La Marne à la Varenne (The Marne at la Varenne)

This idyllic part of the River Marne, a short excursion by train from Paris, was a favorite weekend retreat where city dwellers enjoyed riverside cafés and restaurants, fishing, and boating. Rather than photograph a scene crowded with vacationers, Eugène Atget chose to depict this spot as a tranquil setting, with the glassy surface of the river reflecting its stillness. The tethered boats for hire along the riverbank allude to the vacationers who regularly descended upon this popular retreat.