Parks and Gardens in Paris: Parc de Bagatelle

The Parc de Bagatelle is one of the four botanical gardens in Paris situated in the heart of the Bois de Boulogne. Especially popular among the lovers of relaxing walks along the bamboo-shaded paths, this park, created in 1775, is also a place where you can see and admire the magnificent rose garden with 10.000 rosebushes from 1.200 different species. But did you know that the Parc de Bagatelle and its castle were built in only 64 days following a bet between Marie-Antoinette, the last French Queen and the Count of Artois, her brother-in-law? And this is not all! This place is full of surprises. You should definitely, add this Parisian park to your “must-visit” list.

Chinese pagoda

The Parc de Bagatelle is a very romantic place. Here, you can have a pleasant walk in a beautiful natural environment and discover a lot of charming and unexpected places like small bridges, rocks, caves and artificial waterfalls. One of the most interesting places in the park is the 19th-century Chinese pagoda. This Pagoda is constantly surrounded by peacocks that live freely in the park. The peacocks can be spotted quite easily, and they are a real peculiarity of the Parc de Bagatelle. But this is not all! This park is also famous for its magnificent rose garden and its international competition of new roses, that has been held here every summer since 1907. In other words, this competition rewards new varieties of roses.

Photo © Credits to encrier

A bet

The plans for the park and its castle were drawn in a single night by the architect François-Joseph Bélanger, and more than 900 workers built it in only 64 days, following a bet between Marie-Antoinette, the last French Queen and the Count of Artois, her brother-in-law. Thomas Blaikie, the Scottish botanist and gardener, created this park in an Anglo-Chinese style, very fashionable at the time and also seen as a reaction against the strict constraints of classical French style. Today, in the former stables of the Queen is situated the restaurant “Les Jardins de Bagatelle”. This restaurant has the most beautiful terrace far away from the city hustle, and it serves delicious traditional French food.

Practical information

The Parc de Bagatelle is an amazing and beautiful garden, especially during the blooming season. So, the best moment to visit it is from May to July. The Park is open from November to February every day from 9.30 am to 5 pm, from March and October every day from 9.30 am to 6.30 pm and from April to September every day from 9.30 am to 8 pm. Many events are organised in the Parc de Bagatelle especially during the summer time, like the Chopin festival, which pays tribute to the composer Frederic Chopin with many concerts and conferences.