THE 7 MOST BEAUTIFUL PARKS IN PARIS
From imposing former royal gardens to more rugged parks and botanical gardens for plant lovers, Paris has several green spaces where you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Why these parks are special, what you can do there, supplemented with not-to-be-missed restaurants and terraces in the parks you will find in this list.
JARDIN DU LUXEMBOURG
Jardin du Luxembourg is located on the edge of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Quartier Latin. A garden that French Queen Marie de Médicis had created in 1612 at her Palais du Luxembourg. The palace, which now houses the French Senate, stands on the north side of the garden. The Boboli Gardens in Florence were an inspiration for Marie de Médicis, a Florentine by birth.
A not-to-be-missed spot in the garden is the Fontaine Médicis, one of the city’s most beautiful fountains. There are also 106 sculptures scattered throughout the garden, including one of as many as 6 statues of liberty known to the city of Paris. There are numerous facilities for children, including pony rides, a carousel and a playground with slides. In the middle of the garden is a large pond where you can rent a small wooden boat. The children can place the boat in the pond and push it with a stick.
The restaurant La Terrasse de Madame has a beautiful terrace in the middle of Jardin du Luxembourg and is perfect for breakfast, lunch or a drink. In addition, there are several stalls in Jardin du Luxembourg where you can get a crepe and something to drink.
The garden also houses a museum, the Musée du Luxembourg. There are always several interesting exhibitions here that are very worthwhile.
COULÉE VERTE
The Coulée Verte, also known as the Promenade Plantée, used to be a railroad line and is now a 4.7-kilometer-long walking park stretching from Bastille to Bois de Vincennes. What is unique about this park is that much of it is located on an overpass.
The old rail line began at the now-defunct Bastille station at Place de la Bastille which was decommissioned in 1969. Landscape designer Jacques Vergely and architect Philippe Mathieux created the Coulée Verte in 1988, which finally opened in 1993. The designers managed to combine the wild vegetation that had once invaded the area around the railroad with modern landscaping. So you can walk among the wild poppies, while a few meters below you busy traffic races through the city.
In several places you can go up the Coulée Verte. Note it is not well marked everywhere. A tip is to start near Bastille at the Viaduc des Art at the beginning of Avenue Daumesnil. Here take the stairs up to the Coulée Verte.
JARDIN DU PALAIS ROYAL
In the heart of Paris, a stone’s throw from the Louvre, lies Jardin du Palais Royal. A hidden courtyard garden between the walls of a former royal palace. Now the building houses various government and cultural institutions such as the Ministry of Culture, the Constitutional Council, the Théâtre du Palais-Royal and the Comédie française.
When you walk into the garden on the side of Place Colette you come to a large courtyard where the Colonnes de Buren can be seen. This is a vast work of art by French artist Daniel Buren that consists of several black and white striped pillars in different heights.
In the center of the garden, you can sit around the pond on the typical green chairs from Parisian city parks. The garden is surrounded by the oldest passages in Paris where you can find several cafes, restaurants, galleries and other special stores. At the coffee shop Kitsuné, you can take a seat on the terrace or get a coffee on the go to drink in the park.
Really turn out in Jardin du Palais Royal at Le Grand Véfour. Véfour is one of the most famous brasseries in Paris with a history dating back to 1784. Famous politicians, artists, writers and aristocrats came here regularly, from Napoleon to Victor Hugo to George Sand. Véfour had two Michelin Stars until 2021 and gave them up to welcome guests with more accessible brasserie cuisine. Prices have scaled “slightly” down as a result. Véfour’s interior leaves nothing to be desired. It has everything you would expect from an upscale brasserie, red velour couches, white tablecloths, mirrors and murals. Outside, the restaurant has a very nice terrace in the covered gallery.
Another very exclusive address in Jardin du Palais royal is Restaurant Palais Royal which holds a Michelin star.
