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The Val de Grâce: A Parisian Treasure Touched by Miracle
Hello, dear friends! Caroline here, excited to share with you a Parisian spot that is very close to my heart. It’s a place of breathtaking beauty and elegance, marked by a history as rich as it is miraculous – the Val de Grâce. The inception of this magnificent church dates back to a royal promise made by Anne of Austria, Queen of France. In gratitude for the birth of her son, the future Louis XIV, in 1638, she envisioned the creation of a royal abbey. The construction, led by the famed architect François Mansart, began in 1645 and reached completion in 1665 under Gabriel Le Duc. Today, Val de Grâce…
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The Overlooked Jewel by Luxembourg Gardens
There’s a building across the street from the south end of the Luxembourg Gardens. Because it exists in the shadow of these extraordinary gardens, most people walk by it on a mission to get to there, and as a result, barely notice it. Thankfully, one day I did. And since that day, I’ve never passed it without stopping to admire its beauty. Unlike many buildings in Paris, it doesn’t have the year when it was built stamped on the façade, so I’m going to guess it’s from the late 19th / early 20th century, but I could be wrong. It’s of course one of those stunning Haussmann influenced buildings with its stone…