Paris Gardens

Oases of Tranquility

Paris Parks, Squares and Gardens by Arrondissement

With over 400 public "green spaces" in Paris, a garden is never far away, offering a calm break from the bustle of the city. These gardens and parks add so much to what makes Paris an enjoyable place to live and to visit.

With over one fourth of the total area of the city dedicated to parks, gardens and woods, Paris is the greenest city in Europe.

Paris Gardens and Parks come in all styles and sizes, from the formal and royal gardens of the Tuileries and the Luxembourg to the sprawling greens of the Champ de Mars and the Les Invalides and the smaller ones that just seem to pop up all around town, like the Square Georges Cain.

At the eastern and western limits of Paris are the great woods, or bois (bwaa). On the west is the Bois de Boulogne and on the east is the Bois de Vincennes.

The City of Paris has a 2.5 million euro budget for the flowers and shrubs that it plants in the small and large parks throughout the city.

Traditionally, lawns were for looking at, not for sitting on, which was considered quite un-aristocratic. Recently, all parks with lawns over a certain size have been made open for public use.

However, there are times you will see signs sayiing, "Pelouse Interdite", or, "Pelouse au Repose", which means, 'Lawn Not Allowed' or "Lawn at Rest", basically, "Keep off the Grass".

Here is a listing of some of the more memorable Paris Gardens and Parks. Follow the links for detailed information about each.