Did you know there’s a French military base in the middle of Paris? It’s my favorite secret because it is home to one of my favorite animals: horses. 🐎
They make their way across the Ile Saint Louis and the 4th eme every day. I am familiar with many of the horses, but I particularly like a buckskin with curious eyes and a gorgeous dark mane.
Created in 1352, the Couvent des Célestins is a famous convent located near the Hôtel Saint-Pol , the royal residence. After the dissolution of the Ordre des Célestins in 1779 , the former convent remained unoccupied until the Revolution in 1791. That’s when the National Guard settled there for a few months – and they never really left. It has remained a barrack and stable ever since.
The roof of the carousel structure, baptized Battesti after a general officer who died in 1914, was made by Gustave Eiffel at the same time as the Tour Eiffel. Present on the Champ-de-Mars for the Universal Exhibition of 1889 , it was installed in its current location in 1892.
On April 12, 1918 , during the First World War , the Célestins barracks were hit during a raid by German planes.
Watching the horses and their riders patrol this neighborhood is a favorite part of my daily routine. When the horses and riders wear the lightest uniforms in the summer, I feel like I am transported back in time as I hear their hooves clack against the cobblestone.
I would love to volunteer here, but I haven’t gathered the courage to knock on their doors. I am sure they’d say no, but I still would like to offer and try!
Bisous and big hugs from Paris, France,
Shannon
🇫🇷 France 🇫🇷, forever.
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