Woods of Vincennes

The Bois de Vincennes, located at the eastern edge of Paris, is the largest public park in the city, covering an area of almost 10 square kilometers. Its history is deeply intertwined with that of the French monarchy and the urban transformations of the city. Originally used as a royal hunting reserve, the Bois de Vincennes saw the construction of the first hunting lodge under the reign of Louis VII in the 12th century. In 1336, Philip VI began the construction of the Château de Vincennes, which became one of the main royal residences until the construction of Versailles. The castle itself, with its imposing keep and Gothic chapel, is a testament to the ambitions and power of the French monarchs. In the 17th century, Cardinal Mazarin commissioned architect Louis Le Vau to build a new palace for Louis XIV next to the castle, but with the court moving to Versailles, the Vincennes complex lost importance and was used less frequently. Louis XV opened the park to the public in the 18th century, turning it into a place of leisure and planting hundreds of new trees. The French Revolution transformed the Bois de Vincennes into a military training ground, with large portions of the park used for shooting ranges and military structures. However, the true transformation of the park into a public space as we know it today occurred under the Second Empire of Napoleon III. The emperor and his prefect of the Seine, Georges-Eugène Haussmann, decided to create a large public park to serve the working population of the eastern area of Paris, a project parallel to the Bois de Boulogne in the west of the city. The transformation project was entrusted to engineer Jean-Charles Adolphe Alphand, who designed the park in the English landscape style. Alphand created a picturesque environment with meadows, groves, flower beds, streams, and artificial lakes, including Lac Daumesnil, Lac des Minimes, Lac de Saint-Mandé, and Lac de Gravelle. Each lake is surrounded by winding paths that invite visitors to explore the natural landscapes of the park. One of the most significant events that took place in the Bois de Vincennes was the Colonial Exhibition of 1931. This world fair celebrated the French colonial empire and left a lasting mark in the park with the construction of the Palais de la Porte Dorée, a masterpiece of Art Deco that now houses the National Museum of the History of Immigration and a tropical aquarium. The Bois de Vincennes is also an important center for recreational and cultural activities. The Parc Floral de Paris, created in 1969, is an 86-acre botanical garden that hosts summer music festivals such as the Paris Jazz Festival and the Classique au Vert. The park features numerous themed gardens, including a bonsai garden, a medicinal plant garden, and an apiary. The park also houses the Paris Zoo, opened in 1934 and recently renovated. The zoo is organized into five biomes that faithfully reproduce the natural habitats of the animals. Another attraction is the Cipale Vélodrome, a major cycling stadium that hosted events of the 1900 Olympics and the conclusion of the Tour de France from 1968 to 1974. In addition to recreational activities, the Bois de Vincennes is a place of history and memory. The Château de Vincennes, with its medieval keep and royal chapel, is open to the public and offers a glimpse into the life of the French royal court. The park itself is an oasis of tranquility that provides a refuge from the hustle and bustle of urban life, with shaded paths, picturesque lakes, and a wide range of activities for all ages.