Lisette, while in Giverny, be sure to visit the gardens of the American Museum, just down the road,

http://giverny.org/museums/american/gardens/index.htm

And also the Antiente Hotel Baudy, no longer a hotel(where the American artists stayed who visited Monet)
It's a charming restaurant and garden in back with a preserved artist studio.

Thanks for your suggestions cigalechanta and for the restaurant as I was looking for a restaurant with garden to have lunch.

A more expensive but charming spot we also tried:

http://giverny.org/restos/jardegiv/jardegiv.htm

I've not been able to open the site that Lisette posted. Anyone else have trouble with it?

<<I've not been able to open the site that Lisette posted. Anyone else have trouble with it?>>
yes

it works on my side. If anyone wants a copy by email, please, send me your address to [email protected]

Lovely places to discover, thanks for sharing!!!

Kherman & Linnette -
I spent 10 days in Paris last April and it was so cold there were no flowers...but 10 days in Paris is just enough to wet your appetite.

Kherman, this year I'm going to Paris from the 25 to 29 of May and leaving on the 30th. Wonder if we'll be on the same plane? (smile)

Is anybody who will be in Paris at the last week of May interested in a "get-together" ?

Mahya

Hi! being in Paris (it is sunny today) I can arrange a get-together in a secret place!

Hi again lisette75,
I came across this when I was re-reading something:
"SQUARE DES BATIGNOLES, the gem of the neighborhood, is one of the lovely gardens scattered about by Napoleon III's gardener Alphand.
Like all Alphand's gardens Square des Batignolles has lovely rolling lawns, shady trees flower-beds, winding paths and a lake. A magnificent Belle-Epoc carousel has been st up here of late, complete with nostalgic music, providing pleasure to successive loads of the neighborhoods children, seated astride wooden horses, while elderly residents rest on benches in the sun"
Maybe you would like to add this to you ever-growing list of secrets!
It's not a tourist hangout, so those of us who love to wander further afield will really appreciate this find.

Hi Lisette,

That would be great - I'm just making my final hotel and plane arrangements and now it looks like I'll be in Paris from the evening of the 5th to the evening of the 9th. Finding "Secret Paris" would be marvelous :)

Hi Tod,
Square des Batignolles is the square where I go jogging sometimes early in the morning. I like it very much together with the lovely church facing the entrance. I took a nice picture last week with the ducks that I should post

Mahya are you talking about May ? as if it is April, I will be in Giverny the dates you mentionned

lisette - You lucky girl! What a life.
The Church of course is the white provincial Church Of Sainte-Marie-des-Batignolles (so called because during its construction a 25cm bronze statuette of the Virgin and Child was unearthed on the site).
It was built in 1828 by Eugene Lequeux, when the church of Saint Charles at 22 rue Legendre could no longer contain the growing number of parishioners of Batignolles. This was not an easy venture, for Batignolles was not a rich man's haven, and although Charles X and the Duchesse d'Angouleme helped raise the funds for the venture, for several years it only had a simple nave. Worse - it did not even have a bell tower, of which the locals were thoroughly ashamed. And so on.........
As it turned out the bell now installed happens to have a prestigious pedigree, having been cast in 1851 in the foundry of Hildebrand, purveyor to the Emperor.
In 1888 the statuette of Mary was stolen and never retrieved. Another Mary now rises above the alter, gloriously illuminated by the rays of the sun.

Lisette, Is the restaurant Le Clos Sainte-Marie at 1 Place Charles Fillion opposite still doing good business?

Mahya, a Fodorite GTG in Paris near the end of May would be great fun! I will be there from the 19th of May, and like you, leaving on the 30th.
Lisette, I got your email and have had some computer problems, but will respond when I get home. I did get the brochure. THANK YOU! And thank you for introducing us to the secret gardens in Paris through your blog!

Lisette - Have you ever been to a tadpole pond in the 20e? I took down the book "Unexplored Paris" from my library shelf and found this charming description:
Jardin Naturel (Nature Garden),
100-120 Rue De La Reunion
Metro: Alexandre Dumas
For information call: 01.43.28.47.63

The book says thus:
"A highly refreshing nature garden stretches northward from the end of Rue de la Reunion which stops at the foot of the massive Pere-Lachaise cemetery.
A small pond graced by reeds and waterlilies is one of the most pleasant places in this garden.
First, circle the pond and appreciate all the diversity of plants, then take a path uphill to reach the park's edge.
Stand very still and quiet - Patience - Look down for your reward.............
In this paradise for birds, you can relax on a bench and enjoy an unending concert of birdsong.

Being an amateur birdwatcher myself, this has to be high on my list for the next trip to Paris!

Lisette:

I can't wait for May! How thoughtful of you. I have been sick and busy lately and have not been on the boards so this was a nice treat to see a potential picture in a month or so. :)

Lisette, thank, thank you for the Paris times!

Tod, you know so much about Paris. Have you lived there ? Clos st marie is facing the square and the Church isn't it is not place Charles Fillon I think. I have been there once but I don't think they are doing great business, don't know why when the rest of restaurants are always fully booked.
The Square you have read about is called le square casque d'or but I don't know it. Do not often go in the 20 district. When a few months ago vising the lovely houses of the quartier de la Mouzaia, do you know it ?
Coldwar, for sure you will have your photo on my blog in May!!!