Disneyland Paris Guide

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Living in Paris has its advantages and the fact that Disneyland is only a 40 minute train ride from house is great. Not only that but my wife knew an employee there and we were able to get half price tickets to the park. So in total I have been to Disneyland Paris 10 times.

It is for this reason that I am going to try and give you as much useful and insider information as possible. From Disneyland ride list to costs and opening hours we will try to provide as much information that we can think of.

Disneyland Paris Opening Hours of Operation

Disneyland Park Operating Hours are usually between 10am-11pm however from June to the end of November it is open for an extra 2 hours per day. The Extra magic hours between this times are 8am-10am.

Walt Disney Studios Operating Hours are between 10am-9pm

Fast Pass Disneyland Paris

The Disneyland Paris fast pass tickets allow you to jump the queues on 9 of parks most popular rides. The majority of these rides are thrill rides and are not really suited for toddlers.

With every ticket purchased when entering the park you will receive a fast pass. Once received you need to register at a fast pass machine. When registered you will be given a time that it can be used. In the mean time you go and find other attractions at the park until your allotted time. You cannot reuse your fast pass until your current pass has been used.

Disneyland VIP Fast Pass: You should 100% take advantage of the Disneyland queue jump tickets. Along with the standard Disneyland fast pass tickets there is also the VIP Fast Pass which are given to all Empire State club, Disney Hotel suite and Castle Club members. It is also possible to purchase them for approximately 60euro. This will give you unlimited access to the fast pass line.

Disneyland Paris Rides List

You may be wondering just how many rides are there in Disneyland Paris parks. There are approximately 53 rides and attractions at both parks at any one time depending on ride closures etc… in the Disneyland Theme Park there are 32 and in the Walt Disney Studio Park there are 21.

I have put together a list of Disneyland Paris rides and attractions Enjoy!

Discovery Land

Captain EO

Mysteries of the Nautilus

Buzz Lightyear ride

Star tours

Space Mountain

Orbitron

Nautilus submarine

Videopolis

Autopia

 

Fantasy Island

Alice Curious Labyrinth

Sleeping beauty castle

Story book land canal boat cruise

Lancelot’s carrousel

Fantasy festival stage

Castle theatre

Casey Junior

Pinocchio’s journey

Peter Pan ride

It’s a small world ride

Snow White and the seven dwarfs

Dumbo, the flying elephant

The mad matters tea cups

Frontier Land

Big thunder Mountain rides

Thunder mesa riverboat landing

Haunted Mansion

Critter corral

Chapparal theatre

Pocahontas Indian village

 

Adventure Land

Adventure Isle

Indiana Jones and the temps of peril

The Swiss family Robinson tree house

Pirates of the Caribbean

Captain Hook boat

Aladdin’s enchanted passage

 

Main Street USA

Main street vehicles

Discovery arcades

Disneyland railroad

Horse drawn street cars

Walt Disney Studios Park

Toy story playland

RC Racer

ZIG-ZAG tour

Toy story mission parachute

 

Toon Studio

Flying carpets over agrabah

Art of Disney animation

Crush’s coaster

Cars rallye

Animagique

 

Front Lot

Disney studio1

 

Production Courtyard

Cinemagique

Studio tram tour

Stich live

The tower of terror ride

Play house Disney

 

Back Lot

Armageddon

Stunt show spectacular

Rock’n roll coaster

 

Things You Should Know Before You Visit Paris

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The Eiffel Tower
For the first few years in Paris one of my favorite places to take my soon to be wife was the Eiffel tower.

I had climbed it countless times, however this was not how we usually spent out time there. We would crack a beer and lay down a blanket at Parc Du Champ De Mars which is at the base of the Eiffel Tower.

It was hear we would wait until sunset eating, talking and getting tipsy. This is in my top 3 best picnic spots in Paris.

Parc Du Champ De Mars Picnic
However there is something things you need to know about picnicking at the Eiffel Tower. For many months of the year the grass at Parc Du Champ De Mars is fenced off to be re grown. You should have no problem picnicking in the warmer months however in the colder months it will defiantly be fenced off. Unfortunately there is no exact date it all depends on the weather and other government regulated factors that year.

