Paris Artists Studios: La Ruche

La Ruche
Photo by Chris Card Fuller ©2007

Paris’s secret delight are its artists studio complexes. Many were demolished to make way for developers in the sixties and seventies, but some landmarks remain. These are the islands of tranquility where 20th century artists could once find an inexpensive place to live - even if meals were more difficult to find.

Photo by Chris Card Fuller ©2007

Gustave Eiffel is most well known for constructing the Eiffel Tower and the interior framework of the Statue of Liberty in NY but he also created La Ruche a three story circular structure which resembles a bee-hive (or La Ruche in French). It’s designated by some people as part of Montparnasse - even though it’s located on Passage Dantzig in Paris’s 15th arrondissement. (Metro: convention). Geographically speaking, I wouldn’t call it part of Montparnasse - and if you think you’ll stumble upon La Ruche in the vicinity of the Montparnasse train station, don’t be disappointed. It’s really nowhere near the area that I would think of as Montparnasse nowadays.

Before trekking to this 15th arrondissment locale, you might want to consider doing this as a part of an organized walking tour simply because artists studios like La Ruche and Cite Fleurie continue to be private homes and studios. Not only that, but the 15th is a very non-touristy neighborhood where you might get turned around on your own. That being said, be sure to take along your Plan de Paris - if you do decide to explore on your own.

Musee Zadkine
Photo by Chris Card Fuller ©2007