JARDIN DES TUILERIES
Jardin des Tuileries is centrally located in the city between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde. The park was created back in the 16th century, when it served as the garden of the Tuileries Palace, a former royal residence commissioned by Catherine de Médicis. The palace was named after the roof tiles (tuiles in French) factory that used to stand on this site. In 1871, the Palace burned down and was never rebuilt.
The garden is full of the familiar green chairs of Parisian city parks. I often get coffee at the Kitsuné (208 Rue de Rivoli) next to Tuileries and then drink it in the park.
ART
Many impressive statues adorn the garden. From Rodin’s Le Baiser in bronze to Louise Bourgeois’ Welcoming Hands. There are often temporary exhibitions of sculptures placed in the garden to mark events taking place in town. There are also 2 very nice museums in Jardin des Tuileries. The Jeu de Paume museum where modern exhibits are held and Musée de l’Orangerie where works by Monet hang. Both are well worth a visit.
CHILDREN
A fun activity for children is to rent a small wooden boat at the pond. They are given a stick so they can propel the boat across the pond. There is also a carousel in the garden and a section where there are trampolines. Trampolines are open from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
Every year during the months of July and August there is a carnival in the garden, on the rue Rivoli side of the park. From the Ferris wheel and the carousel you have a great view of the city. In addition, there are numerous attractions for young and old.
For the holidays, Tuileries is hosting a huge Christmas market called “The Magic of Christmas.” There will be several fairground attractions, an ice rink, a large Ferris wheel, wooden chalets selling crafts and free theater performances for children. The Christmas market takes place annually from late November to early January.
RESTAURANTS
Lunch is available under the trees at Petit Plisson. You order at the small chalet and can find your own place on the terrace. Prices are accessible and you sit here under the trees in peace and quiet. If you want to go a little more out of the ordinary, make a reservation at LouLou, the restaurant of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs adjacent to Jardin des Tuileries, or have coffee right next to the Louvre to which the garden adjoins at Café Marly, one of the most beautiful terraces in the city.
PARC DES BUTTES-CHAUMONT
A little further off the tourist trails, in the nineteenth arrondissement, is the Buttes-Chaumont park. Napoleon III once had the park constructed where a quarry once stood.
In the middle of the park is the temple of Sibylle on a large rock. From here you have an impressive view of the Sacré-Cœur. Because of the differences in height, the many rocks, small paths and waterfalls, this park has a different look than many other parks in Paris.
There are several terraces in the park. Rosa Bonheur’s terrace is always crowded. In the evening there is music and you may have to stand in line to get a seat on the terrace. Another good option is Pavillon Puebla. The restaurant has a nice terrace, the menu is accessible with pizzas and salads, and even with kids, you’ll be far away from passing cars here.
For children, pony riding at Anima Pony is a fun activity. It is possible to do a large or a small tour. The small tour costs €6 and large tour €8.50. Click here for the link to the company with all current information.
You can reach the park by metro via Botzaris station. Then you arrive at the top of the park and all you have to do is walk down.
PARC MONCEAU
Parc Monceau is located in the eighth arrondissement. You enter the park through the impressive huge wrought-iron gates decorated with gold. Several statues can be seen scattered throughout the park and there is a large Renaissance arcade by the pond, a remnant of the Paris Town Hall that burned down in 1871.
In the park is a rotunda, a round building surrounded by 16 columns. This traffic circle used to serve as the toll house of the farm town wall. A city wall built by order of Louis the XVI. Farmers who wanted to sell their food in town paid additional taxes on this at the Rotunda. One of the drops that made the bucket overflow, creating the French Revolution.
The park as we know it today was commissioned in 1860 by Hausseman, the city architect of Paris who modernized the entire city of Paris under Napoleon III.
Several old city palaces border the garden. Some now house museums. Combine a walk in the park with a visit to Musée Camondo or Musée Chernuschi. Musée Camondo is housed in the former city palace of the very wealthy Jewish Camondo family. The museum has a stylishly decorated restaurant, Le Camondo, with a courtyard garden where you can go for lunch and dinner. The restaurant can be reached through a different entrance than the museum. Click here to learn more about Musée Camondo. Musée Chernischi is the Asian art museum of the city of Paris.
