Wood of Vincennes

Vilcena, a royal estate

 

In the XIIth century, numerous abbeys - in particular the one belonging to the "Bonshommes" order of monks, situated on the site of the current Lac des Minimes - were dotted around the estate which was a royal hunting reserve.

 

In 1183, to put an end to the seizure of the forest by the monks, Philippe-Auguste enclosed it by thick walls which were to preserve it until the Revolution and built a manor which was reconstructed under Saint-Louis.

 

The building of a strong castle with a dungeon which is still visible, was begun by Philippe VI, followed by Jean le Bon and was finally completed under Charles V in 1370. The enclosure and the chapel were only completed under François I.

Most of the kings of France played a part in constructing the royal estate at Vincennes.

 

During the One Hundred Years War, and continuously during periods of upheaval, the forest served as a source of firewood for Parisians.

 

A parade ground

 

Louis XI and Henri II ordered the planting of new vegetation.

With the advent of the Sun King, the court moved to Versailles, abandoning Vincennes. Louis XIV extended the park and built pavilions for the King and Queen.

 

In the XVIIIth century, Vincennes was transformed. The "beloved" Louis XV opened the parks to the public. Avenues and roundabouts were created to facilitate traffic and hunting.

 

When the Grand Parc and the Parc de Beauté were joined, an obelisk was erected in the center where the nine roads converge in a star shape.

 

The addition of the Gravelle terrace in 1738 regrettably brought an end to this prosperous period.

During the Revolution, the park, having been proclaimed national property, was pillaged.

 

In 1794, the development of the artillery zone marked the commencement of the army's presence in Vincennes contributing to the disfiguring of the castle and the drastic reduction of the parkland.

 

Under the First Empire, the castle, now in a poor state of repair, was turned into an arsenal.

 

It became an annex of a new fort built in the east of Paris. A large area of the park was used as a parade ground.

A landscaped park

 

After developing the Bois de Boulogne, Napoléon III thought up a similar scheme for the Bois de Vincennes.

 

Between 1857 and 1860, a landscaped park was created with vast lawns connected by winding paths with flower beds and groves. The layout of the whole park with its clusters of tall trees and wide paths was preserved. A series of lakes, straddled by bridges and flanked with chalets was added giving rise to the Lac des Minimes and its three islands, the Lac de Saint-Mandé built on the site of a former fish pond and the Lac de Gravelle which is situated on a peak is the source for the others.

 

 

In 1860, the management of the forest was transferred to the City of Paris with the addition notably of the Lac Daumensil and its two islands and then the butte de Gravelle. The latter, like most of the forest, came out of the war of 1870 damaged and some dark years followed.

 

After the Second Empire new military installations were erected at the Cartoucherie, and the Carnot cavalry quarters were constructed in front of the esplanade.

 

 

The People's Park

 

After the lands were liberated in 1945 by the army, they were relandscaped (Parc Floral de Paris) or planted with essences typical of the Ile-de-France. In order to return the park to its original purpose over 140 hectares were reforested with 145,000 trees.

 

In 1980, thirty kilometres of roads were closed to traffic.

 

The Allée Royale was rebuilt along the course of the royal hunts of Louis XV.

 

There are many opportunities to enjoy the open air - footpaths, cycles tracks, riding tracks and numerous rambling tracks which cut across the forest.

 

The parks is also enlivened by the many areas for relaxation, leisure, cultural and sporting activities.

 

Further pleasures include the Jardin Tropical, the Buddhist and Tibetan temples, the Musée des Arts Africans et Océaniens (Museum of African and Oceanic Art) with its aquarium, the zoo, the Cartoucherie Theatre, the Paris-Nature area and the Parc Floral.

 

As the capital's biggest park, the Bois de Vincennes marked the growth of Paris and of the Ile-de-France region in an easterly direction.

 

Address :

Portes de Vincennes, Dorée
75012 - PARIS

Locate on the map :

Metro : Porte Dorée