Parc de la Villette

Montmartre & Northern Paris

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Spanning 55 hectares, this vast city park is a cultural centre, kids playground and landscaped urban space at the intersection of two canals, the Ourcq and the St-Denis. Its futuristic layout includes the colossal mirror-like sphere of the Géode cinema and the bright-red cubical pavilions known as folies. Among its themed gardens are the Jardin du Dragon (Dragon Garden), with a giant dragon’s tongue slide for kids, Jardin des Dunes (Dunes Garden) and Jardin des Miroirs (Mirror Garden).

Events are staged in the wonderful old Grande Halle (formerly a slaughterhouse – the Parisian cattle market was located here from 1867 to 1974), Le Zénith, the Cabaret Sauvage, the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse, and the Cité de la Musique – Philharmonie de Paris complex.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Wide shot of Eiffel Tower with blue sky, Paris, France.

    Eiffel Tower

    5 MILES

    There are different ways to experience the Eiffel Tower, from a daytime trip or an evening ascent amid twinkling lights, to a meal in one of its…

  • Paris, France - August 13, 2016: The Pompidou Centre is a complex building in the Beaubourg area of the 4th arrondissement. It houses the Public Information Library and the museum of Modern art.

    Centre Pompidou

    2.9 MILES

    Home to Europe's largest collection of modern and contemporary art, Centre Pompidou has amazed and delighted visitors ever since it opened in 1977, not…

  • MARCH 16, 2017: a stained glass window inside the Sainte Chapelle church.

    Sainte-Chapelle

    3.39 MILES

    Visit Sainte-Chapelle on a sunny day when Paris’ oldest, finest stained glass (1242–48) is at its dazzling best. The chapel is famous for its stained…

  • September 2016 - Paris, France- Le Louvre museum in daytime

    Musée du Louvre

    3.34 MILES

    It isn’t until you’re standing in the vast courtyard of the Louvre, with its glass pyramid and ornate façade, that you can truly say you’ve been to Paris.

  • Skulls and bones in Paris Catacombs

    Les Catacombes

    4.96 MILES

    It’s gruesome, ghoulish and downright spooky, but it never fails to captivate visitors. In 1785, the subterranean tunnels of an abandoned quarry were…

  • Grounds of Rodin Museum sculpture garden.

    Musée Rodin

    4.29 MILES

    Even if you're not an art lover, it is worth visiting this high-profile art museum to lose yourself in its romantic gardens.

  • JULY 30, 2012: Model sailing boats in the pool in front of Luxembourg Palace in Luxembourg Gardens.

    Jardin du Luxembourg

    4.03 MILES

    This famous inner-city oasis of formal terraces, chestnut groves and lush lawns has a special place in Parisians' hearts. 

  • PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 08, 2016 : French Mausoleum of Great People of France - the Pantheon in Paris. France.; Shutterstock ID 573291478; Your name (First / Last): Daniel Fahey; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Panthéon POI

    Panthéon

    3.91 MILES

    Elegant and regal in equal measure, the massive neoclassical dome of the Left Bank's iconic Panthéon is an icon of the Parisian skyline. Louis XV…

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Nearby Montmartre & Northern Paris attractions

1. Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie

0.11 MILES

Paris' top museum for kids has a host of hands-on exhibits for children aged two and up, the special-effects cinema La Géode, a planetarium and a retired…

2. Philharmonie de Paris

0.35 MILES

Silver birds flutter across the dazzling metal façade of Paris' futuristic Philharmonic, a striking piece of contemporary architecture within the Cité de…

3. Musée de la Musique

0.42 MILES

Inside the Cité de la Musique building within the Cité de la Musique – Philharmonie de Paris complex that also includes the Philharmonie de Paris, this…

4. Le 104

0.88 MILES

A funeral parlour turned city-funded alternative art space, Le 104 is a hive of activity. It essentially supports and encourages young artists, and a…

5. L'Aerosol

0.99 MILES

Street art is showcased at this cavernous museum inside a former SNCF freight railway station. French and international artists here include Mr Chat,…

6. Parc des Buttes Chaumont

1.01 MILES

Buttes Chaumont is one of the city’s largest green spaces, with landscaped slopes hiding grottoes, waterfalls, a lake and even an island topped with a…

7. Ben art work

1.54 MILES

In 1993 iconic Niçois artist Ben set to work on one wall of a red-brick building overlooking rue de Belleville. Look up to spot two men appearing to be…