What are the main parks and gardens in Paris

If there is something that stands out in Paris above other cities, those are its gardens. In the French city there are more than 400 parks and gardens where you can breathe fresh air, rest, walk, play sports and enjoy nature.

Wherever you go, you will find one. Here we are going to talk about the most important ones but there are many more and surely one of them is your favorite.

These are our favorites. Which ones are yours?

The Tuileries Gardens, at the gates of the Louvre

They are the most famous in the city and are located between the Louvre Museum and the Place de la Concorde.

It is the first garden that was opened in the city back in 1667.

They were built on the initiative of Catherine de Médicis who, after moving to live in the Louvre Palace when her husband died, wanted to build a palace with its gardens.

This is how he built the Tuileries Palace, today disappeared after its destruction in 1870 by the Paris Communes, although the gardens have survived to this day despite the fact that they suffered a long abandonment.

Louis XVI recovered them and installed various statues and created the Place de la Concorde. Later they were also reformed by Napoleon, who added the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. Strolling among the statues and fountains of the Tuileries Gardens is a delight for Parisians and visitors alike.

• How to get
  • Metro, Tulleries (line 1) and Concorde (lines 1, 8 and 12).
  • Buses, lines 21, 24, 27, 42, 68, 72, 73, 81, 84, 94 and 95.
• Schedules
  • October to March, 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
  • April to September, 7am-9pm.

Luxembourg Gardens, the seat of the Senate of France

The Luxembourg Gardens are less well known, but for that reason they are less interesting.

In these gardens is the French Senate, in the Luxembourg Palace, a Baroque-style building and which was the home of Marie de’ Medici from 1624 when the palace was completed.

After his death, the palace passed through different hands until in 1825 it began to be used as a Senate.

Although there is nothing written about tastes, for us they are the most beautiful gardens in Paris thanks above all to the pond that is in front of the Luxembourg Palace, around which you can sit and rest in one of its famous green armchairs. Statues, trees and many flowers also accompany your walk through these beautiful gardens.

• How to get
  • Metro, Notre Dame-des Champs (line 12).
  • RER, Luxembourg (line C).
  • Buses, lines 21, 27, 38, 58, 82, 84, 85 and 89.
• Schedules
  • It opens between 7:30 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. and closes between 4:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. depending on the time of year

Jardin des Plantes, a magnificent botanical garden

It is currently a Botanical Garden that belongs to the Natural History Museum of France.

It was created in the 17th century to become a medicinal garden to serve Louis XIII.

In the Jardin des Plantes you can find several well-differentiated areas. The most beautiful is La Rosaleda, where among the statues you can admire more than 170 varieties of roses.

Also noteworthy are the 3 greenhouses, although only two are open to the public. And not least, the zoo (La Menangerie), dating from 1795, or the Alpine Garden where high mountain plants and flowers predominate.

• How to get
  • Metro, Jussieu (lines 7 and 10) or Austerlitz (lines 5 and 10).
  • RER, Austerlitz (line C).
  • Buses, lines 24, 57, 61, 63, 67, 89 and 91.
• Schedules
  • Summer, 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m.
  • Winter, 8am-5:30pm.

Champ de Mars, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower

It is not the most beautiful park in the city nor does it have as many statues and fountains as the others may have.

But the Champ de Mars stands out for being the park where the Eiffel Tower is located and one of the places from where you can have the best views of the colossal monument.

The Campo de Marte, which was nothing more than an agricultural field, became a training ground with the construction of the Military School that is located in the area.

Nowadays it is a good place to relax before or after climbing the Eiffel Tower and its best view is obtained precisely from the heights of this tower.

• How to get
  • Metro, Ecoile Militaire (line 8).
  • RER, Camp de Mars – Eiffel Tower (line C).
• Schedules
  • Open 24 hours a day.