Hidden Gardens and Unique Places in Paris?
 

My husband and I will be in Paris in late September for a month. This is our third trip, so we have a fair knowledge of the city and how to get around. We are looking for areas of Paris that would be of interest that might not be on the top of the tourist list. We will be staying in an apartment very near the Opera Garnier. So, any ideas out there?

If you haven't been to St. Denis, it is extraordinary. Also, I am very fond of wandering about the remaining covered passages of Paris. And if you haven't taken time to visit many of the less frequented corners of the Louvre, the ceramic rooms and other parts of the collection are terrific (and it is amazing how quiet it can be in there).

Thank you zeppole. We haven't been to St. Denis so we will put that on the list. Also, we are about 5 minutes from some of the covered passages. We discovered one when we were in the city in 2007 and it certainly peaked my interest and we have researched all of them and they are all on the list too.

NYT published an article on hidden gardens in Paris last year.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/06/29...29gardens.html

And this book in the itineraires series (monum.fr) is interesting:

http://www.monuments-nationaux.fr/en...g/bdd/livre/55

Parc Monsouris
Butte aux Cailles
Buttes Chaumont
Jardin du Panthéon bouddique
Jardin Saint-Gilles-Grand-Veneur
Parc André Citroën
Clos des Blancs-Manteaux
Jardin botanique de la faculté du pharmacie
Jardin Atlantique
Parc de la Terlure
Parc de Bagatelle
Parc de Belleville

There are so many books about the secret/unknown places of Paris (mostly in French!).

Here's one that hasn't been mentioned: the Albert Kahn Japanese garden in Boulogne Billancourt (near a metro station).

Good one, kerouac! My best Parisian friend used to live in an apartment that overlooked it.

Also wanted to mention if you haven't been to the Ile des Impressionistes, it's fun to wander around there on the river bank (and eat at La Maison Fournaise). Also the Mosquée de Paris.

another nice article
http://www.parisnotes.com/hidden/hiddenparis.html

Albert Kahn is a real gem.

It not only has perhaps one of the few displays of Kurume azaleas in Europe (sorry no blooms in September) but an espalier garden and an English garden done in the majestic style of Henry Hoare rather than Robinson/Jeykll flower garden style.

As Albert Kahn is on one end of M10, what I often do is travel the length of M10 to the opposite (east) side at Austerlitz. Just next to Austerlitz is the Jardin des Plantes. This is an wonderful garden resplendent with seasonal flowers but the real find here is the Alpine garden towards the back which unfortunately has rather limited open hours. The Apline Garden is small but the curious could easily spend hours here discovering what has been planted and exploring its winding pathways.

I don't think the Roseraie de L'Haÿ has been mentioned. It would require your taking a bus to L'Haÿ-les-Roses (L'Haÿ is pronounced LA E). This rose garden closes mid September but is otherwise open then from 10h00 to 20h00.

http://www.lhaylesroses.fr/roseraie

Well, this is exactly what I am talking about when people ask me "you are going back to Paris, haven't you seen it?" No, there are always people mentioning places that I haven't seen in Paris. How am I going to get to the rest of France??? Though I am determined that next March we will go for a week elsewhere in France and just spend a few night in Paris. I am looking at the Dordogne but I only have a week- sigh!

I have a book in English

"Unexplored Paris" by Rodolphe Trouilleux
I saw it in French in a shop in the Marais
ad later found it in English on amazon.

Thank all of you. all of these suggestions will certainly go with us.!!!!