Buttes-Chaumont was created in 1867 from an old gypsum quarry during the period when Paris was being transformed. It took a gardener, an architecture and an engineer to make the park, in part because of the way water runs through it.
The park is on a hilly area, as you can see from the picnickers in this photo. It is cleverly designed with a waterfall the cascades down the hill to the pond. Along the way there is an artificial brook that the kids play in when its hot, which it was the day we were there.
There are trails around the park. The bridge in the photo is a walking bridge.
From the pond side, you can see the remains of this quarry, now turned into something quite magical, complete with the Temple of Sybille, a replica of a temple in Rome on this hill.
From the temple (I trudged all the way up there), you can see Montmartre in the distance.
The park is currently being refurbished with new plantings that will do well without a lot of daily care and work on the water system.
We had our picnic lunch by the pond. As the afternoon wore on, more and more people came to the park. The atmosphere was happy and yet relaxed. Families with children, like the ones playing in the brook and many more played about or wtried fishing in the pond (it has very big carp, but they are each to catch), teenagers hung out with their friends, old folks sat on benches and chatted together. The park has a full restaurant where we stopped for drink before leaving and several small stands for ice cream and, believe it or not, hotdogs! It was a relaxing and charming day to be out and about in Paris.
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