The Best Art Classes to Take in Paris

The Best Art Classes to Take in Paris

Updated by Vanessa M in September 2023.

A theme that I’ve noticed in first time travelers to Paris is the general sense of artistic inspiration that tends to set in after the first few days in the city.

In Paris you are constantly surrounded by art. From the great works by Picasso, Matisse, Monet and Van Gogh that hang in the museums; to the sculpture works and fountains in the city plazas; to the many galleries and art foundations lurking around each bend.

For centuries Paris has been the bohemian flocking ground for the artists of the world. They come in search of inspiration of their own, a better life and more extensive opportunities.

Art class in a Paris museum – by Rodrigo.Argenton – Wikimedia Commons

For this reason Paris has this remarkable power to influence even the least artistic of us all to explore our creative side. Today there are a number of immersive art classes that one can take whether they are based in Paris or simply passing through.

Not only do these classes give you a new perspective on the art world of Paris — they are also wonderful spaces in which to make new friends in the city. It’s taken me some time to narrow down the good ones — read on!

Read here for the 10 Best Art Schools in Paris

Travel Sketchbook Workshop in Paris

www.paulinefraisse.com

Pauline Fraisse is a talented artists who teaches her unique sketchbook workshop all around the world. Her Paris course has become the talk of the town almost overnight, with both travelers and locals lining up to be part of her classes.

What makes these art classes to unique is that they are not limited to a specific location in Paris. The course takes you through most of the unmissable sights in Paris including the likes of the Tuileries Gardens, the streets of Montmartre and the vibrant market places around the city.

It is similar to the many free guided walking tours that encompass the city, only with a sketchbook under your arm the entire time!

My personal favorite elements of the classes would be the Louvre excursion and the day trip to Giverney, Normandy. Inside the Louvre attendees of the class are encouraged to sketch the great works as well as the museum architecture.

Monet’s garden in Giverny – by Michal Osmenda – Wikimedia Commons

In Giverney, you’ll make the journey to Monet’s old residence and sketch the very garden that was said to have inspired most of his greatest pieces. It’s a beautiful day out and such a fresh perspective on the landscape and environment that would have shaped the artists world.

What’s great about Pauline’s course is that it is inclusive of both solo artists and families. There is a customizable children and teens section that can be made to suit young artists at any level of experience.

MagdalenArt in Paris

www.magdalenart.eu

Magdalena Gatialova is a Slovakian artist who has built her life and business in Paris. She offers immersive art classes usually from the comfort of her art studio in the 9th arrondissement of Paris.

In addition to the classes you’ll take at her studio, Magdalena also takes her students on regular excursions to significant art museums around the city. The Musée d’Orsay, the Rodin Museum and the Louvre are amongst the most frequented.

Musée d’Orsay – by Nono vlf – Wikimedia Commons

The combination of taking strategic classes in the comfort of a safe, studio space along with varied excursions to the finest art museums in Paris makes for the most comprehensive learning environment, in my opinion.

The students who come out of Magdalena’s classes agree and many of them recommend taking even one or two classes of hers if that’s all that your time in Paris permits. The great part is that you pay per hour, so there are no time constraints or lengthy subscriptions.

Click here for information on Paris’ School of Fine Arts

MagdalenArt – by MagdalenArt – Sourced from their website

The classes are designed to include all desired mediums of art. Whether its sketching, painting, sculpture or even glazing, this class has it as an option.

Magdalena also offers classes for teenagers and children. These take place on different days of the week depending on when your child has availability; they are also open on public holidays which is a great place to send your child to keep them entertained.

Atelier d’Artistes in Paris

The l’Atelier d’Artistes has been a part of the Paris art scene since 2002. Their goal was to create an inclusive space where students could explore sketching, painting and sculpture at a pace that was most suited to their experience levels.

To accommodate all, l’Atelier d’Artistes have studios in the 12th, 15th and 17th arrondissements of Paris. This gives them more space to host more students and keeps things somewhat central no matter where in Paris you are traveling from.

Atelier d’Artistes in the 12th – by Atelier d’Artistes – Sourced from their website

What I like about l’Atelier d’Artistes is that they try to keep their classes as small as possible so that everyone gets the individualized attention that they need for their specific medium.

What I like about l’Atelier d’Artistes is that they try to keep their classes as small as possible so that everyone gets the individualized attention that they need for their specific medium.

Their packages are also designed in such a way that they can work around one’s schedule and family obligations — ensuring that there is never an excuse to miss out on some art.

If you’re hesitant to committing, l’Atelier d’Artistes offers a trial workshop that is completely free of charge. You’ll be able to test the waters and the studio space to see if it is something you see yourself doing again.

Bois de Vincennes – by Georges Seguin – Wikimedia Commons

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I enjoy their studio in the 12th most as it is just a short walk from the Bois de Vincennes, one of the “lungs of Paris”. I find it is always best to be near a vast green space when creating art; what’s more this is an unmissable attraction while in Paris .

