Archive for March 3rd, 2022

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March 3, 2022

Curiosities of my Versailles !!!

And you can tell ,love the history of the places I go, not just for a pretty picture or nice walk but to know their history and meaning in our world. A complete world traveler and or road warrior indeed. None the least in my dear old home of Versailles, Yvelines dept 78 of the Île de France region of my belle France. Therefore, let me tell you building with historical curiosities of my Versailles in my black and white series, no pictures. Hope you enjoy the lecture as I.

I like to bring you back to my dear Versailles , memories forever, they were 9 wonderful years spent in this marvelous royal city that we will remember forever. I have written plenty on it in my blog, but let me tell you some new curiosities of this royal city of Versailles.

By 11 rue Carnot you see the Maison Modéle was one of the creations of the new city;it was in charge of the maintenance of the fountains, At the beginning there were 11 fountains of drinkable water in the neigborhood of Notre Dame,(mine!) , the water came from the forest of Marly and Les Chesnay, The house dates from 1683 , was one of the first ones built under the new regulations of Louis XIV, By 1866, the house becomes a lodging home of many.

Nearby at 5 rue Carnot you had the stables of the queen or horse city now you have here the appeals courthouse, These stables were built in 1672 and were those of the king before becoming of the queen in 1682, the first one Marie Thérése d’Austria , It stayed that of the queen and dauphine until the French revolution, The horses were big in Versailles and stables were all over ,you know the big ones Grande and Petite Ecuries.

I have mentioned briefly the house at 24 rue de la Chancellerie that now houses the national conservatory of music, dance , and dramatic arts, This is in the mansion Hôtel de la Chancellerie built in 1672 for the chancellor of the king, Here was a great party in honor of the duchess Marie Adelaide de Savoie that finished by 8h next morning ! This was the time of many parties in Versailles! As the cabinets de bal attest in this building. If the buildings of the Midi and Nord wings (palace) house many guests in these times, by 1700 most of the nobles lived in the city.

I have, also, briefly mentioned by rue des Récollets corner of rue Saint Julien the church des Récollets with a nice tympan front ! The first stone was posed by Louis XIV in 1684, this was done after demolishing the old church Saint Julien and built the Grand Commun nearby. So a replacement church was done in the Récollets. In 1793 it was turned into a prison and in 1796 to create a new street extending that of rue Saint Julien until the Jeu de Paume made necessary the demolition of the nave, There were rumeurs of a sale to build a luxury hotel here with Arabs investors, ready for the Paris Olympiad of 2024.

You have the headquarters of the fountain men or the water service of the city at 1Bis Rue Robert de Cotte, This was link to the hydraulic pumps that serve the gardens of the palace of Versailles. The building house a huge tank of 1200 cubic meters held by pylons in stone of 13 meters high, the construction of the building was done in 1684, The building construction precipitated the demolition of the cave of Téthys, The tank was demolished in turn early 19C there are still very nice remains to be seen, At the entrance of this building today you can read in the front door water service or service des eaux, and on the right by rue Peintre Lebrun you see a small building in stone with a window on rue Robert de Cotte , this was a mansion that was there before the construction of the hq of the fountain men , The fountain men were lodge at 14 rue Hoche near the Church Notre Dame and near where André Le Nôtre lived at 16 rue Hoche, these mansions today gone.

And I go on, by 4-6 rue de l’Independance Américaine you see the superintendence of the king’s buildings, built in 1683 for the duke of Mortemart Here was house the chef architect of the buildings of Versailles like Jean Baptiste Colbert, The building personnel was moved in 1701 to the No 9 of the same street by Jules Hardouin Mansart in charge since 1699, When the French revolution, the last superintendant the count of Angivillier leaves for Germany leaving his wife behind, She was allowed to stay here until her passing in 1808.

Nearby at 3 rue de l’Independance Américaine you have the former Hôtel de la Guerre or war ministry, It was taken in 1758 on the spot of the old vegetable garden of king Louis XIII. The building of five floors was done between 1759 and 1760. In 1762 Louis XV came to inspect the building before putting the archives inside.

