Overview
Larger even than its western counterpart the Bois de Boulogne, the Bois de Vincennes covers nearly 1,000 hectares of woodland, meadows, and lakes on the eastern edge of Paris. It was the royal hunting ground of the Capetian and Valois kings — the Château de Vincennes, still standing at the park's northern edge, was the most important royal residence in France before Versailles. Napoleon III gave the Bois de Vincennes to the City of Paris in 1860, and it was transformed into a landscaped park with four artificial lakes, numerous sports facilities, and the 'Flower Village' (Parc Floral). Today it is home to the Zoological Park of Paris (one of the best zoos in Europe), a beautiful Buddhist temple, and extensive cycling and jogging routes.
🕐 Opening Hours
Open 24 hours; the Zoo, Parc Floral, and Château have separate hours and admission
Free admission unless noted above
🚇 How to Get There
💡 Line 1 goes directly to Château de Vincennes station at the park's main entrance — one of the easiest forest escapes from central Paris.
Get Directions →What to See
- 1Parc Zoologique de Paris — a beautifully redesigned zoo with five biozones representing global habitats, home to 2,000 animals
- 2Château de Vincennes — a mighty medieval royal fortress with a 52-metre keep, the tallest medieval tower in France
- 3Parc Floral de Paris — an exceptional floral park with thousands of species, jazz concerts, and a children's fairground
- 4Daumesnil Lake — the largest of the four lakes, with an island, boat hire, and weekend picnics
- 5Buddhist temple (Centre Bouddhiste) — a serene Vietnamese-style pagoda open to visitors
- 6Velodrome National de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines and Hippodrome de Vincennes — top sports venues
Photos
Aerial view of the Château de Vincennes at the entrance to the Bois de Vincennes
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