April in Paris: 5 Beautiful Parks & Gardens

Paris

tree allees and Luxeumbourg Palace Gardens

Spring is here, finally, and what better way to take in the sunshine than to relax in one of Paris’s famously gorgeous parks. So, grab your picnic basket and let us guide you to the best and prettiest parks in the French capital.

North Paris 

Parcs des Buttes-Chaumont -  This hilly park with views that look south over Paris is a wonderful destination that's far from the crowds.  Located in the area of Belleville (19th Arr.) you'll find beautiful natural gardens, temples, waterfalls and rocky outcrops set amidst flowering bushes and plantings. 

Park Monceau - As parks go, you can't go wrong with one that has a semi-circular Corinthian colonnade set in a lake, add in a Venetian bridge and an Egyptian Pyramid, all placed within an English naturalist-design.  Park Monceau is one of Paris' most special and loveliest parks to experience.

Central Paris

Near the Louvre - 1st Arr. Jardin des Tuileries - The Tuileries are Royal formal gardens framed by the spectacular architecture of the Louvre, the grand hotels lining adjacent Rue de Rivoli, and in the distance, the iconic Arc d'Triomphe.  In the gardens you'll find sculptures by the most famous names in art placed along the classic yellow stone paths that make this park picture-perfect. Along the north side of the Tuileries are amusements with a ferris wheel Le Grande RoueDo it!

South side of the Seine, Latin Quartier - 5th Arr. Le Jardin des Plantes Take a walk in this fantasyland that are the paths of Paris' Botanical Garden.  A sprawling green-space that has the facade of the elegant Grande Galerie de l'Evolution (natural history museum) at one end, and the curving Seine River at the other.  Nearby see the historic Universite Pierre et Marie Curie and the architecturally interesting Institut du Monde Arabe.  

St. Germain des Pres - 7th Arr. Jardin du Luxembourg is a tranquil green and flowering-setting in the middle of bustling Paris.  Its namesake palace was built in the 17th century for Marie de Medici, and today it is home to the French Senate.  At the center of the gardens is a vast fountain which frames the palace.  Pull-up a chair and relax - the mix of visitors, including students from the nearby Sorbonne, shoppers from St. Germain's boutiques, and others doing business with the senate, all give this park a wonderful vibe. 

Tiny Paris Parks & Squares in Paris

In St. Germain, Rue de Furstenberg - a small street with an extremely charming green at its center.  It is also where Musee Delacroix is located.

In Le Marais neighborhood, there is a little patch of green with benches called, Square Leopold Achille, and it is adjacent to the city museum of Paris, the Musee Carnavalet. Inevitably, we always find ourselves passing it in our mapping.

Lastly, on the Ile de la Cite, after you see Notre Dame walk north on the island to sit in Place Dauphine, a perfect Paris square that is surrounded by centuries-old buildings, a few cute cafes and shops, and under a canopy of well-cared for trees.
Foldout map of Paris showing parks and gardens

Paris map showing parks along Seine River



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