Ah, Paris! What a city to spend time in! Whether you’re in town for a short trip or lucky enough to settle down for longer, a lovely picnic in the city of lights is always a great moment. If you’re anything like us, you like your picnics peaceful, with a nice view. Lucky for you, we came up with a certified (by us, but still legit’) list of the best places to have the perfect French picnic!
PS: you don’t have to choose; you can consider this your Parisian Bucket list!
Bon appétit!
Buttes Chaumont - 19th arrondissement
Photo credit: The Culture Trip
Let’s start this selection on the right foot with a classic: Les Buttes Chaumont! You might know this one by name, but trust us: you’ll never be done exploring every corner of this Parisian milestone! There’s a reason why locals rush to this place as soon as the first rays of sun show up! Besides various cool spots and options to enjoy some shade, Buttes Chaumont has several restrooms. Here’s another pro-tip: while you’re there, check out @Rosa Bonheur, a nice and gay-friendly bar that serves some excellent pizza!
Open every day from 7 am to 12 am during summer and until 8 pm the rest of the year.
Parc de Belleville - 20th arrondissement
Photo credit: Mairie de Paris
Surprisingly enough, the Parc de Belleville as we know it was only built in 1988! Set on top of Belleville hill (which makes it the highest park in the city), it offers a nice surface of 45,000 m², an unrestricted panoramic view of Paris, and the longest cascading water fountain in Paris (100 meters long). This park is large yet cozy and has different corners to explore. If you’re not in the mood for a homemade picnic, you’ll find various nice bars and restaurants around the park. The Parc de Belleville is also home to 140 vines (mostly Pinot Meunier from Champagne and Chardonnay from Bourgogne), each producing around 2 to 3 kilos of grapes, which are harvested every year. This vineyard is a reminder of the viticultural history of the area: during the 14th century, this hill of the Belleville neighborhood was the royal Domain of the Merovingians.
Open every day from 7 am to 9.30 pm.