In Paris, every artwork is a bridge between cultures, every street a page of history, and every conversation a step toward a deeper understanding of the world.
The history of art and Parisian heritage is one of the richest ways to understand the city and to fully connect with it. It offers a deep reading of its identity, its influences, and the cultural exchanges that have shaped it over the centuries.
To know Paris is to know oneself better. It is an invitation to explore one’s own tastes, understand one’s cultural heritage, and perceive one’s personal history with greater clarity. But this journey of discovery can only be truly enriching with guidance that brings meaning and depth to the places visited.
Ideas and knowledge are often more complex than they first appear. Paris is a city of inexhaustible richness, where every monument, museum, and work of art carries a story waiting to be uncovered. Without mediation, many of these stories remain silent.
This is where the role of the guide becomes essential: bridging past and present, connecting cultures and perspectives. A guide does not simply inform—they bring artworks to life, turn each site into a living and engaging experience, and transform every visit into a space for intercultural dialogue.
This is how I envision my role in Paris: as a storyteller, a cultural mediator, and a guide toward a deeper understanding of our shared human heritage.
Who am I ?
I am Suhail
Why am I guiding in Arabic in Paris?
Several motivations have guided my choice to dedicate myself to cultural mediation and guiding in Arabic in Paris.
The first is to offer privileged access to culture and heritage for families whose children speak only Arabic, so they can discover museums, art history, and the great masterpieces of humanity through their mother tongue—free from linguistic barriers.
The second is to foster genuine intercultural dialogue between Paris and the Arab world. A dialogue rooted in knowledge, and in a nuanced understanding of art history and its cross-cultural influences. Authentic cultural exchange can only emerge through the ability to understand the other in their historical and aesthetic depth—a challenge that is particularly vital in today’s world.
Finally, I am deeply convinced that our heritage and the history of our civilizations remind us that we have always been capable of building bridges between cultures. Our predecessors knew how to debate, share, and innovate, contributing to centuries of intellectual and artistic exchange.
To be a guide is to embrace the role of a cultural bridge-builder, and to carry forward a vision of meaningful and enriching dialogue. This is the mission I strive to embody and share with you here in Paris.
Coming from Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia, my love for French art and history was my true gateway into this country.
From the moment I arrived, I developed a deep attachment to its heritage—exploring its museums, monuments, and sites of memory, all of which have fueled my curiosity and enriched my understanding of the world.
For over five years, I have been working in the field of cultural tourism, designing and organizing tailor-made tours within a company I co-founded. My role combines tour management with digital development—from creating websites to optimizing web traffic—in order to offer visitors immersive and enriching experiences.
Drawing on my Arab-Muslim heritage, I have always been passionate about exploring diverse cultural perspectives and encouraging dialogue between civilizations. Today more than ever, I believe it is essential to take a step back and observe how history and art history have always been shaped by curiosity and intercultural exchange.
Throughout my journey, I’ve had the opportunity to design engaging educational tours, including treasure hunts at the Louvre, aimed at sparking young people's interest in heritage. My ambition is to make the complexity of art history accessible, to uncover its subtleties, and to offer visitors—of all ages—an experience that is immersive, educational, and enjoyable.
For over two years, I have been a free student at the École du Louvre, immersing myself in the world of art history and delving into the secrets of antiquities. This journey has allowed me to deepen my knowledge and refine my perspective on artistic and cultural heritage.
Wishing to combine passion with professionalism, I began formal training for the national guiding certification (Licence de guide-conférencier), in order to validate my expertise and adopt a rigorous approach that resonates with my initial background as an engineer. Science and art share more than one might think: a quest for understanding, a precise methodology, and a commitment to sharing knowledge—values upheld by France’s leading cultural institutions.
Today, I offer unique, themed tours that shed light on rich and often overlooked topics such as Islamic Arts, Orientalism, and other artistic dialogues. My approach is based on a renewed reading of French heritage—one shaped by the perspective of a passionate learner who has discovered, studied, and grown to love it through its stories and universal legacy.
My ambition is simple: to open the doors of Paris and its history, to offer accessible and nuanced insights, and to invite everyone to experience this city through a fresh and meaningful lens.
A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of life.
― Thomas Jefferson
constant dialogue
Suhayl Idris (1925–2008) in his novel "The Latin Quarter" portrayed Paris as a place of freedom and self-discovery.
In this city, I stand before art and find myself engaging in dialogue with history, humanity, and beauty. Paris taught me that art history is not just a science, but an insight that makes me more open and more deeply aware of the value of dialogue between cultures.
This is the Paris I know, and I invite you to discover it with me, to discuss it together, and to experience the city together.