With heatwaves continuing to spread across France, it ‘s more than ever a good idea to take refuge in a shady corner of the city. In Paris, there’s no shortage of green spots: from hidden gardens to bucolic, fairy-tale settings… You’ll be spoilt for choice. If you’re looking for a real change of scene, we’ve found Europe’s largest Japanese garden. And surprise, it’s just 2 hours 30 minutes by train from Paris.
France’s largest Japanese garden is 2 h 30 from Paris
No, you’re not dreaming: this magnificent 12-hectare Japanese garden is actually in France. A veritable plant masterpiece, it exudes a Zen-like, soothing atmosphere. The care taken with the plants and decorations literally plunges you into the land of the rising sun. The Parc oriental de Maulévrier is directly inspired by the traditional Japanese gardens of the Edo period. It features over 400 species of trees and flowers, carefully pruned to give them the unique shape so characteristic of this type of green space. It’s a feast for the eyes, changing with the seasons and never tiring.
Created in the 20th century by Alexandre Marcel for the industrialist René Bergère, the park underwent a long period of neglect before being restored in 1980. As in all Japanese gardens, all the fundamental elements are present to balance the whole: water, rocks, trees, flowers, lanterns… it’s all here! You’ll spend hours admiring the pruned bonsai trees, the magnificent bridges and torii or the koi carp swimming in the central pond.
An absolutely marvellous garden just outside Nantes, about 2 hours 30 minutes by train from Paris. Frankly, it’s worth the detour just to get away from it all, isn’t it?
Location: Place de la Mairie, Maulévrier, Pays De La Loire, France 49360
Journey time: approx. 2 h 30 from Paris by train to Nantes, then 1 h to Maulévrier