Less than an hour from the capital, an incredible ever-changing green space offers an enchanting escape from the hustle and bustle of Paris. Spanning more than 9,000 square meters, this park specializing in Japanese art and culture offers a totally different experience, as well as a varied cultural program all year round.
This immense Japanese garden near Paris is a wonderful haven of peace
The brainchild of a single woman in 2021, the Japanese gardens of Favières are one of the best nature getaways near Paris. With five traditional theme parks, each honoring a facet of Japanese culture, each visit is a sensory voyage of discovery. Here, you can stroll, rejuvenate, meditate and relax, enjoying the rare peace and quiet that can be reached in less than an hour from the City of Light.
An idea that had been brewing for several years, Sandrine Milic ‘s dream of creating her own garden is now a reality. The landscape gardener specializing in Japanese arts inaugurated her own green space in 2021, on a recently acquired 18,000 square metre plot. Pond with dragon gate, shishi odoshi, tea garden: very quickly, the first elements began to blossom here and there in this green space, until it became the lovely park we know today.
Here, the visit takes the form of a leisurely stroll through 5 distinct gardens divided into different themes. Each is planted in its own way and designed according to a distinct aesthetic, but the Zen spirit is common to all. A small stone lantern, aesthetically arranged boulders or raked gravel beaches: all the attributes of the land of the rising sun are present in pleasant harmony. All of this, of course, populated by magnificent, lush flora including chrysanthemums, azaleas and even cherry trees!
Although still relatively young, the garden is constantly evolving, which is why no two visits there will be alike! While there are no good or bad times to visit, the Japanese gardens at Favières open their doors free of charge as part of the European Heritage Days, a great opportunity to discover them.
📍Location: Jardins japonais de Favières – 10, chemin de la Belle-Épine, Favières 77220
🚇 Access: from Paris, take the RER A to Tournan-en-Brie, then bus 2292 to the “Place” stop.