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.

There are much more locals than tourists here. The park (opened in 1867) is really beautiful but it…read moreis less popular among visitors comparing to top Paris attractions. This is exactly why it's worth a visit - add something a bit different to your Paris trip. Landscape design is outstanding - you will find an artificial lake, a grotto and waterfalls. One of the two bridges was designed by Gustave Eiffel. The park is hilly and you can enjoy amazing views of Paris from different points. One of the highest points is Temple de la Sibylle (50m above the lake). You can see Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre from here. This place is great for running - you can do flat circles around the lake or hilly runs everywhere, there are some 8 kilometers of roads and paths. One of the three restaurants, Rosa Bonheur, is really popular, it may take an hour of waiting to get in on weekends. You can find 5 areas with free Wi-Fi in the park. Post to yelp from here and don't forget to FUC (funny/useful/cool) this review :) P.S. There's a renovation going on in the park from 2013 till 2016, some areas may be closed (Temple de la Sibylle is closed at the time of writing).

Each time I go to France, I love exploring different regions and neighborhood. This time, we…read morerented a beautiful 2 bedroom apartment in the Bellville area. Exploring the area, I found this gem of a Parc. I love exploring where the locals go for relaxation and where they eat. After a tasty meal nearby, my friend Mats flew in from London and we explored this lovely park. We mostly stayed under the tree lined paths because it was a hot day. For a park, we were here on a Wednesday around 2pm, lots of people looking like they are having a siesta or a break from work. Everyone seemed friendly, kept to themselves. The park is rich with different plants, trees and flowers. We hiked up to the highest point, from here you have an observation look out on the rooftops of Paris and a gorgeous view of Sacre Coeur. On the way to the top, you get to cross a bridge and below is a little lake. Some parts are rather steep, go at your own pace and bring a bottled water on a hot day and a plus if you wear a hat. Every turn you go into this park had something appealing. If you look at my images, there is also a cave. During raining season, the cave has a waterfall in it, it's very pretty. Plenty of grass room to have a picnic, take a nap or read a book. If you opt for something else, lots of park benches that faces the lake. A wonderful oasis in the heart of Paris. Everyone is welcome here, singles, couples, children, dogs...

Is it strange that I'm reviewing a park? Nevermind. Jardin…read moreAnne Frank is hidden away - you have to go in a cul-de-sac to find it. Need a clue? Follow the signs to the doll museum ("Musée de la poupée"). I have never been there mind you, dolls are way too scary. Lots of benches, a lovely alleyway under am arbour (is that the right word? some kind of metal or wooden structure that covers the alley and has lovely flowers/plants on it), and a little vegetable patch in the back. You can barely hear the noises from the very busy main street, even though you're literally a stone's throw away form Beaubourg. I think they do tours because I saw a bunch of tourists listening to a guide last time I went there (see how good I am at figuring out clues?). Which might be good if you want to actually know more about this history of this lovely garden, because the only thing I can tell you as that its name comes from its chestnut tree. Apparently, it grew from a graft from the one Anne Frank used to see from her window.

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!

This isn't a place that I would ordinarily find myself as an overseas visitor to France but,…read morewithout a doubt, I'm glad that my routing took me here--just wish that I didn't have a suitcase in tow. See, I was on my way from Grenoble to Charles de Gaulle to fly out. I arrived at the bus station in the early morning and had some time to kill before I needed to get on the metro. The park, with its abundant seating areas and no lack of greenery, made for a great place to spend the time--much better than a Brioche Doree or Starbucks. Parc de Bercy is sizable, with enough features to ensure it would be fresh on multiple visits, though I only directly experienced a few of them. Plus, it wasn't too busy in the morning--good for catching a break while traveling but not great for people-watching.

If you've ever dreamt of having a proper rosé-fromage-baguette picnic in a lovely French park…read moresetting, Bercy is your dream come true. It's like 3 different parks in one, so be sure to stroll the entire span of it before picking your spot. There's a family-friendly area with a carousel and big oak trees. Next, a botanical garden with hidden patches of greenery to pitch your blanket on. And lastly (my favorite) a large shady area with a rivers, ponds, fountains lots of youngins napping peacefully (ok, they were all making out) and enjoying the good life on a Saturday afternoon. It feels like a great getaway from the speedy Parisian pace.

