This park doesn't have every bit many gardens and restaurants as its western counterpart, but in that location is more than of a sense of wilderness in this vast patch of greenery on the eastern terminate of Paris. Endless paths and alleys wind through woods and open up fields; this is a great place for a long cycle ride or a hike. Non that there are just copse here—if rambling isn't your game, there are plenty of other things to do as well. For starters, at that place is the recently reopened Parc Zoologique de Paris, a state-of-the-fine art zoo. So there are the remains of a medieval castle, the Château de Vincennes, and a large garden in the park, too as theaters and a hippodrome for those who adopt to sit down dorsum and spotter the action. In short, Bois de Vincennes has almost as many pleasures every bit the Bois de Boulogne, if non every bit much elegance.

Like the Bois de Boulogne, the Bois de Vincennes was once a royal hunting ground with a lodge congenital by Louis 7 back in the 12th century. By the 13th century, information technology had grown into a castle, which Louis Nine (St-Louis) became very fond of; it is said that he dispensed justice nether one of the nearby oak trees. Information technology wasn't until the 18th century, nether Louis XV, that these woods were turned into a public park; unfortunately, after the Revolution, the army decided to use information technology equally a training footing, and the castle became a prison house (some of its more famous lodgers included the Marquis de Sade and the philosopher Denis Diderot). Needless to say, this did non do wonders for the landscaping. Finally, in the 19th century, Napoleon III made the park part of his urban renewal scheme, and information technology got the same thorough makeover as the Bois de Boulogne. Its troubles were non completely over, still. In 1944, the retreating High german regular army left the chateau in ruins, but it has since been virtually completely restored.

A few of the park's high points:

*The Parc Zoologique de Paris (aka the Paris Zoo).

*The Parc Floral: Created in 1969, this modern mix of blossom beds, ponds, picnic areas, and playgrounds (including a few rides) is a very pleasant place to spend the afternoon, particularly between May and September when the open-air theater holds gratuitous music and theater performances. In July, the Paris Jazz Festival takes off for iii weeks, and in most of August and September, the Festival Classique au Vert cooks up a great program of classical music. For the kids, Guignol boob shows (http://guignolparcfloral.blogspot.com/; two.80€ adults and children) play nigh Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 3 and 4pm, and daily during schoolhouse holidays.

*The Château de Vincennes: Information technology took 12 years to restore this former royal castle (the heart of France's monarchy until Louis XIV decided to move to Versailles in 1682) and the effect—an ivory-colored compound with gracious, turreted ramparts—is truly beautiful. You tin can visit the imposing castle keep, a gothic chapel with 16th-century stained-glass windows, and the multi-turreted ramparts, on top of which y'all can take a stroll and pretend you are a knight on the sentry for enemy invaders. For the best views opt for a guided bout of the keep's upper floors, ordinarily closed to the public, though be prepared for a 250-step climb (av. de Paris, 12th arrond.; http://www.chateau-de-vincennes.fr/en/01-48-08-31-20; ix€ adults, 7€ visitors 18–25, free for children 17 and nether and Due east.U. citizens 26 and nether; daily mid-Sept to mid-May 10am–5pm, mid-May to mid-Sept 10am–6pm; Métro: Château de Vincennes).

Similar the Bois de Boulogne, the park has plenty of other outdoor activities. You lot can rent bikes in front end of either of the ii large lakes or on the esplanade by the château or hire boats for rowing effectually the lake. At that place are several playgrounds, too as a farm (La Ferme de Paris), where children tin sentinel cows beingness milked and sheep being shorn on weekends (daily during school holidays). Thoroughbred racing fans can also bank check out the hippodrome (www.letrot.com).