As much as we love Asheville, we can't lie — Paris was on our minds this summer in a majeur way. From watching the Olympics (and maybe the cringey but oh-so-bingeable "Emily in Paris") to daydreaming about strolling through the city streets and sipping a latte by the Seine, we couldn't baguette it out of our minds.

One non-negotiable item on our dream Paris itinerary? Taking in all the amazing art the city has to offer, from the Louvre to the Musée d'Orsay. The good news: There's no need to buy a plane ticket — you can experience iconic Parisian art right here in the Carolinasthis fall at the Columbia Museum of Art.

Eugène Louis Boudin (French, 1824–1898). The Beach at Trouville, circa 1887 – 96. Oil on canvas, 14 3/8 x 23 in. (36.5 x 58.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Bequest of Robert B. Woodward, 15.314. | Photo provided by Brooklyn Museum

"French Moderns: Monet to Matisse, 1850–1950" opens Saturday, Oct. 5 and will be on view through through Sunday, Jan. 5. This show-stopping exhibition is organized by the Brooklyn Museum and showcases 50+ works encompassing the key avant-garde movements that emerged in Paris in the years between the Revolution of 1848 and the end of the World War II.

Think: Mesmerizing gold-frame paintings from an incredible lineup of some of the most pivotal French artists in the history of modern art, from Monet and Matisse to Rodin, Degas, Cézanne, and Renoir.

“It is rare for works with this degree of importance and quality to travel outside of major institutions,” CMA Senior Curator Michael Neumeister said. “This presents a wonderful opportunity for our community to experience significant works of art by some of the most familiar and important names in art history.”

Plan your visit