Walking tour in the Ile Saint-Germain departmental park

Located a few kilometres from the capital and accessible by transport by RER, tram or bus, this small walking route allows you to enjoy a moment of relaxation in the open air with the children.
Located on the Seine between the towns of Boulogne-Billancourt and Issy-les-Moulineaux, Isle Saint-Germain offers its visitors and residents a haven of peace and quiet. With its green spaces and architectural elements, this walk is a real discovery of nature and the protection of sensitive areas for the whole family.

An island of nature and gardens

The attraction of the Île Saint-Germain for Sunday walks began at the beginning of the 19th century and has not diminished since. At the time, the area was ideal for all kinds of activities, including outdoor games, swimming and canoeing, all within a stone's throw of Paris. Nowadays, it offers a space for reconnecting with nature with its large lawns punctuated by wooded areas and landscaped paths.

As you walk through the park, discover its various gardens. Start with the discovery garden with its ecological pond and its organic vegetable garden where you can teach your children the names of the different plants.
Then come to the Lavender Garden and its delicate scents, the Unforeseen Gardens to meet the small and very small inhabitants of the pond: frogs, newts, mallard ducks and also bees.
The enclosed gardens and their organisation contrast with the wilder vegetation of the garden des messicoles and the variety of its flora.
The anterior garden with its fruit trees recalls the historical past of the island, which was once the property of the abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
All these horticultural discoveries and a variety of ecosystem-friendly layouts have enabled the park to be awarded the Eve® label, "ecological plant space".

A walk between leisure and culture

The itinerary takes you around this island along the banks of the Seine to allow you to appreciate all the beauties and viewpoints of the river, its vegetation and its moored barges, but also the works of modern architecture which offer a contrast with the surrounding nature.

On the downstream side of the island stands the famous Tour aux figures, an unusual creation in reinforced concrete by Jean Dubuffet. At the other end of the island is the "beached boat" (or ship) by Jean Nouvel, recognisable by its oblong structure which may remind one of a ship with a rusty metal structure.

During the walk, children can take advantage of the play areas, table tennis tables and the spider web structure to exercise before or after enjoying a picnic lunch on the lawns. The little ones can even enjoy a show by the puppet theatre.
A great way to spend a full day, weather permitting.