Bois de Vincennes, 2,450 acres of freedom on the edge of Paris
The call of a peacock cuts through the morning silence. Just steps from the metro, joggers pass herons standing motionless at the edge of lac Daumesnil. Three times the size of Central Park, this green lung of eastern Paris hides abandoned Khmer temples, a working farm, and the tallest medieval keep in Europe beneath its canopy.
Why explore the Bois de Vincennes?
Once a royal hunting ground where Saint Louis administered justice under an oak tree, the woods were transformed into a public park by Napoléon III. Engineer Jean-Charles Alphand, creator of the parc des Buttes-Chaumont, designed its artificial lakes, winding paths, and romantic waterfalls. Unlike its western twin, the Bois de Boulogne, this park retains a wilder, less manicured feel.
The park also hosts major attractions: the Parc Zoologique de Paris, renovated in 2014, the Parc Floral with its 3,000 plant species, the hippodrome de Vincennes for harness racing, and the Cartoucherie, a hub for contemporary theater. This variety makes it as much a Sunday playground as a full-fledged cultural destination.
Four lakes, four vibes
lac Daumesnil, the largest, draws families with rowboat rentals and two islands connected by a bridge. Île de Reuilly houses a rustic restaurant and a romantic temple with a grotto. lac des Minimes, to the east, offers a more intimate setting with the remains of an old monastery. The Rosa Bonheur restaurant there serves pizzas on a shaded terrace.
More discreet, lac de Gravelle and lac de Saint-Mandé suit those seeking total quiet. The latter, sitting at the highest elevation, feeds the others through a network of artificial streams designed in the 19th century.
The Tropical Agronomy Garden: an unexpected journey
At the northeastern tip of the woods, this 11-acre garden remains largely unknown to Parisians. Created in 1899 to experiment with colonial crops, it hosted the 1907 Colonial Exhibition. Today, its pavillons indochinois (Indochinese pavilions), pont khmer (Khmer bridge), and porte chinoise (Chinese gate) stand amidst vegetation that has returned to a wild state.
Pro tip: take the RER A train to Nogent-sur-Marne. The garden entrance is 500 meters from the station. The site is free, uncrowded, and particularly photogenic in the low light of late afternoon.
Activities and festivals
Biking is the best way to explore the woods. Rental points are available near the lakes and the esplanade of the castle. The Ferme de Paris, which is free, allows children to see farm animals in the middle of the city. In summer, the Paris Jazz Festival and Classique au Vert host free daytime concerts at the Parc Floral.
Don't miss:
- A rowboat ride on lac Daumesnil
- The Parc Floral and its mini-golf course featuring Paris monuments
- The Château de Vincennes and its 170-foot keep
- The Tropical Agronomy Garden and its forgotten pavilions
I recently went back to the Bois de Vincennes. It remains a really pleasant place to get some fresh air without leaving Paris. It is so big that you can do tons of activities there, like biking, walking, or just relaxing by the lake. However, some areas seem less well-frequented to me now, which was not the case just a few years ago. I would advise against going in the evening.