.
Cost – The fees are £2,590 which includes accommodation in double rooms for single use, breakfast, four lunches, transfers in Paris for the recommended trains, transport connected with the visits on the itinerary, entrance fees, exhibition tickets, ballet ticket and tuition. There would be a fee adjustment for shared rooms. Not included are the trains, all suppers, travel insurance. The group will not exceed 10.
To register – Please complete the online registration form, having read our terms and conditions and pay a deposit of £600 via bank transfer. Your place is not confirmed until we have received the deposit.
If you have any queries, please email [email protected] or call 01379 871800 (302)
NB you must buy your own Eurostar tickets
