The best cycling routes in Val-de-Marne

The Luxor Obelisk on the Place de la Concorde is the oldest monument in Paris. It is well over 3,000 years old and originally came from Egypt. Here are the most important facts about its history and the monument: Origin and Age Location in Egypt: It originally stood with a second obelisk in front of the entrance to the Luxor Temple. Time: It was made during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II (13th century BC). The Gift: The viceroy of Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha, gave the obelisk to France in 1829 as a sign of friendship. The second obelisk remained in Egypt and was only officially "returned" by France in the 1990s (so it is still in Luxor). Transport to Paris The Journey: The transport was a technical masterpiece. The over 220-ton monolith of granite had to be shipped across the Nile, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean to Paris. The journey took almost three years. Erection: It was finally erected in 1836 under King Louis-Philippe I in the center of the Place de la Concorde. This location was deliberately chosen as a "neutral" monument to cover up the bloody history of the square during the French Revolution. Special Features Hieroglyphs: The inscriptions praise the deeds of Ramses II. The Golden Tip: The original tip was missing (it was probably stolen in ancient times). In 1998, France placed a new pyramid tip covered with gold leaf on the obelisk, as it would have looked in ancient Egypt. The Base: Diagrams are engraved on the base, explaining with which lifting devices and machines the obelisk was erected in the 19th century. Dimensions It is about 23 meters high and consists of a single piece of yellow granite.

Not only in summer, but today, March 2nd at 10 PM with a temperature of 13 degrees Celsius, there's already a lot going on, with well-attended restaurants both indoors and outdoors. 😄

The Luxembourg Gardens in Paris are a delightful place for miniature boating! On the central pond, known as the “Grand Bassin,” you can rent small wooden sailboats and steer them with a wooden pole. This activity, called “Les Voiliers du Luxembourg,” is a historic tradition that has entertained children and adults for generations. ⛵

Because of the good relations with Egypt, Mehemet Ali, the viceroy of Egypt, presented them with the 3,000-year-old obelisk from Luxor. Its four sides depict the deeds of Ramesses II, dating back to the 13th century BC. King Louis-Philippe, in gratitude for the obelisk, presented Mehemet Ali with a clock, which now stands in the courtyard of the Mohammed Ali Mosque in Cairo. The 23-meter-high, 230-ton colossus was a significant undertaking to bring to France. This is why it is proudly inscribed on the obelisk's pedestal. And rightly so, since we are, of course, talking about 1836. It's a good thing, by the way, that French people generally can't read hieroglyphs, otherwise it would never have been erected. The deeds of Ramesses II, which are described on the Obelisk, in some cases concern his sexual acts and, according to ‘the needle’ (The Obelisk), these were not insignificant.

A beautiful park for relaxing and unwinding. Many athletes and joggers frequent the park, and other sports can be enjoyed here. A visit is highly recommended 👍.

The Jardin du Luxembourg was formerly a royal palace, now a state-owned park in Paris's Latin Quarter, covering 26 hectares. It's a beautiful place to linger and relax. The park belongs to the Palais du Luxembourg, where the Senate, the upper house of the French Parliament, meets. A visit is highly recommended 👍👍👍.

https://jardin.senat.fr/

Today we went on a beautiful hike near 🌞 in the Parisian forest. With an area of approximately 846 hectares in the west of the city, the Bois de Boulogne can be considered one of the two 'lungs' of Paris and the second largest green space in terms of area, after the Bois de Vincennes in the east. In October, many cyclamens bloom here along the hiking trail. A hike all the way around the lake with a visit to the island is a wonderful one. A free ferry ride is offered to get to the island. Highly recommended. We took a short break at LE CHALET DES ILES. Afterwards, we hiked a short distance on the island. Surprisingly, the heron was very friendly. I had the impression that it was expecting to be photographed 😄. It immediately struck a pose; I've never been so close to a heron before. There are always great photo opportunities along the hike, with small, babbling brooks in a very idyllic setting.