Les Jardins Albert Kahn 🌸

 

This week I went chasing after cherry 🌸 blossoms for the March Paris letter,

I ended up at les Jardins Albert Kahn for the first time.

There are 4 gardens - French, English, Japanese and conifers.

The Japanese garden was the only one in full bloom.

Do you know the name of this flower 🌺 

With so much chaos in the world, a bit of serenity is a brief respite.

As David Hockney said,

”Do remember they can’t cancel Spring”

Located on the edge of Paris near Boulogne-Billencourt.

A short 38-minute ride on Metro #10.

Exit 4 lands you just in front. You cannot get lost.

Albert Kahn (1861-1940) was an eccentric French financier and philanthropist.

He was obsessed with Japanese culture, 

And obsessed with color Photography. Between 1909 and 1931, he gave 11 scholarships to photographers to go out and record the Archives of the Planet, 

Building a collection of 72,000 color photographs on view at the museum in the gardens.

He acquired 10 acres and turned it into magnificent gardens open free to the public. 

Unfortunately Kahn lost his fortune during the 1931 crash. Fortunately the state took over the property and has maintained it since.

In the 1990s, the gardens, quite damaged by then, 

Were recreated by landscape artist, Fumiaki Takano.

The terrain includes some hilly paths (no problem) 

Or crossing stones set in the pond (I chickened out). 

I will work on my balance before my next visit. 

There are plenty of places to just sit and contemplate the reflections in the water or observe the Koi goldfish.

Kahn was influenced by several philosophers, Henri Bergson, his teacher. And author Rabindranath Tagore, a guest at the gardens. 

A Tagore quote onsite caught my eye, 

“Let your life lightly dance on the edges of Time”

🌸

Bon dimanche dear PBers