Pavillon des Indes: a cultural center with the air of an unusual oriental palace on the outskirts of Pairs

Who could imagine coming face to face with a palace straight out of British India while strolling through a park in the Hauts-de-Seine region of Paris? And yet, the Pavillon des Indes, a listed historic monument, sits proudly in Courbevoie's Parc de Bécon. Here's the story of an unusual and fascinating architectural gem.

It all began in 1878, at theUniversal Exhibition in Paris.India, then under British rule, presented a richly ornate pavilion, a blend of traditional Indian architecture and Western fantasy, commissioned by the Prince of Wales (the future Edward VII).

Designed for the 1878 Universal Exhibition, the pavilion was dismantled after the event and reassembled in several sections. One part headed for the Breton coast; another went to Courbevoie, in the Bécon estate. The owner of the property, Prince Georges Știrbey, had this precious carved wooden décor installed on the banks of the Seine to give it a second life.

It was here that his adopted daughter, Georges Achille-Fould, a painter from a milieu of artists and patrons of the arts, came into the picture. A sought-after portraitist (she notably painted a famous portrait of Rosa Bonheur), she settled in Courbevoie. The pavilion became her villa-atelier: we can imagine the paintings in progress, the light filtering through the moucharabiehs, the models posing in this otherworldly setting.

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Parc de Bécon: cherry blossoms, Palais des Indes and history
Discover the Parc de Bécon and its Palais des Indes, a site steeped in history that unveils its beautiful cherry blossom trees in spring. Head for Courbevoie to take advantage of an exceptional green space offering a beautiful view of Paris and the Eiffel Tower. [Read more]

With its carved woodwork, openwork galleries and decor inspired by Indian art, the Pavillon des Indes is unlike any other building in the area. Architectural enthusiasts will find Mughal and Hindu influences here, adapted to the 19th-century European taste for orientalism. A veritable architectural UFO, it stands in stark contrast to the modern buildings that surround it today.

Long abandoned, the Pavillon des Indes was restored in the 1980s and again in the 2000s. Today, it houses exhibitions and workshops, and regularly welcomes artists in residence. A place of curiosity as much as inspiration, today it's an unusual artistic haunt!

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