I am back at you with a wonderful historical part of Paris that is one of my favorites and one of my work hangouts while working right by rue de Départ!! Of course, I am talking about Montparnasse.

The train station complex : Gare Montparnasse

Transports in the neighborhood: Paris tourism on transports Montparnasse

gare Montparnasse

The name itself brings out the artsy, vibrant, gaiety of the Paris we came to love and enjoy , and still do. I was lucky to work by this area and enjoy all its splendor and many good restaurants and bars lol!

The name of Montparnasse is used since the 17C on the old place of the Parish of Vaugirard now part of the city of Paris by the current limits of the neighborhoods of Montparnasse  14éme  district and neighborhood  Notre-Dame-des-Champs 6éme district of Paris.  The name given made reference to the  mont Parnasse, a hill in the center of Greece that according to Greek mythology lived the muses, ; the students of the Latin quarter by  1725, call it a hill of garbage , on an artificial hill between the roads of boulevard du Montparnasse ,and  boulevard Raspail. The name took force after the creation of the street rue du Montparnasse in 1773 and after been that of cours du Midy opened in 1700. The name of  Mont Parnasse  was given to the whole neighborhood in the middle of the 19C. However, the name of  Montparnasse has a larger perimeter as many of its most emblematic places are in the neighborhoods of  Notre-Dame-des-Champs, Necker , and  Plaisance. It is surrounded  on the North by the blvd du Montparnasse and blvd de Port Royal, to the east by the rue de la Santé, to the south by the plains of the bvld Saint-Jacques (along the line 6 of Metro), place Denfert-Rochereau,  a section of the rue Froidevaux,  rue Boulard , and rue Daguerre,  to the southwest a section of the avenue du Maine , and on the northwest by the  rue du Départ.  A large part is occupy by the cemetery of Montparnasse.

Quartier or neighborhood  Montparnasse No 53  in the 14éme arrondissement or district,  created in 1860 and with emblematic streets such as rue du Montparnasse , boulevard du Montparnasse, and  place Pablo-Picasso (the hill of Montparnasse). There is a remnants of a barrier wall build in 1786 and now demolished on what is now the Metro Edgar Quinet;  and the barrier of hell or Barrière d’Enfer still existing on the wall of the  general farmers building.the cemetery of Montparnasse , where rest in peace  Charles Baudelaire, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Samuel Beckett, Guy de Maupassant, Serge Gainsbourg , and many more notables. The wonderful train station, my own now coming into Paris from Brittany ,the gare Montparnasse, as well as the convenient metro station Montparnasse – Bienvenüe. You go out and see the big one, the  tour Montparnasse  with 59 floors and 210 meters high; the vibrant  Casino Montparnasse at  35, rue de la Gaîté, where it was created the operetta  La Belle de Cadix  in 1945, and Bourvil came to be known.

cemetary of Montparnasse

Theater of Montparnasse

Tour Montparnasse

Tour Montparnasse

The Casino Montparnasse at  35, rue de la Gaîté, where it was created the operetta  La Belle de Cadix in  1945, and comedian Bourvil came to be known. The theater  Montparnasse nearby in  rue de la Gaîté built in  1886, and renovated in 1930. Finally the catacombs from the end of the 18C with 6 millions bones put into subterranean galleries  with an entrance at  1, avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy. The wonderful green garden of  jardin Atlantique on the upper levels of the gare Montparnasse since  1990. The sculpture of the lion of Belfort,on the  place Denfert-Rochereau. The Fondation Cartier for contemporary arts , the  Observatoire de Paris. The neighborhood is also crossed by the meridian of Paris ; and the health prison or Prison de la Santé.  Not to forget the museum of Montparnasse  at 21 avenue du Maine,and the Galerie Les Montparnos, at  5 rue Stanislas, that specialise on the school of Paris of the 1920’s and the discovery of artists painters forgotten  of the Montparnasse painting between the two world wars. Wonderful shopping even with Galeries Lafayette at rive gauche mall

Montparnasse rive gauche shopping mall

Books, plays, cinema all about Montparnasse made famous over the years with the restaurants La Coupole , and Le Dôme.  And many Americans seeking arts with their fortunes such as Gertrude Stein, Peggy Guggenheim, Edith Wharton ,and Harry Crosby  as well as critics like D.H Lawrence, Archibald MacLeish, James Joyce, Kay Boyle, Hart Crane, Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Dorothy Parker, and many more.

bvld Montparnasse

place 8 juin 1945

A wonderful district and even gorgeous neighborhoods of plenty to do all day and night long. Hope you have enjoy it, and welcome. Have a great weekend of Easter, happy travels and good health to all. Cheers!!!

Where can I begin? this is the icon of Paris for whatever you think of it. Even trying to persuade folks to go elsewhere, they keep coming back here. Even with security barriers that looks like a war zone, people keeps coming back. It is Paris after all, it is the Eiffel tower or tour Eiffel.

security controls at Tour Eiffel

As a disclaimer, the last time I was up was in 2005 when I went with an association of my profession that celebrated its 35th  anniversary there. Before that, yes of course even with the family. However, never again, I believe that Paris has a lot more than the Eiffel tower, but ,therefore, I will tell you about for the diehards lol!!!

tour Eiffel from my office when in Paris

The official site for the Eiffel is here in English: https://www.toureiffel.paris/en

The Paris tourist office on Eiffel ; https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/71062/La-tour-Eiffel

I like to tell you now a bit of history I like.

the tour Eiffel is a steel tower of 324 meters high with antennas at the extreme northwest of the parc du Champ-de-Mars bordering the Seine river in the 7éme arrondissement/district.  It was built by Gustave Eiffel for the Universal Exposition of Paris in 1889.  It had originally 312 meters high and remained the tallest building in the world for forty years.  The second level of the third platform sometimes call the 4th level at 279 meters is the highest observation deck in the European Union and second highest in all of Europe.

base of tour Eiffel

The tower is set on a square of 125 meters on the side and a height of 324 meters with its 116 antennas and 33,5 meters above sea level. The two pylons on the side of the école militaire rest on a cement base of 2 meters that itself rest on a bed of gravel with a well of 7 meters deep. The two pylons on the side of the Seine river are below the level of the river. The base with its four pylons are house in subterranean squares of 25 meters on each side and 4 meters high with a steel bed and compressed cement stones. There are arches between each pylon at 39 meters high above the floor with a diameter of 74 meters.

