La Galerie Végétale

The first time you walk past La Galerie Végétale, you find yourself staring in the window thinking "...what on earth..?". Asides from being completely intrigued about what exactly is going on in there, you are immediately captured by the surreal beauty of the space. But what is it, precisely? A florist? An interior design studio? A gallery? Well yes, actually - it is all of those things, and that is what makes it so beguiling.

Michel Lebroton and Solveig Kuffer have created an extraordinary space, something that they like to think of as a love letter to "Mother Nature". Set in an immense atelier-like room that was once a woodwork studio, La Galerie Végétale houses a florist/workshop area to one side and a gallery to the other - the influence of one lapping at the corners of the other as a dialogue between form and colour is created.

Yes, you can go in and buy a bunch of seasonal flowers (starting at around 20 euro), but do be sure to linger. The collection of artworks changes every month or so (I could not take photos of the art for copy write reasons, naturally) and the thematic of the 'florist' is then built around the art. The collection of flowers and greenery is offset by an intellectual yet aesthetically pleasing approach to lighting, space and decoration that contrasts texture with colour and form. Everything in La Galerie Végétale is honed around the notion of nature as installation art: it is a very successful homage to Mother Nature indeed.


La Galerie Végétale / 29 rue des Vinaigriers / Ph: (+33) 01.40.37.07.16 / 75010 PARIS / Metro: Gare de l'Est / Hours: 10am - 12pm, then 5pm - 7:30pm Tuesday to Thursday, 10am - 2pm and 3pm - 8pm Friday and Saturday, 10am - 2pm and 3pm - 6pm Sunday / lagalerievegetale@free.fr