EiffelEiffel Tower Lights At Night
The other thing you need to know is that the Eiffel tower lights up every hour on the hour beginning just after sun set. The  Eiffel tower will finish lighting up at 1am in the colder months and 2am in the summer. This is a truly romantic sight to see when sharing Paris with a loved one for the first time.

Eiffel Tower Opening Times
If you want to climb the Eiffel tower then you have the option of walking to the first level or taking the lift all the way. The cheaper option is to walk however is not for everyone. Be warned this is no easy climb and it is recommend that you have a certain level of fitness before attempting. Also the lines to buy a ticket can be massive in the peak season. You may be in line for up to 3 hours, so I recommend getting there first thing in the mourning when the lines are small. The Eiffel tower opening time is 9am from 15th of June to 1st of September and 930am the rest of the years.

Rude Parisians That Hate Americans
So it is well known to many people around the world think Parisians are rude and some say they hate Americans. I have found this to be far from true on both counts and most experts will agree with me. In fact in a lot of cases and as especially from the younger Parisian generation they are really into the American pop culture and trends. I have many French friend and coach against many other basketball teams in Paris and most of them really were quite friendly. In fact I had a much warmer reception with Parisian teams than the teams i played for back back home.

It is true that some Parisians can have quite a cold front to them but this has nothing to do with Americans. For the most part it is a working city much like New York, Sydney or Tokyo so they are very caught up in the hustle and bustle of getting too and from work.

However there is also another case which I have seen Parisians give a cold hard reception. It is when you walk into a retail store or shop and you feel its strange they are not trying to help you more or are not very friendly. Most people walk into a shop and just start looking around at products but the etiquette in France is that it’s rude not to say hello and be polite. So if you do not make the first gesture then it is very likely that you will not be received well. It is much like if someone walked into your home and they did not say hello, this would leave you a bit disgruntled and wondering why this rude person is in your home and did not introduce them self.

You will be much warmly received if you learn a very small bit of French aswell. Parisians are much more receptive if you make an effort as many of them do speak English however not all of them can. I suggest learning to say Hello (Bonjour/ bonsoir), Good bye (orevuar) and do you speak English (Parlez-vous anglais) at a bare minimum. After all you are in there country and you should learn their customs and etiquette before you enter.

Paris signature scam
Photo Author | Quinn Dombrowski

Scams, Gypsy’s and Thieves
If you follow the link below I will give a much more in depth look into Paris scams, gypsy’s and thieves that you need to be aware of but for the moment I will give you a quick overview.

There are three types of tourist suckers as I like to call them. These people feed on the unaware and innocence of tourists blindly enjoying there holiday. The scammers, gypsy’s and thieves are mostly a result of poverty and lack of education not to be confused with the homeless whom are not preying on anyone but simply trying to get through the winter.

You will see the gypsy’s and scammers in the touristy areas of Paris. Be on the look out, you may be caught unaware when they steal your wallet or bag from the metro. Do not be fooled by their age they can often be very young, I have had one as young as 8 years old try to steal my phone.

How to Avoid Them
My tip is to say “No” firmly and keep walking, if they start touching your and getting very close to you or more than one of them start surrounding you then you need to be more assertive and then keep walking. At this point you should double check that your valuables are all still there. Another thing you can do to reduce the risk is not to play with your wallet on the metro or leave your bag on the floor without holding on to it.

Getting from A to B in Paris
If you are a fit person and want to see more of Paris than you would in a on a hop on hop off red bus or below ground in the metro then I suggest walking most of the time. Since Paris is only 9 miles wide from east to west and 6 miles wide from north to south then it really does make the whole city walkable. Also the majority of the Paris attractions are located towards the center or if not a 20 minute walk from the center. For all forms of how to get around Paris we have started an article listing 15 of the best way.

