- March 2, 2018
- All things Paris
- Brakeley Bryant
Best Springtime Parks & Gardens in Paris
When Paris begins to shed her grey winter coat and sunlight illuminates her streets for a few hours longer, that can only mean one thing: spring has finally arrived. All over Paris, flowers start to poke their heads out of the thawing ground, and add their unique splashes of color to the city's already stellar canvas. The Paris parks and gardens will soon fill once again with throngs of people taking advantage of the beautiful weather. The ambiance of gardens and parks during a Parisian spring have long served as a source of beauty, repose and inspiration to people from all over the world. Of course, the nights are still fairly chilly during springtime in Paris, so we would be remiss not to advise you to warm yourself up at one of our magnificent theatres after spending the day strolling through Parisian parks and gardens. See what's playing here!
With over 400 municipal parks and gardens, the city has taken great pains to maintain green recreational spaces for both residents and visitors alike. So, whether you fancy a picnic next to the Eiffel Tower, a stroll in the Jardin des Plantes, or even joining the crowd in renting a miniature boat to steer around the Grand Bassin in the Luxembourg Garden, a visit to the gardens of Paris will truly have you living la vie en rose. While we could spend all day listing them all, here are our top picks:

GARDENS OF VERSAILLES
Perhaps the King of all French gardens, the gardens of Versailles are so jaw-droppingly stunning it almost seems like a Hollywood film set. The majority of the gardens’ development took place during the time of Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King. The carefully organized geometry of the gardens is in the classic French style and is guaranteed not to disappoint. Tucked away in the Versailles gardens, be sure to visit Marie Antoinette's Queen Theatre, which she personally commissioned in 1780 with the dual purposes of housing celebrated artists, and indulging her own theatrical passions. We definitely recommend strolling around the mirror pool and maybe even bringing a little picnic to have along the water's edge. Escape the bustling city streets for a pleasant respite amidst the spring flowers, against the backdrop of some astounding architectural splendor. Added bonus: Some incredible operas are playing at the Royal Opera of Versailles. See for yourself!

LUXEMBOURG GARDENS
Situated in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, the Luxembourg Garden is the perfect destination for springtime activities, right in the heart of the city. In the middle of the garden sits the Grand Bassin, the iconic French pool in which you can see miniature wooden sailboats, adorned with different flags from all over the world. Available to hire, these famed boats are steered around the pool by old and young alike - how many different countries can you spot? The park also boasts other family-friendly activities including a puppet theatre, pony rides, a merry-go-round and a playground. For the more athletic visitor, there are also tennis courts, or picturesque routes for a spritely springtime jog. It's truly the ideal place for some much-needed outdoor activities, without ever having to leave the capital.

JARDIN DES PLANTES
With a zoo, a museum and four shining greenhouses, we could spend a whole day exploring Paris' Jardin des Plantes and never get bored! A celebration of biodiversity, the complex has a series of galleries displaying all the beauties nature has to offer, from minerals to vegetation to creatures both alive and extinct. Originally a royal medicinal herb garden for King Louis XIII, the garden contains 28 hectares of botanical plants. It also houses the Museum of Natural History, in which you can find the Grande Galerie de l'Evolution which immerses you in the Amazon and transports you to the far-away savannahs, displaying 10,000 life-like animals, oh la la!

PARC MONCEAU
With its curved walkways and sporadically displayed statues, Paris' Monceau Park is not your typical French-style garden. All the same, its beauty in springtime is the envy of the rest. Its statues of famous French figures, combined with its scale replicas of an Egyptian pyramid, a Chinese fort, a Dutch windmill and Corinthian pillar make it one of the most unique parks in all of Paris. From its creation in the 1760s, the park passed from the possession of one bourgeois family to the next, until being officially inaugurated as a public space by Napoleon himself a century later. Walk along the paths once trodden by generations of French royalty, and admire the exotic treasures that make the Monceau Park unique. It is a very popular spot for residential French families, so it's the perfect place for a picnic and an authentic Parisian spring day alongside the locals.
A Gift They’ll Never Forget!
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