Quality/Quantity - Our Uber driver last night raved about this place, this island?!?…read moreUmmmmm, why? A small park, yes on the water, but not much more. Yes, family friendly. But really just a local park. Ambiance - See above. Service - Self service. Price - Free. Owner Comment - Congrats on all your success.

Beautifully curated gardens just outside the museums. Great place to enjoy a coffee, read a book,…read moreor walk with a friend. There was an outdoor yoga class going on when we visited. Lovely place!

The L'Oasis d'Aboukir is Patrick Blanc's new Living Wall or "green wall" in Paris. Blanc began…read moreseeding the wall in April 2013, and it now provides a lush facade in central Paris, within walking distance of Rue Montorgueil. Standing 25 meters tall, the vertical garden is planted with 7600 plants representing 250 different species. While it may not be a top site in Paris like the Eiffel Tower, it's a fascinating piece of urbran art in its own right, and worth taking a look if you're in the neighborhood.

This little stretch of land on the Seine is man-made. A land developer was given consent to dispose…read moreof dirt right here and so this is now Ile Aux Cygnes. Many visit to see the Statue de la Liberte. And near here you can clearly enjoy the view of both it and the Eiffel Tower. In the shade of the bridge is gym equipment to use if that is your thing. I can imagine a run club or group meet here to make use of the space. The day we came was hot, sunny and quiet.

From the owner: Entre le Pont de Grenelle et celui de Bir-Hakeim Digue artificielle créée au début du 19ème siècle,…read morecette île offre au public une agréable promenade ombragée, longue de 850 mètres et d'une largeur de 11 mètres seulement. A l'extrémité sud de cette allée, se dresse la réduction en bronze de la statue de la Liberté. Elle fut donnée en 1885 aux parisiens par la colonie américaine en remerciement de l'originale construite par Bartholdi, offerte en cadeau à la ville de New-York à l'occasion du 100ème anniversaire de l'indépendance américaine.

From the owner: Un oasis de verdure Tout proche de Cergy, ce parc est un véritable poumon vert. Autour du château…read morede Grouchy qui abrite la mairie d'Osny et des salles de séminaire, s'étendent des hectares de forêt et de plaines entrecoupées d'étangs où viennent s'ébattre les oiseaux. Au détour des chemins apparaissent un verger, une aire de jeux pour les enfants, le parcours santé ou encore le romantique Temple d'Amour. C'est l'endroit idéal pour se promener seul ou en famille et oublier les bruits de la ville l'espace d'un instant.

This park was one of the first places we were taken on an informal tour on the first leg of our…read moreViking River Cruise. The boat departed out of Le Pecq on the Siene so Viking was kind enough to add an additional tour of the surrounding city of Saint-Germain En Laye. A bus picked us up and drove us up the steep hill to get to the medieval castle and the castle park. Our tour guide walked us through the park. Since this used to be where the royals lived, the park was supposed to be a sanctuary in which the royals could go outside and not necessarily be bothered by the public. We walked the park until we got to an old building at the corner were we discovered where Louis the 14 (the sun king) was born. The structure is now a hotel and restaurant, but the room still remains intact (yet to be restored) but a cool little find. The park is east of Paris and since it and the castle sit on a hill it gives you a nice look a the modern/financial buildings of Paris. I noticed a lot of people running around the park and exercising as well as school children hanging out and relaxing between their classes.

From the owner: Un jardin à la vue panoramique Dans ce parc attenant au château de St-Germain, désormais musée des…read moreantiquités nationales, les jardins remodelés par le Nôtre pour Louis XIV entre 1669 et 1673 s'ouvre sur une terrasse longue de 2400 mètres. Alors que les étudiants d'un lycée huppé voisin profitent des bancs publics comme les amoureux de la chanson de Georges Brassens, les promeneurs s'attardent dans une réflexion contemplative sur la vue panoramique qui embrasse la Défense, le bassin de la Seine et laisse parfois entrevoir un bout de Tour Eiffel. En contrebat, 1900 pieds de vignes entretenus par des élèves en horticulture font revivre la réputation des cépages de Pinot noir, disparus avec les dernières vendanges de 1935.

We went to the Jardin du Luxeumbourg on a scorching hot July day, and it was still a pleasure to…read morevisit, a beautiful park full of wonders, especially for the children. It reminded me of Rome's Villa Borghese and does in fact have Italian roots. The garden was built by a Medici, back in the 1600s. We were there for a little over an hour, my family, my brother's family, and my friend who lives in Paris. We'd agreed to meet up in the garden, and I figured out when we got there that we'd have to get more specific. We entered from opposite ends and converged at a spectacular central fountain, where dozens of children were racing toy boats using sticks that they thrust in the water. (My children wanted the sticks, and I declined to rent the boats just so they could thrash each other.) We walked around for a bit and ended up at the Ludo Jardin, a large contained playground with lovely equipment and an idyllic atmosphere. There was a small fee for entry, not ideal for a quick visit, but definitely worthwhile. Our three-year-old walked in and went straight for a sprinkler, where he spent the next half hour getting absolutely soaked. Our six-year-old did a little more exploring, though to be honest, I didn't pay close attention to what he was doing. After a while, both boys noticed ice cream for sale and asked for a treat. We indulged them and watched them slather themselves with chocolate ice cream and rainbow popsicle. When it was time to go, our three-year-old objected vigorously, insisting, "I didn't get to play!" He meant that he'd only splashed around in the sprinklers and had a popsicle, and hadn't explored the depths of the playground. I knew the feeling--I'd experienced it myself leaving the d'Orsay earlier that day, all those paintings and whole exhibit halls I'd missed. I do hope we get to come back to the Luxembourg Garden.

One of the reasons we chose the hotel for our April visit to Paris was the proximity to Le Jardin…read moredu Luxembourg -- the Luxembourg Garden. This is one of my favorite places in Paris. Besides the layout and beauty of the Garden itself, it is a wonderful way to experience the softer side of Paris. Despite April overcast and rainy weather, walking through the Park was uplifting as always. Tulips greeted us when we entered through the Gay-Lussac entrance. Once in the Park, we found more flowers and trees in bloom. Beyond Les Voiliers du Luxembourg -- an octagonal fountain for sail boats at the focal center if the Gaeden -- we walked through a canopy formed by rows of chestnut trees. It was great staying within a few blocks of Le Jardin du Luxembourg and visiting daily.