Bois de Vincennes

The Bois de Vincennes is a large public park on the eastern edge of Paris, covering roughly 995 hectares and serving as the city’s largest green space. It was transformed into a public park in the mid-19th century under Napoleon III and the Haussmann program.

The park contains multiple lakes and extensive tree-lined paths used for walking, cycling and boating, plus formal gardens and picnic areas. Major attractions inside and adjacent to the park include the Parc Floral de Paris, the Hippodrome Paris-Vincennes trotting track, and recreational sports facilities. The medieval Château de Vincennes sits on the park’s eastern boundary and is often visited together with the park.

The site was originally a royal hunting ground and forest before being redesigned as a public park in the 19th century. Its layout and many of the large-scale landscaping works date from that Haussmann-era transformation.

Geographically the park occupies the eastern edge of Paris, bordering the 12th arrondissement and the suburb of Vincennes; it stretches to the Boulevard Périphérique and forms a green belt between central Paris and the suburbs.

• Size: About 995 hectares, making it the largest public park within the administrative limits of Paris.
• Origins: Originally converted into a public park in the mid-19th century under Napoleon III and Baron Haussmann; combines landscaped areas, lakes and recreational facilities.

What to See #

• Château de Vincennes: Medieval royal fortress that sits on the eastern edge of the park and the town of Vincennes; its keep and curtain walls date to the medieval period and the complex is open to visitors separately from the park.
• Parc Floral de Paris: Public botanical garden and events park created within the Bois; hosts seasonal flower displays, concerts and horticultural shows.
• Lacs (including Lac Daumesnil): Series of artificial lakes and islands used for boating and lined by tree-lined promenades; a popular area for walking and picnics within the park.
• Hippodrome Paris-Vincennes: Trotting racetrack and sports venue located inside the park complex, hosting harness racing and other events.
• Gardens, woodlands and recreational zones: Former farm buildings, wooded groves and formal gardens scattered through the park that house playgrounds, picnic areas and sports facilities.