Discover Paris’s 44 best Parks nature spots for your trip

Climb 284 steps to the terrace of this national monument on Place de l'Étoile for panoramic night views over the Champs-Élysées and the illuminated city. The lift is currently under maintenance, so access is by stairs only.

Tickets cost €22, free for under-26s.

The Eiffel Tower stays open into the evening, offering access to the 2nd floor and summit by elevator or stairs with typically shorter queues than daytime. Visitors can take in illuminated views over the Ville Lumière from the esplanade, 2nd floor (154m) or summit (276m).

Restaurants and a champagne bar are available on-site for those wanting to extend the experience.

Place du Trocadéro sits atop the Chaillot hill, flanked by the twin wings of the Palais de Chaillot. The square opens onto terraces overlooking the Jardins du Trocadéro, with tiered fountains cascading down toward the Seine and the Eiffel Tower beyond.

It draws visitors for photographs and views, with street performers and vendors often present, and serves as a starting point for walks through the surrounding gardens.

The Champ-de-Mars was originally a parade ground for the adjacent military academy before becoming the public park it is today, hosting the 1889 and 1900 World's Fairs along with countless picnics and gatherings at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. It remains one of the best free spots in Paris to sit, picnic, and watch the tower, especially as it lights up at night.

The Bois de Vincennes is even larger than the Bois de Boulogne and anchors the eastern edge of Paris, combining woodland, a boating lake, the Paris Zoo, and the medieval Château de Vincennes within its grounds. It offers enough to fill a full day, and reviewers note it rewards a longer visit rather than a quick pass-through.

This landscaped garden links the Louvre to Place de la Concorde, offering tree-lined paths, fountains, and statues alongside a central café. Visitors can expect a peaceful escape amid manicured lawns and gravel walkways, with occasional attractions like a Ferris wheel.

It's a popular spot for a quiet stroll or rest between museum visits.

Managed by the French Senate, this garden features landmarks such as the Médicis Fountain, the Orangerie, ornamental gates, statues and notable trees. Visitors can join guided tours, free horticulture courses, family-friendly trails and games, or explore the on-site Musée du Luxembourg and Davioud pavilion.

A music kiosk and beehive school add to its varied attractions across the grounds.

Built for the 1900 World's Fair, this arched bridge links the Invalides quarter to the Champs-Élysées area near the Grand Palais. Its single steel span is adorned with gilded bronze sculptures, cherubs, and nymphs at each end, reflecting Belle Époque design.

The bridge offers open views along the Seine and makes for a scenic stop while walking between riverbank landmarks.

Parc Monceau sits at 35 boulevard de Courcelles in the 8th arrondissement, reachable via the Monceau, Villiers and Courcelles metro stations. The park is accessible to visitors with reduced mobility and offers shaded pathways for strolling.

Certain allées are opened experimentally to leashed dogs, though swimming is prohibited in its protected biodiversity zone. Opening hours extend into the evening during the summer months.

The Bois de Boulogne spans nearly 850 hectares on the western edge of Paris, more than twice the size of Central Park, and was landscaped in the 19th century under Napoleon III with lakes, cycling paths, and gardens including the Bagatelle and Jardin d'Acclimatation. Reviewers describe it as a genuinely large-scale escape from the city, well suited to a half-day or more with kids or a bike.

Spread across steep, landscaped terrain in the 19th arrondissement, this park centers on a lake overlooked by a suspended bridge and the Temple de la Sybille, perched on a rocky island. Paths wind past grottoes, cascades and grassy slopes, with entrances on Rue Botzaris, Rue Manin, Rue de Crimée and Avenue Simon-Bolivar.

It is accessible to visitors with reduced mobility, though some zones, including the island, temple and cascades, are currently closed due to unstable ground.

Opened nearly two centuries ago, Père-Lachaise is an active cemetery spanning 15 km of paths shaded by lush greenery. Its romantic, sculpted monuments and chapels draw around 3 million visitors a year, alongside notable figures interred within its grounds.

The main entrance, built in 1825 by Etienne-Hippolyte Godde, leads into six themed walking routes. Entry is free, though visitors are asked to respect the quiet of the site.

A relaxed one-hour boat cruise along the Seine, departing right at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. Passengers glide past landmarks including Notre-Dame, the Louvre, and Hôtel de Ville, with optional audio commentary in 14 languages via an interactive web app.

Departures run every 30-60 minutes depending on season.

Housed in the Hôtel Biron, the Musée Rodin displays major works by sculptor Auguste Rodin, including The Thinker and The Gates of Hell. The surrounding garden, filled with sculptures and rose beds, is one of the museum's highlights.

The collection also includes works by Camille Claudel, Rodin's collaborator and muse.

Parc de Bagatelle centers on an 18th-century château built in just 64 days on a bet, and today is best known for its extensive rose garden, which peaks in bloom around June. Reviewers consistently rate it among the most beautiful gardens in Paris, especially during rose season, while remaining relatively uncrowded compared to central parks.