East pylon Tour Eiffel

North pylon tour Eiffel

South pylon tour Eiffel

On the first level located at 57 meters high with 4200 square meters of surface with a circular gallery that allows you a 360 degree view of Paris. This first level has the restaurant 58 tour Eiffel that extends on two levels with a view on one side of Paris and the other on the interior of the tower.

https://www.restaurants-toureiffel.com/en/58-tour-eiffel-restaurant.html

The second level is at 115 meters with an area of 1650 square meters.  The restaurant Jules Verne is located here and already a Michelin star and on the Guide Gault et Millau. It is now handle by Alain Ducasse.

https://www.lejulesverne-paris.com/fr

The third level is at 276 meters with an area of 350 square meters. the access is done by elevator/lift and gives to an enclosed space with orientation tables. You climb a few steps you arrived at an exterior platform sometimes call the 4th level arriving at 279 meters.  There is the Champagne Bar here!

https://www.restaurants-toureiffel.com/en/champagne-bar.html

The upper level has sort of a wax museum showing Gustave Eiffel welcoming Thomas Edison that made think this was the work office of Gustave Eiffel but the historical reality is that it was a meteorological laboratory  and then a testing room. Very top of the tower there is a television relay station installed in 1957 and finished in 1959 to cover hertz program for about 10 millions homes. In 2005, the system allows the first French TNT raising to 116 antennas for tele and radio. To our days the management of the Tour Eiffel is positive and does not need subvention by France.

Of course, there are millions visitors something of more than 13 million and still gaining, the populari ty is enormous.  The management of the tour Eiffel is handle by SETE  : https://sete.toureiffel.paris/en

I leave with some pics and more on the above blog posts. Enjoy Paris ,even the tour Eiffel is all magical and at night even better. Have a great week, happy travels, good health and just plain cheers!!!

In my walks of Paris I come to see many nice buildings, some I passed by and at first do not even know what they are, so many gorgeous architecture. However ,there are two that have always caught my mind. One is even with museum in it and the other well is near where my current HQ office is so even visiting now takes extra time around there. Of course, I am talking about the école militaire and the invalides of Paris.

Today in my neck of the woods is a bit sunny not so cool and temps around 10C or 50F nice for Spring.  I like to tell you a bit about the history I like. First ,on the Invalides and then the école militaire.

The Hôtel des Invalides  was ordered by king Louis XIV in 1670 to house the wounded soldiers of his armies.  Today, it is still with the same functions but also the Cathedral of  Saint-Louis des Invalides, several museums , and a military necropolis especially the tomb of emperor Napoléon Ier.  This huge architectural complex is one of the most important Classical style design in France, been the work of architect  Jules Hardouin-Mansart (Versailles and al fame).  Interesting to note, it takes the concept from the Monastery of El Escorial outside Madrid Spain (you can see my post on this too) ordered built by king Felipe II of Spain , but also takes ideas from other hospitals in Paris such as the Salpêtrièr.

north entrance Invalides on esplanade des invalides credit paris1900

In 1659, after the treaty of the Pyrénées (marking the frontiers even today of France and Spain) ,king Louis XIV  took again the idea from Cardinal Richelieu that had done one in 1634 at the Château de Bicêtre  to take care of handicap soldiers under the commanderie Saint-Louis.  The project finally saw the light several years later by ordered of the king in 1670  to built a hospital/Hotel des Invalides to the ageing military, wounded or inapt for war soldiers . The establishement works as a hospital and hospice, military barrack, and convent is all exempted from taxes and administered by a governor.  The soldiers are cure with funds coming from the revenue of the parishes and abbeys starting in 1676; the building was not fully completed that until August 28 1706,when the keys of the hotel was given to the sun king Louis XIV.

In French formalities for entering as patient in the Invalides : http://www.invalides.fr/patients/droits-et-informations/les-formalites-dadmissions

The Hôtel des Invalides also has museums such as the artillery museum or  musée d’artillerie est. 1872, army history museum or musée historique des armées ,est. 1896, and both united in 1905 as the army museum or musée de l’armée. The Church is link directly to the Royal Chapel better known as the Dôme des Invalides.  This Chapel with the Dome has a large lantern of 107 meters high that was used only by the Royal family. Finally, the dome is cover completely in gold in a gothic style.  It is a square pavilion facing the street at decorated angles of columns where there are statues and has an obelisk finished by a Cross on top.  The construction of the dome was finished in 1708.

Army museum Invalides

The dome was renovated in gold in 1807, 1830, 1839, 1937 , and lastly in 1989, needing 12 kg of gold or about 26 pounds. It has two cupolas in stone with two scenic drawings decorated with several Saints and a large one representing  Saint Louis  in its mantle of Royal ermine ( fleur de lys=Lilys) giving his sword to Jésus-Christ in person surrounded by musical angels.

