This is to be accounted for in the few unusual events the club went through. Who could have imagined seeing our trucks on display next to a real size plastic rhinoceros ?
The casual atmosphere was also a change for us as compared to the often poignant official ceremonies and commemorations. The duty never to forget was there however. The awakening of the curiosity of young and even very young children fully corresponded to our goals.
http://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/71282/Jardin-d-Acclimatation
The Jardin d’Acclimatation (zoological park) was created in 1860 at the initiative of the ‘savante société impériale zoologique d’acclimatation’ presided over by Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire. Laid out by Davioud and Barillet Deschamps, it displayed a luxuriant flora in the winter garden of the hothouses and also some exotic animals and members of Indian tribes, ‘lapones’, ‘hottentots’ for the curiosity of the aristocrats and the bourgeoisie who frequented this elegant place. After the 1870 war, the garden took on more of a play area and its zoological role and exotic species diminished little by little. Today, it is again renewing its links with its botanical and cultural past, while at the same time retaining the attractions that have delighted generations of children. In addition to horticultural stock for the gardens, Davioud’s hothouses provide workshops for children. Here adults will find botanical stories unveiling the secrets of tea or perfume and inspired by the “garden of experiences” of Empress Eugenie. Merry-go-round – puppet show for children, also, animals: bears, lions, monkeys, deer including some tame ones that are free to roam at liberty. A little train takes visitors from the edge of Porte Maillot to the main entrance of the park.
