PHILADELPHIA, July 22, 2024 – As the world gears up for the 2024 Paris Olympics, those stateside can get a taste of France here in Philadelphia through its many French connections. One example of this is the Benjamin Franklin Parkway's design. Paul Philippe Cret and Jacques Gréber planned the museum-lined boulevard to emulate Paris' Champs-Élysées. That's not the only connection, though. Read on for a look at the many ways Philadelphia feels French, plus some special summer games-inspired fun.

Architecture:

Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Architect Paul Philippe Cret (1876-1945), an émigré from Lyon, was one of the first to plan what is often called Philadelphia's Champs-Elysées. Cret envisioned the boulevard as lined with statuary, trees and museums. A few years on, French landscape architect Jacques Greber (1882-1962) designed the Parkway, which was constructed from 1917 until the 1930s, and is now home to the Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Franklin Institute, Academy of Natural Sciences, Free Library of Philadelphia, Sister Cities Park, Swann Fountain and more.

City Hall
French Second Empire style is apparent in City Hall, the seat of Philadelphia government and National Historic Landmark, with architectural inspiration by the Louvre and Palais des Tuileries.

Free Library of Philadelphia
Just off the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, across from Logan Circle, this active main branch of the city's library and neighboring former Family Court building (slated to become a hotel) are reminiscent of the twin palaces on Paris' Place de la Concorde.

Rittenhouse Square
Originally a wild tangle of trees and brush, this city block park was gradually fine-tuned by Paul Philippe Cret in 1913. The central plaza of the park holds the dramatic Lion Crushing a Serpent by French sculptor Antoine-Louis Barye. Originally created in 1832 as an allegory of the French Revolution, with the power of good (the lion) conquering evil (the serpent), this bronze cast dates back to 1890. Today, the square is the centerpiece of an inviting neighborhood filled with a mixture of brownstones, offices, shops, hotels, restaurants and cultural institutions.

Art:

Barnes Foundation
2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Dr. Albert Barnes' esteemed collections of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and early Modern paintings, African sculpture and more are easily accessible in their Benjamin Franklin Parkway home. The Barnes has the largest collection of Renoir works in the world, along with plenty of Cézannes and Matisses.

Joan of Arc
Kelly Drive at 25th Street
Emmanuel Frémiet sculpted the gleaming, gilded bronze statue of the young French saint and heroine of the Hundred Years War that stands along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in 1890. Two other versions of the statue stand—one in the Place des Pyramides in Paris; the other, in Nancy, France.

La Salle University Art Museum
Hayman Hall, 1900 W Olney Avenue
An impressive number of 18th-, 19th– and 20th-century French paintings—both portraits and landscapes—from artists such as Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, Eugène Fromentin and Albert Gleizes fill the gallery at this North Philadelphia university named for Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle. La Salle is the only university in the Philadelphia area to own a permanent display of paintings, drawings and sculptures from the Renaissance to the present.

Philadelphia Museum of Art
2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Significant works by French masters reside among the more than 200,000-piece collection in Philadelphia's largest art museum. Visitors discover lush paintings by Renoir, iconic works by Matisse, groundbreaking pieces by Marcel Duchamp and Monet's many scenes set in the French countryside. French decorative arts also appear among the works.

• Mary Cassatt at Work: Through September 8, 2024, museum visitors can view the work of Pennsylvania-born Mary Cassatt, a celebrated member of the French Impressionists, in the special exhibit Mary Cassatt at Work. In Paris, Cassatt committed herself to a career as a professional artist and made the social, intellectual, and working lives of modern women a core subject of her prints, paintings, and pastels. Mary Cassatt at Work presents over 130 diverse works.

Rodin Museum
2151 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
One of the greatest collections of Rodin's work outside of Paris—sculptures, studies, books, drawings and prints—is another jewel of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The Rodin's galleries and grounds, restored to the site's original vision, include sculptures in the museum's exquisite French garden.

The Rosenbach
2008-2010 Delancey Street
An 1860s brownstone tucked on a quiet residential block near Rittenhouse Square serves as a museum and library. The attractions here: a vast collection of rare books and letters, including drawings by 18th-century French masters Françcois Boucher and Hubert Gravelot, an illuminated manuscript of Guillaume de Deguileville's Pèlerinages acrostics (1437) and manuscripts by Emile Zola and Anatole France.

Hotels:

For those planning on staying over in the city for the festivities, the Visit Philly Overnight Package offers free hotel parking and choose-your-own-adventure perks. Another option is the Visit Philly 3-Day Stay package. Guests can book two hotel nights and get the third night for free.

