Friday 28 March 2014

Le Parc de Bagatelle: Peacocks and Daffodils

The Parc de Bagatelle is a wonderful garden nestled within and to the west of the Bois de Boulogne. It first opened in 1777 and the style, typical of this era, was described as Anglo-Chinese, a reaction to the very formal French gardens of the time. In 1905 the park was bought by the City of Paris and became a public place for Parisians to enjoy.

Last week my parents were in Paris and we decided to go and visit the gardens. The Parc de Bagatelle and the Chateau that lies within the grounds, were born out of a frivolous and impulsive bet between Marie-Antoinette and the Comte d'Arto. Marie-Antoinette challenged the Count to build a park and Chateau in sixty-four days! He took up the challenge and selected an architect, François-Joseph Bélanger, to design the park. It took the architect two days to come up with a design and drawings and under the direction Thomas Blaikie 900 labourers set to work night and day to meet the crazy deadline. It seems that they managed! The name Bagatelle was chosen as a result of the way in which the gardens came about. The word 'bagatelle' has many synonyms, among them bricole, rigolade, frivolité, bétise, which in English translate to tinker, fun, frivolity and stupidity. The Parc de Bagatelle was in effect an impulsive frivolity.

In the summer the park is renowned for its roses.  March is a little early for roses but instead we were treated to daffodils. LOTS of daffodils. Hay-fever sufferers keep away! 


There are follies located throughout the park which will be subject of another post. Here is one.


There were tulips too. At least I think they're tulips.




And blossom.


Another interesting addition to the park are the peacocks. Apparently there are at least 50 peacocks that meander around the gardens making a terrible racket but looking absolutely stunning as they do so.





Apart from the background hum of Paris traffic you can really feel you're far from the city, that is until you get to the edges of the park where you're presented with a 'small' reminder.


More information about the park and how to get there can be found here in English and French

Monday 17 March 2014

Magical Monday - Lamppost Bonhomme

A face in a place.


Every Monday, Magical Monday, I post a photo that is hopefully puzzling, fantastical, unexpected or just plain daft. Unless otherwise mentioned, no Photoshop involved.

More photos from the Magical Mondays series can be found here.

An Alien Lamppost can be found here.

Monday 10 March 2014

Magical Monday - Obelisk Meets Golden Ball



Every Monday, Magical Monday, I post a photo that is hopefully puzzling, fantastical, unexpected or just plain daft. Unless otherwise mentioned, no Photoshop involved.

More photos from the Magical Mondays series can be found here.

Saturday 8 March 2014

Blossom at le Parc des Buttes Chaumont

Everybody is so thrilled with this burst of warm sunny weather we're having at the moment. At the Parc des Buttes Chaumont this morning people were literally crowding around the blossom trees snapping away with their cameras. I couldn't resist either and joined in.

Unfortunately I couldn't get up close to this tree on the other side of the lake, nestled in against the rock, but I enjoyed it from afar. What I especially enjoyed though were the rays of sun streaming down through the trees onto the lake.

Monday 3 March 2014

Magical Monday - Pushing Away the Clouds

I wish I could push away the clouds.


Every Monday, Magical Monday, I post a photo that is hopefully puzzling, fantastical, unexpected or just plain daft. Unless otherwise mentioned, no Photoshop involved.

More photos from the Magical Mondays series can be found here.

Sunday 2 March 2014

Right Place Right Time

Sometimes you're simply in the right place at the right time. I think it would be fair to say that this was the case for me yesterday in the Jardin des Tuileries!




And, once again, the Eiffel Tower in a vase. Who am I to refuse!