Things to do in Roland-Garros stadium district

What would Paris be without its legendary stadium? A hotspot for tennis enthusiasts, the stade Roland-Garros has hosted the likes of Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and other stars from the tennis world. Every tennis fan’s dream!

Built in 1928 for the Davis Cup, the immense Roland-Garros stadium underwent major renovation work in 2015 and in 2021. It is now among the biggest stadiums in the world, with no less than 18 clay courts spread across 12 hectares, and an overall capacity of around 15,000 seats.

The Roland-Garros stadium is famous for the tennis giants who have trodden its clay courts, but did you know that it occasionally hosts boxing tournaments and basketball matches? So take advantage of the 2024 Olympic & Paralympic Games or other sporting events to soak up the atmosphere of this enormous stadium. You’ll be able to enjoy a historic sports spectacle of swinging tennis rackets, fast-paced dribbling and sparring matches in the ring.

If you fancy a nature break between two Olympic heats, it’s good to know that the district of the Roland-Garros stadium has much more than just clay courts to offer. Swap ochre for green by exploring the multiple facets of the bois de Boulogne.

As a former royal hunting ground, the Bois de Boulogne was taken over in the 19th century by Napoleon III who wanted to offer a green haven to the population of Paris. The project was entrusted to the engineer Adolphe Alphand, who designed the bridges, rivers and lakes. The aim was to offer the people of Paris the possibility to enjoy mountain and country scenery, quite a rarity in the capital city.

The Bois de Boulogne is still a delight for both tourists and residents of the Île-de-France region. In west Paris’ answer to Central Park, a host of activities are available: fishing, pony rides, boat trips or simply lazing in the shade of the trees… There are so many ways to enjoy this 846-hectare site. So take this opportunity to wander aimlessly in the Shakespeare gardens, admire the fountains and waterfalls, or spend a quiet moment relaxing on an islet in the Bois de Boulogne.

Among the treasures of the Bois de Boulogne, visit the parc de Bagatelle. Created in 1775 following a bet between Marie-Antoinette and her brother-in-law, the count of Artois, this haven of green is one of the four sites of the Botanical Gardens of Paris. Here, you cannot fail to sense the influence of Versailles with the château, the Petit Trianon, and the ornamental pond. Designed in Anglo-Chinese style and featuring a Chinese pagoda, the Bagatelle park is renowned across the world for its sumptuously impressive rose garden. With more than 10,000 flowers of 1,200 different species, the garden is best appreciated in late spring when the buds burst into bloom, offering a whole myriad of colours and scents.

Join a guided tour to learn all about the history of Bagatelle park. And to complete this romantic moment, don’t miss the classical music concerts that bring the park to life on cool summer evenings.

Want to discover another way to understand the fauna and flora around you? Visit the Fondation GoodPlanet, inside the Château de Longchamp. Created by Yann-Arthus Bertrand in 2005, this foundation was recognised as promoting the public interest before occupying the Longchamp estate from 2017. Open to the general public free of charge, it is a meeting place that aims to spread awareness about the challenges facing humanity and the environment. Through conferences, exhibitions, concerts and workshops, visitors are invited to reflect on the key ecological issues of today and to find means of action they can implement at their own level for a more sustainable world.

You can continue your visit to the GoodPlanet Foundation with a walk among the gardens and vegetable plots around the Château de Longchamp. Within the same grounds, take your friends or family to the Clairière, a lovely eco-site where you can enjoy outdoor activities and a bite to eat from the food trucks, see a concert or attend a lecture on an environmental topic.

Some say it looks like an iceberg, others a cloud. Either way, the Fondation Louis Vuitton, much like the Guggenheim museums, is a contemporary oddity set in bucolic surroundings. Located in the northern part of the Bois de Boulogne, the foundation was created in 2014 at the initiative of the businessman Bernard Arnault, a contemporary art collector and benefactor, and the world-famous architect Frank Gehry. The Louis Vuitton Foundation boasts an amazing collection of artworks, dating from the 1960s to the present day, that shines a spotlight on great modern and contemporary artists including the likes of Marina Abramovic, Jeff Koons, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Gilbert & George.

