Gardens in Paris Region
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Our selection of gardens in Paris Region
Gardens in Paris Region
A garden, be it formal, English, Japanese, botanical, Mediterranean, tropical or full of vegetables or herbs, can be any one of different styles but their underlying goal is always the same, to get us closer to nature. You’ll find plenty of beautiful parks and gardens in Paris Region. They range from little neighbourhood squares to vast areas of woodland, such as the Bois de Boulogne. But whatever their size, they make perfect places to unwind. So take your pick from the gardens of Paris to enjoy the first rays of the sun without delay and boost your Vitamin D levels.
Greenery in every corner of Paris
Whether you live in Paris or are just visiting the capital, it’s something of a miracle to have your own garden. Yet lots of people swear that vegetation has a beneficial effect on morale. So they arrange their plants on tiny balconies and purchase potted herbs to decorate their kitchens. They buy flowers every week from the neighbourhood florist.
Full of hope, some even purchase new plants and pray they won’t die for mysterious reasons like the previous ones (which hadn’t been watered since the year before). Other highly motivated individuals achieve miracles by putting in the daily effort required. Who needs a garden when they have greenery indoors?
We’re all very different when it comes to our relationship to nature. But one thing everybody agrees on is that vegetation has a soothing effect. In this quest for serenity, the gardens and parks of Paris Region are dear to the hearts of the local people.
Gardens, a joy for the senses
Some green spaces are purely ornamental. For the most obsessive among us, a French-style formal garden really hits the spot. Often paired with a château, these gardens of several hectares are designed with extreme meticulousness and can be admired from near or afar. Such gardens can be found at Versailles, Fontainebleau and in the domaine des Sceaux, just a few magnificent examples. City gardens, like the jardin du Luxembourg or the Tuileries, yet another of Le Nôtre’s works of art, promise some beautiful walks within the city of Paris.
On a different note, the rose gardens are a feast for the eyes as well as the nose. Prized by many, considered as jewels by some, they require a great deal of work. One of the region’s most popular rose gardens can be found in the bois de Vincennes.
Gardens made for learning
On their historic world travels, French explorers could not resist the temptation of bringing back a souvenir or two. These included plants. Year after year, the collections grew and gradually developed into whole ecosystems. Which is why some gardens became more than just gardens, they are truly botanical encyclopaedias.
The Jardins des Plantes, a 400 year-old institution located on the banks of the Seine, is a good example. Inside the Grand Hothouses, visitors quickly forget the Parisian climate. All those exotic plants almost make you feel like Indiana Jones.
Day-to-day gardens
These neighbourhood gardens and parks are less well known to visitors. They are places to walk the dog, go for the occasional run or take the children for a picnic. And when you just want to get outside, you go there to stroll aimlessly. To simply get a breath of fresh air.