JARDIN DES PLANTES
Jardin des Plantes is a botanical garden located on the Seine in the fifth arrondissement. There is so much to explore that you could easily spend a whole day there. Everything here is dedicated to nature and science. There are a number of museums and five huge greenhouses with tropical plants. In addition, there is also a zoo.
MUSEA
There are 3 museums in Jardin des Plantes;
– Grande Galerie de L’Évolution
– Galerie de Paléontologie et d’Anatomie Comparée.
– Galerie de Géologie et de Minéralogie
These 3 museums are part of the National Museum of Natural History.
For children, the Grande Galerie de L’Évolution is a fun interactive museum to visit. Thousands of stuffed animals depict the evolution of animal species and the diversity of our world. There is a place designed for children between 6 and 12 years old where they can do activities and workshops and receive age-appropriate scientific information through videos. This Galerie des Enfants focuses on biodiversity and sustainable development in 4 areas: the city, river, rainforest and earth. Admission to this part of the museum requires a separate ticket.
Discover thousands of animal species skeletons collected from around the world at the Galerie de Paléontologie et d’Anatomie Comparée. There are 3 floors full of skeletons of dinosaurs, mammoths, a whale almost 20 meters long and also the skeleton of the rhino that belonged to King Louis XV. The museum building was opened in 1898 for the 1900 World’s Fair. The nearly 80-meter-long building is decorated with numerous sculptures of important naturalists.
Behind the splendor of the rose garden houses an imposing neoclassical building that houses the Galerie de Géologie et de Minéralogie. The collections of this museum include one of the oldest and most prestigious mineral collections in the world. From meteorites from Mars to giant crystals and gemstones. They are all precious specimens that tell the story of Earth and the solar system.
ANIMAL GARDEN
The Ménagerie is a small-scale zoo in Jardin des Plantes. Founded in 1793, it is the second oldest zoo in the world. About 600 animals including 150 species can be found there. Red pandas, snow leopards, orangutans, pythons, giant tortoises, flamingos, tree kangaroos and hornbills. You walk among wooded paths so you do not quickly notice you are in the center of Paris. Ticket platforms such as Tiqets often offer combination tickets to the Grande Galerie d’Évolution and the Ménagerie.
BOTANICAL GREENHOUSES
There are 5 huge metal greenhouses called Les Grandes Serres, 4 of which can be visited. The greenhouses are there to preserve and acclimate plants brought back from the travels of naturalists and to introduce the public to various exotic plant species. Each greenhouse has its own theme. 1 admission ticket provides access to the 4 greenhouses and the Botanical Gallery.
RESTAURANT LES BELLES PLANTES
Starting in mid-October 2021, Les Belles Plantes restaurant will open with cuisine inspired by Mediterranean countries. On the menu italian, spanish and north african dishes. The restaurant has a terrace where you can enjoy the peace and quiet after your visit to the park, one of the museums or the zoo. Open daily from noon to 6 p.m.
Check the Jardin des Plantes website for the program and opening hours. Jardin des Plantes, 57 Rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris.
JARDIN DE LA GRANDE MOSQUÉE DE PARIS
As an extra in this list, I am not adding a park, but a special garden. The garden of the Grande Mosquée of Paris. This one is just next to Jardin des Plantes. It is the courtyard of the oldest mosque in France. A special place that gives you a different experience from the well-known typical Parisian spots. Here you enter an oasis of calm within the city, surrounded by beautiful plants, flowers, mosaic tiles and ponds.
An admission ticket costs €3.00 and €2.00 for children. Note that you must pay cash and you are not allowed to enter without covered clothing. If you don’t have that, there are cloths you can wrap around. The cafe, which can be reached through another entrance, offers traditional mint tea (2€) and oriental delicacies. The garden is open 6 days a week, closed only on Fridays.