Keen to attract as wide an audience as possible, the Louis Vuitton Foundation also proposes tours suitable for 3-5 year-olds, as well as art workshops for children aged 6-10. In addition, throughout the year this venue hosts a continually renewed programme of concerts, recitals and dance shows. For the ultimate sensory experience, enjoy the Bois de Boulogne scenery from one of the terraces of the Louis Vuitton Foundation, or book a table at the restaurant le Frank for a bold culinary adventure gazing out from behind the Foundation’s immense picture windows.

South of the Bois de Boulogne stands an architectural jewel of another kind. Step inside the Maison La Roche to appreciate the ingeniousness of Le Corbusier, the architect who teamed up with his cousin, Pierre Jeanneret, to create this building in 1920. The project was instigated by Raoul La Roche, the benefactor and collector who wanted to build not just a home, but a villa in which to show his personal collections in their best light. A challenge won for the master of modern architecture who created here one of his most iconic buildings.

Close to the Maison La Roche stands the Maison Jeanneret, closed to the public as it houses the offices of the Le Corbusier Foundation. Listed as UNESCO World Heritage the ensemble offers a fabulous overview of the methods championed by Le Corbusier, with their refined style, geometric shapes, rooftop terrace and elongated windows.

From the Maison La Roche, walk for a few minutes along the edge of the Bois de Boulogne to find yourself plunged into the impressionist movement. In a beautiful private mansion on the edge of the Ranelagh gardens, the musée Marmottan Monet houses the world’s largest collection of paintings by Claude Monet. Here’s your chance to take an authentic artistic voyage, with some 100 paintings by the genius of impressionism, including his iconic Impression, Rising Sun, the very piece that gave its name to the artistic movement.

In addition to Monet’s paintings, you’ll also see his sketch books, colour palettes and various personal belongings. The collection is also enhanced by the works of other great impressionist painters, such as Degas, Renoir and Caillebotte, as well as the world’s leading collection of paintings by Berthe Morisot, deemed to be one of the greatest artists of the impressionist movement.

If you’re more into counterculture, pop into Molitor near the Roland-Garros stadium. This former Art Deco swimming pool, which first opened in 1929, was Paris’ most popular jet-set hotspot for over 60 years, with its avant-garde atmosphere and the high-society events that were held here. When it closed in 1989, the site became a haunt for graffiti artists, who breathed new life into Molitor and gave it a rebellious, decadent atmosphere.

Molitor remained a much-loved venue for concerts, exhibitions and fashion shows, until the legendary swimming pool reopened in 2014. A luxury hotel and spa were added, as well as a brasserie and a rooftop bar. Amid a subtly-blended mix of Art Deco and graffiti, you can sip at cocktails and dance away to the sound of the DJ set.

The indoor pool changing cubicles are a must-see during your visit to Molitor. Behind each door are the works of some 70 street artists, decorating the walls with some breathtaking creations. These cubicles are currently closed but will reopen in June 2024 to display some brand new urban artworks.

On the edge of the Bois de Boulogne, come to the races for a wild experience at the hippodrome d’Auteuil. Since its creation in 1873, this racecourse has become one of the most famous venues for racegoers. And it’s no wonder, because this is the only place in Paris where you can see horses racing over hurdles, the most spectacular of all gallop races. The legendary Steeplechase and its ‘Rivière des Tribunes’ obstacle promise an amazing experience. So it’s not surprising that the races held here serve to select the best hurdling horses in France.

The 33-hectare venue designed by landscaper Michel Pena invites families and groups of friends to come and join the festive atmosphere to watch an outstanding and very popular show. From the grandstand, you’ll also enjoy an uninterrupted panoramic view of the Parisian landscape, including that beautiful giant, the Eiffel Tower.

Do you enjoy thrilling rides? Then go and get the adrenalin flowing at the Jardin d’Acclimatation theme park. Inaugurated by Napoleon III in 1860, the Jardin d’Acclimatation botanical garden became a theme park in 1926. With its Steampunk-style rides like Speed Rocket, Astrolabe and Steam Engine, this attraction will catapult you straight into the world of Jules Verne.

It’s impossible to get bored at the Jardin d’Acclimatation! With 42 rides and 12 eateries, this 19-hectare theme park (the only one within Paris itself) attracts 2 million visitors every year. And for animal lovers, there’s an educational farm where you can learn about and get close up to over 450 animals.