Now that it’s begun to faire chaud outside, what better place to spend the balmy days than in a Parisian parc? Reading, people watching, having a baguette and fromage picnic, no matter what you’re doing, the City of Light offers up a great many parks to pass the day in, ranging from unsung gems to famous beauties. Here are some of the best parks in Paris à ne pas manquer, from the beautiful statues of the Jardin du Luxembourg, to the romantic rose garden in Parc de Bagatelle, to the Eiffel Tower views at the Champ de Mars.
1. Jardin du Luxembourg
Let’s start with a classic, the Luxembourg Gardens on the Left Bank. Any discussion of Paris parks must mention this gorgeous place, which was designed by Queen Marie de Medici as a French formal garden. (Sneak off into the hidden grotto to find the Medici Fountain.) Highlights include its tranquility in the midst of city bustle, the stunning Luxembourg Palace (which houses the French senate), and the artificial lake where you can float a boat (if that’s what floats your boat). There are always folks playing table tennis at the requisite park ping pong tables, and there is even a permanent puppet theatre in the Jardin du Luxembourg where, since 1933, parents have brought baby Frenchies daily to see performances of Pinocchio or The Three Little Pigs performed avec des marionnettes.
Location: Jardin du Luxembourg, 75006 Paris (map)
Open: Daily from 7am to 1 hour before sunset in summer, and from 8am to 1 hour before sunset in winter
Access: Free entrance (Accessible from boulevard Saint-Michel, rue du Vaugirard, rue Guyenemer, rue Auguste-Comte and rue Médicis)
How to get there by public transport: Take the RER B to Luxembourg, the metro Line 4 to Saint-Sulpice, Line 10 to Mabillon, or Line 12 to Rennes.
2. Parc Montsouris
This park is a gentle, green expanse located in what a friend of mine once delicately called “the butt” of Paris, meaning the city’s southernmost edge by the péripherique. The Montsouris is named—fun fact!—for a Dutch windmill called the Moque-souris or “mocks the mice,” which apparently was suggesting that millers dared mice to find grain inside. I think it is safe to say this is the only park in Paris named for emotional manipulation of rodents, which makes it extra special. Make sure to check out the Colonne de la paix armée (column of armed peace) featured above.
Location: Parc Montsouris, 2 Rue Gazan, 75014 Paris (map)
Open: Daily from 7am to 9:30pm (from 5/1 to 8/31), 7am to 8:30pm (from 9/1 to 9/30), 7am to 7:30pm (from 10/1 to 10/24), 7am to 5:45pm (from 10/25 to 2/28)
Access: Free entrance
How to get there by public transport: Take Line 4 to Porte d’Orléans or the RER B to Cité Universitaire.
3. Bois de Boulogne
This massive park bordering Paris’ oblong 16th arrondissement is so vast, you can go in for a quick jog and end up completely lost. We suspect some lost joggers from the pre-GPS era have been wandering the Bois for decades. Among the Bois’ notable features are two horse-racing tracks (Hippodrome de Longchamp and Hippodrome d’Auteuil) and the famed Roland-Garros tennis stadium, home of the French Open. I’m able to tell you all this because I did, against all odds, find my way out. Located within the Bois de Boulogne is the Parc de Bagatelle, with its famous rose gardens. This romantic garden is actual part of the Paris botanical garden network, alongside the Jardin des Plantes and the Parc Floral de Paris. And you can even take the kids here to the Jardin d’Acclimatation, an amusement park with pony rides and other attractions
Location: Bois de Boulogne (and Parc de Bagatelle), 75016 Paris (map)
Open: 24/7
Access: Free entrance
How to get there by public transport: Take metro Line 9 to Jasmin, Line 1 to Les Sablons or Porte Maillot, Line 2 to Porte Dauphine, Line 10 to Porte d’Auteuil, or RER C to Avenue Foch or Avenue Henri-Martin.