In continuation of this street and in addition to what I have already written on this building at 5 rue de l’Independance Américaine the former Hôtel de la Marine et des Affaires Etrangéres or Navy and Foreign Affairs Mansion, Today is the Municipal Library, The biggest gallery here with seven rooms still preserving its decorations, Beautiful paintings depicting the Vatican, St Peter of Rome, Warsaw, Turin, Genoa, Berlin, Vienna, Naples,Madrid, London, Lisbon, Constantinople (Istanbul) and Parma, The decorations also show the treaty of Paris signed in Paris in 1763 to the detriment of the English, In a marble table was signed in 1768 the treaty attaching Corsica to France and in 1783 that which England recognised the independence of the United States of America. This table and the archives has disappear and replaced by old books. These books came from the confiscation after the French revolution from the libraries of the nobles that had left Versailles.

I take you now to the former Hôtel des Gens d’Armes de la Garde du Roi or mansion of the King’s guards, This was at 6 Avenue de Paris, now the portal is all that is left of the mansion king Louis XV ordered built in 1735, This was the exclusive guards of the kings all coming from the nobility, At the time Versailles was a military outposts with many military personnel a very heavy cost to maintain.

The police had its buildings too in Versailles, but the picturesque one was called the Guet du Roy at the corner of rue Neuve Notre Dame and rue de Pétigny, Built in 1783 under king Louis XVI, It was decided that the Prince de Poix military governor of Versailles to watch over the land of the former pond of Clagny dried up in 1736 that was a property encircling the boulevard du Roi, rue Neuve Notre Dame, rue Berthier, and rue du Maréchal Foch (pretty much where the Notre Dame market is today) near the rive droite train station was inhabited by troublesome folks so it was needed to keep an eye from this building, after the French revolution and after passing by several owners it became a small café now closed since 1996.

One of my favorite spots in Versailles is by the 7 rue des Réservoirs to see the former Hôtel de Madame de Pompadour, This building is next to the royal Opéra built in 1752, You can see today on the front of the 4th floor (5th US) you have a rococo sculpture on the arms of the marquise de Pompadour, The building was given by Louis XV to his favorite, It was sold as national property (confiscated) in 1794 during the French revolution, By 1875 it was converted into a tourist hotel under the name of Grand Hôtel des Réservoirs. By 1906-07 two floors were added,The hotel received many III Republic dignitaries (government seat in Versailles from 1871 to 1879) and foreign guests such as the Prince of Wales future king Edward VII of England. Also, Marcel Proust, Henri de Réignier, Reynaldo Hahn and Emile Zola, Since 2006 the mansion/hotel host the European School of Economic Intelligence (EEIE).

The former Hôtel des Postes at 4 rue Saint Julien or post office built in 1752 by order of Louis XV,This designate the place reserve in the stables for a run of each horse assuring transport of travelers and letters, You can see the nice front with the panel Hôtel des Postes still today.

At 21 Avenue de Paris you see the former Hôtel de Georges René Binet, now housing the chamber of commerce and industry of Versailles valley of the Oise Yvelines, Originally built in 1751 for the first valet of the king, the Georges René Binet, In 1771 when the countess of Barry last favorite of Louis XV acquired the mansion was to house her domestic service ! She had ordered enlargement but could not see them as upon the death of Louis XV in 1774 she left Versailles to the convent du Pont aux Dames near Meaux (Seine et Marne 77 today gone) ! The Count of Provence, brother of Louis XVI (and later king Louis XVIII) buys the mansion to house some of his favorites, and the stables were done , in 1780. The countess could not escape the reign of terror and guillotine on December 8 1793.

You have in dear Versailles, the Pavillon de Musique de Madame at avenue Chauchard by the 111 avenue de Paris, a bit after the much written Domaine de Madame Elizabeth (sister of Louis XVI), In this building like the music pavilion of the Mrs Marie Joséphine de Savoie Countess of Provence and sister in law of Louis XVI made built this pavillion in 1780 after buying the land from Prince de Montbarrey that needed to be in exile as not in accord with Marie Antoinette. In 1784 ;the countess ordered an English garden with a pond, chinese pavilions belvedere, small temple, cottages, dairy and music pavillion, Today only the dairy and music pavillion remain the rest was sold in the French revolution, In 1820 wings were added by the jewerlers of Louis XVIII, The guest here continue with Alfred Chauchard, the co founder of the dept store Grands magasins du Louvre (gone and replace by the Louvre des Antiquaires). Without heirs, he gives the property to the Societé du Louvre, (today Louvre Hotels Group owned by the Chinese Jin Jiang International ) of which is cut in parcels for the workers of the dept store with the only condition that his statue at avenue du Louvre in Versailles is care for.

