“A ‘palace’ of discovery?” a child’s voice might wonder, gazing up at the magnificent facade. This, my friends, is the Palais de la Découverte. Don’t let the grand name intimidate you, though. This palace doesn’t house kings and queens, but something even more captivating: the wonders of science! The Palais de la Découverte was the brainchild of physicist Jean Perrin, a Nobel Prize winner who dreamed of making science accessible to everyone. It was brought to life in 1937, during an international exhibition showcasing the arts and technology of the time. Housed within the west wing of the iconic Grand Palais, the Palais de la Découverte is a world unto itself. Here, you won’t just read about scientific principles, you’ll experience them firsthand. Interactive exhibits bring complex concepts to life, from the fascinating world of optics and illusions to the mind-boggling realm of mathematics. You can even journey to the stars in the museum’s very own planetarium, a dome measuring 15 meters across! One of the Palais de la Découverte’s quirks is its “pi room.” This circular room features 707 digits of the mathematical constant pi, painstakingly inscribed on the walls. It’s a testament to the beauty and wonder that science holds, even in its most abstract forms. The Palais de la Découverte is a place where curiosity reigns supreme, where every visitor, young or old, can leave feeling a little bit more amazed by the world around them.
Église Notre-Dame de l’Air
Beneath what appears to be a simple stone and wood structure lies a history interwoven with faith aviation and community.