Paris Metro and Buses
The best advice I can give you about the metro is that it is shuts down at 1pm and you have to get off where ever the train stops at that time. We learnt this the hard way, one night we thought lets jump on a train and see where it take us. Then suddenly everyone was ushered out of the train station and was standing on the street wondering where the hell we were. We were lucky that a nice Parisian man pointed us in the right direction and were able to walk home in about 30 minutes. However it was quite scary not having a clue where we were.

The Paris metro system is one of the most advanced in the entire world and is really quite easy to navigate. I am putting together a tutorial about the metro and buses so you can be well aware. To be honest I like to use the bus system the best as you can see a lot more of Paris above ground. It is a very easy system just like the trains. You simply need to look up a bus timetable map and do some navigation much like the train.

If you are traveling in peak hour be prepared not to get a seat, to feel very cramped, hot and uncomfortable. Even though it is an amazing system it is also the primary mode of transport for all Parisians to and from work. If you want to get off a busy train you need to use the word “Pardon” DSC01123simply say this word nice and loud so they can hear you and push your way threw.

Hop On Hop Off Red Bus Tour
The red bus tours are also another great options as they not only go to the main monuments and attractions but they are also very informative as there are headphones that inform you about Parisian history. However this is defiantly the more expensive option and I recommend if visiting in winter not to sit upstairs as the wind chill factor is unbearable which I learned from experience.

Paris Airports
There are three main airports which you can arrive or depart from. It is important you know which one you are at as they all have quite a significant time difference in which it takes to get to and from Paris.
Charles De Gaulle airport is the main one and most common. This takes about 40min to 1h to get there depending on the traffic, taxi wait time or shuttle bus driver people pickups. Orly airport which is about 30min – 50min away and the last is Beauvais airport which is 1.5hours to 2hours by shuttle but not recommended by taxi. To help avoid getting a bad driver or being over charged i have compared and found the best shuttle service in paris.

Sydney arrondismont street signNeighborhoods, Districts and Arrondissements
When you first enter Paris or are looking to rent a hotel you need to know exactly where you want to stay and in which neighborhood to stay in. The districts or neighborhoods are known in Paris as Arrondissements. You will see them written on maps and street signs and abbreviated as 1e, 2e, 3e etc… The Arrondissements start in the middle of Paris and spiral outwards to 20e on the outside of the city.

Is Food Expensive in Paris
Paris Supermarket FeatureYes it is quite expensive in Paris to eat out every night however there are a few tips I can give you to save some money. If you know you are going to be out all day either pack yourself a lunch or go for the cheaper option and get a crepe. When you shop at one of the main Paris supermarkets stores such as Franprix, G-20, Carrefour or Monoprix you will save your self a lot of money because food in Paris is only expensive if you eat out for every meal. In fact you could get a nice fresh baguette from a French bakery for about 0.80 euro and if you get it early morning they are always much better as its fresh.

As i see more things in Paris to inform our readers i will add them to this page. We hope this was helpful so please keep reading our blog to see more tips from our Paris Journey in France.

Getting Around In Paris the Best Ways

Paris has one of the most advanced networks of public transport in the world. However since we have lived in Paris I have come up with more than 15 ways of getting around in Paris.

Before we look into all of the ways of how to get around Paris you need to understand the structure of the Paris neighbourhoods. The inner and main area of Paris is broken up into 20 districts called Arrondissement’s.

If you are standing around in Paris lost and wounding what Arrondissement you are in then you only need to look at the nearest street sign. Here you will see the name of the street such as Rue Sydney and then you will see the number of the you current Arrondissement such as 1e, 19e etc..

Walking
As mentioned in previous articles Paris is only 9 miles wide from east to west and 6 miles wide from north to south. It is for this reason that walking is the most popular form of getting around Paris. When you go to Paris it is most likely that you will do a lot of walking even if you take advantage of public transport.

The most common areas that you will walk are in the centre of Paris 1e-4e, the Latin Quarter and Montmartre. These three areas are the primary tourist areas and it is most common to take public transport to these areas then walk while in the area.

