Last Updated on 08/08/2020 by secretmoona
The Buttes Chaumont is a park in the nineteenth arrondissement of Paris with lush landscape. Although the park is one of the largest in the city, it is mostly missed by tourists. Hidden in the corner of Paris, it’s a popular gathering spot for Parisians who love the charming feel. with a large expanse of grass,, trees, plants, lots of paths, benches and playgrounds.
Short story of Parc des Buttes Chaumont
Buttes Chaumont is an inspired English garden opened to coincide with the Paris Universal Exposition in 1867. After discovering Hyde Park in London, Napoleon III decided that he wanted to create a similar big park in the heart of Paris to promote a greener city. He then commissioned Jean-Charles Alphand was also designed Parc Monceau and remodelled the Bois de Boulogne.
Covering more than 25 hectares, the fifth-largest green space is built on a former quarry. The idea was to embellish and sanitize the neighbourhood as it was dirty and filled with thieves.
Stroll in the Parc des Buttes Chaumont
The Parc des Buttes Chaumont is located in the north-east just opposite the 19th arrondissement’s Town Hall. The magnificent garden includes a belvedere, caves, a suspension bridge and an artificial lake.
People love to take a scroll in the Parc des Buttes Chaumont because it’s a lovely place to wander. The romantic charm can only seduce people for picturesque walks, whether solo, with your other half, with friends or family.
Great things about the Parc des Buttes Chaumont
While strolling you will find almost 50 different trees, species of birds or other wildlife. The park is specifically beautiful during spring as you can enjoy the cherry blossom. Take a walk around and you’ll find almost 50 different species of trees!
Exploring lake, grotto and waterfalls at Buttes Chaumont
The artificial lake whose water comes from the Canal de l’Ourcq. The lake is fed by two streams and a waterfall. Although hand-carved, the grotto fit perfectly well within the park. What used to be an old gypsum and limestone quarry has been transformed into a grotto on the south side of the park. A little hidden from the main park, it is worth a visit, if only to look at the artificial 60-foot-high waterfall! The grotto is a refreshing place to visit on a hot summer day.
The suspension bridge
To reach the temple and subsequently the island, you have the choice of two bridges including a suspension bridge. Not only the 63-metre suspension bridge is fun to walk on and offer a nice view over the park but was built by Gustave Eiffel, Mr Eiffel Tower! You can also reach the temple via the Aiguilles path, about two hundreds steps carved int to rock.
Temple de la Sybille
The Temple de la Sybille is a pavilion mounted on a 50-meter high hill with cliffs in the middle of the lake. The temple is a reproduction of the Roman temple of Vesta in Tivoli (Italy). From the temple, you can see a lovely view of Montmartre and the Sacre Coeur. The lake and the pavilion give the Buttes Chaumont a different feel front the other parks and gardens in Paris.
Enjoy amazing views of Paris
Once you reach the top of the park thanks to the suspension bridge or climb the stone steps to the top of Île de la Belvédère, you will find a beautiful and unique view of Paris. The views from the Temple de la Sibylle are stunning. It’s the location where people, especially couples like to take photos. I highly recommend ging there as the sun sets, so you can see all the lights of the city begin to glimmer.
Gabriel Davioud
At the main entrance to the park (Place Armand-Carrell). stands an interesting building. Designed by Gabriel Davioud, the architect of the City of Paris and the Temple de la Sybille. Davioud alongside Baron Haussmann are responsible for what Paris looks like today. As well as buildings, he also designed benches, lamp posts, fences. He actually designed the park entrance!
Get a drink at Rosa Bonheur
Nestled close to the main entrance is Rosa Bonheur, a casual bar and restaurant. known as guinguette. There you can grab a drink and some snacks and sit in the large terrace. During the summer period, they offer yummy gelato. The ambiance is very Parisian.
Practical information:
You can get to the park via several entrances on rue Manin, rue Botzaris, rue de Crimée and avenue Simon-Bolivar. All this was made to ensure people have easy access to this charming gem.
Address: 1 rue Botzaris, 75019 Paris
Admission: Free
Opening hours.
- Summer – 7am to 10pm
- Winter – 7am to 8pm
- May to June – 24/7
Access:
- By metro: Metro Botzaris or Buttes-Chaumont (ligne 7bis), Jourdain or Pyrénées stations (ligne 11) or Laumière (ligne 5).
- By bus: Bus 48, 60 and 75 will also take you there.
Wow! This is stunning. I love the Temple de la Sybille and would love to see it someday. Thank you for sharing this 🙂
Thank you for reading and hopefully you will explore the park one day.