Outdoors · Paris · France
5 best outdoor things to do in Paris
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Kirua, Public domain
Quick answer
Start with Luxembourg Gardens, Tuileries Garden and Musée Rodin. Together the 5 picks below take roughly 7–9 hours across 5 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 5
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 7–9 hours
- Areas
- Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 1st arrondissement and 7th arrondissement
Outdoors in Paris
Garden · Saint-Germain-des-Prés
1.Luxembourg Gardens
Rent a toy sailboat at the Grand Bassin; it is one of the least expensive and most memorable things to do with young children in Paris.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Couples
- Outdoors
Garden · 1st arrondissement
2.Tuileries Garden
Grab a sandwich from a nearby bakery and eat it on the chairs around the Grand Bassin Rond.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
Museum · 7th arrondissement
3.Musée Rodin
Combine it with Les Invalides next door and Rue Cler for lunch.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Couples
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
Historic site · 20th arrondissement
4.Père Lachaise Cemetery
Download or photograph a map at the entrance; graves are hard to find without one.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
Garden · Latin Quarter
5.Jardin des Plantes and Grande Galerie de l'Évolution
The Grande Galerie is one of the best rainy-day stops for children in Paris.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Rainy day
- Outdoors
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Saint-Germain-des-Prés | Luxembourg Gardens | 1–2 hours |
| 1st arrondissement | Tuileries Garden | 45 minutes |
| 7th arrondissement | Musée Rodin | 1.5 hours |
| 20th arrondissement | Père Lachaise Cemetery | 1.5–2 hours |
| Latin Quarter | Jardin des Plantes and Grande Galerie de l'Évolution | 2–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 5, 3 free, 1 low cost, 1 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Jardin des Plantes and Grande Galerie de l'Évolution; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 1st arrondissement and 7th arrondissement): Luxembourg Gardens → Tuileries Garden → Musée Rodin, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (20th arrondissement and Latin Quarter): Père Lachaise Cemetery → Jardin des Plantes and Grande Galerie de l'Évolution, at least 4 hours.
The best months to be outside
- June: highs of 23°C (73°F), about 8 rainy days, very busy crowds. Peak season begins, with sunsets after 9:30pm and evenings outdoors along the Seine.
- July: highs of 25°C (77°F), about 7 rainy days, very busy crowds. Warmest month, busiest at the big sights; heatwaves are possible and many buildings lack air conditioning.
- August: highs of 25°C (77°F), about 7 rainy days, busy crowds. Many Parisians leave on holiday, so some local restaurants close, but the city feels relaxed and roads are empty.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Saint-Germain-des-Prés — Literary cafés, art galleries and elegant Left Bank streets in the 6th
- Latin Quarter — Student energy, the Sorbonne and cheap eats in the 5th
- Eiffel Tower and 7th arrondissement — Grand avenues, Rue Cler market street and tower views
More of Paris
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Paris?
Luxembourg Gardens. The Senate's formal gardens are where Parisians read on the famous green chairs, children sail wooden boats on the octagonal pond and older locals play pétanque.
+Which of these are free in Paris?
Luxembourg Gardens, Tuileries Garden and Père Lachaise Cemetery.