Route de la Seine à la Butte Mortemart

Have you ever heard of the mysterious Butte Mortemart? You can find it in the heart of the Bois de Boulogne, a forested park in Paris, hidden in plain sight. It’s a little hill, a little odd, a little unexpected. But don’t let its modest appearance fool you. This is no ordinary hill. It’s a tiny monument to a long-forgotten time, a reminder of a city before the grand avenues and manicured gardens. Back then, the entire area was just a wide open space, a wilderness, and right here stood the Étoile, a grand star-shaped monument, and the croix, a cross. Both were dedicated to Mortemar, a historical figure. Imagine a time when the Bois de Boulogne held legends, with tales of knights and chivalry, of battles fought and victories won. Now, the Butte Mortemart stands as a ghostly echo, a whisper of the past, a reminder of what once was. The little hill is made of earth, and the earth is the very same that was once used to fill the lakes that you can see around you. The lakes, tranquil and pristine, are barely a hundred years old. The Butte Mortemart, however, is much older, a witness to the city’s evolution from a wild expanse to the modern metropolis we know today. Look around you. You’ll see that the route de la Seine, the road you’re standing on, continues toward the Grille de Saint-Cloud. This road, once little more than a path through the wilderness, now connects the city to its beautiful suburbs. This little hill tells a story of the Seine, the bustling city, and the changing face of Paris. So, as your journey continues, take a moment to appreciate the enduring power of simple things, the silent whispers of history, the gentle reminders of what once was.