Parc André-Citroën
2 rue Cauchy
15th arrondissement
metro Balard or Javel-André Citroën
bus 88
wi-fi connection
open 8-21.30
This beautiful park opened in 1992. It is built on the site where until the 1970’s the Citroen car factories were situated. The park is famous for its magnificent fountains, the use of colour in the gardens, the wooden greenhouses and the hot air balloon that takes you 150 meters above the ground.
The architects of the park were Alain Provost and Gilles Clément. The duo created a balanced, beautiful park that radiates peace. It consists of three parts. The center is a field of 320 x 130 meters, which starts with two huge glass greenhouses and ends close to the Seine. Across the large lawn is a diagonal path. The left side of the lawn features a waterway with small fountains and waterfalls, and to the right is a footpath with views of the lower gardens in different colours: blue, green, orange, red, silver and gold. There are more beautiful places: the Jardin Noir with dark shade garden plants, the Jardin Blanc, a small patio with nothing but white flowers, a Mediterranean garden and a weed garden. Near the greenhouses is a sloping concrete square with a fountain that sprays water from 120 holes in intervals. The park is reflected in the mirror-glazed buildings at the left.
If you enter the park from the Seine you can immediately see all the space it covers. If you take the rue Balard entrance, you first enter some small, intimate gardens before you reach the lawn.
On the large lawn you can get a different, spectaculair view of the park and its surroundings in a balloon which goes up 150 meters above the ground. For the less adventurous, there is lots of space to sit on the lawn or the benches and if the weather is fine you can have a picnick on the grass. There is plenty to do for children as well. There are table-tennis tables, sandboxes, a playground, a waterslide and a cableway. The fountain is very popular with children, although it is officially forbidden to play between the jets of water. On hot days it is quite an experience for both children and passers-by.
Of late, the park looks neglected. Fountains don't work, canals have run dry and plants have withered by lack of water. In 2009 an extensive renovation wll take place.
Jardin Atlantique 1 place des Cinq-Martyrs-du-Lycée-Buffon
15th arrondissement
metro Montparnasse-Bienvenuë
bus 91, 92, 94, 95, 96
open 8-20.30
wi-fi connection
This garden was built in 1994 on the roof of the Montparnasse TGV station. In the centre is a large lawn. A path across the lawn leads to the Fontaine de l'Ile des Hespérides, a structure with a round mirror and a fountain.
The plants in white and blue will remind you of water. Along the sides are two rows of trees: on one side, European trees and on the other side, the same kind of trees, but from the United States. The undulating ground and the waving grass symbolize the waves of the sea. There is also a sports area with a tennis court and a ping pong table and a children's playground with an ocean theme.
You will find the entrance to the Jardin Atlantique if you take the stairs in the station to the left of platform 1. Alternatively you can take the elevator at the outside of the station at boulevard de Vaugirard or the entrance at place des Cinq-Martyrs-du-Lycée-Buffon.
Parc de Belleville
47 rue des Cour Onnes
20th arrondissement
metro Couronnes, Pyrénées or Belville
bus 26, 96
open 8-21.30
wi-fi connection
This park opened in 1988 on a 30 meter high hill in the Belleville district. On top of the hill you will have a wonderful view of Paris. There are fountains and a waterfall of 100 m, a vineyard with Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes, lawns, children's playgrounds, trees, flowers and shrubs. In the park stands the Maison de l'Air, with a permanent exhibition on the quality of air in Paris.
Parc de Bercy
128 quai de Bercy
12th arrondissement
metro Bercy or Cour Saint-Emilion
bus 24, 87
open 8-21.30
wi-fi connection
This park was constructed at the site of the former Bercy wine depot, where originally wine barrels from Burgundy were unloaded. Since 2001 it is a modern park along the Seine across the Bibliothèque nationale. Some characteristics of the wine depot are kept: the street patterns, old railroad tracks and old trees, including chestnuts.
One of the special features of the park is a garden kept by Parisian schoolchildren. Furthermore you will find a belvedere, a pond, a romantic garden, a vineyard, a terrace overlooking the Seine and a rose garden with 90 kinds of roses.
Parc Georges-Brassens
2 place Jacques Maret
15th arrondissement
metro Convention and Porte de Vanves
bus 89, tram T3
open 8-21.30
wi-fi connection
This park opened in 1985 and was named after chanson singer Georges Brassens, who lived in the neighbourhood, rue Santos-Dumont 42. This was the site of the first Abattoirs de Vaugirard and the surrounding area had deteriorated in the course of time. Now the park brings the neighbourhood back to life.
