While we were out searching for any locally made natural products, naturally we would come upon some places that were worth visiting. Today we are not talking about any French artisanal products. Today we would like to take you on a tour of the Île de la Grande Jatte in Paris.
A CHARMING IMPRESSIONIST TRAIL
The Île de la Grande Jatte is a little island situated in the Seine. As the Impressionists especially liked painting en plein air (outdoors) to capture the transient effects of sunlight, the picturesque parks and paths on the island made it a favourite hangout of the artists, apart from the famous Parisian cafés of course. Artists like Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Georges Seurat, and Alfred Sisley always drew inspirations from it, including some renowned paintings like “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat and “The Seine with the Pont de la Grande Jatte” by van Gogh.
THE ISLAND IS A CANVAS ITSELF
La Grande Jatte is rich in history. The French king Louis-Philippe once lived there with his large family and installed himself the Temple of Love there. It was also a festive place because of the presence of taverns (purposefully settled in there to avoid the alcohol tax), so the Parisian loved going there to have a relaxing day drinking, dancing, and enjoying the Seine as well as the wooded and floral areas.
Nowadays, the island has become a residential area full of luxury mansions, housing many famous people. The pleasant environment full of maple trees, black pines, lime trees, and some aromatic plants has made the island a popular place for jogging, kayaking, and strolling along the promenade to discover the local flora and fauna.
Being a small island itself, it takes around 2 hours to complete the tour, including following the trail of the works of the Impressionists. Next time while you are in Paris, why not take a walk on this beautiful island?
P.s. if Impressionism is what you love, here is also our Impressionist day in the Musée d'Orsay :)
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