Parc Montsouris

Parc Montsouris, located in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, is one of the four large public parks created during the Second Empire by the will of Napoleon III and under the supervision of Baron Haussmann. Inaugurated in 1875, the park covers an area of 15.5 hectares and is designed as an English garden by landscape engineer Jean-Charles Adolphe Alphand. With its artificial lake, waterfalls, vast meadows, and a rich variety of trees and plants, Parc Montsouris offers a green and peaceful refuge in the heart of the city. The creation of the park was not without challenges. The area was originally occupied by a stone quarry and overlooked a complex system of tunnels from old mines, which had been transformed into catacombs containing the remains of millions of Parisians. Before work could begin, hundreds of skeletons had to be removed from the tunnels. Additionally, the presence of the Petite Ceinture railway, which encircled Paris, added further complexity to the project. Alphand, along with architect Gabriel Davioud and horticulturist Jean-Pierre Barillet-Deschamps, worked to transform this unfavorable land into an idyllic park. An artificial one-hectare lake was excavated, fed by a stream flowing over an artificial waterfall made of rocks and concrete. Serpentine stairs and paths were built, enriched by rustic balustrades in molded concrete to resemble tree trunks. The trees and shrubs planted included rare species such as the Ginkgo biloba and the Cedar of Lebanon, contributing to creating a diverse and evocative landscape. One of the distinctive features of Parc Montsouris is its combination of nature and art. The park hosts numerous bronze and marble sculptures, including Jules-Felix Coutan’s “Column of the Armed Peace” and Antoine Étex’s “The Shipwrecked.” These works of art enrich the park with historical and cultural significance, making the visit not only a visual but also an intellectual experience. The park is also home to a meteorological observatory, a testament to the importance of science and research in city life. In the past, the park housed the Palais du Bardo, a scaled-down replica of the Bey’s palace in Tunis, which served as a meteorological station. Unfortunately, this structure was destroyed in a fire in 1991, but it remains an important part of the park’s history. During the Paris Commune of 1871, Parc Montsouris was the scene of clashes between the Communard troops and the French army. Later, in 1897, the park became the site of secret meetings related to the Dreyfus Affair, one of France’s most significant political and social crises.