4. Parc des Buttes Chaumont
Unlike the tourist-favorite parks of Paris, which are (mostly) concentrated in the centre-ville, the Parc des Buttes Chaumont is up in the 19th arrondissement on Paris’ northeast shoulder. It’s visually striking, filled with craggy rocks and waterfalls; overlooking it is the Roman-inspired Temple de la Sybille. On a hot summer day, sneak off to their hidden grottos with shaded waterfalls to cool off. The local feel of the Buttes Chaumont makes it one of the best parks in Paris, an urban park with a timeless feel. As an added bonus, nearby is the fantastic Musée de la Musique, itself worth the trek to the 19th.
Location: Parc des Buttes Chaumont, 1 rue Botzaris, 75019 Paris (map)
Open: Daily, 7am to 9pm
Access: Free entrance
How to get there by public transport: Take the metro Line 5 to Laumière, or the Line 11 to Pyrénées.
5. Jardin des Tuileries
Sandwiched between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde and bordering the River Seine, the Jardin des Tuileries is the perfect blend of urban park and beautiful gardens. Unlike the hulking Bois de Boulogne, the Tuileries never lets you forget you are in Paris. The city surrounds you on all sides, peeking in, just steps from the Louvre museum and the former site of the long-lost Palais des Tuileries. This park with its beautiful flowers and gorgeous water features is one of the best parks in Paris for reading. (Thanks Paris for providing chairs in your parks!) I can remember whole, specific afternoons spent there with books—a testament to its goodness as a park, if you ask me. 12/10, would read there again.
Location: Jardin des Tuileries, 113 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris (map)
Open: 7am to 11pm (June, July, Aug), 7am to 9pm (April, May, Sep), 7:30am to 7:30pm (Jan, Feb, March, Oct, Nov, Dec)
Access: Free entrance
How to get there by public transport: Take metro Line 1 to Tuileries, Line 7 or 14 to Pyramides, or Line 1, 8, or 12 to Place de la Concorde.
6. Jardin du Palais Royal
Just steps from the Jardin des Tuileries is the Jardin du Palais Royal, which is tucked away in a courtyard between three shopping arcades: Galerie de Valois (east), Galerie de Montpensier (west) and Galerie Beaujolais. One of the best parks in Paris, it is most recognizable for its striped, black and white columns, designed by sculptor Daniel Buren, which make for some stunning photoshoots, especially considering the relatively hidden location of this public park, with its rose garden, boxed hedges, and enormous fountain. King Louis XIV actually lived at the Palais Royal (now home to the Conseil d’État) on the edge of the park, and these French gardens would have been his backyard in the mid-17th century.
Location: Jardin du Palais Royal, 2 Gal de Montpensier, 75001 Paris (map)
Open: From October 1 to March 31 from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm, from April 1 to September 30 from 8:30 am to 10:30 pm.
Access: Free entrance
How to get there by public transport: Take metro Line 1 to Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre, or Line 7 or 14 to Pyramides.
7. Champ de Mars
The Champ de Mars is one of the most visited parks in Paris, because it is home to the Eiffel Tower, smack dab in the middle of the 7th arrondissement. This makes it one of the best parks in Paris for Eiffel Tower views, of course, and it’s a great spot to stop for a picnic on a sunny day, for some fresh air and a bit of Paris fun.
Location: Champ de Mars, 2 All. Adrienne Lecouvreur, 75007 Paris (map)
Open: 24/7
Access: Free entrance
How to get there by public transport: Take metro Line 8 to École Militaire or the RER C to Champs de Mars-Tour Eiffel.
8. Jardin des Plantes
While strolling around Paris’s Latin Quarter, it can be easy to get distracted by all of the other attractions in the neighborhood, but you’ll have to make a pit stop at the Jardin des Plantes, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful parks in Paris. This incredible green city sanctuary houses themed gardens showcasing exotic plants and tree species in and around the greenhouses that make up the adjacent school of botany.
Location: Jardin des Plantes, 57 Rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris (map)
Open: From March 26 to September 30, 2023: 7:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.; From October 1 to 28: 8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.; From October 29 to February 29, 2024: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Access: Free entrance
How to get there by public transport: Take metro Line 5 or Line 10 to Gare d’Austerlitz, or Line 7 to Place Monge.
Looking for more?
For some more suggestions of our favorite parks and gardens in Paris, check out our guide to the city’s secret gardens.