A bit more into our days, the Hôtel de la Préfecture et du Département at 11-13 avenue de Paris, This was built between 1863 and 1867 on the spot of the former kennel of Louis XIV. A bit forgotten as it was built during the Second Empire (Napoléon III) but its rich history goes in destiny to that of the III Républic that sat in Versailles as capital of France. Adolphe Thiers leave Paris and take refuge in Versailles been chase by the Prussians, He established his apartments at the prefecture mansion, By 1873 is the turn of Mac-Mahon as President while the last legimiste pretender to the throne of France, the duke of Bordeaux, Count of Chambord grandson of Charles X, and future Henri V awaits in a house at 5 rue Saint Louis, However, the Republic is definite installed in 1875 after the count of Chambord refuse to carry the tricolor revolutionary flag and not the white flag of royal France. The government and deputies goes back to Paris in 1879, Jules Grévy the first President of the III Républic elected by parlamentarians was the last resident of this mansion.

The Versailles tourist office: https://en.versailles-tourisme.com/

The city of Versailles on its heritage: https://www.versailles.fr/ma-ville/decouvrir/tourisme/

There you go folks, a dandy small stories of my beloved Versailles, as said, a lot more than the palace to be seen and enjoy. A nice town good for the whole family, heck it was great for mine. Hope you enjoy this post and do venture out into the city on your next visit ,when possible.

And remember, happy travels, good health,and many cheers to all!!!

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March 3, 2022

Wines news of France XVIII !!

And back to wines, season is getting better, we are in March and had a mild winter so far. I am looking forward to wine events in my area, and to go out again on my road warrior tours of my belle France. For now, let me tell you again about the series, wines news of France!!! Hope you enjoy it as I.

The owner of 4 Grands Crus Classés among the most prestigious terroirs of Bordeaux and 42 vineyards around the world, Bernard Magrez has launched since 2013 a study on the effects of climate change on viticulture. The ORACLE La Tour Carnet – Bordeaux 2050 project will aim to simulate the impact of global warming on vines and wine by 2050 and to study the adaptation of different grape varieties to new climatic conditions. A question then arises: will Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc still be the best suited grape varieties to produce Bordeaux Grands Crus Classés? Should we change the way we grow them to preserve the aromatic palette and unique balance that characterizes the Grands Vins de Bordeaux? Based on the experience of the technical teams and the scientific center of the Bernard Magrez vineyards, a unique system has been developed at Château La Tour Carnet, Grand Cru Classé in 1855, in Médoc. This system will make it possible from 2022 to generate a warming of the temperatures encountered locally by the vines, accelerating the development cycles of the grapes accordingly. Developed using state-of-the-art technologies borrowed from the aeronautical industry, the system will make it possible to simulate the effects of climate change by 2050 and thus predict the most suitable grape varieties for the production of high quality wines in the climate of the Bordeaux of tomorrow. To complete this process, the facilities of the ORACLE La Tour Carnet – Bordeaux 2050 project are supplemented by a dedicated vinification vat, made up of 84 temperature-controlled vats allowing the separate vinification of each of the grape varieties in the study. It will thus make it possible to measure the potential of these grape varieties and the wines that will be produced from them as a way of adapting to climate change. webpage: https://bernard-magrez.com/en/home-2/

This so-called “garage wine” movement was born in the early 1990s in Saint-Emilion, with the emergence of a new kind of winegrowers, who produced very small quantities, on very small surfaces, and very often with limited, even precarious means, high quality wines. In the vineyards, the work was also extremely meticulous, with severe pruning to limit yields and grapes harvested by hand. One of the first to popularize these micro-cuvées of the modern era was the Bordelais Jean-Luc Thunevin, with his Château Valandraud: a plot of 60 ares cultivated like a garden from 1989 in the lower part of the village of Saint-Emilion . Before him, in 1979, Jacques Thienpont had created Le Pin in Pomerol, from two hectares of Merlot. Since then, the phenomenon has grown and spread, even become commonplace, garages have become pretty cellars… Among the pioneers and most emblematic, in Saint-Emilion, La Mondotte, Péby-Faugères, Gracia or even Rol-Valentin.

