The French Perspective

The Parks of Paris

photo credit: funkyflamenca

When your feet need a break from exploring Paris’ museums, monuments and shops, it is nice to know that within this vast urban centre are some peaceful parks where you can sit and relax for as long as you like.  Travellers with children will enjoy these open spaces where the little ones can work off a bit of that energy they stored up while following their parents all morning through the Musée d’Orsay.  Even if you do not have children, you can spend a wonderful day in Paris by exploring some of the large parks which grace the city.

The Jardin du Luxembourg is located the 6^th arrondissement near the Latin Quarter.  This impressive park has many distinct areas, each dedicated to a different activity such as a children’s play area, a concert space, some refreshment areas and tennis courts.  Stroll the grounds and you may see Parisian children sailing small wooden boats in the central basin, using long sticks to move them along.  Further on you can catch older Parisians engaged in a game of pétanque (lawn bowling), or visit the beehives at the southwest end of the gardens.  Not far from the hives is a children’s playground, where for a modest entrance fee (under 2 euros) your child can climb, spin, crawl and have fun with other children while you relax on one of the many benches.  A snack bar and public toilets are conveniently located within this part and there is a carousel nearby.

Another restful spot is the Jardin des Tuileries. This is a great place to take a load off after you’ve trekked through the Louvre.  Situated between the museum and the Place de la Concorde, it is home to manicured gardens, long flower-edged lanes, modern sculptures, a children’s play area, a carousel, reflecting pools and outdoor cafes.  Grab a bench and have a peek at Parisian life unfolding all around you!

After you’ve gone up the Eiffel Tower, take some time to explore the garden at its base.  The Champs de Mars runs between the Eiffel Tower to the Ecole Militaire in the 7^th arrondissement. As you walk from the Eiffel Tower eastward, stop for coffee and a snack in an outdoor café and watch the well-heeled children of the seventh arrondissement play on the swings or race around in one of the pedal-cars.   If you are lucky, you can catch a concert in the central gazebo.  There are puppet shows in a small indoor theatre in the afternoons; you will hear the bell ringing to announce that the theatre is open.  Even if your child doesn’t speak French, he may enjoy watching the puppets act out one of the classic children’s stories such as Puss in Boots.

A very large park on the western side of Paris is the Bois de Boulogne.  Covering 850 acres—or twice the size of New York city’s central park–, this green space has something for everyone:  boat rowing on the two lakes, bicycles for hire, tennis, running paths, several children’s playgrounds, snack bars and restaurants and even a racetrack.  This is a fine park to take family during the daylight hours but should be avoided once night falls due to the presence of prostitutes.