Since 1861, under the dome and its cupolas rest in peace emperor  Napoléon Ier  inside six coffins follow by a sarcophagus of red quartz in a open sky crypt in the center of the building.  The choir of the Cathedral of  Saint-Louis  is the only one in France of all its Churches and Cathedrals that has a permanent French flag. In December 1940, the ashes of his son known as the king of Rome or Napoléon II or the Aiglon (English) were transfered from Vienna in a funerary urn by an adviser to Hitler and the govt of Vichy (collaborator) as Paris was in occupied zone.  Here lies as well the remains of brothers Joseph and Jérome Bonaparte as well as the queen of Westphalia and other members of the Bonaparte family. Other commanders of the First and Second World War are also here such as marshals of France Ferdinand Foch, Hubert Lyautey, Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque, Alphonse Juin, , the generals Robert Nivelle, Charles Mangin, Pierre Auguste Roques, and Henri Giraud, and the admirals Boué de Lapeyrère ,and Gauchet.

In the neighborhood of Gros Caillou,and district 7éme you can reach it on Metro Invalides (lines 8 and 13) , Varenne (line 13)  ,and La Tour-Maubourg (line 8).

The École militaire is a huge assamblage of buildings housing several learning and training military tactics also in the 7éme arrondissement closing the perspective of the southeast towards the Champ-de-Mars.  It was built on orders of king  Louis XV by the architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel.  The idea came from the wars of successions in Austria by  1748 where it was evident that if France wanted to come out victoriuos it needed to train its Royal officers. The marshal de Saxe having fought in those wars proposes to the king Louis XV to create a royal military school.  The marshal received the support of the king mistresses Madame de Pompadour as well as financial guru Joseph Pâris Duverney (brother of Jean Pâris, marquis de Brunoy  and godfather of the madame), that was enough to convince the king to start with the introduction of 500 young noble soldiers born without wealth; for the king it was an opportunity to leave a grand work of his reign.

Artillery door ent ecole militaire

Cavalerie ent ecole militaire

However, the Royal Military college wanted by king  Louis XV  did not survided the death of the king and seven years later the college is closed and plans to transfered it to the Hôtel-Dieu hospital near Notre Dame. Finally, the move did not took place but the buildings were left in abandon and later looted during the French revolution. The building goes thru a bad period where it served as a deposit, then soldiers hq especially for the Imperial Guard  under the name of the caserne de École militaire, caserne Impériale, and caserne des Grenadiers.  After this , it cames back slowly and later enlarged to the building we know today. By 1878 it opened the superior war school or École supérieure de guerre. Later in 1911 it brings here the center for upper military studies or the centre des hautes études militaires. It has never stop doing this ever since to today. It housed the defense college unter NATO or Nato college from 1951 to 1966 (when De Gaulle had France leave NATO) and the college was transfered to Rome.

A site on the memorial aspect of it (in French). Memorial école militaire

The Chapel of the École militaire  was done inside the castle from designs of architect Jacques-Ange Gabriel in honor of  Saint Louis, Patron Saint of the Arms forces. It was probably looted during the French revolution and for a long time without use but serving as ammunition stock and clothing depot as well as the ballroom dance for the second anniversary of the coronation of emperor Napoléon Ier. Finally, the Chapel was given back to the religious activities in 1952. The rotonde Gabriel was the initial Chapel of the École militaire, thought to be the Chapel of the students,houses today one of the two cafeterias in the École militaire.  There is a beautiful library located in the Chateau part and also work of architect Jacques Ange Gabriel.

The hallways are a lineup of rooms that were the previous reception rooms and you can see in the lecture hall ,the wooden work sculpture on the ceilings and portraits, marbre chimney Louis XVI style, where one represent two cadets around the arms of the military Royal school.  You can see on one of the glass two impacts from bullets from the assault on Paris in August 25 1944.  The École militaire is located in one of the better perspectives views of the city of Paris on the axis  Trocadéro- Breteuil, that starts from the Palais de Chaillot, crossing the pont d’Iéna and the Champ-de-Mars to finish at the place de Breteuil.  All square on the Tour Eiffel , and the seat of UNESCO. The École militaire, master work of the Classical architecture from the 18C is at the heart of the city and its history like a symbol of the Nation in arms. OF course, I did not say that but its true, walk by zillions times already. The metro station here is the École Militaire (line 8). There are two  nice parking Indigo above ground paying just across dandy! More on the parking here from my favorite parking site Neoparking: Neoparking Indigo école militaire

Paris tourist office info.  Paris tourism école Militaire

Hope you have enjoy this brief tour of history and two great French institutions that goes beyond the museums but into the veins of the French. Hope you have a great weekend , happy Easter, ,happy travels, good health and plenty of cheers!

And who would not come to Paris and do not visit a market day or garden? These visits for me is what Paris is all about ,more so than entering a building. This is real Paris , the eternal city of bustling people and beauty all around you. This is my Paris.

I like to bring up to date my previous posts on market and gardens. Why together well it rimes with from the gardens to the market to the table. And a lot more than just eating ok.

I know you might know, there are several gardens in Paris and I am sure we all have our favorite. Well for me this is the Jardin des Tuileries. Not only is historical, beautiful and stunning with a superb location ,but I also worked for several years in front of it practically on rue Castiglione. What better way to have a relaxing moment from work than to walk the garden , and then bring the family on weekends as well.

I like to give you once again a bit of history I like.

The jardin des Tuileries extends from the Louvre to the east to the place de la Concorde to the west and bordering on the north the rue de Rivoli, Place des Pyramides and on the south the Seine river. Lovely spot indeed.

