Everyone planning a trip to Paris knows about the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, the river Seine, Notre Dame, The Louvre. . . there is so much to do here, and never enough time for the person on vacation. Living here has given us the opportunity to explore other sides of this magnificent city, and I’d love to share some of my favorites with you.
In previous blog posts, I’ve mentioned our Meetup Dog Walks in the Bois (Woods) de Vincennes, just East of Paris proper. I’ve highlighted my favorite city parks: the lovely, stately, neighborhood Parc Monceau and bustling Jardin du Luxembourg, enjoyed by tourists and locals alike. In the past two weeks, a friend from the knitting group at the American Church in Paris has offered to guide our group in two Springtime-perfect walks. We’ve explored the Parc de Sceaux (pronounced “so”) just south of Paris, and the Parc de Saint-Cloud, to the west.
Parc de Sceaux
Just about 20 minutes south of central Paris via regional train RER B, Parc de Sceaux seems lightyears away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Although the Château de Sceaux was destroyed during the French Revolution, it has been rebuilt (1850s) and is quite picturesque.
The real stand-out here, are 200 acres of gardens, designed by André Le Nôtre. Le Nôtre was the French landscape architect to King Louis XIV, probably most famous for his design of the gardens at the Château de Versailles. Mark and I have also enjoyed his magnificent gardens at the Châteaux Fontainebleu, Saint-Germain, and Chantilly. One can also see his influence in the design of Paris’ Tuileries and the Champs-Élysées.
The Parc de Sceaux is a year-round beauty, but in the Spring, its groves of cherry trees (one pink, one white) are drop-dead-gorgeous. We brought a picnic, spread our blankets on the grass under a cherry tree popping with pink pom-pom blossoms, and enjoyed the fresh air.
Parc de Saint-Cloud
Parc de Saint-Cloud is located just west of the Paris Periphérique (the highway that encircles the city). We reached it by going to the end of Métro Line 10 (stop: Boulogne Pont de Saint-Cloud), where we disembarked and walked a short distance over le Pont de Saint-Cloud, across the Seine, and into the park.
One of France’s designated Remarkable Gardens, the enormous parc spans over 1,100 acres which include French gardens (also designed by Le Nôtre), an English garden, Marie Antoinette’s rose garden, and woods. It was once the location of the Château de Saint-Cloud, which was a royal residence from the 16th Century until its destruction during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. Rulers and their families, from Louis XIV (AKA “The Sun King”) to Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, and the Napoleons, both I and III lived here.
I can’t choose my favorite feature of the parc, but one that stands-out is certainly the panoramic view of Paris from the elevated clearing near where the château once stood, called “La Lanterne.”
