parks in Paris | A French Collection

Square du Vert-Galant, a secret park in Paris

Paris is well known for its secret parks and amazing large and beautiful public gardens. But are the secret parks in Paris really a secret? Well, to Parisians not so much. These parks are the backbone of their everyday life - somewhere to read a book, catch up with friends, have a picnic, or grab some sunshine in the warmer months.

Top 10 Secret Parks in Paris

With so many residents living in apartments, public gardens, parks and squares are essential to balance life indoors with some outdoors. Nestled between buildings frequented by resident neighbours, tucked into hidden locations or on the outskirts of the city, these gardens are a little harder for visitors to stumble upon.

We call our list of parks "secret" because to first-time visitors to Paris, or indeed return visitors, many of these parks will be unknown. Off the tourist track, lesser visited and not frequently included in travel guides, they require a little more effort to find and enjoy. But enjoy you will, I promise.

Parc Monceau - An exotic park in Paris

It was converted into a "Chinese" garden with winding pathways and "follies" including a pagoda, grottos, a labyrinth and mills - all of which transported the visitor to an exotic land.

If you visit this lesser known Parisian park today, you'll only find the modest sized pyramid and the Naumachie, an oval pool surrounded by a colonnade. Still standing is the rotunda at the entrance on Boulevard de Courcelles, which is one of four pavilions that still remain from the forty-seven that once graced this majestic park.