Outside In: The Greenspaces of Paris

When imagining the great outdoors, most people think of places like the vast Grand Canyon, large forests with winding trails, or looming mountains. Never once has the city of Paris crossed anyone’s mind when picturing outdoor adventures, but with new generations come new ideas and Paris is definitely a hotspot for innovative concepts.

Paris itself brings to mind a more refined culture, mainly focused on fine dining and shopping. This major metropolitan city is one of the largest in the world and is known to have a complex layout. Small streets are populated with even smaller shops, restaurants, and boutiques shoved side-by-side. Every time one goes outside in this city they’re met with a barrage of sound, smells, and sights. So many people to dodge when walking just down the street, so many people talking to one another, so many cars beeping or revving their engines, so much noise.

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For many, it may feel like it’s impossible to think of a city as providing a relaxing and truly outdoor experience. The outdoors often implies cutting oneself off from the rest of the “modern” world with the expectation to find yourself by doing so. For Paris' international community always discovering new ideas, the idea of having an “outdoor space” is evolving.

We must start with the early idea of a outdoor spaces in Paris. The Second Empire, an era of the late 1800s, boasted Paris as the largest city in all of Europe. Under the reign of Napoleon III, as a leading center of trade, fashion, and the arts, Paris nearly doubled its already dense population of a million people.

Most of the still renowned Parisian gardens were built during this time period, not because of a need, but because the Emperor had a unique passion for botany. Most of the luxurious gardens were built to exemplify the grandeur of the Second Empire.

Napoleon wanted to show off the leisure and entertainment in the lush green spaces of the city that those visiting could enjoy. He initially claimed this push for more green spaces was for the good of his subjects. But with the construction of these calming places inside the dense urban and social fabric, it was soon obvious that they played both roles.

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Among them was Jardin des Plantes, today a beautiful garden perfect for joggers looking to not die from inhaling car smog on their daily ran. It hosts a botanical garden that spans over 70 acres in the 5th arrondissement. These parks were planned with every minute detail in mind, down to how often these plants would be trimmed to maintain their original shape. The parks made in this era were a testament to man’s power over nature. The formal presentation and structuring of live plants seemed to embody the prowess Napoleon III sought to show.

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In the 12th arrondissement, there lies another, the Coulee Verte. A 4-kilometer-wide park with lots of greenery, it offers a chance to breathe some air away from the normally frantic pace of the capital. There are countless others. Bois de Vincennes is also within the 12th arrondissement and is referred to as the city’s second largest “green lung”. It includes the Ecole du Breuil and its arboretum.

Still another, Bois de Boulogne, rests in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. It was originally a hunting ground for the Kings of France but now encompasses Parc de Bagatelle, the Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil, the Pré-Catelan and the Jardin d'Acclimatation. Many cyclists come here because of the 15 kilometers of cycle and running routes. But during the summer, there is the Theatre de Verdure, known as the Jardin Shakespeare, where his most famous plays are preformed outdoors.

We then find a slightly newer era of incorporating a green space in a city. From the large manicured parks, we begin to see a mixture of the cityscape and small green spaces, blurring the boundaries. La Promenade Plante is an excellent example of this. An elevated pedestrian and bicycle path that leads form Bastille to Vincennes, this particular urban green space makes use of an abandoned railroad route.

The Vincennes railway line originally linked the Bastille station to Verneuil-l’Etang but when part of the line was demolished to make way for today’s RER system, the remaining section was reimagined. The original “High Line” offers a view of Parisian rooftops amidst lush gardens of blooming flowers and trees along your eye-level. There is a unique blend of architectural busyness and relaxed gardens that allow anyone who enters a place of solace without completely cutting yourself off from the urban city.

Finally, the most modern rethinking of an urban space is containment of the adventure one feels in the outdoors. Paris was once home to many adventurers who sought the thrill of adrenaline from traveling the globe. In today’s context, traveling is less exclusive to the top 1% and is more accessible than ever because of technological and touristic advancements. Paris however, is constantly being molded by the new ideas that take hold with new generations.

Those small, crowded shops that line the busy streets may be hiding their own reimagined green spaces that try to mimic the thrill of the great outdoors. Places like rock climbing gyms are the adrenaline rush of outdoor adventures encapsulated within a man-made building.

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As Paris’ elections have put former Mayor Anne Hidalgo up for re-election, the question of how exactly to reimagine the city’s green spaces has been is crucial. Ms. Hidalgo herself has spent the last five years attempting to transform Paris into a much ‘greener’ version.

Though her plan to create what she calls “urban forests” throughout the city to offset the extreme amounts of pollution Paris creates is not unheard of, it hasn’t been widely supported. In fact, many of Ms. Hidalgo’s critics focus on these plans.

The idea of an urban green space has become a political pawn for most of the world. Paris is not the only city to attempt to bring green into the design. But reimagining green spaces can lead to many different interpretations, all for different purposes and to serve different goals. But, who are we to complain for a little more green in all of our lives?

For more information on Paris’ many parks and hours, visit the Discovering Paris site.

For information on Paris’ rock-climbing gyms, go to MurMur or Arkrose’s page to find hours and locations all over the city.