Beyond the grand jardins, Paris is filled with smaller, tranquil pockets of green space - the squares. We explore these essential respite areas and the history hidden within them. From the sand of the Roman-era Arènes de Lutèce to the art and scandal tied to the Square Laurent Prache, which features a statue honoring poet Guillaume Apollinaire (who was arrested during the Mona Lisa theft investigation). We also visit Parc Monceau, an English-style garden built for a royal cousin and Parc Montsouris, a former quarry and necropolis that became one of the "lungs of air" for the city under Napoleon III.

Key Takeaways:

• Small Parks/Squares: Their function as tranquil oases and their prevalence in the outer arrondissements.

• Arènes de Lutèce: Discovering the Roman amphitheater and its connection to the sand in Square Capitan.

• Guillaume Apollinaire: The story of the poet, his Calligramme creation and his surprising connection to the Mona Lisa theft.

• Parc Monceau: The history of the rotunda (a former customs house for taxation) and the first ever silk parachute jump performed there.Parc Montsouris: A deep dive into its origins as a quarry and its creation by Adolphe Alphand, plus a mention of the ongoing saga of the Parc des Princes and PSG's potential moves

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What are the green spaces of Paris? In this episode, we explore the origins of the city's most famous and historic gardens. We start with the Jardin des Tuileries - Paris's oldest public park and the ever-moving Roue de Paris Ferris wheel - and move on to the Jardin du Luxembourg, tracing its creation by Queen Marie de Medici and its current life as the home of the French Senate. Finally, we dive into the scientific history of the Jardin des Plantes, from a medicinal herb garden under Louis XIII to the second-oldest zoo in the world. We also track down the oldest tree in Paris, a 420-year-old Black Locust.

Key Takeaways:

• Tuileries: The history of the park, commissioned by Queen Catherine de Medici, and the original/modern Roue de Paris.

• Musée de l’Orangerie: The home of Monet's Water Lilies and its connection to Napoleon III.

• Luxembourg Gardens: The Boboli Gardens inspiration, the Fontaine Médici and the palace's transformation into the French Senate.

• Jardin des Plantes: Its founding as a royal medicinal herb garden, the menagerie, and the oldest tree in Paris (Square René Viviani).

  
  

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In this episode, we navigate the charmingly cramped world of Parisian hotels. From the struggle of hauling oversized suitcases up spiral staircases to the mechanical evolution of the elevator, we explore how Paris moved from hydraulic marvels at the World’s Fairs to the "sardine tin" lifts of today. Along the way, we detour into the history of French Creole, the haunting legacy of the Vél d’Hiv, and a ghostly urban legend from a London hospital.

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