Square des Batignolles — Attraction in Paris

Square des Batignolles was created in the style of a landscape park, which seeks to imitate natural Nature, with a supreme harmony of chaotic balance, winding paths, lawns and water features, giving the impression that the area is almost untouched by man. The park was commissioned by Napoleon III and designed by Baron Haussmann, and realized by Jean-Charles Adolphe Alphand, with the assistance of the engineer Jean Darcel, the architect Gabriel Davioud and the horticulturist Jean-Pierre Barillet-Deschamps. The creation of the park dates back to the Second Empire, and it was established in 1862 on a site that was previously described as a "vast wasteland." Historically, the area was rural, with scattered farms, and in 1860, the Batignolles district was annexed to Paris. The name "Batignolles" may be derived from the Latin word "batillus" (meaning "mill") or the Provençal word "bastidiole" (meaning "small farmhouse"). The park is preserved in the style of Osman-Alphand, with characteristic bridges, plant-motif structures and artificial rocks. The park has a large pond fed by a natural stream that flows through the park. The pond is home to large red Japanese koi carp and over three hundred ducks of various species. In the center of the pond is the statue "Vautours" (Vultures) by Louis de Monard from 1930. The park also features a bust of the poet Léon Dierx (1838-1912) by Boni de Laverne, dating from 1932. The park is known for its diverse vegetation, including four hybrid sycamores (Platanus Hispanica) planted in 1840 and 1880, one of which reaches 5.90 m in girth and is one of the largest in Paris. Purple beech (Fagus sylvatica, Fagus purpurea), Gleditsia triacanthos from North America, Chinese willow 'Spiralis' (Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa'), Turkish hazel (Corylus colurna), ash trees with aucuba leaves (Fraxinus aucubaefolia), Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki), lemon also grow here. trifolia (Citrus limon) and young giant sequoia. There is a glassed pavilion that serves as a greenhouse for a tropical palm tree. The park is popular among families with children, as it features several playgrounds, sandboxes, swings, and a carousel with old-fashioned wooden horses. For adults, there are areas for playing petanque (boules). The park is mentioned in Yves Duteil's popular song "Les Batignolles" (1976). The park is open daily, with operating hours depending on the season. The park is considered a quiet and peaceful place, a refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city, with a picturesque stream, waterfall, and pond where you can watch ducks. Visitors sometimes have picnics, read, or simply relax on the benches. The park is appreciated for its historical atmosphere and botanical diversity. We discovered that there is an interesting exhibition at the entrance to the park, dedicated to French cinema and the Gaumont...

Small but friendly and family oriented parc. The Square des Batignolles, which covers 16,615 square metres (4 acres) of land, is the largest green space in the 17th arrondissement of Paris. Designed in the naturalistic English-garden style, it lies in the district (quartier) of Batignolles, near the new Parc Clichy-Batignolles. Until the early nineteenth century, the area was largely deserted countryside with a few scattered farms. The square was established under the Second Empire, at the request of Baron Haussmann, who fulfilled the desire of Napoleon III to establish several English-style gardens in the capital. Napoleon III had acquired a taste for the English garden during his exile in England, prior to 1848.

The Square des Batignolles was created by Jean-Charles Adolphe Alphand, assisted by the engineer, Jean Darcel, the architect, Gabriel Davioud, and the horticulturist, Jean-Pierre Barillet-Deschamps, on a tract of land that had been described as "a vast wasteland". This was the same team that had been assembled to design and execute the Bois de Boulogne on the western...

This square borrows elements from other Parisian parks (e.g. formed concrete water features also present at Parc des Buttes Chaumont) but contributes an element that is missing from Paris' other parks and gardens - wildlife! There is diversity of ducks that call the park home throughout the year, and some just pass through on their migratory journeys. The ducks enhance the appeal of the square, especially since they seem relatively contained to trundling creek and tiny pond. If you are young, or young at heart, it's a perfect place to stroll, relax, and delight in a tiny bit of nature in...