Built in the early 1600s under Henri IV, Place des Vosges is lined with matching brick-and-stone townhouses over arcaded walkways. A central garden with fountains and lawns makes it a popular spot for picnics and relaxation.

Victor Hugo's former home, now a museum, sits on the square's southeast corner.

Rent a rowboat by the hour to explore Lac Daumesnil, a 12-hectare lake in the Bois de Vincennes. A leisurely full loop around the lake takes about 45 minutes.

No reservations are needed, boats are available on a walk-up basis, and dogs are welcome. Open daily, with rates from €15 per boat plus a €20 deposit.

Nearby attractions include the Zoo de Paris and the Château de Vincennes.

Part of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, this garden combines formal flowerbeds, tree-lined walks, and remarkable specimen trees with the Grandes Serres greenhouses and the Ménagerie zoo. Visitors can also explore galleries devoted to evolution, geology, and mineralogy, plus rotating exhibitions and family-friendly workshops.

It's a spot to wander outdoors and delve into natural science collections in one visit.

Parc Montsouris opened in 1878 as part of Baron Haussmann's citywide network of new public parks, with a lake, rolling lawns, and winding paths in the English landscape style. Reviewers consistently recommend it for those seeking a more authentic, local Paris park experience, away from the crowds of the more central gardens.

Pont des Arts is a pedestrian-only bridge linking the Louvre to the Institut de France across the Seine. It offers open views of the river and surrounding landmarks, making it a popular spot for walking, photography, and watching the sunset.

Its car-free wooden deck creates a relaxed, quiet atmosphere amid the busier parts of central Paris.

Parc André Citroën was built in the 1990s on the site of a former Citroën car factory, and today mixes formal gardens, themed greenhouses, and open lawns along the Seine. Its best-known feature is a tethered balloon that lifts visitors above the park for panoramic views, drawing reviewers who describe it as an unforgettable, low-key alternative to the Eiffel Tower for a bird's-eye view of the city.

Le Square des Peupliers is a peaceful pocket of the 13th arrondissement, tucked away from busier streets. Lined with modest houses and leafy plantings, it offers a calm setting for a short walk.

The atmosphere is residential and low-key, making it a spot to pass through rather than linger at length.

La Petite Ceinture was once a railway line encircling Paris, now largely abandoned and reclaimed by nature. Several stretches have been converted into public walkways and green spaces, offering a quiet, overgrown escape from city streets.

Expect wild vegetation, old tracks, and remnants of stations along the route, popular for peaceful strolls off the usual tourist path.

Canal Saint-Martin is a leafy waterway lined with cafes, bars, and restaurants, drawing a young, energetic crowd, especially in summer. Locals gather along its banks to sit, chat, and enjoy drinks by the water.

It's a pleasant spot for a sunny-day stroll, with iron footbridges adding character. Place de la République and the Arc de Triomphe are both within easy walking distance.

This elevated promenade stretches from the Bastille area to rue Édouard-Lartet, planted with greenery along a former rail viaduct. Multiple access points, including stairs and lifts, connect it to surrounding streets such as rue de Lyon and rue Jacques-Hillairet.

It offers a quiet, green route for walking above the traffic of the 12th arrondissement, accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.

Located at 20 avenue Rachel in the 18th arrondissement, this municipal cemetery offers a quiet, green setting beneath a railway bridge in Montmartre. Paths wind past elaborate tombs and monuments, making it a peaceful spot for a reflective walk.

The site is wheelchair accessible, though some green areas have limited access, and has restrooms on site. Open daily, with reduced hours on weekends and earlier evacuation before closing.

This museum showcases the life and work of Antoine Bourdelle, a major sculptor of the early 20th century, through his former ateliers, sculpture garden, and a contemporary wing. Visitors can explore permanent collections of sculptures, drawings, and photographs, alongside temporary exhibitions on 19th- and 20th-century artists.

The site includes a café-restaurant, Le Rhodia, and is open Tuesday to Sunday.

The Serres d'Auteuil, dating to the 1890s, house a rotating collection of tropical and Mediterranean plants across several ornate glass greenhouses in the 16th arrondissement. Reviewers particularly recommend it as a romantic or photogenic stop, less crowded than the city's larger, more famous gardens.

Parc de Bercy stretches along the Seine on land once occupied by 19th-century wine warehouses, retaining touches of that history — old rail tracks and cobblestones — within its modern landscaped design. Reviewers consistently praise it as a genuinely relaxing escape from the city, well maintained and rarely crowded even on weekends.

This day trip travels roughly two hours from Paris to Étretat, a small coastal town in Normandy famous for its natural chalk arches and cliffs that once inspired painters like Monet and Courbet. Reviewers consistently praise the scenery and the knowledgeable guiding, describing it as a relaxing break from the pace of the city.