Tuilleries Funfair and Angelina's Hot Chocolate

From the windows of the Louvre the other day we could see the ferris wheel from the Fête des Tuilleries, a funfair that is set up in the heart of Paris every summer.  This year it runs from 24 June to 21 August and is free to get in so we thought we'd check it out.

As we were walking west on the Rue de Rivoli we saw these odd teepee structures set up in the Place du Palais Royal.

Closer inspection showed it was some kind of eco-art exhibition by the Goodplanet organization

There were all kinds of lovely photographs featuring various forests from around the world, such as the Giant Sequoias.  The group's website says that the artworks should invite the observer to "reflect on the importance of protecting our forests".  It was a bit ironic that the supports for each poster were cut-down tree trunks and stumps. 

We crossed the street and entered the Tuilleries garden area.  Our walk took us past the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel.  It was built in the early 1800's to commemorate military victories by Napoleon Bonaparte.

Note the ominous clouds -- it threatened to rain all day

We approached the funfair from the center of the gardens.

Once we arrived it looked like a typical funfair.

Plenty of typical carnival eats and treats, too.

But there was something strange -- it was absolutely silent.  No hawkers, no music on the rides, no shouting.  The Fête des Tuilleries website says it is to make the most of the serenity of the Tuilleries.  Of course, that all changed when the clown parade started



Here are some more snaps of other rides:

The creepiest depiction of Inspector Gadget ever.

And a cross-eyed buck-toothed Mickey Mouse.

Adults and children on the rock wall

We didn't get the concept of this ride; was it a dinosaur/dragon theme?

....or a haunted house?

The whole fair was relatively small -- just one alley of rides and food booths in the much larger garden.  But we still had a nice afternoon anyway.

Kevin looks like a happy sailor

By this time, the sun had disappeared again behind dark clouds, so we went back through the garden in search of some "chocolat chaud" (hot chocolate).

Outside the Tuilleries/Louvre complex, on Rue Rivoli, is Angelina Maison de l'Afrique - a tea room with hot chocolate unlike any other.

We waited in a short line since we did not have a reservation.  The tea room is quite elegant.

Despite the sign, we did not have a long wait.  But I am not looking forward to my "closed future".

We sat down and were ready to order -- two chocolat chauds, s'il vous plaît!

The hot chocolate arrives with our mini-macarons and mont blanc.

I have to say that the hot chocolate really was unlike any hot chocolate I'd ever had before.  It was very thick, like melted chocolate, and a little bitter tasting.  But still delicious, as you can see I even scraped the cup!