Bois de Vincennes

Bois de Vincennes is a large and beautiful park designed in a very English style located on the outskirts of Paris near the town of Vincennes

Pathways by Lake Saint-Mande in Bois de Vincennes
Pathways by Lake Saint-Mande in Bois de Vincennes cc licensed photo by Edhral

The 12th arrondissement of Paris is home to the Bois de Vincennes, a park of monumental proportions. This lovely greenspace is designed in an English style. It is situated on the outskirts of Paris near the town of Vincennes. The contrast between the concrete of urban living and the lush greens of the Bois de Vincennes is striking. It is easy to see why so many travellers and Parisians alike can while away so many hours here.

The Bois de Vincennes spans over a huge area of land covering almost two thousand five hundred acres. In order to help you to imagine just how large this is, it is approximately four times the size of London's famous Hyde Park. Initially used as a royal hunting ground the land was later used as a French army training area. The Bois de Vincennes was opened to the public in 1860 and continues to draw many French and foreign visitors every day.

There is a total of 4 lakes within the boundaries of the Bois de Vincennes. One of these lakes the Lac de Saint-Mande is the only natural lake out of the four. It is situated in the northwest region of the park ,the other three lakes are man made with different visions in mind. Lac Daumesnil was made for romance. The setting is a beautiful, tranquil place located in the western region next to the zoo. Lac de Gravelle in the southwest is the smallest and Lac des Minimes in the northwest section was named after the monastery whose land it was dug from. A few historical ruins are all that's left of the religious building. Some major attractions we like to mention are the world class Paris Zoo, which reopened in October 2014 after extensive upgrades dividing the zoo into environmental zones that matching the habitat of the animals and providing them a comfortable, stress free home.

The Bois de Vincennes is the perfect setting for an enjoyable day out when in Paris with many activities to partake in. Take a walk to the northern end of the park and see at the Chateau that was a second home to a number of kings of France in the 14th century. Pay a visit to the outstanding zoo situated within the grounds of the park or simply relax and enjoy nature and the scenery in the park. No matter what you choose to do, you will not be disappointed.

If you are visiting the zoo it is open year round from 10am-5pm during the Winter season and from 9:30am-6pm (7:30pm on weekends) during the Summer season.

Nearby attractions: Château de Vincennes and Palais de la Porte Doree - (Tropical Aquarium)

Facts For Your Visit

Fee: No

Regular Hours:
May differ on holidays

  • Monday: Open 24 hours
  • Tuesday: Open 24 hours
  • Wednesday: Open 24 hours
  • Thursday: Open 24 hours
  • Friday: Open 24 hours
  • Saturday: Open 24 hours
  • Sunday: Open 24 hours

Address: Rte de la Pyramide, 75012 Paris, France

Phone: 01 49 57 15 15

Official Website: Bois de Vincennes

Reviews

Rated 4.5 out of 5 Star Rating

5 Star Rating Great afternoon watching le trot (Harness rating). A great pizza from Tony, fantastic view of the racing, beautiful horses made a lovely day out even tho the weather was full and wet.
Kevin Gray - 3 weeks ago

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5 Star Rating Very big and lively park. Jogging, picnic, doing sports, cycling, zoo park etc you can do everything here. Also if you like to study botanics, there are different kinds of parks.
Munkhkhuslen Bayarbat - 6 months ago

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4 Star Rating i would advise against going to this park right now. usually it's pretty and fun, but now there's some construction going on and the bridge is closed off. also a lot of people. but the view is nice
A W - 4 months ago

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5 Star Rating The place was a nice park to jog/walk around. Very refreshing! Not too many big cities offer escapes like this one! Definitely recommend to visit.
Fazli Shermatov - 2 months ago

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5 Star Rating Beautiful park, very big, lots of sitting areas, perfect for picnics or just relaxing.. lots of swans and ducks, recommended for all ages
מגנטים ענבר איזנמן Inbar Eisenman Imagnetim - 8 months ago

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Directions

Metro / RER Line Nearest Station Walking Time
M1Château de Vincennes‎4 minutes
M8Porte Dorée2 minutes
RER-ANogent-sur-Marne5 minutes

How to get to Bois de Vincennes by Metro / RER

By Metro: From Metro Line 1 exit at Château de Vincennes Station via Cote Château de Vincennes and walk south past the Château into the park.

From Metro Line 8 exit at Porte Dorée Station via Boulevard Poniatowsky and walk southeast along Edourd Renard Place into the park. This exit is best for Lac Daumesnil.

By RER-A: exit at Nogent-sur-Marne‎ Station and walk north past the bus loop to Avenue Georges Clemenceau and go left to the paths leading in to the park (both about 5 minutes).

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