Our Top 5 Best Places for Fall Colors in Paris

Between the beginning of a new cultural season, the mild temperatures, and the relative lack of crowds, fall is the best time to visit Paris, if you ask us. All around town, trees burst into bright autumn colors as classmates meet-up for an apéro on the riverbanks after school. In the words of French writer Albert Camus, “Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower,” “L’automne est un deuxième printemps où chaque feuille est une fleur.” It’s truly a magical time to be in the City of Light.

To experience the best of the capital during this “second spring,” these are the five places we recommend for admiring the most amazing autumn leaves in Paris.

• L’Île aux Cygnes
• Père Lachaise & Montparnasse Cemeteries
• Parc Montsouris
• Bois de Vincennes
• Parc de Sceaux

1. L’Île aux Cygnes

Stretching from the Pont de Grenelle to the Pont Bir-Hakeim, the Île aux Cygnes is a small strip of an island ideal for an autumn amble along the Seine. If the beauty of the tree-lined path isn’t enough to entice you, this walk will also lead you to one of the Statues of Liberty in Paris and give you great views of the Eiffel Tower too. Learn more about this man-made marvel and why we love it.

2. Père Lachaise & Montparnasse Cemetery

Paris’s two largest cemeteries are stunning in fall. The contrast between the fiery leaves and the grey and beige headstones and mausoleums make for a beautiful setting perfect for snapping some photos or contemplating the circle of life. Both the Père Lachaise Cemetery in the east of Paris and the Montparnasse Cemetery in the south offer such scenes, however Père Lachaise does have a lot more hills (and stairs).

3. Parc Montsouris

This Parisian park doesn’t get nearly the attention it deserves, especially in autumn. Not only do the trees at Parc Montsouris turn the most magnificent array of colors, but the park’s lake acts as a mirror, giving you twice the amount of fall foliage. Rarely on visitors’ radars, the Parc Montsouris is on the city’s southern border in Paris’s 14th Arrondissement and was featured in the neighborhood’s vignette in the film Paris Je T’Aime – it’s while sitting on a bench in Parc Montsouris that Carol says she fell in love with Paris and that she felt Paris love her back.

More on Parc Montsouris

4. Bois de Vincennes

If you’re a nature lover but don’t want to venture too far from the city center, you can’t beat Bois de Vincennes. In fall, it’s bursting with beautiful colors and there are usually plenty of free park benches to sit down and admire the scenery. Along with lots of trails for walking, running, or cycling, there’s also a lake and a medieval château too. Need I say more?

Read why Jane recommends a visit to Bois de Vincennes.

5. Le Parc des Sceaux

Alright, so this one isn’t technically in Paris, but I did double up on #2…

To find this final fall must-see, take a quick ride on the RER B down south to the Parc de Sceaux stop. Here you’ll find the Parc de Sceaux, a true gem which is actually part of the grounds of a château. Imagine wide tree-lined avenues, a grand fountain, and rows of manicured lawns. The woods here burn orange in autumn and it’s one of the most-popular spots around Paris to capture the change of seasons – the Parc de Sceaux is a must in the spring too for its cherry blossom trees!

Wondering what else to do while in Paris in the fall? Here are the events not to miss!