Paris Rickshaw, Pedicabs and Tuk-Tuks
This form of transportation in Paris is fast becoming a more popular way to get around Paris and other cities in France. The most common place you will find Tuk-Tuk, Pedicab or Rickshaw is waiting for customers at Place De Concord. The reason behind this is that most people finish at the louvre or Jardin des Tuileries then want to go up the Champs Elysees for some shopping or to the Arch de Triumph.

As for a price the only guide I can give you is that it cost around 25 Euro to 30 Euro for a return trip from the Champs Elysees to Eiffel Tower. Make sure you get a set price before you leave. Ask the driver how much? if you are not happy with the price then ask if the driver can do cheaper. If not maybe try one of the other 10 Pedicab drivers waiting for passengers.

There are two main types of rickshaw’s you will find in Pairs. One is the short transportation pedal style taxi and the other is the motorized rickshaw’s which are mainly used for 2 and 3 hour guided tours.

Smart Car or Mini
parking parisIn my experience I would not recommend hiring a car to get around in Paris. The picture you see below is not the only reason to avoid this, never the less it is another way you may want to get around Paris.

Some reason that might turn you off renting a car when visiting Paris are as follows. If you notice the picture below there is a good possibility this could be you as I have seen this in at least 10 occasions. Not only are you blocked in but when parking or leaving a parking spot it is not a large issue for others to bump or hit your car in order to leave. This will not be good for you insurance excess damage fees. Although there is parking in Paris to be found it is quite hard to find, most of the time it is found underground. Fuel is also quite hard to find at times. I know where most of them are because of my scooter experience but most first timers would not. Most of them are also found underground or in a not very visible side street.

The traffic in peak hour is really bad as well, a lot of the time it is easier and quicker to walk to your destination than drive. If you are determined on hiring a car then I suggest a small one such as a smart car or mini which will help you with the petrol and parking side of things.

Parking In Paris
If you do choose to drive a car whilst in Paris you might find a secured parking service such as Parclick.com an extremely good idea. Not only do they have a massive amount of guaranteed car spaces and competitive prices, most of them are within a short walk of all of the main attractions in Paris.

One of my favourite aspects about this Paris parking service is when a huge event such as the Tour De France or Bastille Day is occurring you can book a guaranteed parking space online and avoid not finding a parking spot. Even if you want to drive into Paris for a quick three hour sightseeing day of the main attractions then this service provided by Parclick is extremely valuable for this purpose.

To reserve your parking space in Paris before you go, head over to Parclick.com and check out their competitive prices and extensive list of locations.

Scooter
IMG_1035Seeing Paris by scooter is by far my most favourite way of how to get around Paris. As you read other articles here at Paris Journey you will see my wife and I love riding our scooter around Paris and simply exploring.

The first thing I recommend to people when they ask me what to do when they visit is to hire a scooter and a GPS then see how much of Paris you can cover in a day. Once you have driven around and seen the sights for the first time you can then decide which ones are worth going back to or spending more time at.

As you may have read I used to work for a Paris scooter tour company. This is a great solution if you are worried about riding a scooter for the first time. It used to take me 3 hours to cover 80% of Paris monuments and popular areas. If I was to cover the entire list of monument in Paris it used to take me 5 hours. This includes jumping off when possible and taking a few photos for 5 minutes.

Regardless of how much you choose to use the scooter it is by far the quickest and easiest ways to see Paris. Not only is parking readily available but whenever there is traffic you can simply drive between the cars that are not moving and it is not frowned on like other countries.

Métro
The Paris metro is one of the most advanced and easiest metro systems in the world. We have utilized the metro a lot since living in Paris however once we got a scooter we were glad not to have to go underground any more.

The metro is cheap, will get you almost anywhere you want to go in Paris and is the perfect solution for tourists. When you catch a metro there are a few things you should know.

Always hold on to your baggage nice and tight and always know where you wallet or passports are. The subway has a bad reputation for pickpockets and thieves. I have seen it many times, just before the doors close a very quick young male will duck out of the train and start running. The unsuspecting tourist does not know anything has happened until it’s too late and the doors are closed.