The park is not very spectacular, but has nice details: a beautiful water garden, a fragrance garden for the blind with 80 different plants, a square with a pergola with wisteria and clematis, and a watchtower. At the entrance are statues of cows that once stood at the Champ de Mars at the times of the World Exhibition of 1878.
Jardin des Halles
rue Rambuteau
1st arrondissement
metro Les Halles or Chatelet-Les Halles
bus 74, 85
open 8-21
wi-fi connection
The Jardin des Halles is located in the area where until 1970 the famous Halles - the distribution center for food in Paris - were located. Since the 12th century, it was a market where Parisians did their shopping. Between 1854 and 1936 twelve market halls were built by architect Victor Baltard. Meat, vegetables, fish, fruit, all foods were transported to the Halles and sold from there. Early in the morning many Parisians, but also tourists, went to the Halles for onion soup, pigs feet or snails to eat in one of the unpretentious restaurants. Because of the growth of Paris and the associated traffic problems, the Halles were moved to Rungis in 1969, north of Paris. In the hole caused by the demolition of the market halls a new RER metro station was built in 1977 and a few years later an underground shopping mall, the Forum des Halles.
The Jardin des Halles on top of the Forum was created in 1986. It is situated between the Forum, the Bourse du Commerce and the beautiful Saint-Eustache church. There is a broad avenue with lime trees. In the middle is an elongated pond, eleven fountains, arcades, a tropical greenhouse, large lawns, 480 trees, a children's playground and flower borders. At the square in front of the church you will find the sculpture 'L'Ecoute’ by Henri de Miller, representing a large head with its ear to the ground.
One corner of the Jardin des Halles features the Jardin des Enfants, also called Jardin d'Aventures or Lalanne. It is especially designed for children between 7 and 11 years. The entrance shows two elephants that are made of iron wire covered with ivy. Children will love the tropical area, a climbing rock, a bamboo wood, bridges, playground equipment and tubes to crawl through. Access is limited to one hour. Adults may enter the garden on Saturdays from 10 to 13 only.
Unfortunately, the Jardin des Enfants will disappear to make place for the building site of the new Forum and the renovated Jardin, starting September 2009.
Jardin Tino-Rossi
8 quai Saint-Bernard
5th arrondissement
metro Jussieu or Gare d'Austerlitz
wi-fi connection
This is actually a promenade along the Seine with a series of modern sculptures surrounded by flowers, trees and shrubs. You will find works by Brancusi, Zadkine, Cesar and Schoffer.
On summer nights (May-September) you will often find people enjoying themselves dancing: salsa, tango, rock and traditional dances. You can join them for free.
You can enter the park if you walk on the footpath along the the left bank of the Seine that runs from Parc Bercy to Parc André-Citroën. You can also reach it from the Institut du Monde Arabe if you cross the quai Saint-Bernard and take the stairs to the quay.
Promenade plantée
avenue Daumesnil
12th arrondissement
metro Bastille
bus 87, 91, 20, 65, 29
open 8-21.30
wi-fi connection
This park promenade runs throughout the 12th district on an elevated railway that until 1969 was used for trains from the Bastille to the banlieue. The trail starts behind the Bastille Opera and runs above the avenue Daumesnil through the jardin de Reuilly to the Porte Dorée, a hike of about 5 km.
Along the sides of the promenade are all kinds of trees, shrubs and plants, roses, bamboo, lavender, climbers, annuals. On the left side you can look at the houses, sometimes even look inside, and to the right, six meters down, is avenue Daumesnil. At the intersection of avenue Daumesnil and rue de Rambouillet is a police station with on the wall a replica of the statue of Michelangelo, Esclave Mourant (the original can be seen in the Louvre). Under the arches of the railway, the Viaduc des Arts, there are art shops and artists’ workshops.
A beautiful bridge spans the lawns in the jardin de Reuilly. The route from here continues on street level. Through allée Vivaldi with new apartment buildings you will reach a tunnel with fake rocks, then the path continues over former railway embankments below street level. An iron spindle staircase brings you up to street level.
You will find the Promenade plantée if you walk past the Bastille Opera to avenue to the avenue Daumesnil. On the left is a staircase leading to the beginning of the path. Further on there are more stairs and a elevator.
Parc de la Villette
30 avenue Corentin-Cariou
19th arrondissement
metro Porte de la Villette, Porte de Pantin
bus 75
For the design of the Parc de la Villette an international competition was launched. No less than 471 architects sent in a draft, but the design of Bernard Tschumi was selected and executed. The park opened in 1987.
