LA VILLETTE was, from 1867 onwards, the site of the national meat market, instituted by Baron Haussmann. The Great Hall could accommodate up to 4600 cattle. When it finally closed its doors in 1974, there were 55 hectares of land to be converted. A new project, The National Museum of Science, Technology and Industry, started was then developed.
"GÉODE - The Géode opened its doors on 6 May 1985, one year before the Science and Industry City, which received the public for the first time on 13 March 1986, the day the Comet Halley was passing through. The Géode houses France's leading movie theatre, entirely devoted to the projection of large scale films on its giant 1000m2 hemispheric screen"
"GÉODE - Water games"
"CANAL - In 1812, Napoleon had a canal dug from the Ourcq to supply Paris with water and named it the Bassin de la Villette. It was also open to boats. It still is..."
"THE GREAT HALL - In 1974, the last ox was slaughtered. It now holds the temporary exhibitions"
"LIONS' FOUNTAIN - Some of the numerous lions existing in Paris"
"CITY OF MUSIC - The Cité de la Musique was inaugurated in 1995. It is a place that encourages access to culture for all through its concerts, museum and exhibitions, aimed at people of all ages"
THEATRE PARIS-VILLETTE - A municipal theatre, with financial support by the Mairie de Paris"
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VERSAILLES - Beginning in 1661, the architect Louis Le Vau and the landscape architect André Le Nôtre began a major upgrade of the Chateau to create a centre for the royal court of Louis XIV. The court was officially established there on 6 May 1682.
"ENTRANCE - It took just under 60 years to turn the Chateau de Versailles from Louis XIII's modest hunting lodge into the spectacular palace of the Court of France"
"PARK VIEW from the Hall of Mirrors"
"THE HALL OF MIRRORS - 73m long, begun by Mansart in 1678 - has 357 full-length mirrors and is the Chateau's most famous room. It was fitted with silver furniture, which was subsequently melted down to fund the wars of Louis XIV's later years. For the time being, it is under major restoration and thus not open to the public. The room should be fully reopen by 2008"
"KING SIZE BED"
"PARK - The gardens at Versailles are some of the largest and most ambitious ever created"
"WINDY AFTERNOON"
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