Until June 30th 2008

Visitors to Paris this spring should not miss a splendid new exhibition on Marie Antoinette at the Grand Palais. The first large show in more than 50 years about the ill-fated queen, it traces her extraordinary life in displays that are both theatrical and evocative. The highlight is the section about the Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette’s private court at Versaille, where she entertained friends away from the formal palace. Its atmosphere is conjured through musical scores and original furniture. The queen's final journey to the guillotine in 1793 is evoked in a dimly lit corridor, lined with brutal cartoons, poignant quotes from her letters and the chemise she wore in prison. “We wanted to give as complete a picture of her as possible,” the artistic director told Economist.com. Judging from the crowds at this show, it is a picture the French are keen to see.

Grand Palais, 1 Avenue Gén Eisenhower, 75008 Paris. Tel: +33 (0)1 44 13 17 30. Open: daily (except Tues), 10am-8pm (Wed until 10pm). See also the museum’s website.