As he was growing up, the Parisian artist, Gustave Caillebotte spent many summers with his family at a fine property in Yerres, a small town 12 miles or thereabouts to the south of Paris. From the standpoint of municipal spending and restoration, the recently-reopened Parc Caillebotte is a success story. The former Caillebotte family's summer residence now houses two permanent exhibitions, the Orangery down by the river provides the venue for visiting exhibitions, there are extensive grounds and quirky buildings to explore, as well as fine dining opportunities.
Located on the Yerres River, impressionist art buffs may recognise the Parc as the setting for various of Gustave Caillebotte's paintings, such as Les Oragers. For those of us who are permanently in search of a gastro-fix, visit the curious Swiss chalet-style building, where you will find the Chalet du Parc restaurant, the latest of chef Philippe Detourbe's culinary ventures. The food is an excellent modern French-European fusion and the staff are attentive beyond belief, but the prices are therefore at the upper end of things. To temper the effect on your bank balance, go for one of the prix fixe menus and avoid the kir vin blanc aperitif at EUR9.00 a pop, we found these extortionate. And there we were, thinking that by not having the grander kir royal option we were exercising moderation...
On our visit it was a grey, February day, yet I look forward to returning in the finer months because the Parc is filled with interest and possibility, from taking in some local culture via the exhibitions, to simply picnicking on the broad lawn; from renting a boat on the adjacent river to visiting the extensive vegetable patch, there's something for all ages here and you don't even have to like Gustave Caillebotte's work to enjoy it here, although it does help, especially as there isn't much about his work not to like and besides which, spotting his locations is fun all on its own.
Entrance free to the grounds. EUR1.00 for admission to the 'Potager' or vegetable garden.
Opening hours:
From 1st August to 30 September: 9am to 8pm
From 1st October to 31st October: 9am to 6pm
From 1st November to 31st March: from 9am to 5.30pm
From 1st April to 30 May: from 9am to 8.30pm
From 1st June to 31 July: from 9am to 9pm read more