France Miniature

When I received a request from a tour client to visit France Miniature, I was perplexed as to why three grown, mature women would want spend a precious half-day of their three day stay in Paris at a theme park. France Miniature, about 45 minutes from Paris, is a 12-acre park with a miniaturized size re-creation of France. The sophisticated and well traveled woman who made the request, a former French teacher from the U.S. who lived in France for a few years, explained that this was one of her favorite things to do and wanted to show it to her friends who had never been before. I trusted her judgment and waited to be surprised.

As a Paris insider whose discerning job it is to recommend things as far away from being too touristy as possible, surprised I was. The meticulous beauty of everything small and incredibly detailed overwhelmed my senses in the best way possible. I stared in awe at over 100 exact, impeccable replicas of France’s most famous castles, villages, mountains, chateaus, churches, and monuments. The sound effects of birds, train whistles, trickling waterfalls and mooing cows enhanced the already authentic feel to the experience. From the magnificent French Alps to the fabled storybook castles of the Loire to the charming village square of Saint Tropez, I got to see many places I have never been to and was inspired to now visit.

Of course I got the biggest kick out of the Paris section with the Arc de Triumphe, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, and even the Stade de France stadium, but the unbelievable, meticulous recreation of Versailles including the gardens with working fountains trumped all of them.

Sacre Coeur

Petite Versailles

Although I highly recommend it to everyone, France Miniature is an especially great place for kids and families. Skip the disappointing and downsized Euro Disney and treat yourself and the kids to a truly magical experience you can’t get anywhere else. The complex also has an amusement park and on Saturday nights during summer there are fireworks.

France Miniature has now moved into one of my top ten places to visit in Paris and I will be back there shortly.

For opening hours, admission,etc.- www.franceminiature.fr

St. Tropez

Happy clients in front of the Eiffel Tower- the real one or the mini? you guess.

I am pleased as punch to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I will personally be leading. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour
includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.

I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.

Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com

Comments

[from cali]

I am so glad you featured this. I was there last Sept. and loved it.