Le Méridien Philadelphia
1421 Arch Street
Starwood's European-inspired brand redeveloped an old, elegant YMCA into this chic boutique spot across the street from City Hall. aMuse is the hotel's French restaurant, a chic brasserie, featuring traditional French bistro fare including classics raw bar selections and their signature steak frites.

Rittenhouse Hotel
210 W Rittenhouse Square
This luxury AAA Five Diamond property overlooking Rittenhouse Square includes Lacroix at the Rittenhouse, an elegant international restaurant with park views. The Impressionist-themed Mary Cassatt Tea Room, a tranquil setting once painted by the Philadelphia-born and French-inspired painter, offers the perfect atmosphere to relax over afternoon tea.

Sofitel Philadelphia
120 S 17th Street
The Philadelphia outpost of the French-owned hotel chain blends elegance with American amenities and convenience. The hotel's restaurant Chez Colette is a charming brasserie serving French cuisine in a 1920s-style atmosphere, and Liberté Urban Chic Lounge is a stylish lobby bar for meeting friends and colleagues.

The Franklin on Rittenhouse
1715 Rittenhouse Square
Located on a small, tree-lined street a half-block from Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square, The Franklin on Rittenhouse, a French-inspired boutique hotel, sits behind its famous red door, just steps away from many of the city's top restaurants and cafes, museums and shops.

Food & Drink:

Bar Lesieur
1523 Sansom Street
On the menu are things like Fois Gras Toast, French Onion Crepes and Steak Frites at this Rittenhouse restaurant influenced by French eateries.

Matines Café
89 Bethlehem Pike
Located in Chestnut Hill, this café offers French fare and a selection of imported foods, goods, and artwork from France and Europe.

Parc
227 S 18th Street
With Parc, famed restaurateur Stephen Starr brings a certain je ne sais quoi to Rittenhouse Square. Parc offers an authentic French bistro experience, fully equipped with a chic Parisian ambiance and gorgeous sidewalk seating overlooking the Square.

Forsythia
233 Chestnut Street
This contemporary French bistro by Chef Christopher Kearse in Old City offers inventive French fare and specialty cocktails.

Royal Boucherie
52 S 2nd Street
Royal Boucherie is a lively French-inspired brasserie with outdoor dining space, plus a bar & a tavern area.

Caribou Café
1126 Walnut Street
This classic Washington Square West brasserie serves French comfort food such as mussels frites, warm frisée salad with a poached egg and le hamburger. The menu draws influence from the regions of Burgundy, Brittany and Lyon and changes seasonally.

J'aime French Café
1644 Pine Street
Find delicious French pastries, breads and breakfast items in the café.

The Good King Tavern
614 S 7th Street
A piece of France tucked away in Queen Village. Good King's menu offers a delightful journey through the familiar flavors of Alsace, plus an ever-changing chalkboard menu with specials. 

My Loup
2005 Walnut Street
The Rittenhouse restaurant has an ever-changing menu of modern French dishes that delight. 

Laurel
617 E Passyunk Avenue
Laurel is an up-scale French dining spot in East Passyunk from “Top Chef” winner Nicholas Elmi. 

Superfolie
1602 Spruce Street
Located just off Rittenhouse Square, Superfolie features a 75-reference wine list, with a strong French presence, a short, smart list of cocktails and a fun menu of small plates including tartines, vegetables & charcuterie.

Artisan Boulanger Patisser
1218 Mifflin Street
French-inspired spot offering house-baked breads & pastries, plus light breakfast & lunch fare. 

Spring Mill Café
164 Barren Hill Rd, Conshohocken, PA 19428
Tucked away in Conshohocken, this charming, romantic spot serves seasonal Provençal specialties. 

Little Blue Owl
207 Haverford Ave, Narberth, PA 19072
At Little Blue Owl, find a wide range of French baked goods and pastries with American and Asian influences.

Olympics-themed specials:

Panorama
14 N Front Street
Philadelphia's premier wine bar in the Penn's View Hotel boasting a Guinness World Record custom-built wine keeper offering over 120 wines on tap, is presenting two Olympic-themed wine flights for the '24 games in Paris ($36-$38). Additionally, the acclaimed wine bar is adding two special French sparkling wines to its extensive wine list for the entirety of the games.

Townsend
1623 E Passyunk Avenue
Chef Townsend Wentz's French restaurant and bar on East Passyunk Avenue, is prepped and ready to celebrate the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games in proper fashion. From Friday, July 26 through Sunday, August 11, Executive Chef Alex Nissley will present a hyper-seasonal and innovative Chef's Tasting Menu ($95/person) showcasing the epitome of French gastronomy.

Rex at the Royal
1524 South Street
Guests can watch the Olympics at the bar on the many TVs, while also enjoying a selection of cocktails to sip on.

About Visit Philadelphia:

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