The southwest suburbs (with another new bird!)

September 6 and 8, 2015

I decided to investigate a couple of parks I had read about.  The first was the Parc de l'Ile St-Germain, which is on an island in the Seine just south of the Peripherique on the west side.  (I believe it is technically part of the suburb Issy-les-Moulineaux.)  The second is in Boulogne-Billancourt (where my landlady Claire lives).

To get to the Parc de l'Ile St-Germain, I took the Metro to the Porte de Versailles (close to the end of the line) and then picked up the Tramway, which I had never ridden before.  I eventually figured out that you have to use a new ticket; you can't transfer from the Metro to the Tramway on the same ticket (nor from the RER; only from the bus).  Also, the map showed zones for the Tramway, and I was concerned about whether my standard fare ticket would be enough, but apparently it was...I guess.  No one challenged me, and there was no turnstile at the end.

Anyway, once I got off the Tramway (at stop Jacque-Henri Lartigue) and checked my map, I didn't have any trouble getting to the park.  As noted, it's on an island, and there are a number of boats docked in the river:

It's a nice park, with landscaped paths to walk on:

lovely places to sit, in a little less sculpted area of the park:

and open fields for picnicking and playing (with big public art!):

I also encountered this display explaining how certain areas of the river are set up to inject supplemental oxygen into the water to help the fish.  I think that what the sign is saying is that during heavy storms, untreated water can enter the river, and the infusion of oxygen reduces toxicity to the fish.

A major bridge crosses the tip of the island, so you can walk out to get a good look at the river.  So, we're a ways south of the Tour Eiffel:

My conclusion about this park is that it is a great resource for those who live within striking distance, but it wouldn't be a major destination for those living (like me) in the 5th arrondissement.

The other park, i.e. the Musee and Jardins d'Albert Kahn, was a similar distance, but was very easy to get to:  a direct Metro ride on the 10 line, and then the museum and gardens were right there.  The entry fee was 4 euro.  Albert Kahn was a philanthropist who traveled the world and amassed a collection of photographs and short films (most taken by photographers he hired), including photographs in color when color was just coming into use.  Many of these are on display in the museum.  He also supported humanitarian causes, particularly medical research.

The gardens were his own gardens, which were converted into a public park after he suffered great financial losses in the crash of 1929.  They are still beautifully maintained, and they are divided into geographically-themed sections.  Below is part of the "French garden", with part of the "blue forest" in the background:

It's hard to tell in this two-dimensional photo, with so much going on in the background, but the tree on the left is trained to grow completely in a plane, and the one on the right (in front) is pruned in the shape of a hollow sphere.

Below is part of the "English garden".  I associate that term with something more tidy and with more flowers, but it was very attractive nonetheless.  (There is a creek at the bottom of the photo.)

In this garden I encountered this beautiful bird, who was reasonably cooperative about posing for photographs.  This one is not in perfect focus, but quite sufficient for identification, with these distinctive marks.  This is the Geai des Chenes, or "oak jay", also called the Eurasian Jay.  I've seen a couple others in the meantime.

The most elaborate garden is the Japanese Garden, complete with a koi pond:

and a couple of bridges:

I walked back to the Metro Station and then out onto a bridge which leads to the farther western suburb of Saint Cloud.  This picture is looking back towards Boulogne-Billancourt (on the right), and you can see the La Defense business district in the background (with the Grande Arche de La Defense, viewed mostly from the side, way over on the left).

Saint Cloud also has a large park, where Claire and her husband Bertrand love to take walks.  So we will probably be taking a walk together there in the near future.