The Bois de Boulogne is located on the western edge of the 16th arrondissement of Paris, which is itself the westernmost part of Paris.
Explore the Bois de Boulogne
France This Way review: The Bois de Boulogne is huge but has something for everyone from woods and gardens to horse-racing and art exhibitions.
The Bois de Boulogne is the second largest park in Paris after the Bois de Vincennes which is on the eastern edge of Paris.
It covers 845 hectares and as well as woods within the park there are two botanical gardens and an English style park area.
Inside the park are the Chateau de Bagatelle, the Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil, the Hippodrome de Longchamps and the Auteuil Hippodrome (two racecourses), and the Roland Garros tennis stadium.
A new addition is the stunning Louis Vuitton Foundation built by Frank Gehry and is an art gallery and cultural centre.
The park has belonged to various kings in the past and often served as a hunting reserve. It has also been home to various monastic communities and the Abbey de Longchamp was built here in the 13th century and in the 18th century wealthy women often retired here.
This is now the site of the Hippodrome de Longchamps.
In the 18th century the brother of King Louis XVI renovated the charming Chateau de Bagatelle, previously a hunting lodge which had become dilapidated, and eventually in 1905 the estate was bought by the city of Paris.
The estate was managed by the curator of the gardens of Paris and transformed into a lovely park with a large water-lily pond and and beds of irises and perennials.
It is also home to one of the largest rose garden in France. The gardens are open every day and are well worth a visit.
The gardens of the Chateau de Bagatelle and the large greenhouses of the Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil are part of the Botanical Garden of Paris along with the Parc Floral de Paris and the Arboretum de Breuil.
Interestingly in 1783 a hot air ballon made by the Montgolfier brothers made the first manned free-flight in history from the Bois de Boulogne.
When Napoleon III became Emperor in 1852 there were only four public parks in Paris; the Jardin du Luxembourg, the Jardin des Tuileries, the Jardin des Plantes and the garden of the Palais Royal.
Napoleon wanted to create more parks as part of his huge reconstruction of Paris which he undertook with the help of Baron Haussmann. Napoleon donated the Bois de Boulogne and the Bois de Vincennes to provide green spaces to citizens in the west and east of Paris.
Napoleon asked for a stream and lakes to be created in the Bois de Boulogne and two long straight alleys were also created criss-crossing the park.
Other curving paths were added and hills and grassy slopes created.
Construction of the park took five years and the design was very much one to attract and entertain visitors with an amusement park, a boating lake, restaurants and pavilions.
The team who created the park went on to use the ideas from this garden in the Bois de Vincennes, the Parc Monceau and the Parc des Buttes Chaumont.
Today the park is very popular especially during the weekend with walkers and for jogging and cycling. Picnics are also allowed in the park.
The scenic highlights of the park include the two lakes, the Lac Superior from which water flows down the Grand Cascade, a pretty waterfall, to the Lac Inferieur.
The Ruisseau de Longchamp stream runs through the park and into the Etang de Resevoir which holds the water before it goes on to the Grand Cascade.
The Jardin d'Acclimatation on the northern edge of the park is a favourite with families as this is where the children's amusement park can be found with various rides as well as pony rides and a Guignol puppet theatre.
Next to this is the new Louis Vuitton Foundation which attracts lovers of architecture to the fabulous Frank Gehry building and art lovers to the excellent exhibitions staged here.
Attractions nearby
Be sure to visit the Louis Vuitton Foundation as the exhibitions are superb.
The 16th arrondissement was one of our favourites in Paris as it is full of Art Nouveau and Art Deco buildings. It is also one of the wealthiest suburbs of France.
See more gardens in France. You can find more travel ideas in the Paris region guide.
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