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# Parc de la Villette: The Park, the Follies and How to Visit

A practical guide to the big park in the 19th, with its red pavilions, themed gardens, canal and summer open-air cinema

Contents

By Finzi

The Parc de la Villette is one of the largest green spaces inside Paris, at the northeastern edge of the city in the 19th arrondissement. It covers about 55 hectares and mixes lawns, gardens and a canal with major cultural venues: the Cité des Sciences, the Philharmonie, the Grande Halle and several concert halls.

It feels very different from the formal gardens of central Paris. There are no clipped hedges or gravel paths with statues. Instead, wide lawns invite picnics, red steel pavilions dot the grass, and families, joggers and concertgoers share the space. This guide covers how to get there, what to see, the summer events and how to plan a visit.

# A short history of the site

For over a century, this was the site of the main cattle market and slaughterhouses of Paris. They opened in the 1860s, when Baron Haussmann moved such activities out of the city center. The great iron and glass cattle hall, now the Grande Halle, dates from that time.

The slaughterhouses closed in the 1970s. The state then launched a competition for a new kind of park. The Swiss-French architect Bernard Tschumi won with a design based on points, lines and surfaces: red pavilions placed on a grid, long covered walkways and open lawns. The park opened in stages from the late 1980s.

# Getting to the Parc de la Villette

The park has two main entrances, one at each end:

The walk from one end to the other takes about 15 minutes along the covered gallery that runs north to south.

Another option is by water. Canal boats run from the Bassin de la Villette, or even from the Port de l’Arsenal near Bastille, up the Canal de l’Ourcq to the park. The trip from the center takes a couple of hours, with locks along the way.

# The follies and the canal

The most recognizable features are the red pavilions, called follies. There are more than twenty, set on a regular grid across the park. Each has a different shape, built from red-painted steel. Some house a café, a first-aid post or a children’s workshop. Others are simply sculptures to walk around and climb.

The Canal de l’Ourcq cuts through the middle of the park from east to west. Two footbridges cross it. On warm days, people sit with their legs over the water, and boats pass slowly by. The Canal Saint-Denis starts at the western edge, heading north toward Saint-Denis.

A long covered walkway, the Galerie de la Villette, runs from north to south. It is useful on rainy days and links the main venues.

# The themed gardens

Between the lawns, Tschumi’s plan includes a series of themed gardens. Each one has its own design and atmosphere. Some of the best known:

Some gardens are reserved for children of certain ages and have opening hours. A few close for maintenance in winter. The main lawns and paths are open to everyone.

# Venues inside the park

The park is home to several major cultural venues. All have their own tickets and schedules:

Visiting the park itself is free. Only the venues charge for entry.

# Summer at La Villette

The park is at its liveliest in summer. The best-known event is the open-air cinema, the Cinéma en Plein Air, which usually runs from late July to late August. Films are shown on a giant screen on the Prairie du Triangle, the big lawn near the Grande Halle. Entry is free. People bring a blanket and a picnic, and deck chairs can sometimes be rented on site.

Other summer events include concerts, festivals and a beach-style setup along the canal as part of the city’s summer program. Check the park’s official site for the season’s program, since events change every year.

On summer evenings, the lawns fill with groups of friends having picnics, playing music and enjoying the long days. It is one of the best places in Paris to see how locals spend a summer evening.

For anyone planning portraits in this kind of light, the guide to summer evening photoshoots in Paris explains how late the sun sets in June and July and which areas glow best at that hour.

# Food and drink in and around the park

Several follies house cafés and snack bars, and there are restaurants inside the main venues, such as the Philharmonie and the Cité des Sciences. In summer, food trucks and pop-up bars set up near the lawns and along the canal.

For more choice, walk a few minutes outside the park. The area around Porte de Pantin has bakeries and simple brasseries. The Bassin de la Villette, a 20-minute walk south along the canal, has a long row of bars and restaurants with outdoor seating on both banks.

Picnics are the local favorite. Supermarkets near both metro stations sell everything needed, from bread and cheese to drinks. Bins are spread around the park, and they fill quickly on summer evenings, so carry a bag for rubbish.

# The Parc de la Villette through the year

The park changes a lot with the seasons:

# Visiting with children

The Parc de la Villette is one of the best places in Paris for families. Children can run freely on the lawns, play in the themed gardens and spend a rainy morning at the Cité des Sciences.

A simple family plan:

Strollers work well on the wide, flat paths. Toilets are available near the main venues.

Families thinking about a photo session in Paris will find more ideas in the Paris family photographer guide, which covers ages, timing and locations around the city center.

# Practical tips

# Quick answers

Where is the Parc de la Villette? In the 19th arrondissement, at the northeastern edge of Paris. Use Porte de la Villette (line 7) or Porte de Pantin (line 5).

Is it free? Yes. The park and lawns are free. Museums, concerts and some activities charge for entry.

What are the red buildings? They are the follies, red steel pavilions designed by Bernard Tschumi as part of the park’s grid.

When is the open-air cinema? It usually runs from late July to late August, with free films on the big lawn.

Is it good for children? Yes. It has play gardens, a dragon slide, a submarine and the Cité des Enfants.

# Sources

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