Parc des Buttes-Chaumont

The picturesque Buttes-Chaumont, laid out under Napoléon III in the 1860s, is what the French call an "English-style" garden, that is rolling lawns, mature trees and grottoes rather than gravel paths and avenues. I adore its mixture of natural and fake - it was created on the site of old gypsum quarries, in part dynamited away to create a lake and craggy island with a classical temple on the top (modelled on Tivoli in Rome) with wonderful views over Paris, and a cave complete with manmade stalactites. You'll find all the facilities of a good local park too, with puppet shows, pony rides and playgrounds for kids, tea room and restaurant.