The Arc du Carrousel built in 1806 in the jardin du Carrousel marks the entrance to the jardin des Tuileries as the Palais des Tuileries that enclosed the Louvre on the west side was burned down by the uprising commune in 1871 (later demolished by the city of Paris in 1880). Way back in 1519 king François Ier chose these lands that was occupied from the 12C by rooftiles factories (like those now on the roof of the Louvre still!). In 1553 Catherine de Médicis decided to lived in the Louvre and had a castle built, buying the lands of the Tuileries to do a park/garden Italian style with fountains, caves, greenhouse and petting zoo.  By 1664, Colbert ordered André Le Nôtre (the one of Versailles, Marly, Saint Cloud, Saint Germain) under King Louis XIV to designed the gardens. Of course, Monsieur Le Nôtre was born in the  Tuileries and it was a work of him that attracted the attention of Catherine de Médicis to do the garden name after the rooftiles factories or Tuileries. You have in the gardens the museums of Jeu de Paume and Orangerie.  The metro Tuileries here on line 1 entrance along the garden on rue de Rivoli has two stairs with pockets in portrait style on the entrance and exit.  You have more in the blog post to follow.

Jardin des Tuileries

Also the city of Paris in French : City of Paris Jardin des Tuileries

And the tourist office: Paris Tourism Jardin des Tuileries

More on the gardens of Paris and market in my blog post : Markets and Gardens of Paris

Now, let me tell you about the markets of Paris; a must to visit, one several better. There are of all types and uses, and I like one that is not a popular tourist stop but it is a nice neighborhood of Passy in the 16 district of Paris.

First let me tell you about some others I like.

The market or Marché Saxe-Breteuil  with the best view of Paris. It is all along the Avenue de Saxe in the 7éme arrondissement and one of the particulars is that it has a wonderful view over to the Eiffel tower. The market is at Avenue de Saxe 7éme, Métro : Ségur,line 10. Open Thursdays and Saturdays from 7h to 14h30.

The market or Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest in Paris since 1615. Huge guinguette or party ambiance for this historical market lively, quality, authentic at 39 Rue de Bretagne, 3éme arrondissement  Métro Filles du calvaire, line 8. Open Tuesdays Wednesdays, Thursdays from  8h30 to 13h ,and 16h to 19h30; Fridays and Saturdays from 8h30 to 13h ,and  16h to 20h; Sundays from 8h30 to 14h

The market of Marché de Belleville, very cosmopolitan.  An not typical market located between the metro stations of  Ménilmontant and Belleville, offering food of first quality and fresh known for that. Another point is that you find many second hand products that went unsold of the huge Rungis central market at unbelievable prices. Located at  63 Boulevard de Belleville, 11éme , Métro line 2  Couronnes or Belleville also line 11.

The market or Marché d’Aligre, lively and friendly. One of the best in Paris but with a bit of disorder and for that Parisians love it. It is a symbol of the 12éme arrondissement located at 3 Place d’Aligre, 12éme  Métro line 8 Ledru-Rollin. Open every day except Mondays from 7h to 14h

This is the information from the city of Paris maintenance services on all the markets: City of Paris maintenance on markets

The city of Paris with some popular ones here: City of Paris markets

Now, let me tell you about the Marché couvert de Passy (covered market of Passy). I go by here often when coming to Paris and even take walks around and that is how one day I found it, and becomes the nostalgic market for me when sneaking into Paris nowdays.

It is a huge structure  dating from the 1950’s with big metallic poles holding it. The shopping space is small  with maybe 20-30 merchants inside. All very quaint lively and nicely decorated stalls such as the ones for Alain et Francine au Petit·Maraîcher (vegetables) , Les Galets d’Etretat (cookies) , Au panier.de Nicolas (goodies) etc.  We find everything here from butcher, charcutier , feather birds, rabbits, ready take out food, flower shop, pharmacy, with very high quality. At the end you find the fish market or Poissonnerie de Passy with a good reputation for good product, service and price even if a bit higher than elsewhere you get beautiful fishes and seafood here with tastings available!  There is a Portuguese corner and the produces from there like chouricos and cold cuts in a rustic quaint stall,and you could purchase the pottery from the country in blue and white. There is the cheese maker affinity  Androuet  and just wonderful selection even of English cheeses from the house of Paxton and Whitfield, supplier to the Queen of England in person !  And of course French cheeses from the country to watered your mouth ! I am already there lol!!  Located at  16,  Place de Passy  Tél. +33 (0) 1.48.85.93.30/ Metro line 9 La Muette just around my favorite Parisian resto La Gare!! even VTers  went there with me ::)  Open all year and from 8h to 19h. Closed Mondays, and closes between 13h-16h as well as Sundays afternoons.

More on the Paris tourist office in English: Marché Couvert de Passy

I hope you enjoy the ride on a wonderful part of visiting , living, rejoicing in Paris. Just the post makes me go and visit again!!! Happy travels, good health and many cheers to all. Salut!

I used to come here more often and saw the transformation of this area from  a low unknown to a vibrant lively area and up and coming real estate values.  I am talking about the La Villette and its park complex in the 19éme arrondissement of Paris.

I came back to the 19éme this area was the passing of many by me as it was my getaway to see my girlfriend now wife outside Paris on the old N3 now D603 road direction Meaux. It covers the northeast quadrant of Paris bordering the boulevard periphérique, the first mention of La Villette goes back to 1198, and the area was like many annexed to Paris proper in 1860.  It is divided into four quartiers or neighborhood such as La Villette, Pont de Flanders, Amérique, and Combat. The Grande Halle de la Villette, metal structures built in 1865-1867, it was the site of one of the biggest slaugherhouses in Paris and today it serve for cultural events and concerts.

