The History of the Bois de Boulogne
The Bois de Boulogne, in the western part of Paris, is the city’s largest spot for recreation, jogging, leisure and family outings. What you see today is what remains of a huge forest once called Rouvray. The name Boulogne comes from the church of Notre-Dame-de-Boulogne-la-Petite, built in the 14th century by villagers living nearby in honor of their pilgrimage site, Boulogne-sur-Mer.
The forest covers about 846 hectares and holds hundreds of thousands of trees, mostly oak, chestnut, acacia, sycamore and maple. Like its counterpart on the eastern side of the city, the Bois de Vincennes, it was designed in the English landscape style. You’ll find spectacular artificial lakes with boating, enormous lawns, roads, walking paths, bike trails and horseback riding routes, and many kilometers of wooded land. There’s no shortage of attractions for every age, so you can easily spend a full day here, deep in nature, and enjoy an ideal escape from the busy city. The forest has 15 kilometers of bike paths and 28 kilometers of walking trails.
In the days of the kings, the forest served as a hunting ground closed to the general public. In 1556, when it became a hideout for gangs of robbers, King Henri II (r. 1547-1559) decided to surround it with a wall with eight gates, the most important being the Porte Maillot and Porte de la Muette gates. In 1815, English and Russian armies set up camps in the forest and destroyed a large part of it. In 1852, Baron Haussmann tore down the wall and redesigned the forest to suit the taste of Napoleon III. The new design was inspired by London’s Hyde Park, which Napoleon had admired deeply during a visit there. On that occasion, he ordered the place opened to the public.
The Bois de Boulogne is still considered an aristocratic site today. Baron Haussmann is partly responsible for that, having made sure that one of the main approaches to the forest would be along the prestigious Avenue Foch, running from the Arc de Triomphe to the edge of the forest. This avenue is considered to have some of the most expensive real estate in the city. The 16th arrondissement, home to the forest, is considered the most prestigious arrondissement in Paris.
Getting Around the Forest
The metro, of course, doesn’t go into the forest itself, only to its edges. Given the large distances between the sites, it’s worth thinking about how you’ll get around once you’re there. To fit in as many attractions as possible, it’s best to come here on a bike or an electric scooter.
You can also combine public transit with a fair amount of walking, but know that this will limit you quite a bit. Bus line 244 leaves from Porte Maillot and connects several parts of the forest. Keep in mind that your visit to the forest should really only happen during the day, since at night the place gets a bit sketchy. Since 1992, following intervention by the authorities, the widespread prostitution once found here has been reduced, but it still exists in a few spots.
What Not to Miss in the Bois de Boulogne
The Lakes
The two famous lakes along the eastern part of the forest are, in my opinion, the most wonderful spots in the whole park. They’re an absolute must for anyone who’s already made the trip out here. The larger lake, Lac Inférieur, is more than 1,000 meters long, but easy to walk around.
At the northern end of the lake you can rent rowboats. It has two islands connected by a bridge. On the islands sits a high-end, pricey and well-known restaurant called Le Chalet des Îles, housed in a stunning chalet that Napoleon had brought over from Switzerland especially for his wife.
At the southern end of the larger lake, on the island, stands a round structure known as the Kiosque de l’Empereur. Not far from there you’ll find a lovely waterfall that you can reach by rowboat. Just across the road is a smaller but equally charming lake called Lac Supérieur.
You can reach the northern end of the larger lake via the Porte Dauphine metro station or the RER station at Avenue Foch. In both cases, once you step off the train, it’s about an 800-meter walk to the lake along La Route de Suresnes. Another option is to take a bus to the Porte de Passy square, where the two lakes connect, and walk about half a kilometer.
Louis Vuitton Foundation
At the end of 2012, the Louis Vuitton Foundation opened in the Bois de Boulogne, known in French as the Fondation Louis Vuitton. The original and highly distinctive building was designed by the American architect Frank Gehry. Some people call it the architectural diamond. The striking and unique structure, built with a series of terraces, lets visitors enjoy remarkable panoramic views. This important new museum focuses on contemporary art and houses both permanent collections and rotating exhibitions.
Tickets for the Louis Vuitton Foundation
Since this is one of the most popular museums in Paris, I highly recommend buying tickets in advance to save time waiting in line. You can buy tickets on the museums page.
Opening Hours
The museum opens at 12:00 p.m., and at 11:00 a.m. on weekends. Closed on Tuesdays.
Getting to the Louis Vuitton Foundation
The museum is located at 8 Avenue du Mahatma Gandhi. You can get there by taking metro line 1 to Les Sablons, followed by about a quarter-hour walk through the forest, or by taking bus line 244, or by taking the museum’s own special minibus, which departs near the Arc de Triomphe at the start of Avenue de Friedland.
On your way out of the museum, I highly recommend a quick side trip to the small and lovely Mare Saint-James lake, just a very short walk west of the Louis Vuitton Foundation.
