The other night, I went on a run around Parc Montsouris which is located across from the Cite-Universitaire. I fell in love with it after one visit! Wanting to find out more information about it, I decide to look up its history. The park was created during the Haussmannization of Paris in 1869. Because Haussmann wanted to create more green space for Parisians, he planned for there to be parks in the four cardinal points of Paris: the bois de Boulogne in the West, the Buttes-Chaumont in the North, the bois de Vincennes in the East, and the Parc Montsouris in the South.
The park has witnessed a lot of history over it’s years! It was built over an old stone quarry that was filled with a maze of abandoned mining tunnels. And those tunnels were filled with skeletons because it was part of the catacombs. Before the park could be built, 800 human skeletons had to be removed! The park served as a secret meeting place for figures involved in the Dreyfus Affair. Also, one of the park’s bronze statue was melted down by the Germans during their occupation of Paris in 1942.
After walking around the park, I noticed that we have nothing like this in the United States and I wish we did. We are lucky when our parks contain a rusty jungle gym and a weather worn picnic bench; nobody wants to visit a place like that! So here is a list of reasons why I think this park is so fabulous. Maybe the US can adopt some of these ideas into their parks!
1. Public Art: everywhere you look, there is a statue that celebrates a famous figure or event in French history. And sometimes the statues are there for the sake of art. They were even near play grounds!
2. There are lots of benches. No one will have to experience an awkward encounter with a stranger at the other end of the bench because you will most likely have a bench all to yourself!
3. There are lights everywhere which provides safety at night. At home in Virginia, my local park does not have any lights because you are suppose to feel like you are out in the countryside. Instead, this makes me feel uncomfortable, so I try to avoid the park at night.
4. There are public restrooms…need I say more?!
5. There are playgrounds in every corner of the park and they are all different. This will keep the children preoccupied for a long time while you enjoy a nice relaxing afternoon reading in the park.
6. Water in Paris is very accessible and the park is no different. I counted at least four water fountains.
7. The park is done in an English style which allows for many hills and the feeling of discovery every time you round a new corner.
8. Every part of the park is shaded. There are about 150 different species of trees in the park. And there are over 1,400 trees!
9. There are three different restaurants in the park, so you will never go hungry.
10. There are public gardens that people can plant in.
11. Every year, the park gets a new theme. This year it is the four elements: air, water, earth, and fire. So each corner of the park is a different element. The flowers are the color of their element.
12. And…there is free WIFI!!!!!!!!
