Square du Vert-Galant, on Île de la Cité! That’s one of my fav spots to picnic! 🍞🍷
If you have ever been to Paris, you may have visited this square, but doesn’t know its name. In the end of Île de la Cité, under the Pont Neuf, behind Notre Dame, there is a green area right by the Seine.
The square pays tribute to Henri IV and his affairs. I love the quiet, bucolic and romantic atmosphere here! Perfect for a picnic on sunset time! Bring a towel to set it up nicely!
A secret spot to relax and get away from the crowds! Who has not heard about this green space, will hardly find it by chance! Despite its good location in a central área (in the 3ème), this garden is tucked away on a dead-end street called Impasse Berthaud.
Inaugurated in 2007, the Jardin Anne Frank pays tribute to the German-born Jewish girl, victim of the Holocaust. Anne died at age 15 in a concentration camp, but became a symbol against intolerance when her diary was found and published after the war. The document recounts her life during the period she had lived with her family in the “Secret Annex”, a hidden room at her father’s company in Amsterdam, during the Nazi occupation.
Anne writes a few times about the existence of a majestic chestnut tree located in front of the Secret Annex window. A sprout of the same tree was planted by the garden’s entrance and it’s fortunately growing stronger year after year!
Jardin Anne-Frank entrance.
This pleasant garden is divided into three parts: the first one houses the famous chestnut tree; the second part is the central area that has existed since the 17th century and it used to belong to Hôtel de Saint-Aignan, a former mansion that houses the Museum of Art and History of Judaism nowadays; and the third part consists of a beautiful orchard!
Central area & the semicircular pergola – Jardin Anne Frank.The orchard at Jardin Anne Frank.
Great place for kids or for those seeking a quiet place near the vibrant Rue Beaubourg, the Jardin Anne Frank has a children’s playground and some pleasant benches along the semicircular pergola at the central area, A perfect spot for resting and reading!
Playground at Jardin Anne Frank.Semicurcular pergola at Jardin Anne Frank.
Tip: to explore new addresses in town I suggest you to combine a visit to Jardin Anne-Frank with two museums located a few steps away. The first one is the Doll Museum (Musée de la Poupée), adjacent to the green space, with its entrance on the Impasse Berthaud. The second attraction is on Rue du Temple, the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire du Judaïsme.
Where: Jardin Anne-Frank
Address: 14 Impasse Berthaud, 75003.
Hours: open every day – free admission.
Finally the day has come! Tomorrow is the French National Day, one of the most important holidays in France. The 14th of July sets the storming of the Bastille in 1789 which means the end of the monarchy and the beginning of the modern republic.
Every year the City of Light prepares a huge celebration to delight Parisians and visitors, so if you are in Paris right now and want to join the festivities, follow the schedule below:
Military parade on Champs-Elysées Avenue at 10am;
Lyric concert with the National Orchestra of France on Champ de Mars starting at 9:30pm;
Traditional fireworks at the Eiffel Tower at 11pm;
Eiffel Tower is open only in the morning due to the preparation for fireworks.
Arc de Triomphe is only open in the afternoon due to the military parade.
The other monuments, attractions and museums such as Louvre, D’Orsay, Picasso, Sainte-Chapelle and Conciergerie, Les Invalides, Notre Dame and Sacre-Coeur, Versailles, among others, will be open.
Whatever you do on the 14th of July, do not miss the fireworks at 11pm! If you do not want to face the big crowd gathered at the Trocadéro and the Champ de Mars, my suggestions are:
Montparnasse: the top of the Montparnasse Tower or the Blvd Pasteur (between the Place de Catalogne and the Pasteur metro);
Montmartre: in front of the Sacre-Coeur.
Those places will be also packed, but it’s nothing compared to the Eiffel Tower area. Don’t forget to bring a good sandwich and some wine bottles to celebrate La Fête Nationale in style!