The futuristic park measures 35 hectares and is located on the site of the former Parisian abattoirs. It houses the Cité des Sciences, a science museum, and the Cité de la Musique, a music museum with concert halls. The ten different theme gardens are located throughout the park. There is a mist garden where fountains spray water. In a deep fry is a bamboo garden with steel bridges spanning the garden. You will also find an island garden, a mirror garden, a silence garden, a garden of (stone) dunes and a ‘treille' garden, where the lattice was replaced by steel. There are three children's playgrounds.
By way of eye-catchers Tschumi built bright red and funny buildings (called ‘folies’). The prettiest sight is perhaps the Géode, a huge glass sphere with dozens of mirrors on the outside, in which the garden is reflected. All the street furniture in the park was designed by Philippe Starck.
Last checked
26-07-2010
translation: Carolijn van den Reydt/Els van der Vos
The architects of the park were Alain Provost and Gilles Clément. The duo created a balanced, beautiful park that radiates peace. It consists of three parts. The center is a field of 320 x 130 meters, which starts with two huge glass greenhouses and ends close to the Seine. Across the large lawn is a diagonal path. The left side of the lawn features a waterway with small fountains and waterfalls, and to the right is a footpath with views of the lower gardens in different colours: blue, green, orange, red, silver and gold. There are more beautiful places: the Jardin Noir with dark shade garden plants, the Jardin Blanc, a small patio with nothing but white flowers, a Mediterranean garden and a weed garden. Near the greenhouses is a sloping concrete square with a fountain that sprays water from 120 holes in intervals. The park is reflected in the mirror-glazed buildings at the left. 
is lots of space to sit on the lawn or the benches and if the weather is fine you can have a picnick on the grass. There is plenty to do for children as well. There are table-tennis tables, sandboxes, a playground, a waterslide and a cableway. The fountain is very popular with children, although it is officially forbidden to play between the jets of water. On hot days it is quite an experience for both children and passers-by. 
The plants in white and blue will remind you of water. Along the sides are two rows of trees: on one side, European trees and on the other side, the same kind of trees, but from the United States. The undulating ground and the waving grass symbolize the waves of the sea. There is also a sports area with a tennis court and a ping pong table and a children's playground with an ocean theme. 
This park opened in 1988 on a 30 meter high hill in the Belleville district. On top of the hill you will have a wonderful view of Paris. There are fountains and a waterfall of 100 m, a vineyard with Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes, lawns, children's playgrounds, trees, flowers and shrubs. In the park stands the Maison de l'Air, with a permanent exhibition on the quality of air in Paris.
This park was constructed at the site of the former Bercy wine depot, where originally wine barrels from Burgundy were unloaded. Since 2001 it is a modern park along the Seine across the Bibliothèque nationale. Some characteristics of the wine depot are kept: the street patterns, old railroad tracks and old trees, including chestnuts. 
n the neighbourhood, rue Santos-Dumont 42. This was the site of the first Abattoirs de Vaugirard and the surrounding area had deteriorated in the course of time. Now the park brings the neighbourhood back to life. 
The Jardin des Halles on top of the Forum was created in 1986. It is situated between the Forum, the Bourse du Commerce and the beautiful Saint-Eustache church. There is a broad avenue with lime trees. In the middle is an elongated pond, eleven fountains, arcades, a tropical greenhouse, large lawns, 480 trees, a children's playground and flower borders. At the square in front of the church you will find the sculpture 'L'Ecoute’ by Henri de Miller, representing a large head with its ear to the ground. 
d'Aventures or Lalanne. It is especially designed for children between 7 and 11 years. The entrance shows two elephants that are made of iron wire covered with ivy. Children will love the tropical area, a climbing rock, a bamboo wood, bridges, playground equipment and tubes to crawl through. Access is limited to one hour. Adults may enter the garden on Saturdays from 10 to 13 only. 
This is actually a promenade along the Seine with a series of modern sculptures surrounded by flowers, trees and shrubs. You will find works by Brancusi, Zadkine, Cesar and Schoffer. 
was used for trains from the Bastille to the banlieue. The trail starts behind the Bastille Opera and runs above the avenue Daumesnil through the jardin de Reuilly to the Porte Dorée, a hike of about 5 km. 
on the site of the former Parisian abattoirs. It houses the Cité des Sciences, a science museum, and the Cité de la Musique, a music museum with concert halls. The ten different theme gardens are located throughout the park. There is a mist garden where fountains spray water. In a deep fry is a bamboo garden with steel bridges spanning the garden. You will also find an island garden, a mirror garden, a silence garden, a garden of (stone) dunes and a ‘treille' garden, where the lattice was replaced by steel. There are three children's playgrounds.