Paris – The Great Outdoors

Paris in the spring and summer can be glorious. While we usually associate the place with museums, art galleries, great eating places and other indoor attractions, there is much pleasure to be had by just strolling around, wandering along the banks of the River Seine, or sitting by one of the many fountains and enjoying the cooling water spray as it is caught by the breeze. Here are a few of the attractions of the city where you can find peace and tranquillity beneath the blue skies of the great outdoors.

Today the green spaces in Paris are the equal of those in any European city. Many once-run-down industrial sites have been converted into parks and there is a wealth of more traditional parks that were constructed in 18th and 19th centuries.

Parc André Citroën, Paris, France by FaceMePLS

Parc André Citroën on the banks of the Seine was once occupied by the Citroën car factory. It covers 35 acres laid out in a modern style and in the centre is a concrete plateau surrounded by water jets which are computer controlled.

The Parc des Buttes Chaumont was once a quarry though it was converted into a park in the 1860s. The designer was Baron Haussman who was also responsible for much of the design of central Paris. There are lakes and waterfalls, sculptured hills and grottoes, and woodland from where you can enjoy great views of the city.

Parc des Buttes Chaumont, Paris, France by Ahmad Tarek

Two parks flank the city. These are the Bois de Boulogne to the west and the Bois de Vincennes to the east. In the former you will find vistas over the rolling countryside and you can enjoy activities such as cycling, horse-riding and boating on the various lakes, and the latter contains the Parc Zoologique de Paris, the beautiful Parc Floral de Paris and the Château de Vincennes which dates back to medieval times.

Bois de Boulogne, Paris, France by Olaf2

The Jardin du Luxembourg is one of the most elegant of Paris parks. It combines attractive paths with green lawns, beautiful flowerbeds, and trees which surround the Luxembourg palace which was built in the 17th century. The Jardin des Tuileries with its tree-lined paths and ponds lies between the Place de la Concorde and the Louvre is similarly elegant.

Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris, France by Anna Fox

And finally, as evening falls, enjoy the fading light by taking a stroll along Canal Saint Martin and head to the Parc de la Villette where you can watch for free an outdoor movie projected onto a huge inflatable screen. Both English and French movies are shown and most people bring along a blanket or chair and basket with some cheese, bread and wine and share a communal picnic.

Walking is the best way to get round Paris, but to get so some of the more outlying regions you might prefer to travel by bus; busses in Paris are frequent and inexpensive.  And when it’s time to return from Paris to London you can reflect on all that time that you spent in the great outdoors

Byline: This is a guest post by Claire Chat a new Londoner, travel passionate and animal lover. She blogs about Pets and Travelling in Europe. If you want Claire to write you specific content, you can find email her here or contact her on Twitter (Claire_Chat).

Tags: Bois de Boulogne, Bois de Vincennes, Château de Vincennes, Jardin des Tuileries, Jardin du Luxembourg, louvre, Parc André Citroën, Parc de la Villette, Parc des Buttes Chaumont, Parc Floral de Paris, Parc Zoologique de Paris, Paris, Place de la Concorde

Category: Cities, Cities