Where else to go in Paris in the summer?
So a crowded beach where you can't go in the water isn't for you, and neither is sitting in the darkest corner of a café ordering one citron pressé on top of the other ... or worse, one pastis on top of another ... where to go in Paris in the summer?
Parks, obviously! But some are better in hot weather than others. Here are some options that are a little out of the ordinary Tuileries-Luxembourg orbit :
1. The Parc Citroën: This park tends to get crowded but the big attraction in hot weather is the fountains at the South end between the two large greenhouses. Despite the signs warning against it, kids constantly play in them, running through the intermittent jets of water. The only problem is that sometimes the fountains are turned off (to conserve water, or in the winter, I think). Then, the greenish water left in the little canal running along the great lawn is all that's left. There might be a cool spot in one of the hidden "jardins sériels" along the East side of the park, or you could head to the recessed garden in the northwest corner where water flows noisiliy down two inclined walls.
2. The Parc de La Villette : Another one that gets crowded. The big advantage here is that it is open 24/7, unlike most parks. So it would be good for a late-night stroll (perhaps not alone, though) if it's too hot to sleep. The raised, covered walkway along the canal might be a good place to catch some cool night breezes. The Parc de la Villette shows open-air, free movies in the summer but I've heard that they are often very crowded and that you have to be careful not to miss the last Métro [update: confirmed by a post on the Parc de la Villette blog]. When will Paris grow up and have a night Metro service? I've heard the night buses have improved a lot but don't go everywhere.
3. The Parc de Bercy: In the same vein, its lawn and "belvedere," the giant earthwork overlooking the Seine, are open all night. The rest of the park is not a bad place during the day, since the very large, old trees provide plenty of shady spots. The water in the canal and lake does tend to get stagnant and kind of gross in the summer, though.
4. The Jardin Atlantique: Located on the roof of the TGV station in Gare Montparnasse- just go to the far end of the right-hand quai and look for the staircase. This is probably not the best for the hottest days of the year. The vegetation and furniture are designed to suggest the Southwest coast of France, and the sun reflecting off all that glass and steel of the Maine-Montparnasse office complex gives the place a glare-y, beach effect on sunny days. There are some shaded nooks with flowing water, but also a sloped teak deck area for tanning.
5. I hesitate to include this option because it has been awhile since I've been there, but the Parc de Belleville has a few amenities that make it a definite summer possibility. It has a little stream- a "rigole"-- splashing through it so again, you can benefit from the psychological effect of splashing water. Second, it is on a hill that is actually slightly higher than Montparnasse. The balcony at the top is quite breezy and from there, you can get a picture-postcard view of the city shimmering in the heat.
That said, perhaps the best thing to do is just to get out of Paris altogether, as do so many of its residents!
Parks, obviously! But some are better in hot weather than others. Here are some options that are a little out of the ordinary Tuileries-Luxembourg orbit :
1. The Parc Citroën: This park tends to get crowded but the big attraction in hot weather is the fountains at the South end between the two large greenhouses. Despite the signs warning against it, kids constantly play in them, running through the intermittent jets of water. The only problem is that sometimes the fountains are turned off (to conserve water, or in the winter, I think). Then, the greenish water left in the little canal running along the great lawn is all that's left. There might be a cool spot in one of the hidden "jardins sériels" along the East side of the park, or you could head to the recessed garden in the northwest corner where water flows noisiliy down two inclined walls.
2. The Parc de La Villette : Another one that gets crowded. The big advantage here is that it is open 24/7, unlike most parks. So it would be good for a late-night stroll (perhaps not alone, though) if it's too hot to sleep. The raised, covered walkway along the canal might be a good place to catch some cool night breezes. The Parc de la Villette shows open-air, free movies in the summer but I've heard that they are often very crowded and that you have to be careful not to miss the last Métro [update: confirmed by a post on the Parc de la Villette blog]. When will Paris grow up and have a night Metro service? I've heard the night buses have improved a lot but don't go everywhere.
3. The Parc de Bercy: In the same vein, its lawn and "belvedere," the giant earthwork overlooking the Seine, are open all night. The rest of the park is not a bad place during the day, since the very large, old trees provide plenty of shady spots. The water in the canal and lake does tend to get stagnant and kind of gross in the summer, though.
4. The Jardin Atlantique: Located on the roof of the TGV station in Gare Montparnasse- just go to the far end of the right-hand quai and look for the staircase. This is probably not the best for the hottest days of the year. The vegetation and furniture are designed to suggest the Southwest coast of France, and the sun reflecting off all that glass and steel of the Maine-Montparnasse office complex gives the place a glare-y, beach effect on sunny days. There are some shaded nooks with flowing water, but also a sloped teak deck area for tanning.
5. I hesitate to include this option because it has been awhile since I've been there, but the Parc de Belleville has a few amenities that make it a definite summer possibility. It has a little stream- a "rigole"-- splashing through it so again, you can benefit from the psychological effect of splashing water. Second, it is on a hill that is actually slightly higher than Montparnasse. The balcony at the top is quite breezy and from there, you can get a picture-postcard view of the city shimmering in the heat.
That said, perhaps the best thing to do is just to get out of Paris altogether, as do so many of its residents!
posted by Françoise Villon at 2:21 PM
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