After talking about the Jardin d’Acclimatation, the Gavarni Hotel now presents its new crush… the Parc Montsouris.

An historical green area

Following the Napoléon III’s request, the Parisian park was made under the direction of baron Haussmann, and realized by the engineer Alphand. While its creation, the emperor wanted to get inspiration from parks in London giving Paris a green area on each of its cardinal points. The challenge was successful since the capital then created the Buttes-Chaumont Park and the Serres d’Auteuil.

A place dedicated to fauna and flora

With its British style, the park, that measures 15 hectares, is a special place for animal and floral species. There are 1 400 trees, which are mainly at least hundred-year-old, you can enjoy their shadow when summer is hot and sunny. It’s also an ornithological reserve where you can observe and take pictures of the fauna. Crows and Jays, tufted titmice or nuthatches are some of the most wonderful species to admire. Located near the Cité Universitaire, many students come to the Parc Montsouris to relax. We told you, it’s like Heaven on Earth.

Photo credit: cc by-nc-nd / Photo-Paysage.com

Parc Montsouris
2, rue Gazan
75014 Paris
France
Until October 28th 2012, the park is open from Monday to Friday from 8am to 7:30pm, and during the weekend from 9am to 7:30pm.

More information about the Parc Montsouris.

Become a fan of the Gavarni Hotel on Facebook.

You don’t know what to do this weekend? The Gavarni Hotel share with you the opportunity to discover one of the most major fair concerning ecology: Vivez Nature (live green). For its 37^th edition, organic is still the main theme thanks to the participation of numerous exponents, to the conferences and workshops with different specific roles. Even if you’re not in fond of daily “ecology behavior”, you will definitely find something you will like. Argan oil’s assets, how to clean up your interior tips, advices about vegetarian diet and kids… Everything is here, whether you’re a real passionate or simply curious, you will be satisfied at the end of the end and you will know more about each theme! Let yourself be tempted, it’s free if you print the invitation here.

«Vivez Nature» Fair, from October 19th to 22nd 2012 at Grande Halle de la Villette.
Open hours: from 10:30am to 8pm.
Rate: 5€ (free with an invitation).

Grande Halle de la Villette
Parc de la Villette
Porte de Pantin
75019 Paris
France
T.: +33 (0)1 40 03 75 75

Follow the Gavarni Hotel on Twitter.

You know how much we love heritage and French architecture at the Gavarni Hotel. So, today we decided to go discovering some of Paris’ most beautiful churches. There are many, popular or not, and they are real gems that deserve to be known. Discover our selection!

The Église Notre-Dame de Grâce de Passy
Built in a classical style during the 17th and 19th Centuries, it has a bell tower, made of free stone, that can be seen from the Abbé Gillet street, and a roman façade with two levels. The Chapel of the Virgin is located on the Annonciation Street and is also made of free stone.

Photo credit: © patrimoine-religieux.fr

Open hours: from Monday to Friday, from 8:30am to 7pm, and on Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 1pm and from 4pm to 7:30pm.

Église Notre-Dame de Grâce de Passy 
10, rue de l’Annonciation
75016 Paris
France
T.: +33 (0)1 45 25 76 32
info@ndgrace-passy.com

The Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral

The Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral is no doubt one of the most famous monuments of the world, and it’s also a beautiful proof of gothic architecture. Its outstanding rose windows measure 13 meters of diameters each and are considered one of the biggest in Europe. Its construction began in the Middle-Age and lasted 2 Centuries, however there were some restoration after the French Revolution. It became above all famous thanks to Victor Hugo’s novel entitled Notre-Dame de Paris.

Interesting fact: road distances from all over France are measured from its square!

Photo credit: © clg-marie-curie-saint-laurent-nouan.tice.ac-orleans-tours.fr

The popular gargoyles – Photo credit: © espace.canoe.ca

 Open hours: every day from 7:45am to 6:45pm.

La Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris 
6, place du Parvis Notre-Dame
75004 Paris
France
T.:  +33 (0)1 42 34 56 10

 We also invite you to discover other places such as the Paroisse de la Madeleine. Located in the 8^th district, 600 000 visitors come each here.

Photo credit: © qype.fr

Finally, the Église Saint-Julien-Le-Pauvre, in the heart of Saint-Michel (79, rue Galande in the 5^th district), is located under Paris’ eldest tree. Built in the 12^th Century, it’s one of the eldest religious buildings of the capital. Take some time to discover the beautiful iconoclast inside the church.

Photo credit: © wikipedia.org

Become a fan of the Gavarni Hotel on Facebook!

Right in the heart of Parc Floral in Paris, the Maison de la Nature (or House of Nature) is the perfect place to discover the richness of the capital’s flora and fauna. This place allows kids and adults to become aware and informed through several free activities available at the Jardin des Papillons (Butterflies Garden) and at the Bibliothèque Nature (Nature Library). This last one counts with over 6,500 books about the environment to consult on the spot. Kids will be delighted to learn more about nature through some hundred entertaining games, a tactile tablet is even available. On the other hand, the Jardin des Papillons invites us to discover insects and their life cycle. A magical place for little and big ones!

Photo credit: © Thierry Guillaume – Paris.fr

For more information, click here.

Rates: Admission to the park is free all year long, except Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from June to September.
Full admission: 5€ / Reduced admission: 2.50€ / free for kids under 7.

La Maison de la Nature
Pavillons 1 à 6 – Parc Floral de Paris – Bois de Vincennes
75012 Paris
France
T.: +33 (0)1 71 28 50 56

Discover all the great nature plans in Paris.