Abess metroOn the metro you will get a lot of performers or beggars however you want to look at it. Often you will get people playing a guitar, singing, playing an accordion, handing out cards that say they need money or I have heaven seen a guy put up a sheet on the railing and start a puppet show.

At times the metro can be a little uncomfortable. During peak hour it can get very tight, hot and you will struggle to get a seat. At some metro stops you will notice an abundance of homeless people sleeping on benches and an overwhelming smell of urine in stairwells.

If you are traveling at a late hour you should know that the metro closes at 1pm. We found out the hard way when the trains just stopped, everyone got off and then we had to walk home from the metro we were at.

Bus
DSC01123This would be the second choice as our most favourite ways to get around Paris. Although it is slightly harder to work out than the Metro it is still quite easy. The best thing you could do if you want to get around Paris on a public bus is to get a bus map from a tourist information centre or hotel. It is very similar to the metro system, you just need to figure out the direction your heading and the number or colour of the line you want to catch.

Our reason for liking this form of Parisian transport is because you can still see a lot of Paris while you are trying to get from A to B. Of course you could take the option of the red bus hop on hop off tours which also stop at many popular locations however there is not as many bus stops and public transport is much cheaper.

Just a warning: Yes it is very possible to get on the bus and not pay for a ticket however you would be surprised how often there are ticket officers patrolling the busses asking for your ticket. So be prepared if you are going to try and get a free ride it may end up costing you a lot more than the priceof a ticket.

Horse and Cart
If you have ever been to the Eiffel Tower then you have probably seen the horse and carriage that is sitting on the road at the base of it. If you are a true romantic then I you can’t go past this amazing tour which would be sure to melt any women heart. This is a great way to see Paris by night.

You have the choice of romantic ride, dinner ride, proposal ride and lunch ride. These are all packages that can be included and designed around you needs. However the packages are not cheap. The cheapest of the packages is 135euro and most expensive is 545euro. However you can go on a simple 1 hour ride for about 60-90euro.

RER
The RER has five different train lines which connect the Paris inner city to the Paris surrounding suburbs. The train lines are colour coded and alphabetical as followed A,B,C,D and E. The two most commonly used lines are the Blue line “B” which goes to Charles De Gaulle and the Disneyland line which is the Red “A” line.

Each of these stations are usually connected or very close to a traditional Paris metro stops. The tickets that you use on the metro cannot be used on the RER so make sure you buy the extra ticket because the ticket officers are frequently found on RER lines.

Tramways
The Paris government has constantly been improving and expanding the tramways around Paris. In fact in December 2014 the new T6 tram line will be completed. If you can’t find the trams then you may have not been on the perimeter of Paris as there are none located within the inner city.

You will find the two most popular lines on the perimeter of Paris and the a few more out towards Orly and La Defence. I really enjoyed using the trams in Paris. I found them very clean, handy and defiantly convenient if you have a need for them depending on your location and destination.

SNCF TGV and Eurostar Train Stations
These types of trains are commonly used to leave Paris and either travel long distance within France or to foreign countries. Often you will need to show a passport or European ID card in order to travel on these trains.

The TGV can reach speed of 320km per hour and is a great way to travel if you want to see Lyon, Marseille or other day trip from Paris as they have a number of trains per day that frequenting destinations like these every day.

Vélib Bikes
As you walk around Paris you can’t help but to see the abundance of Velib stations. These can be used by tourists but are very often used by the working Parisian to ride to work. The machines may look a little daunting but is quite easy and cheap if you just follow the prompts.

The Velib bikes are found at over 1800 station all around Paris which is approximately every 300 meters. If you only use your bike and return it back to a Velib station in under 30 minutes then it is free to use however they will take a security deposit from you credit card which is refunded in a few days.

30min-1h = 1euro
1h-1.5h = 2euro
1.5h-2h = 4euro

Tip: before you choose a bike on the Velib machine you need to test the tires, spin the wheels and check the chain as you could often get a faulty bike if this is not done.

Batobus Paris Ferries
The Paris ferries which are run by the company Batobus has 8 stops along the river Sien and can be a great way to break up the boring travel of the Paris Metro. The price of a Paris ferry is very reasonable at 16euro for adults and 7euro for children per day. The timetable can be found at the batobus website however I can tell you that they frequent each stop every 20-25 minutes.