The parc de la Villette, is located as mentioned in the 19éme arrondissement and on the quartier Pont de Flandre  is one of the biggest park and the biggest green area of Paris. It was built on the slaughterhouse of the Villette that were demolished in 1867 under orders of emperor Napoléon III and the prefect Haussmann , and finally raze in 1974. It has 55 hectares of which 33 are green areas so making it the biggest in Paris, larger than the Jardin des Tuileries with 25,5 hectares, parc des Buttes Chaumont with 25 hectares and the Jardin du Luxembourg with 23 hectares. It has the Porte de la Villette on the north, the porte de Pantin on the south and the Canal de l’Ourcq crosses it in the middle. Two pedestrian passarelles connect the canal with the north and south section, and also there is a floating mobile bridge half way between the two passeralles that allow walkers and bikers and mobility impaired persons to cross it.

There is a passages garden inspired from the exposition planetary gardens in the grande halle on a site of an old lamb corral; this island of green has 3000 sq meters with an ecosystem of forest, and dry stones.  It is a space of culture and teaching around ecological themes.

The things you will see here are:

The Grande halle de la Villette, with a nave of 9000 sq meters, the space Charlie Parker  with 4 000 sq meters, four studies and 8 balconies on the room Boris Vian.

Grande Halle on Paris tourist office here: https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/71597/Grande-Halle-de-La-Villette

The Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie opened in 1986. The Géode , a large dome shape building of 36 meters (119 ft)  in diameter housing a cinema IMAX cinema on a  geodesies dome opened  in 1985. The Cité de la Musique , concert hall opened in 1995 and music museum opened in 1996.  The conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris opened in 1990.  The little Villette the old pavilion Paul Delouvrier. The Zénith de Paris, opened in 1984 and stayed concert hall. The Philharmonic de Paris created in 2015. The space Chapiteaux with Chapithôtel opened in 2013 to house the artists. The submarine Argonaute. Cinaxe , this is a cinema made like a flight simulator ,very good! you play the movie with the same movements lol! The Trabendo opened in 1994 under Hot Brass spectacles hall . The wonderful Cabaret Sauvage concerts spectacles since 1997. The theater Paris Villette opened in 1986 in the old pavilion de la Bourse aux cuirs (leather stock exchange) . The Hall de la  Chanson in the pavilion of Charolais behind the Grande Halle. The Thêatre de la Villette, a theater and plenty around there too even on peniches boats.

Others are the WIP Villette opened in 1987 first as the Maison de la Villette. The  beltway spaces for residence of artists , an equestrian center, Pavillon Janvier, Cité Administrative, and the thematic gardens such as the  jardins passagers, jardin des bambous, jardin des frayeurs enfantines, jardin de la treille, jardin des équilibres, jardin des îles, jardin des miroirs, jardin des dunes et des vents, jardin des voltiges, jardin du dragon, jardin des ombres, and jardin des dessins. It has an equetrian center, sculptures, and music kiosques all around, great place to spend a day in a different Paris.

It has gorgeous walks along the Canal de la Villette, Canal Saint Denis,and Canal de l’Ourcq all meeting here going into a great esplanade to the Rotonda de la Villette ,the old tax authority now been converted into a Brasserie restaurant ,and very popular. The luminous cinema MK2  overlooking the canal is romantic ,beautiful cinema house.

All around these canals you have the bassin de la Villette, the biggest body of water in Paris with 700 meters long( 2310 ft) .  The aforementioned Rotonde de la Villette  is one of 54 buildings done in 1784 to received the taxes on products entering Paris; it faces the Bassin de la Villette.  For difference there is a nice church St Jacques et St Chritophe de la Villette at place Bitche a nice small park in front will do good for a rest and some snack/drink to recharge your walk, I know I did :::).

Here you can get to many peniche boat and cruise boat on the canals and bassin the most famous is the Canauxrama firm right on quai de la Loire. Also, the newer Paris Canal same side of the quais .

To have a zip drink spend a lovely time here other than inside the Parc de la Villette, you have a wonderful cafe LM at the MK2 cinema overlooking the bassin de la Villette, Belushi’s at rue Crimée is wonderful and youthful with good prices, and great views. For a heartier meal I suggest the Au Boeuf Couronné, for great beef and the signature of Gerard Joulie restaurants in Paris, located at 188 ave Jean Jaurés, metro porte de Pantin ,line 5 . There is a hostal St Christopher’s next to it with lively ambiance, great prices, and very easy located on metro Crimée line 7.

In all a labyrinth of good ambiance always guarantee.  The menu of activities schedule can be seen here: https://lavillette.com/en/

The Paris tourist office on it; https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/71469/Parc-de-La-Villette-Plein-Air

The Zénith webpage : http://www.le-zenith.com/fr/infos-pratiques/placement.html

Cite de la musique/Philharmonic de Paris webpage: https://philharmoniedeparis.fr/fr

Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie webpage : http://www.cite-sciences.fr/en/home/

Géode webpage: https://www.lageode.fr/?lang=en

And for reference, this is Paris 19éme arrondissement or district mayor’s office on the journal La Gazette in pdf files for local info and news: https://mairie19.paris.fr/pages/la-gazette-du-19e-12848#les-numeros-de-2019-et-2020

You will do good to visit this not often seen area of Paris, it is very nice. Hope you enjoy it and happy week, travel, and good health to all. Cheers!!

Well I am on the roll on my belle France and cherie Paris! There is so much here you will not be surprise to find Paris No 1 in WTO-UN of cities visited again last year with almost 32M !!!

The choices are unlimited and I find myself hard to choose what to write. Well this time , I will update you on gates, and districts of Paris; a tall order indeed.

