Picnic on The Point

On the western tip of Île de la Cité you’ll find Square du Vert-Galant, a small laid-back park smack dab in the centre of busy Paris.

This cute park is home to chestnut, yew, black walnut and weeping willow trees and is accessed by the mid-span stairs of Pont Neuf (or New Bridge – which is actually the city’s oldest).

Fun fact: according to the Paris Visitors Bureau, the park was “erected in tribute to Henri IV and his numerous mistresses”.

After intending to picnic there for several years, but never finding the time, I finally did just that during my last trip in May.

I grabbed a sandwich from Così, and made the short walk over to the park. I considered taking a seat on one of the available benches, but remembered the weeping willow at the tip of the island and decided to head there instead.

Here’s a photo I took from a river cruise. See the tip of the island sticking out from under the weeping willow? That’s where I scored a spot, and it was perfect!

It turned out to be the most popular area but I luckily found a spot to sit and enjoy my late lunch while watching the world (and ducks) go by.

Where are your favourite picnic spots in Paris? Share them below in the comments.

Bonne journée!

Marla