Thursday 19 May - Bois de Vincennes

This was the first time either of us have been to the Bois de Vincennes.  It is a park for all interests and is as vast as the map would make it out to be.

We started off at Lac Daumesnil watching a heron which perched for some time on one of the rowing boats.

The lake is very large and includes two large islands

The lack of rain was evident and Paris really needs rain soon - and lots of it.

At one point there were a lot of crows on the ground.  It reminded us of the Hitchcock movie.

Getting from Lac Daumesnil to the Parc Floral was a bit of a chore, not only because it was such a long way but also because some critical directions had been missed out.  We were ready for a drink and a salad by the time we found the Parc and the entrance.

There is an excellent collection of bonsais in the Parc Floral - the oldest we noticed dated back to 1896.

 

The Mistletoe shows up against the lighter green foliage.

Chateau de Vincennes

Click below to see all pictures taken here.

This evening we went to Square des Batignoles which was very busy indeed.  The children were playing with their parents and the ducks were seeking places to spend the night.  We watched a mother and father play with their small boy floating sticks down the water and through the tube under the footpath.  I wonder how many generations of parents have done this.  The beautiful old plane trees are quite a sight and we like the way the gardens are very informal.  Dinner tonight was at an Italian restaurant close by the Square Batignoles.