Former US President Donald Trump inaugurates his own wine bar, The former President of the United States has just inaugurated a bar bearing his own image, 45 Wine and Whiskey, within the Trump Tower. On the right, just next to a very patriotic row of American flags in XXL format, appears 45 Wine and Whiskey, the new bar in honor of the 45th President of the United States. Lord wine is everywhere!!!

Overwhelmed since last week by calls and emails from French citizens wishing to help Ukraine, its honorary consul in Bordeaux, Laurent Fortin, calls on the French wine sector to mobilize. “We will need funds to send medicine and clothes to Ukraine. It’s winter there! says the general manager of Château Dauzac (grand cru classé in 1855 in Margaux). Laurent Fortin, who wishes to demonstrate that “in Bordeaux we are not locked behind the gates of our castles, as one might sometimes think”. Yes time to show your true colors folks. The services of the honorary consul can be contacted via the address ukraine.aquitaine@gmail.com

Collection, the new incarnation of the brut premier of Roederer . The Champagnes Roederer has decided to deconstruct the blend. Having become a Collection, the House’s brut now draws, and above all, from reserve wines. They are the matrix of the assembly that the current year punctuates. This inversion, a small revolution, changes the game. With Collection, the goal of brut is no longer consistency, but the search for perfection with each new edition. In short, no more ready-made recipe but the expression of a work of composition, terroirs and vintages claimed, masterfully led by Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, cellar master of the House, Collection 242 perfectly keeps this promise. At the heart of the reactor: reserve wines aged in wood 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 1/3 from the Perpetual Reserve. All complemented by the best wines of 2017, the 242nd harvest of the House. Hence the number of this inaugural Collection cuvée. Roederer’s “Premier” style is there , freshness, precision, finesse, but gains in substance, becomes more caressing, enveloping, more greedy and complex. Dominated by Chardonnay, particularly remarkable in 2017, notes of toasted hazelnut are expressed with subtlety. Its saline finish is salivating. A 242 that definitely makes you want to become… a collector! webpage: https://www.louis-roederer.com/en/collection242

Long considered a pick-me-up to be swallowed at the counter, Calvados is changing course today. Cider brandy no longer counts as plums.

Christian Drouin – Millésime 2002 Calvados Pays d’Auge, The youngest of the Drouin vintages benefited from a finish in Rivesaltes barrels after aging in old Calvados barrels. A stunning freshness with frank apple aromas from the neck and touches of candied fruit with a comforting sweetness for the palate. Classic, but with an extra soul. webpage; https://calvados-drouin-boutique.com/collections/millesimes/products/millesime-2002-calvados-pays-dauge

Château du Breuil – Le Breuil Légende, Calvados Pays d’Auge .Château du Breuil, an AOC Pays d’Auge, a blend of a selection of out-of-age distillates aged in the cellars of the famous property near Lisieux. Subtly woody, revealing a beautiful aromatic palette, this eau-de-vie ends with an elegant spicy finish. Available from March 1. webpage: https://spiriterie.com/en/shop-en/?filter=1&pa_distiller=du-breuil-castle

The National Institute of Origin and Quality authorizes the creation of “crus” within Complementary Geographical Denominations. A proposal resulting from a report by the prioritization working group of the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO). Until now, within each Controlled Designation of Origin (AOC), certain more restricted territories could add a Complementary Geographical Denomination (DGC). An example ? The DGC Notre Dame des Anges, which since 2020 has brought together 10 Var municipalities within the Côtes-de-Provence appellation. The problem, this work of delimiting specific micro-terroirs is almost endless… The DGCs have multiplied over the years. Until they lose some of their value to consumers. Hence the idea of ​​creating a hierarchical level within them. Thus, some DCGs will now be able to add the mention “cru” on their labels, which will give “nom de AOC + cru DGC”. To hope to add “cru” to their labels, the DGC’s must be those of a locality or an area of ​​no more than 1 to 10 villages/towns, have a homogeneous terroir and specific production conditions, and finally, be recognized by professionals, especially during tastings. webpage INAO: https://www.inao.gouv.fr/eng/The-National-Institute-of-origin-and-quality-Institut-national-de-l-origine-et-de-la-qualite-INAO

