Paris is not an outdoor destination, but it offers beautiful parks, canals and even highlights like an abandoned railroad line. So that you don’t have to do without nature on your Paris city trip, we present the most exciting parks of Paris in this article.
As a rule, Paris truly doesn’t attract an outdoor crowd for a weekend getaway. Tourists and backpackers tend to focus on art, culture, fashion and cuisine – and rightly so. There are few places in the world where enjoying the good life is easier than in Paris. Countless museums, boutiques, cafés, restaurants, bars and clubs offer travelers more than enough variety.
In addition to world-famous sights such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Panthéon, lovingly designed, sometimes even opulent parks are also part of the picture of the French capital. They offer a welcome change from all the cultural input you get from the museums and architectural sights. In this article, we have compiled the most interesting Parisian parks and a day trip that you can reach within an hour by train.
La Petite Ceinture – Urban Exploration at its Best
Let’s start with an absolutely unexpected highlight: an abandoned train line that stretches like a belt around the inner districts of Paris. The last train ran here in the early 2000s, since then the line lies fallow and is gradually being reclaimed by nature (and graffiti artists). In three places in the 12th, 13th and 16th arrondissement, La Petite Ceinture is open to the public, the rest is technically closed. However, this is not particularly strictly controlled. If you’re up for an adventure, a little research will certainly help you find other entrances to the abandoned parts of this extraordinary “park.”
Bois de Boulogne and the Musée Albert Kahn et Jardins
A little outside the main attractions of Paris, you’ll find the Boulogne-Billancourt neighborhood, which offers two green oases of relaxation: the huge Bois de Boulogne park and the Albert Kahn Musée et Jardins.
In the Bois de Boulogne, you can lose yourself on 865 hectares of green space between artificial waterfalls and grottos, a sea of roses, daffodils and water lilies, and an orangery from which dreamy Chopin sounds echo in the summer. There is also an amusement park for children.
The Albert Kahn Museum is worth a visit for the garden alone: each lovingly designed section is modeled after a different corner of the world. The Japanese gardens in particular, but also the little piece of the Vosges you’ll find here, are impressive. There’s also a Japanese tea ceremony in the summer. Albert Kahn was a philanthropist who funded worldwide expeditions. His fascinating estate is on display in the museum – almost a must-see for travelers.
Are you a real city trip fan, but still don’t want to miss out on hiking and biking? In our outdoor city guide series you will find more destinations with the extra portion of nature!
Experience postmodern park design: Parc de la Villette
A somewhat unconventional park is the Parc de la Villette. Here you can discover ten themed gardens with mysterious names like “Mirror Garden”, “Acrobatic Garden” or “Fog Garden”. There are also red pavilions all over the park, which sometimes serve as climbing frames, sometimes as first aid stations or as burger bars. There is also a canal with an elevated walkway running alongside it. Nearby is the Zénith, one of the most famous concert halls in Paris – in the Parc de la Villette you can relax wonderfully to a concert.
Jardin des Plantes: The botanical garden of Paris
Of course, beautiful Paris also has a botanical garden where you can enjoy an endless array of flowers. The Jardin des Plantes is located around the corner from Notre Dame and Panthéon – perfect for adding a little variety to your sightseeing marathon. It’s been around since 1626, when it was still a medicinal plant garden. Now you’ll find tropical greenhouses, rose gardens, winter and alpine gardens, and a small zoo. Allegedly, even the radioactivity of Henri Becquerel was discovered here in 1906 in one of the old laboratories.
Fontainebleau: bouldering and hiking paradise at the gates of Paris
If you want to leave the city behind for a day, the forest of Fontainebleau is a must. Especially among boulderers and hikers, it is known for its large rocks that seem to lie around everywhere and literally cry out to be climbed. But Fontainebleau is also an unexpected paradise for mountain bikers. By train, you can be in Fontainebleau within an hour. There is a connection to and from Paris every 40 minutes.
