Bois de Boulogne is the huge parkland on the western edge of Paris, larger than New York's Central Park and one of the city's main escapes from stone and traffic. Its lakes, wooded paths, gardens, and riding routes make it feel more like a landscaped forest than a formal city park.
The best visits are purposeful: row on the Lac Inferieur, walk the quieter paths, or combine it with the museums and gardens around the 16th arrondissement. After dark the atmosphere changes, and it is not the place for a casual late-night stroll.