About ten years ago Laurent Cisneros bought in Canéjan, in the Pessac Léognan appellation, the very beautiful Château Rouillac. After doing rigorous work to raise the quality of his wines, he has just launched his own distribution brand: the “Maison Cisneros”. A high-end brand based on values ​​of sincerity and authenticity. Roots in Charentes where he owns a heating company, but also in Spain: his father is from San Martin de Valdeiglesias, a wine-growing village in the community of Madrid. This desire to cultivate its roots is reflected in the Château Rouillac boutique, created in 2010 and redone in October 2021. Also the project to revive its 2 hectares of vines, “el Moulino quemado” (burnt mill), in San Martin de Valdeiglesias (Vinos de Madrid DO): a qualitative vine because the area of ​​San Martin de Valdeiglesias seems the most interesting of the appellation by its soil composed of decomposing granite and a more humid climate than the rest of the appellation. Laurent’s wine will soon be on the shelves of the Maison Cisneros house, at Château Rouillac where you can already see a few other bottles of Spanish wines, which find their origins in the beautiful encounters that Laurent has had. webpage: https://www.chateauderouillac.com/

The appellation highlights Malbec, its king grape variety, and two geological origins that combine from the banks of the Lot to the heights of the Causses. At the crossroads of Atlantic, Mediterranean and continental influences, the Cahors vineyard covers the ancient terraces of the Lot and the hillsides and limestone and marl-limestone plateaus which dominate them. In the middle of the 19C, before the ravages of phylloxera, Quercy had one of the largest vineyards in the country with 47,000 hectares planted, mainly on the poorest and stoniest land, the most fertile areas being dedicated to cultivation. cereals. Since 1971, 21,700 hectares have been classified as AOC, of which 3,323 are now planted. The alluvial soils now cover 60% of the vineyard on the three former terraces of the Lot which range from 90 to 250 meters above sea level. A wonderful wine of the black wine of Cahors, more info: https://vindecahors.fr/cs-en/

A wine from the AOC Fronton (wine from the Sud-Ouest (south-west and emblematic of Toulouse!! ), composed of 100% of its emblematic grape variety, the Négrette. This wine, born on a soil of boulbène, represents its appellation well. It presents an exceptional nose on a chalky and calcareous side, with black and red fruits, with a personality and a typicality specific to the Négrette. On the palate, it has a greedy and tight character, with small, fine tannins and surprising length. It leaves the mouth fresh, on ripe fruit. When you have already tasted Négrette, you never forget it! This pure Négrette comes from the Vignobles Arbeau & Château Coutinel estate, in Fronton, certified organic since 2021. webpage: https://www.vins-de-fronton.fr/39-famille-arbeau-coutinel

The former Salon Gastronomique et Vins of Vannes has becomes this year Aux Vignobles. I have my invitation for March 11, 12, 13,14, 2022 , We look forward to see again the Aux Délices Catalans, Aux Goût du Monde, the Caves Rougebec (Vouvray Touraine) , Champagne Lagille,Château Fonbaude (côtes Bordeaux/Castillon), Château Lambert (Fronsac) ; Château Tour Birol (côtes de bourg) ,Ferme Aguerria (foie gras), La Rose Pauillac(Pauillac) ,La Pose Catalane (saucissons), Maison Guibert (Tarn charco cheeses), Maison Gastellou, Vignobles La Rodaie (st nicolas bourgueil), Roxane et Cyrano (Bergerac), And a lot more, we go every year,(see posts), except with the covid and now back and a new name and format : I will be there ! Webpage: https://www.auxvignobles.fr/vannes/

The above event held at the Parc Expo Le Chorus, directions here : https://www.lechorus.com/fr/infos-pratiques

What wines for a terrine de campagne or country terrine? The “country terrine” obeys very specific rules: exclusively composed of meat (pork, possibly a little veal, but above all the dedicated game, wild or not: hare, wild boar, duck, pheasant…), it is distinguished by its assertive flavors, as welcome at the country snack as at the family picnic in the summer. No old and complex grand cru here, but on the contrary the fruitiness and freshness of youth, whose vigor will resist the power of the dish. No light and aromatic whites either (Muscat, Sauvignon), but those from the South (Rhône Valley, Provence, Languedoc), much more structured, will be able to hold their place. However, here we rather imagine bright reds, whose tannins will match the creaminess of the recipe. There you go from a wine aficionado!!

