Parc Montsouris

In the south of the city, this large English-style landscape park was created during the Second Empire as part of Haussmann's programme of new green spaces for Parisians. Its rolling lawns, winding paths and artificial lake, fed by cascades, spread across the site of former quarries and catacombs. Rare trees, a meteorological observatory and monuments dot the grounds, which long attracted artists living in the nearby Montparnasse quarter. The park offers sweeping views and a countrified retreat far from the tourist centre.