Paris is arguably the best place to have an outdoor workout. You couldn't have asked for a more beautiful city than the French capital. Home to several iconic landmarks, living here almost feels like you're inside an encyclopedia or a history textbook. Now, imagine if you could exercise outside too! You could go jogging along the Seine River, for example, and embrace its serenity. Play sports in Bois de Boulogne, one of the city's biggest parks, and relish in its botanical bliss. If you want to work out in Parc des Buttes-Chaumont instead, know that you'll be surrounded by such fairytale-like nature all around.
Seine River
No, this doesn't mean you can swim in the Seine River. It's not exactly the cleanest river, so it's not entirely safe to swim there. You can, however, go running along the banks of the Seine. It's a great place to jog no matter the time of day, though the best is during the early morning when there aren't that many people. Since the river spans many
neighborhoods in Paris, you can run for miles and miles and see many of the city's iconic landmarks at the same time. You couldn't have asked for a better place to go jogging!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Canal St. Martin
While Canal St. Martin in the
10th arrondissement isn't as popular as the Seine, it's still a great spot for an outdoor workout in Paris. Much like the more famous river, Canal St. Martin has scenic banks where you can run, do aerobics, go cycling, and more. The best part about it is that it's not that well-known of a place, which means there are fewer people here compared to other parts of the city. The canal's scenery is unmatched too, especially during autumn when the colorful fall foliage turns the entire place into a postcard.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Joséphine Baker Swimming Pool
Naturally, the best time to exercise outside in Paris is either spring or summer. Spring might just be a bit too cold for comfort for a lot of you, so you'd likely prefer summer instead. But don't underestimate the city's summer heat too! The French capital still gets too hot at times, especially during the peak of summer which is around July. So what do you do when you want to work out but still survive the Paris heatwave? Go swimming! Head to the
most famous place to swim in Paris, the Joséphine Baker Swimming Pool floating on the Seine River. It's an Olympic-sized pool in a scenic part of the French capital.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Jardin du Luxembourg
After
moving to Paris and having spent a couple of months here, you would've already noticed that most Parisians work out in the parks. Among the best of the bunch is Jardin du Luxembourg in the
6th arrondissement, one of the city's most beautiful parks. With a Rococo palace on one end and well-manicured lawns with beautiful flower beds on the other, it's one of the most picturesque spots in the French capital. Since it's a huge green space, there are a lot of exercises you can do here too. You can go jogging, aerobics, yoga, or even play sports with your friends.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Parc de la Villette
One look at Parc de la Villette in the
19th arrondissement and you'd think this park was made specifically for people to exercise outside. With its level, expansive lawns, the sky's the limit to how you can work out here. You can jog, do aerobics, do yoga, play sports, go cycling, and more. During summertime, the city also sets up the
Paris Plages near the Bassin de la Villette. These are make-shift man-made beaches that help locals stay cool during the hottest months of the year. They're perfect for playing beach volleyball and swimming, among many others.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Parc des Buttes-Chaumont
If you're the type to exercise in a quieter area, even when you're outside in Paris, you can always escape to Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. Located in the
19th arrondissement at the northeastern edge of the city, it's practically a world away from the bustling French capital. The park itself is an expansive green space with glimpses of the
French countryside, perfect for working out in peace. Much like the other parks on this list, you can do practically anything and everything you want to maintain your fitness here. At the same time, Parc des Buttes-Chaumont exudes a fairytale-like beauty unlike any other.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
The best way to work out in Paris is to do it outdoors. The city has a treasure trove of great exercise spots where you can maintain your fitness while relishing in the historic beauty and storybook romance of the French capital.