There you go folks, more of the wonderful world of wines of France! Hope you enjoy the post as I. En vino veritas!!! And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

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March 3, 2022

My curiosities of the16éme arrondissement of Paris!!!

One of my favorite districts of Paris is the 16éme arrondissement ; you perhaps have notice my mentioning in my blog, I have gone there on business and to visit friends as well as sightseeing with the family, Even thus written on districts before, let me tell you about some curiosities of this 16éme arrondissement of Paris. Of course, this will be on my black and white series,no pictures.

I start you off with a bang to take you to the Aerodynamic Laboratory of Eiffel, this is at 67 rue Boileau nearest metro is Exelmans line 9, Here you will see intact the thanks to the thinking ahead of Gustave Eiffel that stated in 1920 the lab cannot be destroyed as long as the blower was active, The lab opened in 1912 and still in activity ! It gives a testing spot for the automobile industry, as was here that were tested the Citroën ZX of Paris-Dakar, the football stadium of Amiens, and the CNT of La Défense, It has a huge hangar and shops to build models, handle the blower and see results, The smallest blower has been discontinue but the bigger one are still in operation that can be tested on winds of 100 kph, You can see small models of automobiles, airplanes, or blowers, The visit is done in groups of 10 with rdv on Saturdays and Sundays.

One of the nice things to see here as in all of Paris is to walk. However, you will see beautiful mansions and very expensive, The Villa Mulhouse with Villas Dietz-Monin, Villa Emile Meyer and Villa Cheysson, Located between rue Parent de Rossan and rue Claude Lorrain, you entered by 84 and 86 rue Boileau, metro line 9 Exelmans. Around the above you can see the hameau or hamlet Boileau, Villa Molitor,and Villa de la Réunion respectively at 38 rue Boileau, 7 rue Molitor, and 29 rue Chardon-Lagache, Nearest metro Chardon-Lagache line 10 and Michel-Ange Molitor,line 9 and 10, All in a pocket and guarded but you can see by the grille door.

Near see the nice Church de tous les Saints de la Terre Russe or of all the saints of mother Russia, 19 rue Claude-Lorrain, metro Exelmans line 9. Done in bricks with an armature kokochnik but is not related to the patriarch of Moscow or Constantinople and depend of the Russian church outside the frontiers, near you see another Russian church, the Church de l’Apparition de la Vierge, or apparition of the Virgin, at 87 Bd Exelmans, again not far the White Russians have a church at 39 rue François Gérard that houses a Russian Catholic of the Byzantine rite.

You can walk to see the Castel Béranger, 14 rue La Fontaine, metro Ranelagh, and Jasmin linr 9, Héctor Guimard did no think of his talent when he built a house in the heart of the village of Auteuil built between 1897-98 it won the prize organised by the city of Paris in 1899, and made him famous, The building has 36 apartments with stone and brick rose, wood, and metal in the Art Nouveau style, It was occupied in awe by painter Paul Signac, Nearby at 45 rue Ribera see the bulding done by architect Boussard from the end of the 19C and pretty caricatures on a house at 1 rue d’Yvette.

Héctor Guimard was born in Lyon in 1867 and is the French reference of Art Nouveau. The most famous are the entrances to the metro that he designed from 1899 to 1904, They were 380 in all buildings, now last count were 66. In addition to the above he has in the 16éme arrondissement the following buildings (well not all just my favorites ok) Hôtel Mezzara 60 rue La Fontaine, Hôtel Jassedé, 41 rue Chardon-Lagache, Villa Flore, 120 avenue Mozart, Hôtel Guimard, 122 avenue Mozart, and Hôtel Delfau, 1 rue Molitor. The term Art Nouveau comes from the Hambourg native Samuel Bing that open an art gallery in Paris in 1895 and called it Art Nouveau. It then spread out big time, It gave a new way of thinking and living in rupture with the then current model, The discovery of erotism and sexuality never thought of until then. The liberation of the working world and the liberation of women and the church. He had its golden age between the end of the 19C and 1914.

We have quite a bit of artesan wells in this district, one nice one started in 1855 and opened in 1866 the wells of Passy, the last artesan well still in activity in Paris, the water is drinkable ! Even with a trickle of water today, It is 587 meters deep ! Located at the Square Lamartine.

