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Saturday, August 11, 2018

Sainte Anne's Hospital: An Oasis of Calm

Last Saturday, I visited Sainte-Anne Hospital after catching up with a long-time friend at the nearby Marriott Rive Gauche hotel.

(For those who may not know, Sainte-Anne's is where Beauford spent the last four years of his life.)

It was a hot and breezy day and I planned to do a quick walk through to see how the renovation of the facility and landscape is progressing.

As I made my way down the main "thoroughfare" - the Allée Paul Verlaine - I felt as though I had been transported out of the city of Paris and into an idyllic little hamlet.

Allée Paul Verlaine
© Discover Paris!

There was absolutely no traffic noise and very few people were moving about on the immaculate grounds, which are vibrant with flowers and greenery. It was an oasis of calm.

Central Pharmacy and Maurice Ravel courtyard
© Discover Paris!

Galerie Maurice Utrillo
© Discover Paris!

Lawn and flower beds flanking Allée Camille Claudel
© Discover Paris!

Chapel
© Discover Paris!

I no longer felt the urge to move quickly.

I discovered that the exterior of the Benjamin Ball pavilion has been completely cleaned. It is one of the buildings in the area where Beauford's room was located.

Pavillon Benjamin Ball
© Discover Paris!

I also discovered a vegetable garden behind another pavilion in this same area. Beautiful squashes are growing there!



Squashes in vegetable garden
© Discover Paris!

To my delight, I found several portraits from the Saint Anne Museum of Art and History displayed on a stone wall.

Galerie des Portraits - MAHHSA
© Discover Paris!

I learned that Sainte-Anne's has an archive that the general public can access. I plan to return to see what I can learn about how the facility was laid out during Beauford's stay.

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