Things to do around Colombes

For the occasion, you’ll discover a renovated stadium that’s being modernised and extended by work that began in 2021. If you live in the vicinity, you’ll be able to take advantage of its new sports field. Among other facilities, it comprises several synthetic grass football and rugby pitches, as well as a new athletics ground that will delight sporty parents and children alike!

After the mill was destroyed, some of the trees felled and the islands joined up with the riverbanks of Colombes, this vast stretch became a public park in 1973. Nowadays, Pierre Lagravère park in the town of Colombes is a place for relaxation and leisure activities. Sports enthusiasts can make the most of the Olympic swimming pool, the skating rink and the tennis courts. Between the merry-go-round and 3 play areas, children of all ages will find plenty to keep them occupied, while nature lovers will make the most of a section of the Blue Promenade. This 9-km section runs along the entire length of the park, offering walkers and cyclists a pleasant, stress-free route between Colombes and Rueil-Malmaison.

The typical bandstand, the bridge festooned with wisteria and the ponds covered with water lilies are good clues. To recreate this floral setting that’s as pretty as a picture, the gardeners also took inspiration from the colour palette of the impressionist movement. Besides its artistic dimension, the Impressionists Park is the fruit of a desire to create a green space compatible with the preservation of the ecosystem. Hence, besides adding a bohemian touch to the landscape and the woods, the park’s specific management contributes to the development of its biodiversity. The same goes for the rose garden, the white garden and the arboretum whose 250 varieties of trees and perennials will leave you in awe.

A perfect example is the historic ‘guinguette’, the Maison Fournaise, which was very popular at the time. You only have to look closely at Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party to recognise the wrought-iron terrace and soak up the warm, festive atmosphere that reigned here then, and still does. Besides this fascinating artistic heritage, since it reopened in 1990, the Maison Fournaise has served traditional French cuisine prepared from local produce, and typical brasserie dishes. Maybe you’ll find your own inspiration between the sea bream aiguillettes, the delicious rib steak and the creamy risotto. From paintbrush to knife and fork.

The Maison Fournaise houses the musée Fournaise which also reopened a little later, in 1992. Paying tribute to the impressionist movement, it has been celebrating since 2019 the one-hundredth anniversary of the passing away of Auguste Renoir, through an impressive immersive tour. During this 60-minute experience, a hologram of Renoir himself tells you all about the artist’s period and the story behind his work. In a very life-like reconstitution of the setting, you’ll take a leap into the past with the help of the augmented-reality tablets, virtual-reality headpieces and videos at your disposal.

Your impressionism voyage continues in the town of Argenteuil. It was here, just north of Colombes, that Monet lived with his family in the 1870s. The maison impressionniste, a beautiful dwelling with green shutters, opened to the public in 2022 following several years of renovation work. You’ll be invited to explore the nooks and crannies of the painter’s home via a fun tour designed like a treasure hunt. It’s up to you to unveil the artist’s secrets, hidden in the cupboards and drawers, and to learn how he lived from day to day with the help of videos and reproductions of his paintings. You’ll also be able to soak up the atmosphere aboard a replica of Monet’s floating studio, for an original tour that will appeal to both children and adults. Botany enthusiasts won’t be disappointed either. The tour starts and ends with a winter garden and an heirloom flower garden, which surround the house with a medley of colours and scents… A delightful feast for the senses.

For a fitting conclusion to this artistic visit, head for Asnières-sur-Seine to follow the parcours impressionniste. This town’s riverbanks were the haunt of bathers and boaters, and an endless source of inspiration for the painters of that period. On a guided tour, this open-air museum offers viewpoints that inspired some major impressionist works, such as Asnières Bridge by Signac or Bathers at Asnières by Seurat. You can choose between a tour following the 6 bilingual terminals (French/English) placed along the path, or a guided tour starting at the Asnières-sur-Seine tourist office.

Finished your visit but want to enjoy the guingette atmosphere a little longer? There’s no need to go to Paris, because Rosa Bonheur has come to the banks of the Seine, in Asnières. So make yourself comfortable on the terrace to admire the scenery and savour a glass of wine and a delicious plate of tapas. In summer, Rosa Bonheur is a good place for adults and children to enjoy outdoor activities, with a play area and a boules pitch. And as if to invite you to return to the present, Rosa Bonheur shines a spotlight on street art, with beautiful graffiti decorating the Seine riverbanks.

To the delight of gamblers, the most popular casino in France can be found here in Hauts-de-Seine. Fully renovated in 2005, the casino d’Enghien-les-Bains is gambling heaven (for adults) and an amusement venue that will make you dizzy. With nearly 500 machines and over forty gambling tables, you’ll be plunged into a setting that has nothing to envy of Las Vegas. Each room has its own special atmosphere. The ground floor is flooded with daylight and offers a view over the lake, while the room set aside for high-stakes gambling has a subdued atmosphere oozing with secrecy. And if it’s razzle-dazzle you’re looking for, pop upstairs to go for the jackpot amid the glitz and opulence that surrounds the slot machines.

You don’t have to go to Paris to dine at Fouquet’s, because Fouquet’s comes to you! The famous fine-food establishment has opened its doors opposite the casino in Enghien-les-Bains, offering diners an uninterrupted view over the lake. If you’re a regular at Fouquet’s des Champs-Élysées, you’ll feel at home with the red leather seats, dark wood panelling, large picture windows and famous Harcourt portraits hanging on the walls. The bistro-style menu put together by the 3-star chef, Pierre Gagnaire, revisits the great classics of French gastronomy with a modern twist. You’ll be spoilt for choice between the salmon gravlax, the panko-coated roast scallops and the lamb chops with thyme blossom.

There’s more to French gastronomy than tasty food. Go and try the chocolate at Le Cacacotier in Enghien-les-Bains and you’ll fully understand what we mean. Created in 1995 by the chocolate artisan Hubert Masse, this establishment showcases the noble bean in products made from cocoa varieties from across the world… A real culinary voyage. Besides revealing to you great flavours from Venezuela, Madagascar and Brazil, Hubert Masse excels in the art of daring combinations, such as praline with Spanish almonds, ganache with wild fennel and marzipan with Persian pistachios. Prepare to be amazed.

South of Colombes, a stone’s throw from the Impressionists trail, is a somewhat original place to walk. Here you’ll be surprised to learn that Asnières-sur-Seine is home to a dog cemetery, the world’s largest animal shrine. Created in 1899 at the initiative of a lawyer, Georges Harmois and a feminist journalist, Marguerite Durand, the cemetery honours the memory of our beloved pets with fur, feathers or scales, whether famous or anonymous. During your visit, you’ll admire the many tombs, including those of Marguerite Durand’s horse and Clément, who was Michel Houellebecq’s dog. A moving and unusual visit.