You never thought that skate culture would ever infiltrate Paris, did you? The French capital is just so beautiful, romantic, and historic that skaters running amuck here just doesn't feel right. Nevertheless, they do still have their own places in the city. From Parc de Bercy and Palais de Tokyo courtyard to Espace Glisse de Paris and Rue Léon Cladel, there's a surprisingly good number of skate parks in Paris. And they're all as cool as you'd expect. In these awesome spaces, skaters can have the time of their lives doing what they love!
Parc de Bercy
Truth be told, Parc de Bercy is far from the most famous and
most beautiful parks in Paris. It's a pretty pleasant green space for the most part, but nothing to write home about. Located in Bercy, one of the
lesser-known neighborhoods in Paris, it's a nice place for locals to hang out and take a breather. Or for skaters to go all out! Though it may not be famous as a park, Parc de Bercy is pretty popular as one of the best and biggest Paris skate parks. Spanning 800 square meters, it offers enough space for skaters to do all sorts of stunts. And the street art is a nice touch too!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ AHert
Place de la République
Positioned at the heart of various
arrondissements in Paris, Place de la République is a pretty central hotspot in the city. It's famous for its Marianne statue, the embodiment of France herself. This is perhaps her grandest appearance, both in Paris and the rest of the country. As such, the public square is often the site of political rallies, protests, and demonstrations as well. This is where people go to get their voices heard, especially by the government. And when that's not happening, Place de la République also serves as another Paris skate park. There are no ramps and half-pipes here, but that doesn't stop the Parisian skaters to take over the plaza!
Source: Flickr.com/ francis mckee
Didn't think you'd see Palais de Tokyo on this list, did you? Serving as Europe's largest contemporary art museum, the place seems too high-brow to ever let skateboard culture take over. But of course, that never stopped such a rebellious group from skating here anyway! Don't worry! They don't skate inside! They do it mostly on the marble courtyard of the museum. It's even become a popular hangout for local skaters. And they go wild even when tourists are visiting the place. Despite how crowded it can get, they don't want to miss skating amidst such great views of the Seine River and the Eiffel Tower!
Source: Palais de Tokyo
Espace Glisse de Paris
Espace Glisse de Paris in the
18th arrondissementt is the biggest skate park in Paris. Covering a whopping 3,000 square meters, there's no better place for skates to do their thing than here. At the very least, they get to skate without anyone else getting in the way. Many of the other Paris skate parks on this list aren't technically skate parks. In fact, a few are pretty popular tourist spots that thousands visit almost every single day. They're not exactly the most suitable for skaters to really display their skills, even when the public is watching. But here in Espace Glisse de Paris? This is their home!
Source: Espace Glisse de Paris/ EGP18 Facebook Page
SkatePark des Fougères
SkatePark des Fougères is a vast open space where the most skilled skaters show off their skills. There's no roof above the skate park, making it one of the best hotspots for when you want to skate under the sun. And since the ramps here are fairly low, it's perfect for beginners to have their hand at skating. That is if they can survive amidst the crazy stunts that more experience skaters make here. Every summer, the local skaters take over SkatePark des Fougères, practically leaving no area open for beginners and little kids. This is their territory!
Source: Projet SkatePark Fougères Facebook Page
Rue Emile Lepeu
Rue Emile Lepeu isn’t exactly a popular spot in Paris. At first glance, it doesn't seem much, but when you further into the area, you'll find one of the coolest Paris skate parks! A major standout with its blue color scheme, it's a clean and clear area where skaters can feel right at home. All day long, they'll do the stunts and defy death again and again. And the best part? The area is safe enough for kids to have some fun too. In summer, the little ones who got bit by the skateboard bug will be hanging out here every single day!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Chabe01
Rue Léon Cladel
Located in the
2nd arrondissement, Rue Léon Cladel isn't that much of a skate park. In fact, it's really just a series of elongated half-pipe ramps in the middle of the street. Not that impressive, sure, but still lots of fun. Amidst such grand Haussmann buildings, Parisians get to show off their stunts to anyone passing by. Though it's in the middle of the street, the skate park is positioned well enough that the skaters aren't in the way. People catching a glimpse of all the action might even be more of a bother than anything else!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Chabe01
Paris skateparks are the places to be if you want to get into skateboard culture. You'd be surprised at how many Parisians and even tourists hang out here. They show a side of Paris that's new, edgy, and oh-so-cool!
