Last week it got so hot here in Paris that I felt like I was momentarily back in Memphis. So, Will and I did what any sane person would do: We checked out some Velibs and biked all the way across town to the Jardin des Plantes at high noon. This was a bad idea. But our subsequent visit to the Paris Mosque was decidedly a much better decision.
I had been hearing about the mosque since I arrived in Paris. People would talk about what a beautiful place it was, a lovely place for a mint tea underneath the shade of a tree, a peaceful haven in the middle of the bustling city. And it was all of those things.
La Grande Mosquée de Paris is located in the 5th, just across the street from the Jardin des Plantes. It was built by the French government as a memorial and a sign of gratitude for the 100,000 colonized Muslims who died in WWI fighting against Germany. It is the largest mosque in France (third largest in Europe). In WWII, the Mosque also served as a refuge for resistance fighters as well as persecuted Jewish people, providing shelter and issuing certificates of Muslim identity to any who sought their help.
On the Rue Saint-Hillaire side of the Mosque complex, there is the tea room, restaurant, hammam (steam bath), and souk (market). Will and I sat in the mosaic adorned garden patio where a waiter quickly greeted us with a hot mint tea (€2/glass). There is also a pastry case where you can choose from a stunning array of north African pastries (also €2/piece). We tried a honey-soaked sort of baklava and pistachio-covered mamoul (shortbread) with a sweet date center. Delicious. The very friendly little sparrows that live in the garden thought so too, as they visited our table to eat off our plate when we weren’t looking.
For more details on the restaurant (menu), hammam, and souk, visit the La Mosqée website.
Exiting the restaurant, walk around the corner to the Rue George Desplas side of the complex to visit the mosque itself. Despite the heat of the day, within the cool, marble walls of La Grande Mosque, the temperature felt far lower. It was such a peaceful experience walking through the quiet mosaic-covered hallways and beautiful green gardens; it is easy to imagine that you are far away from the busy activity of the Paris streets. If you haven’t visited yet, I would highly recommend it.
Photos © Will Crabb. To see more of his photos from the mosque, visit Will’s Flickr page.
Admission to the mosque is €3 per person. Information for a self-guided tour is found on La Grande Mosque website. Women should dress respectfully (longer skirt or pants; shoulders covered), but if you happen to have on shorts and/or a tank top, they will loan you a sarong and a shawl to wear.
