Parc Bagatelle: Minutes and Worlds Away from Paris
Imagine yourself in a wide-open grassy field- you are surrounded by palm fronds, a pond, and the calls of peacocks off in the distance. Now imagine yourself in close proximity to a Parisian metro station that will take you to the center of the city in twenty minutes. It may seem a jarring difference of location but you can actually have the best of both worlds in the Bois de Boulogne’s Parc Bagatelle. Entry to the Park is 1,5€ for students/youths and 3€ for everyone else and is well worth the price, which seems to serve merely as buffer to keep the park from being overrun. The interdiction to picnic in the park may also dissuade sun and fun seekers, however this downside is easily overlooked once inside the park. Though the median age of visitors was leaning heavily towards the senior citizen side of things the day I visited Parc Bagatelle, one doesn’t have to be of the bird-watching or rose admiring persuasion to enjoy an afternoon in this oasis outside of the bustling metropolis that is Paris. Having tested them myself, I can confirm that the fields are perfect for Frisbee throwing and laying in while practicing cloud analysis and interpretation. The extensive gardens are a pleasure to ramble through and are blooming with flowers rarely seen by the average urbanite. Wildlife is in abundance as well, with native species including blue herons and the populous peacock whose presence almost ceases to amaze the park’s pedestrians after a while. The park also offers exhibits, when I visited the current exhibition was of Japanese kimonos, as well as a concert series of Chopin’s works every summer. These former hunting grounds, which were private property up until the early 1900s, are a true delight to visit and enjoy. A quick metro ride to Porte Maillot (line 1) then a bus ride on line 244 will deliver you to Parc Bagatelle’s doorstep and welcome you into a haven of flora, fauna, and a fleeting respite from busy city streets.
