The 10 most beautiful free gardens and parks in Paris

With the warmer weather just around the corner, it's time to get some fresh air in Paris! To make the most of it, here's our selection of the most beautiful gardens in Paris.

Jardin du Palais Royal

In the heart of Paris, just opposite the Louvre, lies the sublime garden of the Palais Royal. A place steeped in history, it was alive with the monarchy of the 17th century, the French revolution of 1789, and the inspiration of 20th-century writers and artists.

- Address: 2 Galerie de Montpensier, 75001 Paris 
- Metro station: Palais Royal - Musée du Louvre (lignes 1 et 7)
- Opening: From 1 October to 31 March from 8am to 8.30pm and from 1 April to 30 September from 8.30am to 10.30pm

 

Coulée verte René-Dumont

This green space is undoubtedly one of the most unusual in Paris! The garden is located high up on the former railway line that ran from Place de la Bastille to Varenne-Saint-Maur from 1859. Today, you can enjoy an original Parisian walk stretching from the Bastille to the Bois de Vincennes.

- Address: L’entrée se fait au niveau des escaliers situés au 48 Avenue Daumesnil, 75012 Paris
- Metro station: Bastille (lignes 1, 5 et 8)
- Opening: Monday to Friday 8am to 8.30pm and weekends 9am to 8.30pm

 

Jardin des Plantes

For over 400 years, the Jardin des Plantes has been offering visitors a wide variety of plant life. Created by scientists and gardeners, it was the capital's first botanical garden and is now a listed historic monument. 

- Address: 57 Rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris
- Metro station: Jussieu (lignes 7 et 10) / Place Monge (ligne 7) / Censier-Daubenton (ligne 7) / Saint-Marcel (ligne 5) / Gare d’Austerlitz (lignes 5 et 10) / Quai de La Rapée (ligne 5)
- Opening: Every day from 7.30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

 

Jardin du Luxembourg

Acquired by Marie de Médicis between 1614 and 1631, the Jardin du Luxembourg reflects French charm over an area of almost 23 hectares. A splendid place where historical relics, such as the Orangerie and the Médicis fountain, dot the exceptionality of this incredible garden.

- Address: Jardin du Luxembourg, 75006 Paris
- Metro station: Odéon (lignes 4 et 10) / Mabillon (ligne 10) / Saint-Germain-des-Prés (ligne 4)
- Opening: Timetable on https://jardin.senat.fr/infos-pratiques/horaires-douverture.html

Jardin des Tuileries

Superbly situated between the Louvre Museum and Place de la Concorde, the Tuileries Gardens are the oldest gardens in Paris. It's a place of culture and history, where visitors can sit on the famous Parisian green chairs around the large fountains and stroll between statues by Maillol, Rodin and Giacometti.

- Address : Jardin des Tuileris, 75001 Paris
- Metro station: Tuileries (ligne 1) / Concorde (lignes 1, 8 et 12) / Palais Royal - Musée du Louvre (lignes 1 et 7)
- Opening: Every day, 24 hours a day

 

Jardin Villemin - Mahsa Jîna Amini

Overlooking the Canal Saint-Martin, this small garden in the 10th arrondissement is a favourite meeting place for local residents and walkers. Built on the site of the former Villemin military hospital, it's an ideal place to relax and enjoy with your family.

- Address: 14 Rue des Récollets, 75010 Paris
- Metro station: Gare de l’Est (lignes 4, 5 et 7)
- Opening: Monday to Friday 8am to 8.30pm and weekends 9am to 8.30pm

 

Parc Monceau

This verdant setting in the 8th arrondissement is undoubtedly one of the most elegant in Paris. So much so that the famous painter Claude Monet drew inspiration from it for 6 of his paintings. Designed in an Anglo-Chinese style, it was commissioned by the Duc de Chartres in the 17th century.

- Address: 35 Boulevard de Courcelles, 75008 Paris
- Metro station: Monceau (ligne 2)
- Opening: Every day from 7am to 8pm

 

Parc des Buttes Chaumont

At 25 hectares, the Parc des Buttes Chaumont is the largest garden in the city of Paris, but also the steepest. It was inaugurated on 1 April 1867, to coincide with the Paris Universal Exhibition. Its distinguishing feature is the rocky island in the middle of the lake at the centre of the park.

- Address: Parc des Buttes Chaumont, 75019 Paris
- Metro station : Buttes Chaumont ou Botzaris (ligne 7B) 
- Opening: Every day from 7am to 9pm

 

Parc de Belleville

Inaugurated in 1988 on the heights of the Belleville hill, this park offers a panoramic view of the whole of Paris. From its gardens, or Belvédère, you can admire the capital's most emblematic monuments, including the famous Eiffel Tower.

- Address: 47 Rue des Couronnes, 75020 Paris
- Metro station: Couronnes (ligne 2) / Pyrénées (ligne 11)
- Opening: Monday to Friday 8am to 8.30pm and weekends 9am to 8.30pm

 

Parc de la Villette

Covering 35 hectares of greenery and 3,000m2 of ecological gardens, the Parc de la Villette is a multicultural site. It is home to the Cité des Sciences de l'Industrie, the Géode, the Zénith de Paris and, more recently, the Philharmonie de Paris. 

- Address: La Villette, 211 Avenue Jean Jaurès, 75019 Paris
- Metro station: Porte de la Villette (ligne 7) / Porte de Pantin (ligne 5)
- Opening: 7/7d - 24/24h

 

 

Photos & Front page image: Amandine Goetz
Copywriting: Amandine Goetz