Jardin d'Acclimatation, Paris

Opened in 1860 by Napoleon lll and Empress Eugenie to acclimatise plants and animals which came from faraway lands to France’s weather,  today it is far more than a children’s playground or activity park.

Not far from the centre of Paris, these pleasure gardens are a favourite with bourgeois French families, especially on Sunday. Right next door to the must-see , you should definitely pay them a visit.

An adorable fusion of a  petting zoo and fairground, there is something for all tastes (and ages). Children will love the various activities as well as the trampolines and fairground rides which are dotted around the park, connected by its many gentle pathways amongst the lawns. And if your feet become too tired, the Little Train can take you back to the Porte Maillot. It's just next to the metro station 'Porte Maillot'. Though if you want to go back by foot, the metro station 'Les Sablons' is closer.

The park also has a rich cultural aspect, with its international gardens including the Seoul Garden, a symbol of France's diplomatic relations with South Korea and filled with majestic bamboos as well as some of the country's lesser-known botanical treasures. The garden also has much history to exhibit, having recently celebrated its 150th birthday: from housing hero pigeons during the Napoleonic wars to supporting its own in-house orchestra, the Jardin d'Acclimatation has had an illustrious past that it only continues to build upon.

Less well known is that from 1877 until 1912, the "Jardin Zoologique d'Acclimatation" was converted to the  "Acclimatation Anthropologique". In an age of roaring colonialism,  Parisians were fascinated by  "exotic" foreign people. Nubians, Bushmen, Zulus, and many other African people were "exhibited" in a human zoo here.  The exhibitions were a huge success. The number of visitors to the Jardin doubled, reaching the million mark.

Also verging on the macabre were the recipes composed and served by the chef Alexandre Étienne Choron, during the Siege of Paris (1870-1871), when many of the animals in the zoo were cooked and served up by him.

Further attractions in the park are the small rollercoaster ("Les Papillons d'Alice"), a miniature boating lake, and nature trails where children can ride ponies, donkeys or even camels!

Jardin d'Acclimatation, Paris: All Year
Jardin d'Acclimatation, Paris: All Year
Jardin d'Acclimatation, Paris: All Year
Jardin d'Acclimatation, Paris: All Year
Jardin d'Acclimatation, Paris: All Year
Jardin d'Acclimatation, Paris: All Year
Jardin d'Acclimatation, Paris: All Year
Jardin d'Acclimatation, Paris: All Year
Jardin d'Acclimatation, Paris: All Year
Jardin d'Acclimatation, Paris: All Year

Opening Hours

Monday:
10:00 - 18:30
Tuesday:
10:00 - 18:30
Wednesday:
10:00 - 18:30
Thursday:
10:00 - 18:30
Friday:
10:00 - 18:30
Saturday:
10:00 - 18:30
Sunday:
10:00 - 18:30
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