Exploring Passy: A Peaceful Walk in the Shade of the Eiffel Tower

A bit of history: the Village of Passy

The area of Passy is located in the heart of the 16th arrondissement of Paris along the Seine River between the Trocadéro Gardens and the ‘Maison de la Radio’. It is a peaceful and smart area made charming thanks to its luxurious buildings Belle Epoque or Art Nouveau style, its cobbled alleys, high stairs and great views on the Eiffel Tower.

The Village of Passy was born when a community of monks attracted by the vineyards and the beautiful views on the Seine River settled there in 1493. The famous French writer Honoré de Balzac moved there in 1840 and one can still visit the house where he put the finishing touches to ‘La Comédie Humaine’. In 1860 the Village of Passy was annexed to the City of Paris and it has then been gradually modernized. Most of the beautiful buildings and houses one can see today were built in the early nineties and Passy is now a very chic and sought-after residential area thanks to its luxurious houses with magnificent views on the Eiffel Tower.

Exploring Passy-Paris-Balzac House
Exploring Passy-Paris-Balzac House

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Metro Station of the Month: Gare de Lyon (line 14)

The line 14 is the most recent line of the Parisian Metro and the only one to be fully automated. It was inaugurated and put into operation less than twenty years ago, in 1998, which is about a century later than the first lines of the Metro.

This is the reason why the stations on metro line 14 are very different from all the other metro stations in Paris. They are much more spacious and airy and their architecture is based on large volumes offering a lot of space and light.

The platform of the station Gare de Lyon is my favourite. Indeed it offers an unsual view on a tropical garden on the right side of the trains towards Olympiades when they enter the station. This tropical garden is located on the basement of the ‘Maison de la RATP’ at the foot of which the station was built. It is really amazing to see such a green space underground and one wonder for a while whether one is still in the metro.

Another specificity of the station Gare de Lyon is its central platform: It was in fact the only layout possible because of the numerous other rails already existing there when the new metro line was built.

Back to earth: The train station ‘Gare de Lyon’ of course and nearby the Place de la Bastille and the Viaduc des Arts. And if you wish to enjoy more greenery I suggest you a walk on the ‘Promenade plantée‘, which starts from there : See my post about it!

Practical information : Website of the RATP

Christine Bokobza – Good Morning Paris B&B – www.goodmorningparis.fr

Paris for Free: A Fascinating Permanent Exhibition about Paris

The Pavillon de l’Arsenal in Paris is largely unknown by tourists as well as by Parisians themselves. And yet this beautiful building located in the very centre of the city near the Marais could be called the Museum of Paris as it houses on its groundfloor a very interesting permanent exhibition about Paris and its history: ‘Paris, la métropole et ses projets‘. A must-see, whether you are a Parisian or a tourist, to learn much about the history of Paris for free and with captions both in French and in English!

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