Fondation Louis Vuitton

The Fondation Louis Vuitton is a contemporary art museum and cultural center built by LVMH — the luxury conglomerate behind Louis Vuitton — and opened in 2014 in the western edge of Paris's Bois de Boulogne. The building alone is reason enough to visit: designed by American architect Frank Gehry, it's a breathtaking structure of twelve giant glass sails billowing over a series of white concrete volumes, surrounded by reflecting pools. It has already become one of the most distinctive pieces of architecture in France, and seeing it for the first time genuinely stops you in your tracks.

Inside, the foundation rotates between its own permanent collection — which includes major works by Ellsworth Kelly, Gerhard Richter, Christian Boltanski, and Cindy Sherman — and large-scale temporary exhibitions that tend to be genuinely ambitious. Past shows have featured Jean-Michel Basquiat, Mark Rothko, and a landmark survey of African art that drew enormous crowds. The building has eleven galleries spread across multiple levels, and Gehry designed several outdoor terraces into the structure itself, offering elevated views over the surrounding forest and, on clear days, the Paris skyline. There's also a Frank Gehry-designed brasserie on site.

The foundation is located at the edge of the Bois de Boulogne, which means it takes a little effort to reach — the easiest approach is via the free shuttle bus that runs from the Porte Maillot metro station. Book tickets online in advance, especially for major temporary exhibitions, which routinely sell out on weekends. Friday evenings have extended hours until 9pm and tend to attract a younger, more local crowd. The permanent collection alone justifies multiple visits as it's frequently rehung.