You can see the ideal modern city at rue Mallet-Stevens, metro Ranelagh line 9, built by Robert Mallet-Stevens in 1926, It sits around five mansions, At no 12 hôtel de l’Agence ; no 10 House shop of sculpteurs Joël and Jean Martell , no 8 mansion of pianist Mme Reifenberg, no 7 house of Daniel Dreyfus, and no 3 / 5 house of Mme Allatini at the end you found the house of the guardian, All houses have white plain cubes with towers and terraces, Near here see the wonderful Villa La Roche, 8 et10 square Docteur Blanche that can be visited ! It is the HQ of the Fondation Le Corbusier.

You will be curious to marvel of beautiful architeture to walk into Auteuil neighborhood, Other than the above mansions, see Henri Sauvage at 65 rue La Fontaine, Ginsberg a 42 Avenue de Versailles, brothers Perret, 25bis rue Franklin and 51-55 rue Raynouard where the brothers lived,

You can marvel at the entrance to the metro de la Porte Dauphine facing 90 avenue Foch metro porte Dauphine line 2, It opened in 1900 with a glass enclosure inverse and panels with enamel of color orange, As a curiosity en plus, go by the Square des Poétes, avenue du Général Sarrail, metro Porte d’Auteuil line 9, see 48 small stone and bronzd steles where some verses of French poets are to be read. Near the Porte Dauphine, in the bois de Boulogne by 45 avenue du Maréchal Fayolle see a blockhouse of WWII, there is a scout group there today last I heard.

You come into the Maison Balzac, 47 rue Raynouard today a museum of Honoré Balzac lived in it from 1840 to 1847, It has two entrances one by rue Raynouard and another one by rue Berton where he only opened this latter door to friend that knew the word pass « i bring lace from belgium »!

Nearby the above see musée du vin at Rue des Eaux corner of 5 square Charles Dickens, opened in 1984, Here in the subterranean galleries of the 16C and 17C the brothers of convent of Minimes de Passy already produced white wine, chase out by the French revolution the galleries were abandoned, Nice little museum visited and tastings available.

You come now to the marvelous Villa Beauséjour, 7 bd Beauséjour metro Muette line 9, It is a miniature village of wooden isbas taken from the Universal Expo of 1867, only one of the four comes from Russia the others were build in Paris, They are still inhabitée today, Near the above, see the Hameau de Passy, 48 rue de Passy, a small passage that can link to the rue Vital, There are vegetable gardens by rue de la Manutention created in 2002, the terrain are next to the museum of modern art of Paris managed by the Palais de Tokyo and includes 16 parcels.

A curiosity here, by the jardins du Trocadéro you can see the remnants of the Palais des Tuileries and Hôtel de Ville of Paris, On the side of Passy you can see the remains of the Hôtel de Ville built under François I, they were transported here after the fire of these buildings during the communard uprisings of 1871, The Hôtel de Ville survive as today, the Palais des Tuileries were finally razed by the city in 1883. They closed the Louvre side of the Jardin des Tuileries between the Pavillon Flore and Mansan.

You see the Obelisk de Benjamin Franklin ,66 rue Raynouard corner of rue Singer. This is where Franklin installed the first lighting rod in France. In the gardens of the former Hôtel de Valentinois that he stayed while his visits to Paris that he installed this instrument, in 1756. The Collége (middle school) Saint Louis Gonzague is popularly known as Franklin and a bit further in the rue Franklin corner of avenue Paul Doumer you see his statue.

You can visit one of my former stumping ground the former Mona Bismarck Foundation (today the American Center for Art and Culture), 34 Avenue New York, metro Iéna line 9, There are beautiful gardens, Salon Chinois or Chinese room, and a portrait of Mona Bismarck by Salvador Dali in 1943! She was an American from Kentucky died in Paris who married (one of five) the grandson of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck of Germany. By the avenue d’Iéna no 19 see the garden of the Buddhist Pantheon an annex to the Guimet museum.

The Paris tourist office on exploring the 16: https://en.parisinfo.com/discovering-paris/arrondissements-paris/a-la-decouverte-du-16e-arrondissement-de-paris

There you go folks, another dandy district of my eternal Paris, the 16 is chic, awesome, nice, still the way Paris was. Need to discover it fast, I will again soon. Hope you enjoy the post and see more of my Paris.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

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