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A stroll through the beautiful Tuileries Gardens is one of the must-dos of Paris. Before the Revolution this was a prime spot for the aristocracy to show off their latest fashions, and it remains a great place for people-watching.

These gardens were first laid out as part of the old Tuileries Palace, adjacent to the Louvre, which was built for Catherine de Médici in 1564 but burned down in the Paris Commune of 1871. André Le Nôtre redesigned them into formal French gardens in 1664, and they were opened to the public. At the Louvre end is the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, erected by Napoleon in 1808. Here is also the entrance to the underground shopping centre, the Carrousel du Louvre. Nearby, sensuous nude sculptures by Aristide Maillol (1861–1944) adorn the ornamental pools and walkways. At the far end is the hexagonal pool, the Jeu de Paume gallery and the Musée de l’Orangerie, famous for its giant canvases of Monet waterlilies.

These formal gardens were laid out in the 17th century as part of the old Palais de Tuileries and stretch along the Seine between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde. The walkways are lined with lime and chestnut trees, and there is a series of bronze figures by Aristide Maillol.

Parisians love this centrally located park, set around the Palais du Luxembourg. The sweeping terrace is a great place for people-watching, while locals sunbathe around the Octagonal Lake or sail toy boats in the water. Statues are dotted throughout the grounds, and there is a café (see Panthéon).

This 25-ha (60-acre) park is a swathe of green paradise on the very urban Left Bank. The formal gardens are set around the Palais du Luxembourg, with broad terraces circling the central octagonal pool. A highlight of the garden is the beautiful Fontaine de Médicis (see Molière Fountain). Many of the garden’s statues were erected during the 19th century, among them the monument to the painter Eugène Delacroix and the statue of Ste Geneviève, patron saint of Paris. There is also a children’s playground, open-air café, a bandstand, tennis courts, a puppet theatre and even a bee-keeping school.

Napoleon designated this the “garden of children”, and whether or not you have little ones in tow you’ll enjoy a walk through this favourite haunt of the Latin Quarter. After you’ve seen the octagonal pond and the Medicis Fountain, seek out the miniature Statue of Liberty and the statues of French queens.

An amusement park tucked away at the north end of the Bois de Boulogne, with roller coasters, pony rides, puppet shows and two children’s museums. On Wednesday and weekend afternoons, journey here on “le Petit Train”, a steam train from Porte Maillot.

The main children’s area of the Bois incorporates a small amusement park, a zoo with a farm and a pets’ corner, and a Herb Museum aimed especially at children.

These lovely gardens were once part of the Palais Royal, which now houses the State Council. They are surrounded by arcades which date from the late 18th century, and by an impressive modern pillar arrangement.