The Albert Kahn Museum on the Edge of Paris

Bonjour,

Between the Bilbros and us, we have sixteen years of visits to Paris.  We are enjoying showing each other new experiences, new restaurants, new musuems.  Today was such a moment at the Albert Kahn Museum and Gardens on the outskirts of Paris. Bernie and I have never been to this before.

Our day began with a 30-minute Metro ride and an outside temp of 59 degrees!  I must remark that we’re having a 35 degree swing in temperature from ten days ago!  Unbelievable.  We took line 10 out to Boulogna in the outer rim of the 16th arrondissment. We were greeted with a poignant map from WWII at the station exit showing the recapture of certain regions of France from the Germans.

The museum itself tells the story of Albert Kahn, a Jewish man from Alsace who became a banker.  He is best known for these wonderful gardens and his collection of autochrome plates which represent the first color photography in the world!  He also had a passion for science driven by a desire for people to better understand each other.

The huge green space includes a Japanese garden, a French garden, an English garden, a bluespruce forest and an area called the Marais garden which we presume is represented by the swampy areas with waterlilies.  (Marais means swamp in French.)  We hope you enjoy the photos!  It was a beautiful space, and we plan to return another year when the temps are warmer and the sun is shining a bit.

First the entrance to the gardens is artfully done with smooth stones. Here are the French gardens which were replete with fruit trees. Next was the lovely blue spruce forest! The English gardens… The Marais waterlilies… And finally, the breathtakingly beautiful Japanese garden! Tonight is a new restaurant for the Bilbros, Chez Julienne, and we will have to bundle up as we walk to it along the river.

My wardrobe is really failing me–nothing cool enough when it was 100 degrees and now nothing warm enough when it’s in the 50’s!  I keep buying new clothes which isn’t a bad deal! C’est Paris!

Best to everyone,

Linda & Bernie