I encountered another secret Marais garden the same day as the Francs-Bourgeois/Rosiers Gardens, which I wrote about yesterday.
Jardins des Archives Nationales is actually a series of four connected gardens: Jardin de Rohan, Jardin de Fontenay, Jardin de Jaucourt, and Jardin d’Assy, which are all part of the Archive Nationales.
The entrance to the gardens is the majestic courtyard of the Hotel Soubise, with formal manicured gardens and semi-circle limestone portico with roman columns. At the right side of the end of the building is the unmarked gateway to the gardens. What unfolds is an expansive set of gardens and historic buildings.
Some are intimate spaces bordered with trees, ivy, and ponds, some are wide open spaces with gravel and cut grass in a pattern. One had pink roses blooming around the perimeter, another had black iron birdcage-like structures, and decaying, decorative stone archways.
Again, the peaceful setting was a nice respite from the hot, noisy streets of the Marais and people were relaxing, contemplating life, reading, talking on their mobile phones, and playing,
The Hotel Soubise,built on the former site of the Hotel de Guise owned by the Duke of Guise, was the home of Prince and Princess Soubise and started construction in 1704. His wife Anne de Rohan-Chabot was the one time mistress of Louis VIV. The property and grounds are now owned by the state and is now the Musée de l’Histoire de France, which is part of the French National Archives.
Hotel de Soubise
60 Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, 75003
Metro: Hotel de Ville or Rambuteau
Open 8AM to 8PM in summer
I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.
Tours cost 210 euros for up to 3 people, and 70 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com
Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour
New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte's professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.
Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday,Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.
Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
New Eye Prefer Paris Photos for Sale
I am happy to announce the sale of a new set of prints of my Eye Prefer Paris Photos. I am offering 20 of my most popular and iconic images for sale including my doors, architectural details, statues, and monuments. They will make great gifts for all your Francophile friends, relatives, and colleagues but don't forget to buy some for yourself.
Click here to see photos and for full details including sizes, prices, and shipping. Here is a sample of some of the photos.
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