One of a pair of extensive, romantic, versatile and picturesque parks on the outskirts of Paris (the other being the Bois de Vincennes), this 865-hectare patch of landscaped woodland, lawns, follies, flower gardens and lakes lies on the city’s Western edge and was created during the Haussmanization, under Napoleon III. The original forest covers a much larger area, and was once used as a royal hunting ground.

Inspired by the style of the formal city parks of Europe and America, it’s nevertheless more than three times the size of Hyde Park and incorporates the ‘Jardin d’Acclimatation’ (which consists of an amusement park, an art and science museum, a zoo, an archery range, a mini-golf course, a puppet theatre and a horse-riding school), the Roland Garros tennis courts (where international matches are held), both the Auteuil and Longchamp racecourses, several restaurants and an open-air theatre.

Popular with picnickers, walkers, cyclists, horse-riders, it attracts hundreds of extra visitors on Summer evenings, when concerts and firework displays are held.

Some parts become a red light district at night.

Written by  larapiegeler.

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