Parisienne Parks



We have always loved the Parks of Paris … posted a blog on this back in 2013, part of which is reproduced below … so when we saw that The Met in NYC had an exhibit titled “Public Parks, Private Gardens – Paris to Provence” we couldn’t resist. It is a wonderful glimpse inside many of the Parisienne places of solitude through paintings, illustrations, books and video.



Paris is a wonderful walking city. Yes, the museums are fantastic, the shopping great and the people watching absolutely terrific, but the way to see the many faces of Paris is to take the metro to a place of interest, walk the neighborhood for hours and return to your room when "enough is enough" via the closest metro station. Then back out for dinner! At least that's our daily game plan when visiting great cities.


Our favorite diversions on our trips to Paris were into the lovely, manicured old jardins of Paris. These parks always have interesting, formal layouts with gravelly walking paths, beautiful gardens and fountains, often with vast grassy areas and lots of benches. Parisians love their parks and use them like we do our backyards. A few years ago, we strolled through three lovely garden parks, stopping to sit and rest our feet while people watching and taking in the beauty.

Near of the Latin Quarter, the Jardin et Palais du Luxembourg (Paris 6e) is one of Paris' most beloved parks. It was raining the afternoon we took our stroll through the gardens, so there were few people in the park.
John Singer Sargeant's Luxembourg Gardens at Twilight 1879


Fontaine de Médicis (1866) in the Jardin du Luxembourg


Fontaine de Médicis
 
Fontaine de Médicis

 
Palais du Luxembourg


Jardin du Luxembourg

Jardin du Luxembourg with the Palais in the background

Jardin du Luxembourg

The Jardin des Tuileries (Paris 1er) is the Central Park of Paris. Running along the right bank of the River Seine from The Louvre to the Place de la Concorde, this 16th century park is always lively and lovely. It's not only great for people watching, but there is a fountain on the Louvre end that is always busy with children pushing sailboats along in the pond.

Edouard Manet's Music in the Tuileries 1862
"Sailboat Fountain" in the Jardin des Tuileries
Jardin des Tuileries
A quiet park in the eighth district is the Parc Monceau (Paris 8e). This garden-filled park is home to a variety of architectural features, numerous streams and ponds, a children's carousel and walkways used extensively during the lunch hour by runners.
Gustav Caillebotte's Le Parc Monceau 1877
Bridge in Le Parc Monceau
Serene stream in Le Parc Monceau
Carousel in Le Parc Monceau








These are but three of the many wonderful parks we have visited in Paris. For more about these and other Parisian parks, visit this site.

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