Gerard Brion is the sixth and last child of a stylist in a shoe-manufacture and a ready-made clothes seamstress.
A fairy must have leant over his cradle: He is an exceptionally gifted child with a very creative mind. A meddler who works and keeps himself apart from his restless brothers and sisters. An open-minded self-made man, with big ambition to succeed in his creations. A challenger with much conviction and character who makes his craziest dreams come true!
An artist with many abilities: At the age of 5, he already draws architecture perspectives and mechanics making him a “little Léonard de Vinci”. His creed: “learning through copying” and that is the way of learning he puts into practice to get the mastery of a number of techniques. At the age of 10, he builds a miniature La Rochelle Harbour with “Mousseline” potato purée boxes! He also makes machines of all sorts, articulated robots, steam-engines, washing-machines... He also loves songs, music and the fashion of course. He even draws patterns and plays with textile and reels of thread...
At the age of 12, He finds himself alone and isolated in the country in holiday-time. He discovers a new passion: songs! To keep himself busy he decides to build a Paris setting so as to sing on La Concorde Square! Just as in his favourite TV programme by Michel Drucker “Champs Elysées”. It takes him 14 years to reconstitute Paris centre in his parents' kitchen-garden! The school course of our little “Guy Degrenne” is also quite impressive. He gets about ten degrees: A CAP in joinery and cabinet work, a BEP/CAP in civil engineering designing, a BT in building fabric/ building-site chief/ foreman, a training in accountancy and a BT in model maker designing and a good Marketing experience in the theme parks business!
At the age of 23, he becomes a parachutist non-commissioned officer in a naval commando training-centre in Brittany! He is quickly promoted and works in the Navy for several years. He likes rigour and righteousness. He attracts the attention of an important officer who gives him a chance to make a great number of models and go on special missions for the Ministry of Defence. .. But in the meantime, The Little Paris is forgotten and in 1996, Gerard even thinks of demolishing it! But on August 31st 1997 in Paris, Princess Diana is killed under the De l'Alma Bridge. And strange enough this tragedy will highlight the Little Paris in the world media! At the public's request Gerard places a little damaged Mercedes car on the spot! And crowds of onlookers come and pay tribute to Lady Di! Up to 15 000 visitors a year, the little Paris has become a pilgrimage-place!
Success has come and Gérard has realized that he must save the Little Paris, create a tourist centre and make a living out of his passion. After striving for the ideal ground , it is in La Rochelle area that his plan is expected to succeed. At the age of 38, our artist is about to realize his dream: re-build the Little Paris ten times as big on a 3 hectare ground... so his Little Paris will be a huge attraction!
A fairy must have leant over his cradle: He is an exceptionally gifted child with a very creative mind. A meddler who works and keeps himself apart from his restless brothers and sisters. An open-minded self-made man, with big ambition to succeed in his creations. A challenger with much conviction and character who makes his craziest dreams come true!
An artist with many abilities: At the age of 5, he already draws architecture perspectives and mechanics making him a “little Léonard de Vinci”. His creed: “learning through copying” and that is the way of learning he puts into practice to get the mastery of a number of techniques. At the age of 10, he builds a miniature La Rochelle Harbour with “Mousseline” potato purée boxes! He also makes machines of all sorts, articulated robots, steam-engines, washing-machines... He also loves songs, music and the fashion of course. He even draws patterns and plays with textile and reels of thread...
At the age of 12, He finds himself alone and isolated in the country in holiday-time. He discovers a new passion: songs! To keep himself busy he decides to build a Paris setting so as to sing on La Concorde Square! Just as in his favourite TV programme by Michel Drucker “Champs Elysées”. It takes him 14 years to reconstitute Paris centre in his parents' kitchen-garden! The school course of our little “Guy Degrenne” is also quite impressive. He gets about ten degrees: A CAP in joinery and cabinet work, a BEP/CAP in civil engineering designing, a BT in building fabric/ building-site chief/ foreman, a training in accountancy and a BT in model maker designing and a good Marketing experience in the theme parks business!
At the age of 23, he becomes a parachutist non-commissioned officer in a naval commando training-centre in Brittany! He is quickly promoted and works in the Navy for several years. He likes rigour and righteousness. He attracts the attention of an important officer who gives him a chance to make a great number of models and go on special missions for the Ministry of Defence. .. But in the meantime, The Little Paris is forgotten and in 1996, Gerard even thinks of demolishing it! But on August 31st 1997 in Paris, Princess Diana is killed under the De l'Alma Bridge. And strange enough this tragedy will highlight the Little Paris in the world media! At the public's request Gerard places a little damaged Mercedes car on the spot! And crowds of onlookers come and pay tribute to Lady Di! Up to 15 000 visitors a year, the little Paris has become a pilgrimage-place!
Success has come and Gérard has realized that he must save the Little Paris, create a tourist centre and make a living out of his passion. After striving for the ideal ground , it is in La Rochelle area that his plan is expected to succeed. At the age of 38, our artist is about to realize his dream: re-build the Little Paris ten times as big on a 3 hectare ground... so his Little Paris will be a huge attraction!
