The garden and museum Albert Kahn
  • 12
  • Sep
  • 2010

Albert Kahn designed a magnificent garden to match his own imaginary world, peaceful and free of boundaries. The eccentric banker and philanthropist of the 20th-century left to posterity more than four hectares of roses, fruit and cedar trees, a playful Vosgean forest and a host of English, French and Japanese gardens.

Though the garden is located just 50 metres from the metro, the silence of this poetic place leaves you world’s away.Your senses awaken as soon as you enter the garden. The odour of the fruit trees mingle with the sounds of water flowing from the fountains and the birds sing joyfully in this refreshing environment. There are no signs to indicate the way through the gardens, each visitor must follow his own individual path. Let the beauty of the English roses seduce you, the serenity of the Japanese gardens soothe you and the cool of the blue forest refresh you.

We visited the place in summertime and it is indeed a peaceful garden. Also the museums gives an overview of a part of the history of photography (1910-1940) because Albert Kahn had a wonderful project to create a colour photographic record of, and for, the peoples of the world. As an idealist and an internationalist, Kahn believed that he could use the new autochrome process, the world’s first user-friendly, true-colour photographic system, to promote cross-cultural peace and understanding. Kahn used his vast fortune to send a group of intrepid photographers to more than fifty countries around the world, often at crucial junctures in their history, when age-old cultures were on the brink of being changed for ever by war and the march of twentieth-century globalisation.

Albert Kahn Jardin et Musée , 10-14 rue du Port, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, M° Boulogne Pont de Saint-Cloud(last stop of line 10), one minute walking to the entrance, open from 11 am to 6 pm, closed on Monday



Les Catacombes
  • 04
  • Sep
  • 2010

Adolescent children like to do something different and a bit scary, a visit to the Catacombs in Paris is one of those things you can offer them and they will like it.

The Catacombs gather the remainders of approximately six million Parisian, transferred between the end from 18e century and the middle from the 19e century, progressively of the closing of the cemeteries for reason of insalubrity. Along a labyrinth of obscure galleries and narrow corridors , the visitor discovers the bones laid out in a “romantico-macabre” decoration. Pillars, bells of subsidence or bath of feet of the quarrymen evoke the origin of the places, the limestone quarries, while sharpening the curiosity of the visitor. This underground museum restores the history of Parisian and invites to a voyage out of time.

Catacombs of Paris, 1, avenue of Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy ,75014 Paris, Tel.: 01 43 22 47 63, M° Denfert-Rocherot

Schedules of opening : from 10 AM to 17 PM, every day except Monday (last admission at 16 PM )

You can visit the catacombes in private, take 1:30 h more or less ; you can also take a guided tour



To Bonton with the kids
  • 25
  • Jun
  • 2010

Sally Peabody gives a great tip on her blog  http://peabodysparis.blogspot.com :

If you are visiting Paris with children 12 or under, or, are shopping for kids or grandkids for fashion or accessories with that ineffable French ‘touch’, the new Bonton flagship store in the upper Marais will be a trove of temptations. Bonton is the ‘little brother’ of Bonpoint, the well known luxury French children’s clothing firm. Bonton spreads its wares over three architect designed floors. While adults shop for children’s clothing, homewares, accessories and furniture, kids can watch movies, get their hair cut in an old-fashioned barber shop, eat cupcakes or curl up in the library area with a good book. Brilliant concept and beautiful things!

Bonton, 5 Boulevard des Filles du Calvaire. 75003 Paris.
Les dimanches au Galop
  • 20
  • Apr
  • 2010

When your children like horses, this sundays are magic. You can bring them to the hippodromes d’ Auteuil and Longchamp for a fun afternoon in the horse-universe. There you can see “real” horses.

They can drive a poney or for the very small go on a wooden horse.

Every Sunday starting 21 th of March until 23 the of May, from 12h , the whole family can enjoy the open doors, living the passion for horses.

Surprises, animation, workshops, even meeting with the professionels, will keep every member of the family happy. An event not to be missed !

The take-off is at l’hippodrome d’Auteuil the 21th of March, also the 28 th.

On the 11th of April, the 3th prix de la Ligue Nationale de Rugby and its players will be held at l’hippodrome de Longchamp. That day all the events and animations will be around rugby. Meeting with the players are organised for the big ones.

25th of April its a normal Dimanche au Galop a Longchamp.

Also every sunday of May there will be a lot of activities at the hippodromes, especially during the long weekends.

Hippodrome d’Auteuil – Route des Lacs – 75016 Paris
Hippodrome de Longchamp – Route des Tribunes – 75016 Paris