Batobus Paris Ferry Stops List

Eiffel Tower
St Germain De Pres
Jardin de Plantes
The Louvre
Muse d’Orsay
Notre-Dame
Hotel de Ville
Champs Elyseees

Taxi
Paris taxies are not only commonly used by tourist but they are a large part of Parisians citizen transportation. They can be quite affordable if you are traveling within the city limits however you need to watch out for any hidden expenses.

Did you know that when you order a taxi by phone the driver has the right to start the clock at the point they leave there origin. So sometimes you will get in a taxi and see that there is already 15euro on the clock. This may be because the last drop off was located outside Paris and once they started to come and get you, the clock had already been started.

Some other common fees you will see are the 4th person fee, so any more than 3 people in the car then you will have to pay an extra amount set by the individual Taxi Company. You are allowed one piece of luggage in the trunk and any after that will incur a fee. If you want a child seat this also costs extra.

There is a new service in the past few years which is a shared taxi service. When you call for a taxi you can tell them you are happy to share with someone else. If you have no problem sharing with a stranger then you may feel comfortable to save a few bucks. I have never felt comfortable with this and can’t tell you very much about it.

Shuttle
When you search on Google for a shuttle service in Paris you will find a huge list of services and it can be hard to choose from. Don’t be fooled, a lot of the services are not very good, over price and unprofessional. This is why I have written a separate article and sorted the list to find the best Paris shuttle service.

A shuttle service can be a great and inexpensive way to get around Paris. Most of the time they are used for simply getting from airport to hotel however there are other attractions that you can use them for. The two most popular that I can think of are Disneyland and Versailles.

There are two different forms of shuttles which are private and shared. The shared service is cheaper however can take longer to get to or from your destination due to picking up different passengers.

The other form of shuttle service is a private van, car or limousine. If you have a group of 4 or more this will defiantly work out cheaper. However if you any less passenger and it may be worth taking the shared shuttle option.

Paris Limo Shuttle

Segway Guided Tours
Segway’s are not for everyone. It will take a little bit of practice but when you get it you will have loads of fun. Although this has been added to the list it is only useful on guided tours as there is not real any room to ride them on many busy footpaths.

Wrap up
If you think I have missed any then please leave a comment in the section below. As for our favourite modes of transports it is defiantly walking, scooter and public bus. These may not suite your mobility which is why we have listed a number of alternatives above. We hope we have shown you adequately how to get around in Paris without any problem. Have a great time!

The Best Paris Picnic Spots

Some of the most romantic spots in Paris are the ones which are the cheapest. Let’s take a look at where to picnic in Paris some romantic and some just a really cool place to be.

I will admit I have taken my wife to almost all of these parks and picnic areas however there are only two which I have still not ventured to. This will not be the case for very long as I plan to cross them of the bucket list. Enjoy!

Parc des Buttes Chaumont
This is our favorite and is indeed one of the best picnic spots in Paris. I would not say it is particularly romantic but it is one of the least crowded and most pleasant parks. It is quite a large park which features a waterfall in a cave, a small lake at the bottom of a cliff that has a small temple on top of it which you can walk to and many trees for shad if it is a hot day.

Located near the bottom of the cliff is a small cafe which is quite busy at lunch time if you forgot to pack a lunch and there are also some toilets in the park as well which can sometimes be a challenge to find in Paris parks at times.

Parc des Buttes Chaumont is located in the 19th arrondissement and accessible via metro Buttes Chaumont. It is a bit out of the way and not really near any main tourist attraction but is loved by the local and I am sure you will love it as well.

