23.4.10

Bois de Vincennes

The surface of Paris – if you neglect the suburbs – is quite limited, approximately following the red dotted line here. There are two exceptions to the near-to-circle form; one is the “Bois de Boulogne” in the west, the other is the “Bois de Vincennes” in the east. I have already made a number of posts on the “Bois de Boulogne” and a post on the “Château de Vincennes”. Here is something on the “Bois de Vincennes” park… or at least part of it – it’s large, actually three times larger than the NY Central Park and four times larger than the London Hyde Park.






































As the “Bois de Boulogne”, the "Bois de Vincennes" was originally a hunting area for the royalty, but has been a public park since 1860. Since the 1930’s, one corner of the park is occupied by a zoo, but it’s closed for renovation. A hippodrome occupies a large part and you will also find a “Parc Floral” on which I will revert in a later post.

More generally, there are four lakes, one of them much more important than the others, “Lac Daumesnil”. This is the place where you can just walk around, row a boat, relax, play the saxophone…
… do some sun bathing when the first really warm days are finally here.
Other pleasures may include “yachting” like these gentlemen, kite flying …
During a walk in the more forest like areas, I found this group learning something about apiculture.
I wish you a nice weekend!

26 comments:

Leon Sims said...

Recently returned from Paris where we spent 3 weeks. Taking my bike with me I used Vincennes as my training circuit as well as the Velodrome within the park.
The Jacques Anquitel (Cipale) velodrome was the scene of several Tours de France finishes several decades ago and was established I believe in the very late 1800s.
I also noticed it is home to the homeless and I wonder what the survival rate was with the very harsh winter you had this year.
Regards
leon

Carolyn said...

Gorgeous! I'm so glad I found your blog -- thoroughly enjoyed this post.

Cheers from Sydney and thanks for sharing that beautiful day in Paris.

Carolyn said...

P.S. and thanks again to Karin, whose wonderful blog Alien Parisienne led me here :)

from cali said...

Picnic weather comes to Paris! And it looks divine.

Whitney Smith said...

This is just beautiful, Peter. I've only been to Paris but once, and as you said, I stayed within those dotted lines. My trip was so limited that I hope to make it back soon.

I'm so curious, though...coming from a state (Arizona) where we can spend day after day in the sun (even in "winter"), how often can Parisians enjoy the parks? Are the summers there rainy? Do you have a mild spring?

Hope you're blessed with wonderful weather this weekend. :)

Shionge said...

To be honest for the times I've been to Paris I have not chilled out near a lake so ya...maybe I should heheheh.....always something new.

Thank you Peter and you have a great weekend too...It's TGIF NOW!!!!

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Wow! Those lakes are fabulous and so are the public parks! I could get lost and stay there forever!

Do have a good weekend!

Olivier said...

le lieu de prédilection des parisiens quand le printemps arrive. superbe, avant je travaillais a cote et j'allais souvent me balader le midi pendant mon heure de pause, c'était agréable

claude said...

Un endroit très agréable pour le repos dominical des citadins.
Tu es là ou pas en ce moment ?
Tu n'es pas passer chez moi le 21, c'est dommage !

hpy said...

A demain!

Trotter said...

So, spring is definitely there and you are going into the woods... ;)
Great!!

PS: What about a French party in Turkey?

Cezar and Léia said...

So romantic idea and place, for sure we can not lose it! :)
have a great weekend,
Léia

Starman said...

Parks are great.....if you're going to be in the city for a couple of months. There's just to much to see and do to 'waste' time in a park. The people in the bottom picture, I think, are learning about bees.

Thérèse said...

Tout pour la romance et une bonne pause dans la vie quotidienne.
As-tu déjà fait un épisode "île de la Jatte?" peut-être hors Paris pour toi? L'idée m'est venue lorsque tu parles de l'apiculture.

Marie-Noyale said...

C'est amusant ceux qui sont assis sur les chaises sont couverts avec veste et blouson
ceux qui sont allonges sont en tenue beaucoup plus legere!!!
Bon WE

joanna said...

A beautiful oasis. That is an impressive park -- I know what the size of Central park is like so this gives me an idea of how very large this park is. Like the beekeeping or apiculture outdoor class -- have a couple of neighbors into apiculture

When I come to Paris -- with all the places you are showing and how intriguing it all is, I will need to have a long stay there. Or go back and forth many times over.

Enjoy your week end.

Joanny

Canotte said...

Le bois de Vincennes est une oasis de calme et de sérénité, j'aime m'y rendre lorsque je "monte" à la capitale pour mon travail. Le zoo avait bien besoin d'être rénové. On peut se promener en se vidant la tête de tous nos soucis et simplement admirer la grandeur de la nature. Moi je vis au milieu des champs de blés et des vergers à prunes dans le Lot et Garonne et c'est très beau aussi. Merci pour ces belles photos Peter.

Cheryl said...

Looks like the weather is really pleasant there now. And that park is so lovely. That bank reminds me of the Seurat painting, Un dimanche après-midi à l'Île de la Grande Jatte.

Have a great weekend!

Virginia said...

Well this answers my question to you as to whether Vincennes should be on my new list. It's right up there at the top now! How beautiful! Glad you have nice enough weather now to enjoy a long walk here.

Sun worshippers already??? :)
Bon weekend,
V

J.M. Rábago García said...

A pleasure to discover your blog. Greetings.

amatamari© said...

Ahhhh the floral park, the sun, boats ...
What beauty, and the pictures are wonderful: the first looks like a painting!
I decided, come to live in Paris,
right here!
:-)

Thanks for this wonderful post!

Parisbreakfasts said...

My sister used to live on the bd. de Vincennes yet I never visited this parc!?
Something is wrong with me :(

Jeanie said...

What a beautiful haven! I am going to enjoy Paris in the spring with you!

Nathalie H.D. said...

J'adore les apprentis apiculteurs en tenue blanche et ta première photo, adorablement bucolique. Je suis sidérée du nombre de gens partout mais peut-être y étais-tu pendant le week-end?

Vagabonde said...

I had not realized that it was so large. Ton blog a tellement de renseignements, Peter.

Simony said...

Beautiful area, Peter. The first picture looks like a scene from a movie, or like an old painting. It's unbelievable that today we can still see the same landscape of many decades ago. VERY romantic place, looks like!