mahJ and Musée de Montmartre

The day started with breakfast at the hotel, leaving us ready for the day ahead. Our first stop was the Musée d’art et d’histoire du Judaïsme (mahJ). The museum is currently hosting a temporary exhibition (until 8 March 2026) dedicated to Denise Bellon, titled “Denise Bellon: A Wandering Gaze”.

Denise Bellon (1902–1999) was a French photographer and a pioneer of photojournalism. She is best known for her “wandering gaze,” a term often used by critics to describe her ability to move seamlessly between surrealist art, political reportage, and intimate human portraits. As a woman in a male-dominated field, she became a central figure in the development of modern photography agencies and served as a crucial bridge between pre-war avantgarde movements and post-war humanism.

The visit was followed by a walk to Rue des Rosiers, the historic heart of the Jewish quarter in the Marais district (4th arrondissement). From there, we made our way to Café Francoeur, a brasserie in the 18th arrondissement. A bowl of French onion soup was the perfect lunch for a January Saturday in Montmartre and a necessary boost before the climb toward the Musée de Montmartre.

The Musée de Montmartre is currently presenting the temporary exhibition “École de Paris, Collection Marek Roefler” (until 15 February 2026). The collection explores the vibrant artistic explosion in early 20th-century Paris, highlighting how international artists - primarily from Eastern Europe - converged in Montmartre and Montparnasse to transform the city into the global capital of the avantgarde.