A vast expanse in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, accessible by Metro via the Porte de la Villette and Porte de Pantin stations, La Villette Park was built in the 1980s on a former abattoir site and is one of the capital's biggest parks with its 55 hectares, including 35 green spaces. The peaceful Ourcq Canal runs through this immense expanse, which is ideal for walks, cycle rides, rollerblading and boating. Located to the south-west of the park, the large La Villette Lake has a water sports centre where you can not only practise sports activities such as canoe-kayak and sailing, but also go on electric boat rides and cruises on the Ourcq Canal.
As well as its pleasant green spaces, La Villette Park also contains many cultural establishments, making it the biggest urban cultural park in Paris! Modern architecture, exhibition venues and concert halls sit alongside the vast, verdant lawns that are highly prized by lovers of relaxation. A centre for scientific and technical culture, the famous City of Science and Industry groups together many exhibition and entertainment spaces for children and adults alike, as well as more unusual attractions like the planetarium and the Geode, with its impressive 360° cinema that offers an amazing spectacle!
With a focus on music, La Villette Park also includes the famous Paris Zénith concert hall, which needs no introduction, and the Paris Philharmonie. Designed by the renowned architects Christian de Portzamparc and Jean Nouvel, the latter has a wide range of events to make musical culture accessible to the general public. As well as its concert halls and spaces for education and temporary exhibitions, the Philharmonie also contains a music museum, displaying a collection of around 1,000 instruments and art objects to the public.
For film buffs, the free outdoor film festival that takes place in summer, from mid-July to mid-August in the Triangle field at La Villette Park, attracts growing crowds every year.
