Brad and Angelina Make the Most of Their European Downtime

Wonderwall, Tuesday, September 1, 2009, 10:30am (PDT)

By Kat Giantis

We can see the tabloid headlines now: "Brad Pitt storms off to Spain after Angelina Jolie shows interest in a short French guy!"

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The reality is considerably less salacious: The mega-famous flames, who have been holed up with their brood of six at their under-renovation 17th-century chateau in the South of France, have enjoyed separate pursuits in recent days, with Brad channeling his inner architect and Angelina peeping out the place of Napoleon's birth.

Let's start with Pitt, who winged to northern Spain on Sunday to get a close look at the progress of a massive urban renewal project in the city of Aviles designed by famed Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer.

He donned a hard hat and spent a few hours touring the future cultural center, which is being touted for its environmental sustainability, something the A-lister has championed with his Make It Right house-building program in New Orleans.

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"This is why Brad Pitt has come to visit the site," the city's mayor told reporters (via AFP). "He is interested in supporting the project, the cultural as well as the architectural aspects."

Meanwhile, two days before the actor got his aesthetic fix, Jolie, dressed in her usual all black, took a jaunt with 3-year-old Shiloh to Ajaccio, located on the island of Corsica, where Napoleon spent his formative years.

People magazine says that during the outing, she passed by the museum erected in the diminutive emperor's honor, chatted with a few locals and did some shopping.

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Shiloh didn't come away from the rare solo trip with her mom empty-handed. The towheaded cutie was snapped happily toting around a poodle-on-wheels push toy.

Jolie, perhaps anticipating the sibling squabbling sure to ensue should she return without goodies for everyone, also reportedly picked up a push toy for 4-year-old Zahara, along with a plastic sword for Maddox, 8, and Pax, 5.

And there were more treats to be had on Monday when Brad and Angelina were spied with Shiloh and Zahara at a Toys R Us outpost near their chateau, the second time in a month that the tykes have gone on a shopping spree at the kiddie mecca.

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