The whole of Parc Buttes Chaumont is a folly in the old sense; it fantasizes another world. It was built from an abandoned quarry with unusually dramatic changes of level for a Paris park. People were content to come and relax on a sunny day. There was more busy action at Parc La Villette, because of the athletic playing fields and open spaces there. But Parc Buttes Chaumont was more densely used; people played with the park's special features more than they did at La Villette. They staged a wedding, sent their children exploring the grottos and towers, or stood gazing down on the sunbathers below. The usual city park grammar took in and heightened the fantasy in a very relaxed way.
(c) David Kolb, 1 August 2001