Glamorous Guignols at the Jardin d'Acclimatation

We went to the Jardin d'Acclimatation this weekend. This park occupies the north eastern corner of the Bois de Boulogne. It was first was opened in 1860 by Napoleon III and his wife Empress Eugénie as a Jardin Zoologique, the first zoo in Paris. Later, between 1877 and 1912 it became the l'Acclimatation Anthropologique. During this time, in the mid-colonial period, it was a place to show the Parisian people the customs and lifestyles of foreign peoples. This sounds delightful and exotic, but in essence what was actually happening was that people from African countries were being 'exhibited' in the park...a human zoo. Mmm...lovely (not!).

Thankfully (!) things have moved on from those times and now the park is a children's amusement park. There are some play areas (free), some fair-ground rides (not free - 2.70€ for 1 ticket, 32€ for 15 tickets, no options in between), some farms animals to be admired, and an aviary. The park is dotted with buvettes where you can buy ice creams, sandwiches and chips etc. The chips we had were very good.

The highlight for us last weekend, was the parade of Guignols, giant puppets skillfully manoeuvred by puppeteers. The weather was perfect and the family of Guignols were quite surreal and beautiful as they strolled around the park. Here are the brother and sister.

Brother.


Sister.


Mother.



Father.


The grandparents and parents dancing.


Here, the 6 Year Old is being taken in hand.


You can find more information about the Jardin d'Acclimatation at their website here

A family of eight

A family outing in the bois de Boulogne.

Hector Guimard

Hector Guimard was an important French architect, born in Lyon in 1867. He died in new York in 1942, at the age of 75. He is widely considered to be one of the major representatives of the Art Nouveau movement. He was greatly influenced by Viollet-le-Duc (French) and Horta (Belgian) two other architects who pioneered the Art Nouveau movement. 

In Paris he is widely know for his Metro Station entrances made using wrought iron, bronze and glass. Eighty-six such metro station entrances still exist today in various forms, but the only original and complete one which still remains is the one at Porte Dauphine built in 1902. I knew there was something special about it when I saw it last week.

There is another Hector Gumard Metro station entrance at Place des Abbesses. Interestingly this Metro entrance was previously located at the Hotel de Ville, but was dismantled in 1972 and rebuilt at Abbesses.

At Place Blanche Metro station there are also some Hector Guimard elements. Here is a railing detail.

Here is a pigeon perch.

And look, here's a triffid. Or if you prefer, an elegant woman holding tightly onto her hat.