Are you ready to frolic with the great artistes and make Paris your creative playground? Enroll yourself today — you have absolutely nothing to lose!

Ecole des Beaux-Arts (The Fine Arts School of Paris)

The tale of the École Des Beaux-arts, or School of Fine Arts, should be a basic ingredient in every culture vulture’s knowledge set, with alumni that include personalities crucial to Impressionism, Cubism, and Pointillism.

Serge Melki, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Being one of the greatest art institutions in France, it offers a variety of undergrad, postgrad, and part-time courses for art aficionados. Les Beaux Arts de Paris, founded in the 17th century by Louis the 14th, is conveniently placed in the heart of Saint Germain des Prés.

The school is governed by the grande ecole system, which is an alternate teaching approach that coexists alongside the normal French university teaching style. This institute is one of the top schools in Paris, with centuries of deep-engraved history and magnificent and famous art recognition.

Le Cours Florent

François Florent founded the Cours Florent, a private French Drama school in Paris, in 1967. The school is located on three close sites in Paris’s 19th arrondissement, France rue Archereau, rue Mathis, and Avenue Jean-Jaurès, with the Conservatoire national supérieur de music et de danse de Paris located further down.

Photo by Thirdman from Pexels

The Cours Florent is one of France’s most prominent institutions, including a three-year acting program as well as theatre lessons for children and teenagers. Cours Florent is the drama school to attend if you want to study in France. Since 2011, the school has also offered a three-year acting curriculum in English for English-speaking students and foreigners named (Acting in English).

Paris College of Art

The Paris College of Art (PCA)is a worldwide art and design college that is recognized by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and has degree-granting authority in the United States.

Photo by Steve Johnson from Pexels

The school provides art and design programs taught in an American pedagogical paradigm but impacted by its French and European surroundings. It provides Bachelor’s degrees in Communication Design, Fashion Design, Fine Arts, Illustration, and many more fields, as well as Master’s degrees and certificate programs (for mature students).

Because of its worldwide focus, PCA encourages international students who want to learn about studying in France’s capital. PCA also collaborates closely with cultural organizations in Paris and abroad, giving students access to prominent research facilities and guiding them in the artistic, entrepreneurial, design, and cultural sectors. The school’s goal is to educate students with the best worldwide standard of art and design education, preparing them for a successful global career.

Académie de la Grande Chaumière

Celette, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Académie de la Grande Chaumière, founded in 1904 is one of Paris’s oldest art schools. The university was a forerunner in its field. In an era when art was riddled with restrictions, mostly prescribed by France’s École des Beaux-Arts, the Académie de la Grande Chaumière stood out by encouraging art free of the constraints imposed by aesthetic principles and guidelines. The institute, which runs in a rustic structure in Paris’s Montparnasse area, is still regarded as one of the top art schools in the city.

L’Atelier des Lumières

The Atelier des Lumières is Paris’s first digital art center housed in a fully restored former nineteenth-century foundry. It hosts digital exhibitions that immerse visitors in the pictorial worlds of the world’s most famous painters.

Photo by Regiane Tosatti from Pexels

Since its debut in April 2018 with an exhibition devoted to Gustav Klimt the institution has received approximately 2.6 million people and has grown to become one of Paris’ most prominent cultural institutions, using the digital revolution to foster artistic creativity. In a surface area of 3,300 m2, 140 video projectors and a spatialised sound system immerse visitors in pictures and music.

The Atelier des Lumières also offers tours of Le STUDIO, which features the work of numerous current digital artists. The Atelier des Lumières welcomes members of the general public of all ages and offers a new, emotional, and dynamic approach to art.

Here are the 10 Best Pottery Courses in Paris

Parsons Paris

Parsons is a university community of students and distinguished faculty that apply creativity and intellectual rigor to the needs of a dynamic world. They were founded in 1921 as the first American art and design school in Paris and they combine the world-renowned Parsons courses with the entrepreneurial drive and tradition of a European cultural hub.

Photo by Valeria Ushakova from Pexels

Parsons today accommodates around 350 students on campus, offering a wide range of art courses. The campus also has over 55 different nationalities represented, making it an excellent choice for your study abroad.

Studio Escalier

Studio Escalier, founded in 2001, is a private studio art school and international art colony in France. It is dedicated to the current classical study of drawing and painting from life and was designed and directed by artists for artists.

Photo by Lum3n from Pexels

They are an international point of interaction for professionals, rising artists, and beginning art students, attracting artists from more than 45 countries and 40 different US states, and they provide English lessons in the heart of Paris as well as Argenton-Chateau (Poitou-Charentes).

There are no academic or creative prerequisites for applying as a student. It has an open admissions process that is mostly based on portfolio submission – an evaluation of artwork drawn or painted from life.