Parc des Buttes Chaumont picnic

Champs de Mars (Eiffel Tower)
Defiantly running a close seconds on our great places to picnic spots but number one most romantic spots in Paris is Champs de Mars. This park is located at the base of the Eiffel tower and is most romantic just after sunset on the hour when the lights come on. The park is located in the 7th arrondissement and the best metros are Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel or Ecole Militaire

This is quite a safe area however you will get bothered by the odd gypsy so if approached just hold onto your wallet and say no firmly. There are probably a few days of the year where it is really hard to find a spot and you have to get in early. One of these days is Bastille Day, this is very crowded but one of the best party atmospheres and fireworks in Paris. The other one I can think of is new years eve also another great day to have a picnic at the Camps de Mars.

picnic eiffel tower Champs de mars paris

Tip: The grass at Champs de Mars although is one of the best picnic places in Paris it is not available all year round. For many of the colder months the grass is fenced off to be regrown. However it is almost always available in the warmer months.

Tip: The sparkling lights at the Eiffel tower begin on the hour immediately after sunset and will continue every hour on the hour until 2am in the warmer months and 1am in the colder months.

Luxembourg Gardens
Situated in the 6e Arrondissement, The Luxembourg Gardens is one of the most famous parks in pairs. It is surrounded by metro stations all within walking distance but the one we used to use was Metro Rennes.

This is a very family friend place to picnic in Paris. At Luxembourg Gardens you will Toy sailboats, pony rides, playgrounds and a puppet theatre all great children based activities.

As for the adults you could go for a run around the park, martial arts, tai chi, playing basketball and chess. Whenever we went to the park we usually sat underneath the shady trees of the outdoor café and enjoyed some really nice food.

Park Luxembourg
Photo Author | ParisSharing

The Sien River
Defiantly the most iconic river in Paris, it would take an entire book to list all the picnic spots that are available on this river however my favourite would probably be at the end of ile de la cite. This is not the typical picnic experience as you most likely will be sitting on concrete or cobble stone and not the usual grass areas.

There is so many different places you can picnic in Paris along the Sien River that I can’t list them all in this article. I will probably do a separate article in the future covering them all. However on I can recommend it the Paris Plage in the summer time. During the warmer months the city of Paris lays out sand along the Sien as well as some small bars to grab a drink and beach chairs.

Bois De Boulogne
Situated just outside the borders of Paris in the 16e Arrondissement is the biggest park in Paris called Bois De Boulogne. This is a great park if you love to have a ride on a bike, row in a river boat or just sit on towel and have some lunch.

I have a few issues about this park but others might have a different story as it huge and there are a number of different picnic areas. This park is well now for prostitution, public sex and drugs at night so please don’t be caught there after dark.

The other issue I have is that when ten of us went for a picnic at Bois de Boulogne, 4 of the girls needed a toilet. Even though they looked for ages and there the shop attendant there said there was no in the park. I could be wrong but there was defiantly none where we were. I have defiantly seen people publicly urinating there. Update: recently i have found a toilet at the far northern end of the lake located in Bois De Bouligne however it is in quite a distant area and could take up to 20minutes to walk there depending on where you are.

park poulogne paris
Photo Author | Andrea Anastasakis

Place de Vosges
Sitting in the middle of some great architectural mansions in the 4e Arrondissement is a small square of grass called Place De Vosges. This can get quite crowded in the summer but the buildings surrounding it create a really nice feel.

This I quite a rich square to live in and I can tell you from experience that dogs are not allowed in this park. When a group of our friends sat down to have lunch on the grass one of them was turned away by the grounds keeper with his whistle.

Monceau
This is a gorgeous little park with a bunch of sculptures, people running laps and others walking there dog. Having a picnic in Parc Monceau was one of you regular hotspots. It is situated in the 8e Arrondissement and ticks all the boxes for that make up a good park.

Im not sure why but at every so often when we go there we are chased off the grass by and angry French men with a whistle even though there are 20 or so people doing the same thing. For some reason we all had to move. Don’t let this put you off though, it’s not like you get in trouble or anything you just get asked to get off the grass.

Jardin Des Tuileries
Finding a picnic spot at Jardin Des Tuileries will not be hard. There are lots of hidden corner, hedges to hide from and sculptures to view. This is situated smack bank in the centre of Paris in the 1e Arrondissement.