The gates or portes of Paris.

North east on the 18éme: Porte de la Chapelle also N1 and A1 autoroute/highway (to CDG) ; 19eme :Porte d’Aubervilliers, also N301 ; Porte de la Villette,also N2 ; Porte de Pantin, also N3(to my inlaws !) ; Porte Chaumont ,also D35bis (Seine-Saint-Denis), Porte Brunet, Porte du Pré-Saint-Gervais, Porte des Lilas

East on the 20éme ,Porte des Lilas, Porte de Ménilmontant, Porte de Bagnolet,also A3 ; Porte de Montreuil, also N302 ; 12eme we have the  Porte de Vincennes ,also N34 ; Porte Jaune (inside bois de Vincennes) ; Porte du Bel-Air (inside  bois de Vincennes) ; Porte de Saint-Mandé (inside bois de Vincennes) ; Porte de Saint-Mandé, Porte de Montempoivre, Porte Dorée ou porte de Picpus, Porte de Reuilly, Porte de Charenton ,also N6 ; Porte de Bercy ,also A4 (in laws and Disneyland).

South on the left bank or rive gauche ; we have on the 13éme ;Porte de la Gare, Porte de Vitry, Porte d’Ivry, Porte de Choisy, also N305 ; Porte d’Italie,also N7 ; Poterne des Peupliers,  Porte de Gentilly. In the 14eme we have the Porte de Gentilly, Porte d’Arcueil, Porte d’Orléans, also N20 links to A20 into Toulouse ; Porte de Montrouge, Porte de Châtillon, Porte Didot, Porte de Vanves (great market here) ; on the 15éme we have Porte Brancion, Porte de Plaisance, Porte de la Plaine, Porte de Versailles, Porte d’Issy, Porte de Sèvres, Porte du Bas-Meudon (quai d’Issy).

On the West we have in the 16eme the Porte du Point-du-Jour, Porte de Saint-Cloud ,also N10, Porte Molitor,  Porte de Boulogne (inside bois de Boulogne), Porte de l’Hippodrome (inside bois de Boulogne), Porte d’Auteuil,also A13 autoroute to Normandy ; Porte de Passy, Porte de la Muette (my best entry to Paris when living in Versailles) , Porte Dauphine, Porte de la Seine (inside bois de Boulogne),Porte de Bagatelle (inside bois de Boulogne), Porte de Madrid (inside bois de Boulogne),Porte Saint-James (inside bois de Boulogne),Porte de Neuilly (inside bois de Boulogne),Porte des Sablons (inside bois de Boulogne), Porte Maillot,also N13

On the North west we have in the 17éme the Porte des Ternes, Porte de Villiers, Porte de Champerret, Porte de Courcelles, Porte d’Asnières, Porte de Clichy, Porte Pouchet. In the 18eme we have the Porte de Saint-Ouen, Porte de Montmartre, Porte de Clignancourt, also N14, and Porte des Poissonniers .

And of course some like the Porte Saint Martin are inside the city itself.  The Porte Saint Martin (b 1674) in honor of king Louix XIV.   The Porte Saint Denis (b 1672)  to  king Louis XIV . The Porte de Pantin was my first entry by car into Paris coming from Meaux in Seine-et-Marne (native town of my wife). Built in early 19C and name as such since WWII.

This is huge on the districts because there are divided into neighborhoods. A proper update will be long but you should get the picture below.

You should know that Paris has 20 districts or arrondissements numbered 1-20 and written after the departement/city number 75. So a location saying 75008 is in the 8^th district for example. What folks do not know or most, is that Parisians have a habit of pinpointing their neighborhood when talking and getting to know you. These were done by Baron Haussmann too and correspond to four per district so neighborhoods or Quartiers and districts or Arrondissements.  You can see for example, somebody telling you lives in the 8^th district or 8é arrondissement ,but actually lives by the avenue des Champs-Elysées their neighborhood will be Champs Elysées no 29. Therefore 20 arrondissements and 80 quartiers! Got it! Great! They are all explained in the blog posting to follow.

Arrondissement or Districts

Quartiers or Neighborhoods

rue de Rivoli with side view of Jardin des Tuileries

There, you have them. It will help you guide yourselves in Paris and come to know more of the daily life we carry here. I think is important not to go away simply with the tourist look but the local one, to really soak in the experience. I do it everywhere I go too.

Happy week, travels, good health and many cheers. Salut!

I have passed it many times and seldom been in it, one of the things in life when one lives so close to so much beauty and architecture. I finally went in once and it was stunning, well like everything in Paris in my opinion. This is the Panthéon de Paris!

It is located in a superb location near the jardin du Luxembourg ; in fact if you stand by the blvd Saint Mchel right out of the gate from the fountain of Marie de Médici you can look straight up Rue Soufflot into it.  Right in front of the Place du Panthéon.  Very appropiate nearby is the library or Bibliothéque Saint Geneviéve as well as the University Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne. RER B Luxembourg can easily take you in this direction and coming from the back you can get there on metro line 10 Cardinal Lemoine. And if like me ,you come by car, there is excellent underground parking Soufflot at 22 Rue Soufflot just in front of the Panthéon.

There are recognised four stages in the life of the Panthéon existance, the first one and oldest is that was there before the Panthéon, in effect, the Church of Sainte Geneviève (1744-1 emper790); which of course, was demolished during the French revolution.

