There's no shortage of cultural centers and institutes in Paris. You can immerse yourself in the cultures of Canada, Japan, Italy, Korea, Sweden and Mexico without leaving the capital. For lovers of Nordic countries, and especially for those wishing to immerse themselves in Finnish culture, head for the famous Latin Quarter. It's here, on rue des Écoles to be exact, that theInstitut Finlandais has made its home for over 30 years now.
For the record, theInstitut Finlandais is housed in a Haussmann building dating back to 1862. After housing the Cinéma Cluny-Écoles between 1913 and 1985, the Finnish government decided to acquire the building and entrusted Juhani Pallasmaa with its architecture. It took five years to build the Institut Finlandais, which was officially inaugurated in October 1990. But the public will have to wait a little longer, until January 1991, to push open the doors of this new cultural center in Paris.
More than 15 years after its opening, theFinnish Institute decided to give itself a facelift, entrusting the complete renovation of its premises to Littow Architects (by Pekka Littow).
Defined as a cultural and multi-disciplinary venue, the Institut Finlandais has a number of different spaces, with a 40 m² gallery dedicated to Finnish art and design on the first floor, located on the reception level. In the basement, the cultural center houses a 60-seat cinema showing films and documentaries by Nordic filmmakers. Finally, since April 2022, the Finnish Institute has also unveiled Café Maa. Headed by Finnish-born chef Alexandra Marschan Claude, Café Maa occupies the building's 128 m² main dining room and features... Finnish gastronomy, of course! The space also showcases works from current exhibitions, following on from the art gallery.
Café Maa: Finnish gastronomy in the heart of Paris
Do you know Café Maa? Nestled on the first floor of the Institut Finlandais, in the heart of Paris's 5th arrondissement, this ultra-gourmand, convivial venue puts Finnish cuisine in the spotlight with traditional Nordic recipes revisited by chef Alexandra Marschan-Claude. [Read more]
What's so special about theInstitut Finlandais? It has two entrances: the main one is on rue des Écoles, while the second is on rue du Sommerard, a stone's throw from the Musée de Cluny.
To find out more about Finland, head for the Institut Finlandais, in the 5th arrondissement. Find out more about the cultural program on the official website.
Dates and Opening Time
Starts December 17, 2024
Location
Institut Finlandais - Rue des écoles
60 Rue des Écoles
75005 Paris 5
Official website
www.institut-finlandais.fr
Café Maa: Finnish gastronomy in the heart of Paris
