Bois de Boulogne


On the western edge of Paris just beyond the 16e, the 845-hectare Bois de Boulogne owes its informal layout to Baron Haussmann, who was inspired by Hyde Park in London. Be warned that the Bois de Boulogne can be a distinctly adult playground day and night, especially along the allée de Longchamp, where sex workers cruise for clients.

In the south are two horse-racing tracks, the Hippodrome de Longchamp for flat races and the Hippodrome d’Auteuil for steeplechases.

The woods are also home to the Stade Roland Garros, where the French Open takes place.

Transportation

  • metro: Porte Maillot

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Pré Catelan

0.31 MILES

The Pré Catelan garden area within Parc de Bagatelle squirrels away a wonderful Jardin Shakespeare where plants, flowers and trees mentioned in…

2. Château de Bagatelle

0.74 MILES

The 1775 Château de Bagatelle sits within the beautiful Parc de Bagatelle. Visits by guided tour only.

3. Musée Marmottan Monet

0.74 MILES

This museum showcases the world’s largest collection of works by impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840–1926) – about 100 – as well as paintings by…

4. Parc de Bagatelle

0.78 MILES

Few Parisian parks are as romantic as this, created as the result of a wager in 1775 between Marie-Antoinette and the Count of Artois. Irises bloom in May…

5. Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil

0.94 MILES

Located at the southeastern end of the Bois de Boulogne is the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil, a garden with impressive conservatories (opened in 1898) that…

7. Fondation Louis Vuitton

1.2 MILES

Designed by Frank Gehry, this striking contemporary art centre in the Bois de Bologne opened its doors in late 2014. Emerging behind the Jardin d…

8. Maison de Balzac

1.42 MILES

This pretty, three-storey spa house is where realist novelist Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850) lived and worked from 1840 to 1847, editing the entire Comédie…

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