This park links onto the Louvre and place de concord which are two of the most visited areas in Paris however most of these onlookers are not sitting for a picnic. It is usually the locals that are frequenting this park.

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Jardin des Plantes or Jardin Alpin
In the left bank of the 5e Arrondissement is a little hidden gem that is not as popular as some of the bigger parks around Paris. This one is really different, it has a very different plant structure and look to It than the others.

In this garden you will find a tunnel which goes underneath the main path and comes up in a miniaturized valley. Here in this small climate of over 2000 different mountain plant species, mini waterfalls and beaches. Also its worth mentioning that there is a small zoo here as well as a natural history museum.

Parc Clichy-Batignolles – Martin Luther King
We never really went to the 7e Arrondissement for anything but the Martin Luther King Park. We visited it 4 or 5 times and each time it was really pleasant. Plus I got to play a few street basketball games there as it has a good basketball court attached.

This is not really your typical tourist area nor is it a tourist park. The park is more based around the residences that live there. But if you do live in this area go down and check it out. You won’t be disappointed.

Parc MontSouris
We really enjoyed Parc Montsouris after we visited the catacombs. It is situated on the edge of the Peripherique and the best way to get there is via tram to Cite Universitaire. As the name of the trams station suggests, this park is very close to a university. You will find it located in the 14e Arrondissement.

This park is really cool to explore, it has a nice little pond and you often see people shooting wedding photography there. On a hot summers day it can get quite busy as it is frequented by a lot of University student on their breaks.

Esplanade Des Invalides
I always thought that this was quite a strange spot to have a picnic as it’s situated on cross intersections of some busy roads and does not have any trees. It is located in the 7e Arrondissement and extends out from The Invalides war museum.

This is probably one of my least favourite spots picnic due to the lack of trees, abundance of traffic and not really a great atmosphere. However if you want to kick a football around or throw a frisby there is a lot of open grassy space which would make this your best bet .

Parc De La Villette
Located in the far upper right hand corner of the 19e Arrondissement this is one of those parks that got away from us. The pictures look great however we did not have a chance to see it as we went there on scooter and at the time for some reason all of the streets were blocked off. We looked for a good hour to find an entry point and finally gave up. We resorted to one of our most frequented parks of Buttes Chaumont.

I do know that during the months of mid-July and mid-August you will find an open air film festival. The park is open from 6am to 1am and during this check out the giant mirrored chrome sphere and the bright red cube pavilions.

Parc De Bercy
This park has a very convenient metro stop of Cour Siant-Emilion as it will take you straight to the park. Parc de Bercy runs along the banks of the Siene River and is situated in the 13e Arrondissement.

This is another park that Is really different from the typical Parisian park. It has loads of creativity and you won’t believe how much there is to see. You will probably find yourself saying “what the” a number of times.

Parc André-Citroën
This is another one of those parks which are nothing like the typical Parisian style park. The park itself is futuristic in style and a lot of thought has gone into the architecture. It is situated in the far left of Paris in the neighbourhood of the 15e Arrondissement.

This park offers a great view of the Sien River and is the only place in Paris where the grassy area opens in to the river. Children can take advantage of the table tennis facilities, spring based toys, toboggans or ball games and the adults can relax on the Sien, view the two large green houses and more.

Trocadèro
On one side of the Eiffel Tower is Parc Champs de Mars however on the other side you will find Trocadero. Here there is minimal grass however and loads people walking past on the foot path. However you could usually get a seat as people are not usually sitting here they are more interested in getting to the Eiffel Tower.

You might be asking why the heck would I picnic here. Well even though is busy it has two great back drop. The Eiffel Tower of course and there when they are operational the fountains there are nothing short of amazing. Especially when they have a light show involved.

– For a romantic picnic in Paris I can’t go past the Parc Champs de Mars.

– For the best picnic spot surrounded by attractions I would say Jardin Des Tuileries.

– If you looking for something different I would go with Parc André-Citroën or Parc De Bercy

– Traditional Parisian parks I would say Parc Morceau or Parc de Luxembourg

– My least favourites are Bois de Boulogne and Esplanade Des Invalides due to previously mentioned issues