Parks in Le Marais
Le Marais has a lot of history and is an interesting area to visit - historically it hasn’t always been a desirable place to live in. Now there are a lot of small independent stores (I saw a place that makes glasses which all looks super cool) with art galleries, museums and hidden parks. These parks are the ideal place to sit on a bench, watch the world go by and to take a pause. At the time of writing this, May 2024, spring in Paris is here and I love taking my journal to a park to sit with my own thought.
There is always something exciting going on in Paris, but if you’re looking for a quiet place to sit and relax for a moment, while still in the centre of Paris, here are some of my favourite parks (and where they get their names from)!
Jardin Lazare-Rachline
This is a pretty small french garden which is fairly hidden - it doesn’t even show as a green area on google maps. They have a benches that you can sit on, and some beautiful flowers. It used to be part of the Hôtel Donon.
The name of this garden pays tribute to Lazare Rachline (1905-1968), resistant, industrialist, journalist and co-founder, with Bernard Lecache, of the Licra (International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism).
Right next to the park, there is the Institut suédois (Swedish institute) that hosts various cultural events.
Square Georges-Cain
This square is on the former garden of the hotel Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau, located behind the musée Carnavalet. It has a bronze statue in the centre surrounded by flowers and at the edges it has some archaeological pieces dating from the Renaissance.
The square also has some notable tree including a fig tree (Ficus carica) which is over 6 meters high (I’m not a tree expert). When I was here, there were lots of small cute birds flying around.
Named after Georges Cain (1856-1919) a painter, writer and the first curator of the Carnavalet - Histoire de Paris Museum. Carnavalet is a great museum in Le Marais, entry to the permanent collection is free.
Square Léopold-Achille
This park is just next to Square Georges-Cain, it had lots of benches and a play area for children. Some of the trees are unusual for France, a Siberian elm and a false holly from Japan (or Osmanthus) introduced in France in 1856 whose leaves are very fragrant (supposedly, I haven’t smelt them).
This square pays tribute to a former municipal councillor of the 3rd arrondissement, who was also the deputy mayor.
Jardin Berthe Weill
This hidden garden (which is one of my favourites) is behind the Picasso museum and has been open since 2019. What I really love about this garden is that it’s designed both for people and for the biodiversity. There are benches that you can sit on to read, and there’s even a book box where you can exchange your books (I love that there’s so many of these around France). In order to protect the biodiversity, there are parts that are not accessible to walk on and native plants have been planted as well as insect hotels.
The name of the garden pays tribute to Berthe Weill (1865-1951), the first art dealer to dedicate her gallery to the modern avant-garde. She is credited as being the first person to produce a sale of Picasso’s work.
Place des Vosges
One of the more known places to sit in Le Marais, which is the oldest planned square in Paris. It is one of 5 royal squares in Paris.
Originally known as the Place Royale, the Place des Vosges was built by Henri IV from 1605 to 1612. The square was often the place for the nobility to chat, and served as a meeting place for them until the French Revolution. in 1800, it was formally renamed to Place des Vosges in honor of the département of Vosges which was the first to pay taxes supporting a campaign of the Revolutionary army.
The Place des Vosges is also known to have be the resident of several wellknown people including Victor Hugo. You are able to visit his house which is free for the permanent collection.
Square Albert-Schweitzer
This is a park I go to fairly often, because it’s the meeting place of Serve the City, a charity that does food distributions a few times a week starting from this park. You can find more about my experience here
The park is named after Albert-Schweitzer (1875-1965), a missionary doctor, philosopher, musician and musicologist. In 1913, he founded the hospital in Lambaréné, Gabon, and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952.
Close by, there’s a cafe called “The Caféothèque of Paris” which is nice with a great atmosphere. It gets pretty busy, so it’s not always possible to get a table. Their cakes always look good too.
Get in contact
Do you have a favourite park in Le Marais? What do you look for in a park (access to drinking water, toilets, being able to sit on the grass)? Get in contact via instagram at @abisummers or email at contact@abisummers.com