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Parks and Gardens in France
Gardens and parks with refreshingly cold fountains, pockets of oxygen and green areas… Every region of France has its own nook of nature where you can enjoy a pleasant walk. These havens of peace and tranquility are a nice reprieve from the hectic life in French large cities. Naturally, these sites come in many varieties – from small local gardens and parks to large, beautifully landscaped tourist attractions. There is no better way to get a breath of fresh air!
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Bois de Boulogne
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Town: Paris
Address: Bois de Boulogne
Phone: +33 1 40 71 75 60
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Bois de Boulogne, meaning Boulogne Woods, is the largest park in Paris. It's situated along the western edge of the 16th district of the French capital. Covering a total area of over 2,000 acres, it's also one of the biggest city park complexes in the world. Smaller than Lisbon's Monsanto Park, it's 2,5 times larger than Central Park in New York City, and over 3 times larger than London's Hyde Park.
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Bois de Vincennes
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Town: Paris
Address: Porte de Vincennes and
Porte Dorée
Phone: +33 1 40 71 74 00
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Website: http://www.boisdevincennes.com
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| The Bois de Vincennes is a huge park situated in the eastern part of Paris and named after the neighbouring town of Vincennes. This area used to be a popular hunting spot, and a military training zone was established on this vast unpopulated land after the French Revolution. However, the only wild animals existing on the land today are in the neighbouring zoo. Bois de Vincennes is also a popular place for those playing various sports, which may include walking, jogging and even bike riding in the velodrome. Four lakes are situated in the park, as well as a castle (residence for several kings of France), the Museum of African and Oceanic Art, and the Cartoucherie Theatre.
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Cascade de Gairaut
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Town: Nice
Address: Avenue de Gairaut
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Website: http://www.cg06.fr/tourisme/jardin-cascade-gairaut.html
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| Cascade de Gairaut is located on the Vesubie Canal. Surrounded by an expertly landscaped part, it constitutes a genuine monument to the establishment of the canal in 1883. thanks to its position on a mountain slope, the site offers a great panorama of Nice and the coastline. The cascade constitutes the climax of the route of Vesubie. The idea of constructing a cascade at the site was put forward by the doctor-agronomist François Fodéré, who in 1803 performed a study of the capacity of the canal. Thus, apart from its symbolical function, the cascade fulfils an important technical role – the oxygenation of the water brought through pumps to this site before its distribution in the city. Beside the cascade, there’s the headquarters of the General Company of Water, mounted on an artificial Alpine rock. The dense vegetation and curious rock formations add to the natural beauty of the site. The humming sound of falling water combines with strong scent of blooming plants, stimulating all the
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Coulée Verte
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Town: Paris
Address: starts at the Bastille
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Website: http://www.promenade-plantee.org
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| The Coulée Verte, or Green Stream, is a green 4.5-kilometre-long promenade situated in the southeastern part of Paris along the River Seine. The promenade was actually built over the old railway that connected the Bastille to the Varenne-Saint-Maur, until 1859. When the railway was abandoned, it became overgrown with vegetation. In 1988, a succession of gardens were created to form a park along the old railway line, with the designers preserving much of the original surroundings. The promenade passes through ancient renovated viaducts, green trees and old facades of houses. This is a favourite place for Parisians to walk, jogg and bike ride. Various types of sports are also played In this part of the city, such as football, rugby and volleyball.
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Jardin Alsace Lorraine
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Town: Nice
Address: Rue Giuglia, 2
Phone: +33 04 97 25 48 99
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| The Garden of Alsace-Lorraine is a typical urban park situated in the heart of Nice. It received it name in 1914 in commemoration of the provinces Alsace and Lorraine that had been previously invaded by the German army. The garden itself was inaugurated as a public green area several decades earlier, in 1885. The total area of the park is rather limited compared to other parks in the city. At just one hectare, it’s still a precious oasis of greenery with thick shadowy trees and wide alleys meandering between flowerbeds and groups of trees. In the heart of the park, there’s a double circular basin adorned with a sculpture by Volti. The park also features a commemorative installation dedicated to the martyrs of French Algeria designe
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Jardin des Plantes
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Town: Paris
Address: 57, rue Cuvier
Phone: +33 1 40 79 30 00
e-mail: valhuber@mnhn.fr
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Website: http://wwww.mnhn.fr
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Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 07:30 -20:00
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| Jardin des Plantes is the most famous botanical garden in France. It encompasses an area of 28 hectares. The garden is located in the 5th district, in the city centre of Paris, in close proximity to the Austerlitz railway station and the river Seine. It's a perfect spot to relax after a tiring day of sightseeing, and you can admire over 4,000 different species of plants here. Jardin des Plantes is an institution of an impressively long-standing tradition. It was founded in 1626 by French botanist and pharmacist Guy de La Brosse, who was also the king's personal doctor. Initially, the garden was used as a source of herbs from which medicaments were produced. It was originally called Jardin du Roi, meaning the Royal Garden. At that time, the area was reserved for the recreation of the upper classes only. In 1640, it was decided that the garden should be made public for the enjoyment of all Parisians.
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Jardin du Luxembourg
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Town: Paris
Address: Boulevard Saint-Michel
Phone: +33 1 42 34 23 89
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Situated in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district, Jardin du Luxembourg is one of the loveliest parks in Paris. Its popular nickname, Luco, is just an abbreviation of its original name. The Luxembourg Garden sits next to the seat of the French Senate, Palais du Luxembourg. One of the Parisians' best-loved spots for weekend relaxation, the park appears in countless works of music, film and literature, from Victor Hugo's Les Misérables to Ludwig Bemelman’s children’s classic Madeline.
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Jardin du Palais Royal
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Town: Paris
Address: Place du Palais Royal
Phone: +33 1 47 03 92 16
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Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 07:30 -20:30
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| The Jardin du Palais Royal is a 2 ha picturesque garden situated between Palais Royal, Banque de France and the Bibliothèque nationale. The garden was founded in 1629 for the well-known French cardinal Richelieu. Since that time Jardin du Palais Royal was a scene of many official receptions, as well as political and royal events. In the eighteenth century, the garden was redeveloped according to a project designed by the famous landscape architect Claude Desgot. Today, the garden adorns magnificent trees and green lawns, as well as a fountain and bassin, all contributing to its original French look. This place was especially loved by French writers Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette and Jean Cocteau, who spent most of their lives here. In the middle of Jardin du Palais
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