Paris’ Best Hidden Gardens

Paris is famous for its gorgeous parks and gardens which, after months of being cooped up inside, are all the more appreciated. That said, the most popular gardens, like the Tuileries and Luxembourg, can get very crowded, something many of us want to avoid, even more so these days. Among the city’s 450+ green spaces, there are some that are hidden in plain sight and are only visited by those in the know. Enjoy a moment of greenery and tranquility at these hidden Paris gardens.

Square Saint-Gilles Grand-Veneur Pauline-Roland

Although it isn’t a complete secret anymore, this eastern Marais garden is still little known by the masses. Nestled amidst a cluster of historic private mansions, the public garden features small lawns, trellises of climbing roses, and romantic benches. It’s the ideal place for a sunny mid-afternoon break or a casual picnic with goodies acquired from the nearby Marché Bastille, an open-air market held on Boulevard Richard Lenoir Thursdays and Sundays until 2:30pm.

Jardins des Archives Nationales

As you stroll in the Marais, the opulent courtyard of the Archives Nationales might catch your eye. However, few are aware that there is a gorgeous hidden garden tucked behind its walls.

Accessible via a doorway in the far-right corner of the courtyard, the garden was created by joining the former gardens of the private mansions which line this stretch of rue des Francs-Bourgeois and rue Vieille du Temple. (Please note that the gardens are currently closed, please check their website for more information.)

Jardin Anne Frank 

A tiny laneway up the street from the Centre Pompidou will take you to this enchanting secret garden. It’s another collection of former gardens of private mansions, one of which is now the Museum of Jewish Art and History, hence the garden’s name in honor of the heroic WWII diarist. The park has romantic bench seating under alluring arbors, as well as some more discreet alcoves for soaking up its green bliss.

Jardin Catherine Labouré 

Hidden behind a large wall near the Left Bank department store, Le Bon Marché, is this former garden and vegetable patch of a 17^th-century convent.

The southern side is flanked with the remains of the convent, and the park carries on its heritage today with a “pedagogical” vegetable garden and fruit trees spread around the large space. Before popping into the garden, you may want to pick up a takeaway coffee from one of our favorite coffee shops in Paris, Coutume.

Square Roger-Stéphane

Tucked away at the end of pedestrian cul de sac in the Saint-Germain district, this small greenspace is perhaps the closest you’ll get to a true secret garden in Paris. Also located on the grounds of a former convent, you can enjoy a heavenly moment of calm as you stroll its meandering paths or rest on its secluded benches.

Square Lionel Assouad

Although this park in the 14^th district was only opened in 2000, its horticultural roots go back 100 years when the land was outside of Paris and was used to grow rose and lilac bushes. Today, it has a grassy lawn for lounging in the sun and shady benches under a vine-laden pergola for reading a book or savoring the silence.

Square des Grès

For a taste of the countryside in Paris, seek out this small garden hidden in the former Charonne village of the 20^th arrondissement. Camouflaged by a large wall and a cluster of small houses, this secret garden has attractive arbors, fruit trees, and cozy seating nooks. After your park visit you can get a drink on the rooftop of the trendy Mama Shelter hotel, located a short walk away.

Addresses

Square Saint-Gilles Grand-Veneur Pauline-Roland – 9 rue du Grand-Veneur, 75003 Paris

Jardins des Archives Nationales – 87 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75003 Paris

Jardin Anne Frank – 14P Impasse Berthaud, 75003 Paris

Jardin Catherine Labouré – 29 Rue de Babylone, 75007 Paris

Square Roger-Stéphane – 7 Rue Juliette Récamier, 75007 Paris

Square Lionel Assouad – 18 rue de Châtillon 75014 Paris

Square des Grès –  57 Rue Vitruve, 75020 Paris

Related Links

• Check out where to get some takeaway for your picnic.
• Visit one of Paris’ best new summer terraces.
• Check out these places to cool down in Paris.

Written by Lily Heise for HiP Paris. Looking to travel? Check out Haven In for a  fabulous vacation rental in Paris, France or Italy. Looking to rent long-term or buy in France or Italy? Ask us! We can connect you to our trusted providers for amazing service and rates.