Most visitors to Paris head straight for the Louvre.

I didn't.

In this episode of Coffee Pot Conversations, I continue exploring some of Paris' most fascinating museums that quietly sit beyond the city's biggest attractions.

We begin at the remarkable Institut du Monde Arabe, an architectural masterpiece created to celebrate Arab culture, history and artistic achievement, before crossing the Seine to discover one of my favourite hidden museums in Paris—the Musée du Parfum Fragonard.

From the origins of perfume in Grasse to the extraordinary story behind Jean-Honoré Fragonard and his famous painting The Swing, we uncover how art, fragrance and Parisian culture have become intertwined over centuries.

Finally, we step into the spacious galleries of the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris, where a work I believed to be by Piet Mondrian turned out to be something entirely different, proving that curiosity often matters far more than expertise.

If you're looking to experience Paris beyond the guidebooks, these museums deserve a place on your itinerary.

Perfect for listeners interested in:

Paris museums • Hidden Paris • Louvre alternatives • Musée du Parfum Fragonard • Institut du Monde Arabe • Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris • Perfume in Paris • Grasse • Jean-Honoré Fragonard • Wallace Collection • Paris culture • Paris history • Art history • Modern art • Paris travel • Coffee Pot Conversations

☕ Coffee Pot Conversations explores the hidden history, culture and everyday life of Paris through storytelling, personal experiences and carefully researched history.

Each episode encourages you to experience Paris as a visitor rather than a tourist, uncovering remarkable stories that many guidebooks overlook.

Introduction (00:24)

News (04:16)

Coffee Pot Conversation (11:46)

Conclusion (25:45)

Coming Up (27:54)

Outro (29:08)

There's not much to say - except 50 (official) episodes have brought me to this moment in time.

There's a lot to do and a lot to come, but that's for Seasons 6 and 7.

• For those of you who have been with me from the beginning, I thank you.
• For those of you who have joined me more recently, I thank you.
• For those of you who have joined me since I recorded this episode, I thank you.

There is a lot of time and work that goes into making these episodes and for you to be spending some of yours with me is what makes me continue.

Not just that, but also my love of creating and of Paris.

(00:00) Introduction

(03:15) Paul with the news

(09:50) Coffee Pot Conversation

(20:14) Conclusion

(21:04) Coming Up on Coffee Pot Conversations

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#paris #travel #vlog

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

  📹 YouTube - ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@CoffeePotConversations/

  📷 Instagram - ⁠⁠https://instagram.com/anenglishmaninparisblog/⁠⁠

  ✒️ Blog - ⁠⁠https://anenglishmaninparis.blog/

  ⁠⁠☎️ Message - ⁠https://voicenote.anenglishmaninparis.blog/⁠

  📧 Email -⁠ ⁠youtube@anenglishmaninparis.blog⁠⁠

  🔗 Links - ⁠⁠https://anenglishmaninparis.start.page/⁠⁠

  📣 Shout out - ⁠⁠shoutout@anenglishmaninparis.blog⁠⁠

  🎂 Birthdays - ⁠⁠birthday@anenglishmaninparis.blog⁠⁠

  💰 Support - ⁠https://patreon.com/coffeepotconversations⁠

  ☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://buymeacoffee.com/anenglishmaninparis

  
  

  #paris #travel #vlog

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).

  
  

  Find me on my Instagram @anenglishmaninparisblog