Pretty Parc Monceau

I thought it was about time to share a few photos of Parc Monceau, which I literally frequent every single day – sometimes several times a day as it’s a mere five-minute walk from my apartment. It’s a very pretty park with lots of local Frenchies, particularly well-dressed little kids and their nounous (nannies), and runners making laps around the park (some of whom are improperly dressed; one time I saw a girl run-walking in wedge sneakers and short shorts…really, lady??). One of my favorite things to do during the warm weather is to picnic in Parc Monceau amongst the Frenchies.

Here are some fun facts about Parc Monceau:

• At the park’s main entrance is a rotunda (seen in the photo above). The top floor of the apartment was used as an apartment with a view of the garden reserved for Phillippe d’Orléans, Duke of Chartres and cousin of King Louis XVI, who established the park.
• A fifth-generation park watchman actually lives in the “royal” rotunda today and monitors the nine gated entries.
• In 1797, it was the site of the first silk parachute jump, made by André-Jacques Garnerin.
• French impressionist painter Claude Monet painted five paintings of the park – a series of three in 1876 and two in 1878.
• French novelist Marcel Proust used to love wandering around the park.
• It’s an “English style” park, which is unusual to have in France. It has informal layout, curved walkways and statues dispersed throughout the park. You’ll also notice a variety of architectural sites like an Egyptian pyramid, Chinese fort, Dutch windmill and Corinthian pillars.
• There are six private residences located directly on the park with 240hour access to the grounds. Must be nice, right?