August in Paris Bucket List Review

Here’s my review and results of the August in Paris Bucket List that I made as a way to see and do things in Paris that I’ve never done before. August can generally be a slower month in Paris, so it ended up being the perfect time to capitalize on the “emptiness” of the city.

To start, I made a category-coded Google map. My tactic was to do as much as possible in each general area for efficiency. While I didn’t get to every thing on my map, I’m really happy with what I did do. I’m going to try to circle back to the things I missed ASAP!

My list in the order I visited:

Jeu de Paume

The Jeu de Paume photography museum is across from the Orangerie museum in the Tuileries. I saw the Sally Mann exposition. It was particularly of interest to me since my brother went to school at Washington and Lee in Lexington, Virginia, where Mann lives. I think it’s a great small photography museum to have on your list. Jeu de Paume

Fondation Custodia

This museum is set in a hotel-particulier in the 7th arrondissement. It wasn’t ever even on my radar until my aunt saw a poster for the Frans Hals “Family Portraits” exposition. One of the best parts of Paris is that there are so many things to do and see, many of which you might not even know about. Fondation Custodia

Musée de la Vie Romantique

I first saw this museum on Instagram. The pink exterior, green shutters, and secret garden atmosphere are so charming. Although I wanted to like the Paris Romantique Literary Salon exposition, I didn’t. The museum would be a nice place to come for a tea on a weekend (permanent collections are free). Musée de la Vie Romantique

Musée National Gustave Moreau

Of the museums I visited on my August in Paris Bucket List, Musée Gustave Moreau was by far my favorite . It’s a house museum and it is so good. You get to see Gustave Moreau’s apartment which on its own is interesting and worth a visit. The studios on the second and third floor were built to accommodate the large-scale paintings and are truly incredible. This is a place where you could spend hours and hours, and I’ll definitely be back. Musée National Gustave Moreau

Fête des Tuileries

The summer fair in the Tuileries went on my list because I have a soft-spot for anything carnival/amusement park related. We went on the swings that lift up and go in circles with views of Paris. I loved the swings, but they were definitely scarier than they looked! This was a great date-night activity and would be fun with kids too. Fête des Tuileries

Tour Saint-Jacques

Of everything I did on my August in Paris Bucket List, climbing the Tour Saint-Jacques was my favorite thing. I wrote a full post on it here, but needless to say this is worth checking out if you’re in Paris from June to November and are looking for incredible views of the city! Tour Saint-Jacques

Galerie Joseph

The first time I saw the “Jackie or Marilyn” poster around Paris I was already hooked on these expositions. Galerie Joseph has 20 gallery spaces in the Marais, and I thought it was absolutely brilliant to do Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy expositions at the same time. Both expositions were very well done, informative, and beautiful. Galerie Joseph

Musée Cognacq-Jay

I’m trying not to sound like a broken record, but Musée Cognacq-Jay is yet another house museum in the Marais. It’s filled with Ernest Cognacq’s beautiful 18th century art and furniture. Cognacq founded the La Samaritaine department store which set to reopen soon after undergoing massive renovations. Hôtel Donon is the perfect backdrop for this beautiful art collection. Musée Cognacq-Jay

La Nuit aux Invalides

Read about my full experience at La Nuit aux Invalides here. I highly recommend this sound and light show projected on Les Invalides. Don’t forget to get a ticket to visit the Dome at night too! La Nuit aux Invalides

Eiffel Tower

I finally made it up the Eiffel Tower after visiting Paris for ten years. Read about my full experience here. Eiffel Tower

While I didn’t finish absolutely everything on my August in Paris Bucket List, I’m happy with what I did do. Going forward, I want to make a monthly list of things to do and see to keep myself more accountable. It’s easy when you live somewhere to forget to get out and do things in your own city. I want to keep up with and take advantage of all that Paris has to offer!