Bois de Boulogne, nature at the edge of Paris
In the 16th arrondissement of Paris, you will find one of the largest green spaces in the capital. At 2.5 times the size of Central Park in New York, the Bois de Boulogne now occupies a portion of the former forêt de Rouvray (Rouvray Forest).
A history rooted in the forêt de Rouvray
During the 14th century, the forêt de Rouvray was a known bandit hideout where even Duguesclin was robbed.
In 1528, construction of the château de Madrid began under the direction of François 1er. The Bois de Boulogne subsequently became a site for royal festivities and hunting.
From the château de la Muette, located in the heart of the woods, Pilâtre de Rozier and the marquis d'Arlandes achieved the first manned flight in a balloon created by the Montgolfier brothers in 1783.
An artificially engineered landscape
It was not until 1852 that the Bois de Boulogne was ceded to the city of Paris by Napoléon 3. The city was tasked with developing its green spaces and waterways. After several planning setbacks, Haussmann entrusted the work to engineer Adolphe Alphand and landscape architect Jean-Pierre Barillet-Deschamps. They artificially created lakes and islands, and planted 200,000 trees. In 1855, the construction of the hippodrome de Longchamp was added to the project.
Places to visit
The Bois de Boulogne offers more than just manicured greenery and artificial ponds. It serves as a home to numerous sites and buildings. You will find several parks here, such as Bagatelle, the jardin du Pré-Catelan, the Jardin d'Acclimatation, and the serres d'Auteuil (Auteuil greenhouses). Two horse racing tracks are also located on the grounds, Auteuil and Longchamp, the latter of which occasionally hosts major concerts.
You can also explore a former amusement park that is now the fondation Louis-Vuitton, as well as the château de Longchamp, which currently houses the fondation GoodPlanet.
It is a former royal estate where anyone can now come to breathe in the middle of Paris.
I hesitated for a long time to go there because of the place's bad reputation. I finally went one summer for a day and I discovered a very pleasant site, with plenty of paths for walking, biking, and a pretty waterfall. The woods have many facilities for families (picnic tables, restaurants, playgrounds) and it is possible to rent rowboats on the lower lake. It also houses the Fondation Louis Vuitton and the Jardin d'Acclimatation. It is a good option with multiple activities to get a bit of green space outside of Paris.