Paris1972-Versailles2003

This museum I have spoken briefly in previous posts in my blog, however, feels deserves a page of its own. It is a wonderful history and great architecture which I like even if by there briefly. I like to tell you a bit more on the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle or national history museum of La Rochelle.  The Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle or natural history museum is located in the town of La Rochelle, in Charente-Maritime dept 17 of the Nouvelle Aquitaine region. It is installed in the former palace of the governor of Aunis since 1831 that was given by Napoléon I in 1808. For info, now the museum is closed until June 2022.

A hotel was built on the site of the old Jesuit garden between 1708 and 1718, The hotel became the hotel of governors in 1748. In 1775, the city built two wings, one to the south adjoining the left wing of the existing hotel, on the garden of the royal college, the other north of the garden for outbuildings and stables. When Napoleon I passed to La Rochelle in 1808, he gave the city two wings to install the public library there. The left wing of the hotel was refurbished in 1832 to house the natural history collections donated in 1782 to the Académie des belles-lettres, sciences et arts (Academy of Literature, Sciences and Arts) ,which became the Lafaille Museum. The garden is landscaped in a botanical garden style.  Louis-Benjamin Fleuriau de Bellevue bequeathed most of his natural history and ethnography collections, as well as his library, to the City Museum in 1852. The Fleuriau Museum was opened in the north part of the building from 1874 to 1903, it receives the decoration which still remains. The episcopal palace was bought by the city in 1910 to allow the extension of museums and the botanical garden. The right wing was extended in 1914 to rue Albert-Ier, along rue Alcide-d’Orbigny. The Lafaille Museum was enlarged in 1920. It was restored between 1958 and 1960. The dolmen of La Jarne went up into the garden.

The Natural History Museum occupies all of the buildings. A new restoration was made in 1998, and the museum reopened on October 27, 2007 after almost ten years of work made it possible to create air-conditioned reserves, to redevelop the garden and above all to double the exhibition area, compared to that which existed formerly, by also increasing it by an auditorium for the conferences. The museum offers 2,300 m2 of exhibition spread over two areas, natural history and ethnography, very well represented by collections of primary importance due to the quality of the old collections, some of which come from 19C sailors and explorers of the region, while others come from large collections like that of André Breton: natural history collections: present since the 18C they are the fund of the museum Ethnographic collections.

The official Natural History Museum of La Rochelle : https://museum.larochelle.fr/preparer-la-visite/parcours-de-visite

The La Rochelle tourist office on the museum: https://www.holidays-la-rochelle.co.uk/museums-and-tourist-attractions/museum-d-histoire-naturelle

The Alienor Museums Council on the natural history museum of La Rochelle: https://www.alienor.org/musees/index.php/fre/La-liste-des-villes/La-Rochelle/Museum-d-Histoire-Naturelle/Presentation-du-musee

And there you go folks, I feel better, this wonderful Natural History Museum of La Rochelle. A nice architectural gem and nice history of La Rochelle. Hope you enjoy it as much as I.

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

Once again for my memories , the first castle ever visited in France because it was near my dear late wife Martine native town. We have been here several times and are friends of the castle members since 2004. I am updating this older post that we came to see the exposition of the Le Roi de Rome or King of Rome was going on. It will be in my black and white series,no pictures allowed. Hope you enjoy it as I,

Le Roi de Rome, un enfant, un prince as it is call in French. It is about the son of Napoléon I, who was so in love with all things Roman, that he created and bestowed the title of king of Rome on his only male son.  The son was born on March 20, 1811 at the Palais des Tuileries in Paris (was set on fire by communards in 1871 and raze by the city of Paris in 1884, no longer there).

He never set foot in Fontainebleau ! as his father and later uncle (Napoleon III) did, because of the turmoils of the time.  When Josephine could not provide Napoleon I a child because of old age he decided to divorce her ,and marry the sister of the tsar Alexandre I, marrying Marie-Louise of Austria at age 18 yrs old who was sacrificed  by her father the emperor François II. He married her by procuration in Vienna, brought her over to Compiegne on March 27 1810, and spent the night with her there before the religious ceremony that took place later at the Salon Carré in the Louvre.

The title of king of Rome or roi du Rome was to tell the Pope Pie VII that the new king was above him, as Rome was one of the States of the French empire.  At the same time taken away the power of the emperor of the Germanic Holy Roman empire  by given the new born the title of king of the Romans. And he name himself emperor do not know from where…. The baptism was done on June 9 1811 at Notre Dame  Cathedral of Paris. The June 16 1811 a bal is organised in the Palais des Tuileries and again another one at the Chateau de Saint Cloud (today also lost in history, but still a nice garden) . Important work was done in the Palais des Tuileries to host the child, the Pavillon de Marsan was rename the appartement des Enfants de France. He,also, lived at chateau de Meudon in April of 1812, Compiégne in the summer of 1811, Rambouillet in 1812, where a mansion was built call the Palais du Roi de Rome still there. A castle was to be built in the Chaillot area of Paris right by the pont d’Iena but the wars and funds were never enough to do so.

Without his father, and after the revolt first in 1814 and then in 1815, the child Napoleon François Joseph Charles, Prince of Parma, and King of Rome refuses to leave the Palais des Tuileries. Napoleon I relinquished his title in favor of his son as Napoleon II, but the enemy refuse the deal. The child is made to run, first Rambouillet, then Blois, and Orléans, finally he leaves France on May 2 1814 by Belfort at age 3, he never will return.  At Vienna with his grandfather he was given the title of Duke of Reichstadt, his link with France or French visitors is prohibited. However tuberculosis takes him in 1832 at age 21.

The photos in this exposition were prohibited even without flash, the material presented is so precious but very much worth your trip if ever again it is shown. Instead I will show new photos of the museum in the Château de Fontainebleau.

The Castle of Fontainebleau on the museum of Napoléon :https://www.chateaudefontainebleau.fr/en/explore-the-castle-and-gardens/fontainebleau-rooms/napoleon-museum-fontainebleau/

The official foundation Napoléon on the museum of Fontainebleau : https://www.napoleon.org/magazine/lieux/musee-national-du-chateau-de-fontainebleau/

There you go folks, enjoy it for its history,its architecture,and its wonderful gardens. Fontainebleau is France, Europe and the World to be understood. And great part of this is told in the Napoléon I Museum inside the castle of Fontainebleau !

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