The second period is that of the transformation of monuments to use the scholar choice, meaning the used of these monument to enhance the Republic from the initial years such as (1791-1885). This is when the French revolution welcomes its heroes to the Panthéon with first Mirabeau (1749-1791),one of the great speakers of the revolution. In 1806, emperor  Napoléon Ier (1769-1821)  gives the nave of the Panthéon back to the Catholic Church while the crypts stayed for the cult of personalities.  Under the period of the Restauration (1815-1830), meaning back of the monarchy, king of the French Louis-Philippe 1st (reign of 1830-1848) gave it all back to the Catholic Church .  Finally, in 1851, emperor  Napoléon III (1808-1873)  change the Panthéon to a Church for the last time in its history.

The third period is that of the French Republic laique from 1885-1964 upon the death of  the writer Victor Hugo (1802-1885), a huge crowd follows the funeral car to the Panthéon.  The monument becomes laïque . This period extends all along the IIIe République (1870-1940) , and the IVe République (1947-1958)

The fourth and final period we can call it the Panthéon under the Ve République (since 1958) , when it was open to transfer the ashes of  Resistant hero  Jean Moulin (1899-1943),in 1964.  At the end of this ceremony the funeral speech done by the Minister of cultural affairs André Malraux , the Panthéon  gain little by little its position of all consensus of all the political families. The surveys conducted led to name M. Philippe Bélaval, President of the center for national monuments , manager of the Panthéon under the French Republic.  This report , indicates to allow the admission of ordinary people to better represent the French society by given honors in the future. The ceremony of May 27 2015 when entered into the Panthéon of Pierre Brossolette (1903-1944), Geneviève de Gaulle Anthonioz (1920-2002), Germaine Tillion (1907-2008) ,and Jean Zay (1904-1944) falls into this doctrine.

However, to give you a rough tour of it inside ,we will continue on the first level or principal ground level, and continue around the bearing along the wall to our right and coming across to the right side now, you will see Sainte Geneviéve encouraging the Parisiens to fight against Attila the Hun. Continuing along the right wall, you wil come to Jeanne d’Arc and Saint Louis completing the Christian heroes that are the history of France.  Coming along the right wall as if you were going out of the building now you will see the marches of Attila the Hun and Sainte Geneviéve showing calm to the Parisiens.  And just before the door on the right side wall ,you will see the life of Saint Denis, evangelist of the Gauls and first bishop of Paris.

You will go back now to the aforemention stairs and go down to the Crypt. First tomb is that of the heart of Léon Gambetta (1838-1882) with an urn in glass, the III Republic transfer it here in Nov 11 1920 in honor of its founder.  In the lobby the first part of the crypt welcomes face to face the tombs of Voltaire, with beforehand by his statue in stone by Houdon(sculptor) and Rousseau with a look of rustic temple simulating his theories on nature. The tomb of Soufflot joined them in 1829.  In the west wing to the right you will see the 41 great men of the Empire at the other side of the rotonda, they were put here beginning in 1806 by Imperial decree ,amongst them, Portalis,and Tronchet, the writer of the Civil Code of France. In the same west wing but to the left, you see Victor Schoelcher marking the aboliton of slavery, and next to Jéan Jaurés, father of French socialism killed in 1914, as well as Félix Eboué,first French resistant fighter from the territories.  You will see here too, Victor Hugo and Emile Zola, two writers of renown who fought for the liberties of all.  In 2002, the ashes of Alexandre Dumas, were deposited here too.  The personalities transfer here for the centenary of the French revolution comes before the tomb of Maréchal Lannes. In the north wing, you will see the tombs of Jean Moulin, hero of the Resistance movement in WWII and André Malraux, writer and  alongside Jean Monnet (created the European Union), as well as René Cassin, spiritual father of the universal declaration of the rights of man and citizens adopted by the UN in 1948. In the caves that follows rest the personalities deposited during the bicentennial of the French revolution and a bit further away those of Pierre and Marie Curie, Nobel prize in physics on radium.

You can go to the high exterior columns to the base of the dome or coupola for a magnificent view of Paris, go there !  So it is a recommended detour when in Paris to see it. It is the very best of France.  For easy reference I put the offical webpage in English here: site of the Panthéon de Paris

front side of Panthéon de Paris

Enjoy it ,its Paris where else! The Panthéon of Paris. Happy travels, good health and good cheers to all!!!.

We are into Spring for sure, nice and sunny no rain and just 6C or about 45F cool alors nous sommes au printemps!!! And , I like to tell you about an institution very much dear to us French ! Let’s talk about the Institut de France!!! in Paris.

The Institut de France  was created in October 25 1795 and house in an old building of the old school or Collège des Quatre-Nations located at  23 quai de Conti in the 6éme arrondissement just facing the Seine river. It includes the French Academy or Académie française (40 members),  the inscriptions and noble letters academy or Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres (55 members), Science Academy or Académie des Sciences (262 members),  the fine arts academy or Académie des beaux-arts (59 members), and the moral  and political sciences academy or Académie des sciences morales et politiques (50 members).

a bit of history on the building:

In 1661, in his final will and last wishes and thanks to his great fortune the Cardinal Mazarin asked king Louis XIV ,the creation of a college to received the nobles of the four nations united in royal obedience by the treaties of Westphalia in 1648 and Pyrénées in 1659 that were Artois, Alsace, Pignerol, and Roussillon (included Sardinia).  It was Colbert who hired architect Louis Le Vau (Vaux le Vicomte, Versailles et al) to design the college at the level of the square court of the Louvre on the other side of the Seine. The work took from 1662 to 1688.  By 1796, the building house one of the three central schools of Paris under the name of  the  École centrale des Quatre-Nations  or four nations central school. This school closed in 1802, and by 1805,upon the request of Napoléon Ier, the Institut de France came as tenant of the building.  In the 19C, on a second court a wing was added connecting the two pavilions already there; and was  inaugurated in 1846.   It houses two rooms for work used for ordinary sessions of the Academies. While work was going on to built an auditorium by the INRAP in 2015 it was discoverd a section of the Paris ramparts wall of king Philippe Auguste including a wall, a tower, and a well dating from the reign of king Charles V.

