I would think the garden would be of some scientific interest, particularly to botanists. From what you have said, Kerouac, many strange and wonderful trees and shrubs from the colonial empire were planted there. It would be fascinating to do a catalogue of those that have managed to survive.

FMT does indeed know about those old gingerbread houses. They are located on the Île-de-Beauté not far from the garden in kerouac's report. Also nearby is one of the old pavillions from the Les Halles market in Paris. It is one of only two (I think) surviving pavillions that were deconstructed and removed from Les Halles when the market was torn down. This particular pavillion was reconstructed in Nogent-sur-Marne just across the street from the garden and just uphill from the Île-de-Beauté. Also nearby to the gardens in the Bois de Vinennes is the Lac des Minimes, a very little visited part of the woods with a lovely lake where you can rent a boat to row around the lake, go for a pony ride, rent a bike, stroll along paths through the woods with little streams and waterfalls or eat at a rather posh restaurant. I'm going to do a supplemental report tomorrow that will cover a bit more of the gardens kerouac visited plus the Île-de-Beauté, the Les Halles pavillion and Lac des Minimes. Since the garden itself wouldn't take too long to visit this additional info would give you enough to occupy a full day spent off the beaten path for anyone wishing to travel all this distance from the center of Paris.

Wow, Kerouac, what an intriguing place. Great photos and the postcards are amazing.

Wow. Wonderful. Thank you.

FMT, still waiting for your photo additions! ;-)

So Kerouac is you haven't scratched the surface yet....publish an ongoing series of books. You have devoted fans!

I've gotten sidetracked but they are coming. Sunday looks like the day.

I love this and will do my best to get there in July or November. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

I'm going to Sicily in 5 weeks, but thanks to you (again), I'd rather be back in Paris!

Wonderful pictorial! Thanks for posting it.

Don't worry, muskoka, you will see plenty of decline and abandoned as well as unabandoned ruins in Sicily! Enjoy your trip.

Great report, kerouac. I found the old photos difficult and stunning. The Sudanese "village" was very sad, though of course not surprising.

“Kerouac, you really need to publish a book on "your" Paris, which is much more real, and beautiful, than the Paris that we tourists think we know.”

Kerouac, agreeing with Dlejhunt’s above comment and those of other posters – you really should publish a book! Love the historical perspective you bring to your photo essays.

Merci buttercups encore…