This year, the Summer Olympics will be hosted in Paris from July 26 through Aug. 11. If a trip to this storied city is not in the family budget, you can still experience a taste of France in Kansas City.
Kansas City: Paris of the Plains
One of Kansas City’s nicknames is Paris of the Plains. The city’s trademark boulevards, fountains and beautiful art inspired the moniker. Take a tour of the city’s fountains and boulevards this summer with maps and information available at CityOfFountains.org.
The French Market
6943 Tomahawk Rd., Prairie Village, FrenchMarketKC.com
Located next to Cafe Provence, a country-chic restaurant with a quaint atmosphere serving authentic French cuisine, the French Market offers prepared grab-and-go entrees and sides, freshly baked French bread, pastries and desserts and a wide selection of artisanal cheese and charcuterie. Additionally, the shop sells imported specialty foods and gifts.
The French Collection at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
4525 Oak, Kansas City, Mo., Nelson-Atkins.org
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is beloved for its vast collection of art from around the world—including its European collections. Within that collection, the museum holds a total of 110 French paintings and pastels dating from between 1600 and 1945. Among the masterpieces in the collection, you will find art by Nicolas Poussin, François Boucher, Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Paul Gauguin, among others.
French Cuisine
Across the metro, you can indulge your taste buds at one of the city’s local bistros or cafes. Favorites include Le Fou Frog in the River Market, Aixois in Brookside, Charisse KC and Tailleur Restaurant in Downtown KCMO, Cafe Provence in Prairie Village, and Cafe des Amis in Parkville. For breakfast or brunch, try one of downtown’s creperies: Chez Elle or Seven Swans. Satisfy your sweet tooth with macarons from Andre’s Confiserie on the Plaza or in Overland Park, Bloom Baking in the River Market or Annedore’s Chocolates in Westwood Hills.
The Art of French Cooking
The Culinary Center of Kansas City (KCCulinary.com) offers cooking classes year-round, teaching techniques focused on a variety of cuisines and countries. Their catalog includes courses in French cooking and baking. The Culinary Center Teaching Kitchen at Mid-Continent Public Library (MyMCPL.org) also offers cooking classes throughout the year, and their courses have included French cuisine. Registration is required for classes, and programs fill quickly.