What an amazing linear park that takes rails to trails to a new level, the 606 dreams of aspiring…read moreto such heights. Leaving the apartment we hopped on our Velib bikes for a 15 min ride from the Latin Quarter to the head of the trail. We stopped off to grab some sandwiches from Boulangerie Versavel at the western end of the trail on Rue La Cueě. Climbed the stairs and began the wander. Up above the city the sounds of the street subside while your eyes are treated to lovely gardens. About half way down the walk you get to a park that you can detour over via the bridge, but why would you. We sat down to enjoy our sandwiches on the green grass with all the folks having a lazy day taking in the sights and played a little catch. Second half of the walk lowers you to ground level and then to a lower grade where the flowers give way lush forest and old train tunnels all the way to the end of the trail. We hopped on the Metro at Picpus to head back into the city, note it did not take us to the LQ, we rode to the Arc de Triomphe to continue on our day. Public toilets along the way so you do not need to exit the trail to take care of business.

So I am from New York - and as a New Yorker, I spent many countless hours walking down the High…read moreLine, which is this park repurposed from the old High Line railroad that did industrial/commercial deliveries from Penn Station down to around Canal Street - that railroad shut down back in the early '80s, and a decent chunk of it was torn down and built into expensive-as-heck luxury condos and whatnot...but that being said, a large chunk remained between Chelsea market and the massive LIRR trainyard next to Penn Station, and during the 2000s it was repurposed as a New York City park. Us New Yorkers, we are arrogant people - we live in the best city in the United States, we are cultured and we are streetwise...until we visit Paris, then we are browbeaten by a city with a 2000+ year history and all the cultural baggage that entails, and of course, they got their high line first, and it's the Promenade Plantee/Viaduc Des Arts. Just like the story of the high line, the promenade was anchored to a massive train station (the old, historically listed Gare De Bastille), now replaced by the Bastille National Opera house. Part of that line was repurposed into the Southeastern branch of the RER A line. The rest which sits in the city limits between the Opera and the Petit Ceinture (the little belt railway that surrounds Paris right at the border) were abandoned in place until it was repurposed into the Promenade Plantee. Just like the High Line, there are 3 recognizable segments of the Promenade. The first section is the viaduct that starts from approximately where Rue De Lyon splits from Avenue Daumesnil, to around the area of Gare De Lyon/Rue De Rambouillet - this is where most visitors take their pictures. At that point, section 2 begins - part of the original viaduct was torn down and replaced by apartment buildings, and you'll be on new, purpose built areas. There is a free public lavatory here, and you'll have a short walk until you see a large park, Jardin de reuilly. You will then be on a bridge crossing into Allee Vinvaldi, a ground-level promenade for a residential area. Just keep your bearings and continue moving forward - you should see a somewhat large overpass ahead of you that has rock structures built into the wall - thus begins part 3. Part 3 is actually the most fun of the promenade since it has some large well-lit tunnels punching below several important streets in the Pricpus area - you would eventually end up in an area under Station Bel-Air on Line 6, and after a short walk, reach a fork on the walk at Rue De Toul. You can either follow the main-line to Boulevard Peripherique, or take the right fork and head to a park near the junction to the Petit Ceinture - in this case, exit the park on Rottemburg (away from the T3 traimway) and you should reach Michel Bizot/Daumesnil for the Metro Line 8 stop. Overall, quite a fun walk, around 2-3 miles depending on your endurance, very light elevation changes, and lots to see.

This is the way to live! Fresh air, plenty of exercise and an abundance of art. I'm a huge fan of…read moreclassical sculpture and this was a magical part of my trip to Paris. Most of the sculptures are either Biblical or Greco-Roman themed. There's seating around a giant fountain, a playground for little ones and a few places to buy food.

Cut and pasted from the internet: "The Jardin des Tuileries…read moretakes its name from the tile factories that once stood on the site where Queen Catherine de Médicis had the Tuileries Palace built in 1564, a palace that no longer exists today." Quality/Quantity - A good size park with limited to no shade. But beautifully manicured. Looks like they have many events here; none on our visit. Ambiance - See my few pictures and all the many other pictures on Yelp. 3 restaurants, a book shop, etc. Park hours: From 7am to 11pm in June, July, and August. From the last Sunday in September to the last Sunday in March: 7.30am to 7.30pm. From the last Sunday in March to the last Saturday in September: 7am to 9pm. Service - Self service. Price - Free. Owner Comment - Congrats on all your success.

My wife and I first discovered Jardin Villemin on on first morning is Pais…read more We love seeing the neighbors, the merchants, the children playing, the flowers and the ball courts & players. On our first visit, we accidentally stood on some grass for a photo, but were gently told by the park attendents that we were not supposed to. Once these graciouus ladies realized we were from outside of France, they permitted my wife stand on the grass for our first photo is Paris. What a Joy!!!