This 5-hectare Thai park located a few kilometers from Paris is an urgent must-see.
The Île-de-France region is full of hidden treasures that some people jealously avoid sharing, opening a parenthesis of well-being far from the greyness and frenzy of Paris. The latest of these unexpected corners is in Seine-et-Marne and visitors, most of whom stumble upon the site by chance, are full of praise for it.
“We live just a stone’s throw away. We stumbled upon the site by chance while surfing the Internet. It’s magnificent,” Marianne announced to our colleagues at Point. Just cross the top of the Wat Thammapathip wall, nestled in Moissy-Cramayel at 243 rue des Marronniers, to land in Thailand, in a sublime green park of 4 hectares. Nearly 400 golden and white Buddha statues stand in alleys leading to a pagoda that was a former 19th century castlee century abandoned – the castle of Lugny – bought and transformed in 2000 by the International Thai Association of Buddhists of France. Along the path that leads to the pagoda, one questions oneself on the meaning of life: “Do not destroy the future with the present” or again, “Do not sink into the past”, one can read on signs. At the entrance to this place of meditation, one takes off one’s shoes and one can enjoy prayer rooms open to all.
In the park, you can lounge under the plane trees and large tables are available for families to enjoy Thai cuisine offered by Thai street food stands that offer dishes made on site for around 5 euros: shrimp pad thai, fried chicken wings, bo bun, beef pho, spring rolls, green papaya salad, sticky rice with mango and coconut milk, Thai coffee or iced green tea… Your taste buds travel too! Throughout the year, Buddhist culture punctuates the daily life of the Lugny estate, like Songkhan, the Buddhist New Year celebration, with several traditional shows.
If you want to travel less than an hour from Paris, you now know where to go. In 40 minutes on the N6 from Paris, you will be like in Thailand. The place is also ideal for a day with children, as there are so many swings. Free parking is available at the entrance to the park. It is also possible to reach the park in less than an hour via the RER D towards Melun from Paris, then get off at Lieusaint Moissy station and take bus 21, stop Cité du Parc. Wat Thammapathip is open on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.