Located in the 5ème at Quartier Latin, Jardin des Plantes is the main botanical garden in France. Besides the botanical school and the hothouses which holds a great variety of plants from all over the world, Jardin des Plantes also houses 4 buildings which together form the National Museum of Natural History, and a small zoo (the second oldest one in Europe).
Jardin des Plantes
As you can see, there are several recreation options inside this public space, but in my oppinion the main attraction is still the great garden with colorful flowers and decorative plants arranged perfectly aligned.
It attracts many visitors but not as much as some other gardens in town. I´ve never been into the museums, but only the walk through the flower plantation is very inspiring and worth it.
Jardin des Plantes
Jardin des Plantes is just a few steps from La Grande Mosquée de Paris (The Great Mosque of Paris) that, besides its size, is a hidden gem! Another Parisian delight that is not on the average tourist’s checklist, but it definitely should!
Where: Jardin des Plantes – 57 Rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris
The French capital is full of surprises, even for regular visitors! If you have been to all tourist sites and are seeking for new angles of this city, my suggestion is to visit the Bercy district, which had been under renovation in the early 80’s with the construction of Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy and the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry. In the 90’s it gained a great park, a library and cinematheque in adition to a charming open air shopping center that offers good stores, cafes and restaurants.
Bercy Village
In this area it was found the first traces of human occupation in Paris dating from the end of the Neolithic period (between 4ooo and 3800 bC). But it was only in the 12th century that the name Bercy (or Bercix) was used for the first time, when the land was owned by Malons family and they expanded their mansion, turning it into a castle, the Château de Bercy. At the same time, other bourgeois families started building their summer houses along the Seine River and so this area became Ville de Bercy, a small town on the outskirts of Paris.
In the 18th century, a considerable portion of land along the Seine was used as a warehouse for storing the wine coming from Bourgogne and the wood from Morvan. For almost 200 years this area was a thriving center of wine trade, until 1860, when Paris attached this area to its territory, dismantling the commune of Bercy in order to built the Paris-Lyon railway and to expand Bois de Vincennes.
In the late 20th century, the renewal of the area indicates the end of the warehouses, but its identity and atmosphere remains. The railways and the buildings were preserved and turned into a nice open air shopping center, the Bercy Village, whit its charming shops and terraces.
Bercy Village
Nearby is the Pavillons Bercy, which houses the Musée des Arts Forains, dedicated to European fairgrounds. A magical place that has kept many objects and equipments that were used in those events.
Pavillons de Bercy | Musée des Arts Forains
Another must-visit is the Parc de Bercy, a park created out of 3 gardens with different themes: a romantic one, the second dedicated to landscaping and the third one to sports. As you walk the entire park (from Bercy Village to Paris-Bercy Arena) you can easily distinguish each of them.
Parc de Bercy
The beautiful pedestrian bridge Simone de Beauvoir connects Parc de Bercy to François-Mitterrand Library, on Rive Gauche. These modern buildings are worth a visit.
Bercy district is served by metro line 14 and it takes about 10 minutes to get there from Châtelet, one of the main stations of the city.
Bercy is a good option for those looking for new places to explore in Paris and you can visit it all in few hours.
Where: Bercy district – 12ème
Metro to Bercy Village, Pavillons de Bercy, Cinémathèque and Parc de Bercy: Cour Saint-Émilion station – line 14
Metro to Library François-Mitterrand: BibliothèqueFrançois Mitterrand station – Line 14 | Quai de la Gare station – Line 6
I am a great fan of Woody Allen and can´t hide my predilection for Midnight in Paris. I wish I could have experienced the same as Gil (Owen Wilson), when he goes back in time to the ’20s and finds Paris even more beautiful and interesting to his eyes. For those who have never heard about the movie or have never seen it, let me give you a piece of advice: do not leave for tomorrow what Netflix can provide you today! The plot is delicious, atmosphere is wonderful and scenes are filmed in places far beyond the clichés.
Impossible to go back in time to revive what happens to Gil. But in real life, the most authentic experience I have ever had in reliving the past was the sidecartour that I did with the Parisian agency Retro Tour Paris. Authentic because everything about them has this vintage atmosphere! From their website’s visual communication and their pilots’s uniforms + accessories to the amazing sidecars and, of course, the unique way they manage the tours, everything is absolutely according to their high quality standards.
Morning meeting to set up the trip.We are almost ready! Safety first!
I chose a tour to Montmartre because this is such an old bohemian area, full of culture and historical events, but mainly for not knowing this part of the city so well. My intention was to see not the touristic points, but to explore the narrow residential streets and corners of this neighborhood that has its own identity. I could not have had a better and more delightful experience!
CoPilot paying attention to Remi’s explanation on Champs-Élysées.L’ Ópera + La Madeleine + a fan of sidecars!
The company was born from the passion of three Parisian friends for their city and also for vintage motorcycles! Retro Tour Paris’s idea is to share the treasures of Paris with us, from the most famous places to the unknown spots, always from a local’s perspective! These three friends have seen the world, but are really passionate about the Parisian history and lifestyle.
Very easy-going and smart guys, they manage the tours nicely and provide us unique and unforgettable moments! The sidecar has room for two people only (besides the pilot), which makes it a super personalized trip, because even by booking a specific tour (check out the options on the website), the route changes according to the day (climate and traffic conditions) and to the customers’ profiles and tastes.
Montmartre!
Retro Tour Paris really offers a one-of-a-kind experience! I highly recommend!
Julien, Remi and Charlie, thank you so much for the ride! I´ll see you soon
