Paris, Malmaison, Champs Elysees

Paris, Malmaison, Champs Elysees

Malmaison

Ever since seeing the excellent Napoleon Exhibition at the Victorian Art Gallery last year, it has been our desire to visit Malmaison, the chateau that Josephine bought as a retreat for Napoleon. Josephine and Napoleon were both intrigued by things antipodean, and she kept a menagerie at Malmaison which included Australian animals such as kangaroos and black swans.  She was also an avid plant collector, with an impressive rose garden, and she included plants from the South Pacific. She commissioned artists to document her plants.  The antipodean influence was highlighted in this exhibition and we were keen to see whether there was any evidence of this still at Malmaison.

Malmaison Gardens

Getting to Malmaison was a little tricky as we had to catch the RER train or the Metro on the western line, then a bus to the chateau.  This took a little longer than we had supposed. We lost time chasing our tails as we found our way through the train stations.  Cost was fairly small as one ticket took us all the way.  The chateau closes from 12.30-1.30 p.m. each day so we had to wait until 1.30 p.m. to get in.  We were able to wander through the gardens and grounds until then.  As there was no café on the grounds we discovered a nearby supermarket (no dogs inside) and bought a sandwich which we ate on a lonely bench under some trees in the Malmaison garden.

View from our lunch bench

 The area of the grounds has been reduced since Napoleon’s day but are still fairly extensive.  There are many massive shady trees, some with labels attached but not many.  We followed a lovely walk through them and came across a small stream and there were lots of statues throughout the naturalised meadows.  We felt a great tranquility in the grounds and thought that Napoleon would have found the grounds peaceful away from the stress of civic life.  I don’t know where Josephine’s menagerie was located, but there was no indication anywhere that there had actually been one.  

Newly planted garden at back of chateau

The gardens were in the process of being renovated but most were planted with beautiful annuals, and the roses were flowering abundantly.  Some had labels attached but it was difficult to find the names of most of them.  Upkeep of the garden and chateau must cost a lot of money.

The chateau is a house museum and was very strictly monitored.  It has been restored or kept much as it had been in N & J’s day with much of their furniture and belongings. Unfortunately all the labels were in French so it was difficult for anyone other than the French to understand what the full significance of each room held.  Still, there were many impressive things to see.  We took lots of photos (without flash).  There were lots of paintings including seven ‘sheikhs’ from Napoleon’s time in Egypt, and a many botanical paintings by Redouté in Josephine’s chambers, as well as innumerable paintings and busts both of Napoleon and Josephine.

Redoute's paintings in Josephine's chamber

Bust of Napoleon in stairwell

One of many magnificent paintings

The museum briefly told the story of N & J’s life within the chateau but we were much more impressed with the Melbourne exhibition as it was a very comprehensive story of the life, times and family of Napoleon.  And what of our search for antipodean leanings?  Nothing! To say we were a little disappointed with the chateau is probably an understatement, but seeing the chateau  helped put the story in context.

On our return journey we detrained at Franklin D Roosevelt Station so we could once more stroll down the Champs Elysees and through the Tuillerie Gardens towards the Louvre. The traffic on the Champs Elysees was so intense and scary.  

Champ Elysees looking towards Arch de Triomphe

Work at Place de la Concorde for Tour de France

They were constructing road blocks and seating for the end of the Tour de France so the Place de La Concorde was interesting to navigate. There were so many tourists around. We had decided not to revisit the Louvre but enjoyed seeing the buildings in the summer sunlight.  Our last visit was in the chill of winter.  

Looking along Jardin des Tuileries to Louvre

Unmistakable Louvre entrance

 

Our hotel room (top RH window in building at centre of photo)