After the appreciated birth of the Russian tea house named Kusmi, the group Orientis reiterates and launches Lov Organic (Lov means leaf in Scandinavian language), an upscale bio brand! Coming from the natural Scandinavian lands, the Lov Organic teas are the result of a combination of innovative recipes and wonderful bio packagings. Like her sister Kusmi, Lov Organic cares about elegant packagings with colored, refillable and minimalist pots, marked by the Nordic culture. We fall for the “Lov is Zen” one, a gourmet and fruity mixing with orange, caramel and rooibos flavors. Take Lov Organic seriously!
Opened on Mondays from 2pm until 8pm, from Tuesday to Saturday from 10am until 8pm, and on Sundays from 10am until 3pm.

Løv Organic
15, rue Montorgueil
75001 Paris
France
T. : +33.(0)1.58.71.41.25
contact@lov-organic.com
www.lov-organic.com

It is true that when you talk about clothes « made in China » people think”low quality clothes”.Nevertheless, “made in France” clothes are less and less affordable.The newspaper Le Monde annonced recently that only less than 5% of the “ready to wear” sold in France is still”made in France” (you have to know that one minute of manufacturing is 70 times more expensive here that in a country like Thaïland for exemple) That’s why Prada, with it’s new line”made in…” decided to restore the credibility of the “made in China”, by enhancing the work of local craftsmen in some countries. In total collaboration with those craftsmen, Prada offers with its new line a collection of jeans called “Prada made in Japan”, a collection of tartan kilts, “Prada made in Scotland”, a collection of embroidered dresses, “Prada made in India”, and a line of alpaca meshes “Prada made in Peru”. Wearing Prada is a little like travelling around the world through the art of craftsmen who truly deserve to be finally under the spotlight.

www.prada.com/

The new redevelopment project of the docks of the Seine, lead by Bertrand Delanoe the mayor of Paris, was deliberated first in July 2010 during the Paris Council. The mayor, very involved in the protection of the environment, has exposed his intentions to reduce dramatically the circulation of the car traffic pollution, through a gigantic project aiming to completely change the architectural urban layout of the docks of the Seine, by limiting the access for cars, thus creating more space for green spaces, cultural and sports projects for pedestrians, tourists and walkers. With a budget of EUR 40 millions, the investments will be dedicated to creating modulable working space; users friendly and creative artificial islands, and river fronts roads reserved for the “Paris by night”. To finish the project, the roads will be closed for traffic from Pont de l’Alma to Pont d’Orsay starting 2011 and the urban highway on the right bank will be replaced by a very modern boulevard before 2012.We’ll be following this matter very closely.

Photo credit

You would like to mix sport and outdoors activities, fresh air and urban life, but you think it’s not really possible in Paris? Well think again! The City of Paris has launched a new program, called “Sports and Outdoors Activities”. Coaches will train you and help you stay in shape for free, every Sunday morning. With those experts by your side, you will do your gym in the Jardin des Plantes or the Jardin du Luxembourg, you will discover Nordic Walking in the Parc de Bercy or the Buttes Chaumont. In the same area, near Belleville, you can try aquagym or volley ball. Exercising to stay in shape or relaxation, jogging or swimming, ball games or racket, the city has done everything possible to give you the largest possible choice. There’s nothing like great sports meetings and outdoors activities to stand on the right foot and start the day well!

Every Sunday morning from 9h to 12h (except in July and August). The sessions are free and open to all.

Here’s a list of the parks and garden participating in the program :
Jardin des Plantes (5th)
Jardin du Luxembourg (6th)
Parc de Bercy (12th)
Square René Le Gall (13th)
Centre sportif Georges Carpentier (13th)
Parc Montsouris (14th)
Champ de Mars (15th)
Parc Georges Brassens (15th)
Parc André Citroën (15th)
Bois de Boulogne (16th)
Buttes-Chaumont (19th)

The gourmets know for sure this delicious brand with a typical American name. The Laura Todd cookies are simply the best of Paris, unique, fresh and healthy. Laura Todd really existed. Born in Austria at the end of the 19th century, she went to live to  America with her family. As a child there, she’s excited to discover the cookies, brownies and muffins all the kids love. Later, she decides to start cooking professionally in 1929. In 1933, her cookie recipe “The Special 1933”, (still on sale today), with raisins, oatmeal, cinnamon and nuts, wins the first price or the Chicago universal fair!In 1986, she opens in France.

From 1994, Laura Todd offers in her shops a choice of  100% organic cookies (with nuts, dark chocolate, orange peels, etc…), including one vegan cookie (with no eggs and butter). Finally, mixing organic and gourmet cooking, the green Laura Todd restaurant opens in 1998. Soups, plates of cereals, gourmet salads or veggie hot dogs are on the 100% vegetarian menu. A little advice to whet your appetite : go on the Laura Todd website and discover the cookie recipes of this sweet “grandma” before entering their shops !

Open from Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm. Closed in August.

Laura Todd, le restaurant bio
81, avenue de Breteuil
75015 Paris
France
T. : +33.(0)1.45.67.92.25

Opened since March 2008, La Cooperative is a cultural and fair café where activists get together to discuss themes linked with environment. The bar also organizes musical theme evenings, as well as exhibition all along the year. A plus point? You can enjoy a bio sandwich, or go shopping among products coming from fair trade, such as Max Havelaar (Transfair).

Opened on Monday 4pm to 10pm, from Tuesday to Thursday 11am to 10pm, and on Friday and Saturday 11am to 2am.

La Cooperative
7, rue Lagille
75018 Paris
France
T. : +33.(0)1.42.29.26.65
lacooperative@laposte.net