Let me give you a bit of history on the institution itself.

The first session held here was on April 4  1796, for the museum of the French revolution or musée de la Révolution française. There is in the library of the institut de France designed and engraved by  Augustin François Lemaître,  in a dictionary of the Académie française of 1835. The French Republic has suspended all Royal academies under the new constitution of the year III article 298 established in our calendar year 1795. The Moral and political academy having no loyalty towards the revolution was eliminated by the Consulat in January 1803. The classes remaining were of  Classe des sciences physiques et mathématiques (physical science and math classes) ; Classe de langue et littérature française ( the language and French literature class) ;Classe des langues anciennes et d’histoire (old languages and history class) ; and the Classe des beaux-arts(fine arts class). In 1816, king Louis XVIII ordered reorganised the Institut and the name Academy is again re established and used to name the different classes such as  the  Académie Française , Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres , Académie des sciences, and  Académie des beaux-arts ».  By ordinance (order) of 1832 the Académie des sciences morales et politiques are ,also, re established. king of the French  Louis-Philippe gives the Institut the current configuration.

I like to put the library of the Institut de France here: Institut de France library

The principal management groups of the Institut are the chancelier,elected for 3 years by a central  administrative commission and confirm by the President of the French Republic. The Central Administrative commission is composed of Six secretaries for life and two delegates elected by the academy. The General Assembly includes the members of each academy except the Sciences that have 50 members on it. The office or board is composed of the President, Chancellor, for life Secretaries  ,director of the  Académie française , and the President of the other academies.  The President is each year the president of one of the academies and especially heads the annual science event that by tradition is held on the Tuesday closest to the date of creation of the institut (October 25), and since 2005 ,the event of prize giving to the Foundations of the Institut that is held in June.  Also, the technical commissions, special commissions and jury’s.

Nevertheless, the most important fonctions of the Institut are those of the Chancellor and the Central Administrative Commission.  The first one is the authority on the personnel, orders and purchases ,and represent the Institut in legal contracts and in justice. The Central Administrative Commission fonctions are to bring together in voice call the budget and the modifications decisions as well as other financial dispositions and the use of the rooms, buildings , etc. The members of the Academies are elected for life without any text mentioning their laidoffs; however, the President of the  French Republic can exceptionally lay them off as such was the case of  Philippe Pétain by the Académie française in 1945, and in 1989 by the Académie des beaux-arts against Claude Autant-Lara.

The Institut de France is more than the Institut.  It organises donation, bequests and legs with the form of Foundations in charge of their net worth. The most famous in my opinion is that of the Fondation d’Aumale, created in 1886  and executed by Henri d’Orléans, as a full property in 1897.  This foundation is in charge of the Domaine de Chantilly ,that includes the Château de Chantilly, collections of the museum Condé, the forest of  Chantilly, as well as other real estate around Chantilly.

There are many other such as the above including:

1904, legs of  Jacques Siegfried that included the Château de Langeais under the Fondation Siegfried. 1905, legs of Félicie Dosne, that includes the Hôtel Thiers and its library under the Fondation Thiers. 1912, legs of Nélie Jacquemart, that includes the Hôtel Jacquemart in Paris, later museum Jacquemart-André ,and the abbey of  Chaalis, under the Fondation Jacquemart-André. 1919, legs Edmond de Rotschild, that includes the Maison de l’Institut de France (house of the institut de France ) in London that is under the Fondation Edmond de Rotschild. 1920, legs Joseph Astor, that includes the mansion castle of manoir de Kerazan. 1928, legs Théodore Reinach, that includes the Villa Kérylos, from 1967, and under the Fondation Théodore Reinach. 1997, legs André Bussinger,  that includes the Château de Braux-Sainte-Cohière, under the Fondation André Bussinger et Braux-sous-Valmy.

In addition, to the above we have properties directly given to the Academies such as the Château d’Abbadia by Antoine d’Abbadie d’Arrast in 1897 , as well as the  house of  Louis Pasteur in Arbois (1992) to the  Académie des Sciences; the museum  Marmottan by Paul Marmottan  in 1932,  the Villa Ephrussi by  Béatrice Ephrussi de Rotschild in 1934, and the house of Claude Monet in Giverny  from 1966 to the Académie des beaux-arts; and the Château de Castries  in 1985 and then sold to the city of Castres in 2013 with profits coming to the Académie Française.

The Academie channel connected to the institut de France has a live broadcasts on link:  Academy Channel online

The official site of the institut de France: Institut de France

The Paris tourist office in English on the Institut de France : Paris Tourist Office on Institut de France

Complete information booklet in Frence and pdf format here: info Brochure Institut de France (French)

In finishing, my own story of this is that back around 2007-2008 I was very much involved in Paris in different groups that supported culture, arts, and monuments. As we were trying and still are to rebuilt the Palais des Tuileries , I met many French nobles (from the Orléans, Napoléon III side including Princess Napoleon) and business persons, old politicians and architects/lawyers what have you and we had our meetings at the Salon Victor Hugo of the Académie des sciences morales et politiques of the Institut de France in Paris.  Of course these pictures are not for publication but I have included one from credited sources. This is the webpage for the palais des tuileries project: Palais des Tuileries

Now enjoy the visit and see the wonders of Paris, never ceased to amazed me of the things to see here; actually, I think they are endless. Have a great week you all; happy travels, good health and enjoy life to the fullest ,its short. Cheers!!!