Musée Rodin & jardin

Last week (oh yes, keeping right up to date on the blog!) I dropped the boys off at garderie and thought it about time to make good on my new year promise to myself to use atleast one afternoon a week to 'discover' something about Paris, so made my way over the Rodin museum. To be honest, by the time I got there I felt exhausted, as I had walked the whole way slinging E, and nearly pulled the plug on the whole idea, until I remembered that the garden was free entry, and being so tired I may as well enter the garden and sit somewhere picturesque to revive myself.Well, just entering the garden was enough to revive me, I spent the next 20mins continuing to walk, enthralled by the statues through the garden, the serenity of the garden layout itself, and generally just delighted at entering an oasis in the city. There is even a cafe with outside sitting, so for the rest of my hour I sat enjoying the beautiful spring day, the serenity and the beauty before me, over a reviving hot chocolate. At the bottom end of the garden there is a sandpit and large wooden lounge chairs, so mummies looking for serene kid space should head there asap!

Promenade Plantée

Today I enjoyed spring along the Promenade Plantée, also known as the Coulée Verte. With another mummy friend, we sought a tranquil escape from les enfants (I did take the sleeping baby though). It is a disused railway line, turned into an elevated walkway planted with an abundance of trees and flowers, all beginning to bloom. It is in the 12eme, beginning at Avenue Daumesnil (near Bastille), and we ended at Parc de Reuilly, found a moroccan cafe for a refreshing thé a la menthe (and a very decadent chantilly laced ice cream sundae) then returned back along the elevated viaduct. I would suggest visiting it in another week when it will be in full bloom, although it is already lovely to walk at tree top height along a stretch of Paris on such a stunning spring day as we enjoyed in Paris today. For more info on it you could check out here. Oh it is a great thing to do with kids (for those not seeking to escape theirs), except if taking a pousette you have to get it up a number of steps to start (though there may be a lift, I did not look), as Parc de Reuilly has a kids play area. 

Shopping

Petit Pan

Lillibulle

Today I spent the day doing what one should do while in Paris - wondering and shopping!

I had such a brilliant day. The 87 is now my favourite bus route! From the Champ de Mars into the 6eme for Rue de Sevres, Cherche Midi and Bac. On to 12eme where there is actually lots of good alternative shopping and cafés, but specifically I went to Petit Pan on Rue de Prague. I then popped across to the 11eme to Rue de la Forge Royale for Lillibulle, after which I decided it would be good to take a long walk through part of Paris to soak up La vie Parisienne. This involved walking up to Bastille then into the 4eme along Rue Saint Antoine, verring off onto Rue François Miron (a couple of little gems on here). Note: stopping at Rue Vieille du Temple for a reviving hot chocolate! Finally crossing the Il de la Cité through Place St Michel, re-entering the 6eme along Rue St André des Arts, Rue du Four onto Rue de Babylone, then succumb to exhaustion and take the next bus home! There is absolutely something for everyone along that route for shopping. While I did take the Amex, and use it (though not going to reveal to the breadwinner just how much so), I forgot my camera and did not catch for you the wonderful sights of Paris along the way.

The Palais up close

O on the little train around the grounds

H on the train

O feeding the swans

Ducks standing on frozen pond

Looking back towards Versailles

Bella in the parc

Today we visited Versailles. We go there relatively frequently as the grounds are lovely and we can take the dog. If visiting Paris and you can make the time to go there, it is really worthwhile. But make enough time to wander the park grounds, along the canal, and over to the Domaine de Marie Antoinette. Take a picnic and take your time. 

Message

Yesterday I was at a playdate, which is organised through a group called Message on a weekly basis. Message is a group for expats in Paris. Mostly made up of mothers it provides great resources for understanding all aspects (drs, schools, things to do with kids, socialising groups in your areas etc..) of family life in Paris. If you are thinking of moving to Paris it is a great resource and well worth becoming a member, particularly helpful for making friends and providing support when you are new and lonely in a big city.

Yesterday the kids ran wild at someone else's house, as it is crazy good fun discovering all these other toys that exist in the world and that we don't own, as well as enjoying a craft session making valentines day cards (heart stickers and glitter glue hysteria!), and not to forget the chocolate biscuits and muffins to devour (and which probably accounts for the running wild).

Paris Kids - Palais de la Découverte

Excitement on the train ride
Crossing the Pont Alexandre II

The Grand Palais
Running home

Yesterday we took the boys to the Palais de la découverte, which is just behind the Grand Palais. We were mostly taking them to see the 'Né pour sentir' exhibition, which was great, and saw the boys running to each new exhibit to smell something new. An exhibition of smells, with a brilliant kids section of herbs, different noses to try on with different smells inside each one, funny mirrors, doors to open, bottles with lift off stoppers that released different smells, little telephone booths with different smells coming from the receivers, and on the smells and innovative ways to present them go. On arriving there though, we also found that there is a wealth of things to discover in the Palais de la découverte, particularly for children a little older (mathematics, physics, etc..)but definitely enough for little kids with lots of bugs, frogs, fish, rats to excite and an astronomy section to discover the stars. Well worth another visit, particularly good entertainment for a rainy day sometime.

Paris - Champ de Mars SNOW

Going back in time a little to the beginning of January, I took these photos on the Champ de Mars in the snow. I thought those of you who have visited us and seen the Champ de Mars would enjoy the transformation that took place. 

looking back towards our place

looking towards Ecole militare