Jardin d’Acclimatation
Next to the Louis Vuitton Foundation is the Jardin d’Acclimatation, founded in 1860 for the children of Paris. If you’re traveling with kids, this is the largest amusement park in Paris: pleasant and calm for them, with plenty of rides, a boat ride along a canal called “the Enchanted River,” a puppet theater, climbing structures and slides, pony rides, a petting zoo, a miniature train that runs through the park, a small science museum for kids, art displays for children and more. The park is open daily from 10:00 a.m., admission charged. You can get here via metro line 1 to Les Sablons, plus about a 10-minute walk.
You can read more about it and buy tickets in the article Paris Attractions for Kids.
Parc de Bagatelle
In the northwestern part of the forest lies a wonderful and special park, Parc de Bagatelle. It’s no wonder many people call it “paradise.” The garden was built in 1775 after a bet between the Comte d’Artois (the future King Charles X) and his sister-in-law Marie Antoinette. The comte wagered that he could design and build a small palace with a landscaped garden around it in just three months.
The comte won the bet, and the public gained a place of rare beauty. In 1806 the château was purchased by Napoleon. It later passed through several more owners. During the Restoration it was bought by the Duc de Berry and later sold to the Hertford family, until the city of Paris acquired it in 1905.
In its current, stunning layout, the park holds, besides the small château, a 19th-century Chinese pagoda, enormous trees, a rose garden with 10,000 roses in bloom season, artificial grottoes, ponds with geese and elegant swans, man-made waterfalls, bridges, and sweeping lawns with colorful peacocks. Particularly worth seeing are the magical Japanese garden, the iris beds and a small pond with its spectacular water lilies.
Every June the park hosts an international competition for rose growers. The garden also regularly hosts exhibitions, events, performances and concerts. There’s a large restaurant in a beautiful building near the Porte de Sèvres. The park opens daily at 9:30 a.m.; admission is 2.50 euros from April through October. From November through March, admission is free. Bus line 244, which leaves from Porte Maillot, reaches the park.
If you’d like to learn more about the fascinating history of the Château de Bagatelle, I invite you to read Ronen Sass’s article Château de Bagatelle: If These Walls Could Talk.
The Longchamp Area
The Longchamp area, in the southeastern part of the forest, is best known for its horse racing track, a huge hippodrome built in 1857 by Napoleon. Longchamp is one of the most famous racecourses in the world, with seating for more than 10,000 spectators.
At the intersection north of the hippodrome, the Carrefour de Longchamp, you’ll find a large artificial waterfall, and next to it a memorial to 35 people who were shot here by the Nazis in 1944.
Between the hippodrome and Parc de Bagatelle sits the Fondation GoodPlanet, a garden immersed in greenery. It’s a relatively new place, built in 2005, mainly meant to introduce the public to issues of ecology, environmental conservation and quality. Concerts and exhibitions take place here. Admission is free.
Pré Catelan
At the center of the forest is Pré Catelan, a small and pleasant park with an old cedar tree, more than 200 years old, which has the widest canopy in Paris. It’s also home to the Shakespeare Garden, filled with flowers, plants and trees mentioned in Shakespeare’s works, along with wide lawns and play areas for children. In the summer months, classic Shakespeare plays are performed here in a small amphitheater. For details about the shows, call 0142714406.
Auteuil
In the southern part of the forest, in the Auteuil area, you’ll find several interesting attractions. First and foremost, there’s another hippodrome, where you can take riding lessons and watch steeplechase races that draw large crowds.
South of the hippodrome are the Auteuil greenhouse gardens.
The gardens were founded in 1761 on the orders of Louis XV (r. 1715-1774). The garden is built around huge flowerbeds of rare flowers and special trees, inside greenhouses full of tropical plants and a seasonal selection of orchids and begonias. You can get here via the Porte d’Auteuil metro station.
Roland Garros
Next to the greenhouses are the famous Roland Garros tennis courts, home each year to the French Open, the France open tennis championship. It’s a tournament that draws tens of thousands of enthusiastic tennis fans. Within the tennis complex, you’ll also find a small museum showcasing 500 years of tennis history. Admission is charged.
Parc des Princes
South of the forest, at 24 Rue du Commandant Guilbaud, is the soccer stadium of French champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Soccer fans can join guided tours offered at the stadium. For details on the schedule, call 0141416100. You can reach the stadium via the Porte de Saint-Cloud metro station.
Want to Stay Near the Bois de Boulogne?
The Bois de Boulogne sits in the quiet, upscale 16th arrondissement. It’s true that it’s a bit farther from the center (though not too far), but the calm and the beauty more than make up for it. Also, since this is a less touristy area, apartment and hotel prices here tend to be lower than in central Paris. So if you’ve decided to stay in the area, feel free to check out the links below and pick a hotel or apartment that works for you.
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