During the one good weather day we had in Paris, we found the perfect place to stop and smell the roses.
Stretching over three hectares, the Mus�e Rodin Gardens, located behind the Rodin Museum, is like a secret refuge from the busy Parisian streets. The gardens are divided into three sections � a rose garden to the north of H�tel Biron, a large ornamental garden to the south and a �relaxation garden� concealed by a tightly manicured hedging at the back.
I loved wandering through the rose gardens here and literally kept stopping to smell the roses because their scent was so marvelous. I always tell hubby that he never stops to smell the flowers, but he finally got into doing so as well.
You�ll also find a multitude of sculptures created by Augustee Rodin, born in 1840. It�s easy to see why he is considered as one of the most remarkable sculptors of his time. In 1908, Rodin personally placed selected works and collected antiques in the overgrown garden behind H�tel Biron, where he was currently living.
 |
| I like how this photo turned out! |
One of Rodin�s most popular pieces, �The Gates of Hell,� is located amongst the rose gardens. Interestingly, Rodin started on this sculpture in the late 1800s, after being inspired by Dante�s Divine Comedy, and worked on �The Gates of Hell� for the rest of his life, without ever seeing it cast in bronze.
You�ll also find Rodin�s infamous, �The Thinker,� which we enjoyed posing by in the gardens. |
| Hubby and I playing around by Rodin's sculptures. |
In 1916, after a serious stroke, Rodin offered to donate all his works to the French government in three stages on condition that H�tel Biron be converted into a museum in his honour. In 1919, the museum opened to the public for the first time, two years after Rodin�s death.
We had such a beautiful day that we preferred to stroll around the Mus�e Rodin Gardens rather than being inside the museum itself.
If you�re ever in Paris, I can certainly recommend stopping to smell the roses with Rodin too.
 |
| Such beautiful roses! |