Two More Favorite Parks: Montsouris and Sceaux

Your guide's favorite parks in Paris are the Buttes-Chaumont mentioned earlier, plus Parc Montsouris and Parc de Sceaux. She introduced Buttes-Chaumont first because of the route, but all three are so dear to her that she can't rank them.

Parc Montsouris is about a 10-minute tram ride from Montheb. It's visited mostly by Parisians rather than tourists. Many people come alone to read, while others come with friends or family. Being close to home, it's the park she has visited most. The first time she saw it, it reminded her of the hill from Teletubbies. If Buttes-Chaumont is the hot spot, Montsouris is modest but friendly, like a hangout near home. For a truly Parisian experience, she recommends a picnic at Montsouris.

Parc de Sceaux lies in the southern suburbs, so you need to take the RER. It isn't easy to reach, but it's a park she really recommends. Step inside and you feel cut off from the outside world, immersed in nature. It's like a small Versailles, but calm rather than ornate, which she prefers. Calm doesn't mean there's little to see or that it's small. Befitting its "little Versailles" nickname, it's huge, and the Grand Canal and the trees lining it give it a grand feel. At roughly 181 hectares, it's a vast park. Another reason she loves it is the trees: there are many very tall ones, which add to the sense of seclusion. Many cherry trees are planted too, so people come for blossom viewing in spring.

She enters through the gate near La Croix de Berny station. Since it's outside the city, tickets you've already bought for the metro won't work; you need to buy a separate ticket for the suburbs, from the same metro ticket machines. A Navigo pass works too. There are no supermarkets nearby, so bring snacks.