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If you want to feel the sun on your face but are tired of sitting at a busy sidewalk cafe, head out to Bois de Boulogne and walk the "two lakes". Whether it is sun that you are seeking or a bit of nature, rain or shine, this park is a pleasant escape from the narrow crowded streets of Paris. The Bois de Boulogne, 865 hectares, lies on the western edge of Paris and is bordered by the very residential cities of Neuilly and Boulogne. It was once a forest kept for royal hunts, created under Napoléon III (second part of the 19th century), and designed by the Baron Haussman.

Hornbeams, Beeches, Limes, Cedars, Redwoods, Chestnuts and Elm trees are found here along with two racetracks, the Roland-Garros Tennis Stadium, the Pre Catalan Gardens and Shakespeare Garden (an open-air theatre), the Bagatelle Rose Gardens, the Serres d'Auteuil (green houses and gardens), the Jardin d'Acclimatation, as well as two romantic lakes (where row boats are available for 10 euros an hour).  

History

"Under Philippe IV it was given the name of the Bois de Boulogne following the construction of Notre-Dame-de-Boulogne-le-Petit. The lands, given by Childéric II to the omnipotent Abbey of Saint-Denis, were for a long time to become the site of many monasteries. Philippe-Auguste bought the main part of the forest from the monks which he made part of the Crown to create a royal hunting reserve. In 1256, Isabelle de France, sister of Saint-Louis, founded the Longchamp Abbey.

During the One Hundred Years War, the forest, already quite unsafe, became the haunt of robbers, before being pillaged by the Parisians.  Under Louis XI, the estate was reforested and two roads were opened.               

After François I built the Château de Madrid, a masterpiece of Renaissance art, the Bois de Boulogne became a place where festivities were held. At this time, the forest having been restocked with game, was reforested. It was then enclosed by walls under Henri II and Henri III, interspersed by eight gates. Subsequently, all the monarchs contributed to the embellishment of the Château de Madrid and Bois de Boulogne."       

Note: Porte Dauphine is the main entrance -16e (tel. 01-40-67-90-82) Métro: Porte Dauphine (Line 2, RER C), Les Sablons (Line 1) or Porte Maillot (Line 1, Line 10).

The Bagatelle Gardens hosts an annual International Rose Competition in June.