The French capital is packed with parks and green spaces. However, on the slightest sunny day, these spots get crowded, making a quiet bike ride pretty tricky. Getting out of Paris to explore new spaces—just minutes from your place and waiting for you and your housemates—is easier than you think!
Colivys has put together a list of these great spots:
La Coulée Verte:
Accessible from Porte de Brancion in southern Paris, the Coulée Verte lets you walk or ride all the way to Massy. Known as a green lung for southern Paris, this dedicated path for pedestrians and cyclists offers a smooth, easy 12-kilometer route! Having reopened after lockdown, it’s ready to explore once again.
Along the way, you’ll pass through the Domaine Départemental de Sceaux and the Domaine de la Vallée-aux-Loups in Châtenay-Malabry.
Bois de Vincennes:
Covering nearly 10 square kilometers (9.95 km²), the Bois de Vincennes is Paris’s largest green space. While most locals flock to the Vincennes Pagoda, the banks of Lake Daumesnil, or around the Château de Vincennes, plenty of other areas can be explored. Have you ever checked out the view from the Butte aux Canons? Have you ever been to the nature reserve along Lake Minimes?
Parc de La Courneuve:
Straddling La Courneuve, Saint-Denis, and Stains, the Parc de La Courneuve offers 417 hectares of fresh air just a few miles outside Paris. Highlights include a rose garden, an apiary, a large lake, and more heavily wooded areas inhabited by sheep, foxes, stone martens, and weasels.
La Malmaison Forest:
Located near the Château de Malmaison, between Rueil-Malmaison, Vaucresson, and Bougival, this 200-hectare forest offers a true breath of fresh air. Featuring a fitness trail, an educational nature trail, and a dedicated cycle path, Malmaison Forest is the perfect place to take in the scents of oak, chestnut, and Scots pine, or to relax by its 2-hectare pond.
Meudon State Forest:
Situated on the left bank of the Seine, Meudon State Forest is the largest forest in the Hauts-de-Seine department. Accessible by bike from the Pont de Saint-Cloud or via RER C (Meudon station), tackling the climb up the Meudon hills takes a little effort—but the reward at the top is pure bliss. Spanning over 1,100 hectares, the forest offers a green retreat west of the capital. Walkers will find 16.5 kilometers of trails, perfect for a 5-hour hike through woods, ponds, and open fields.
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