Parc de Bercy (Le)Another fabulous new park!
Address: rue Paul-Belmondo - BP9 75012 - 12th Arrondissement Paris
Nearest Bus or Train:Cour Saint-Emilion
Open Hours:Autumn, Winter, Spring: 7.30a-sunset M-F, 8.30a-sunset Sa-Su, Summer: 7.30a-9.30p M-F, 8.30a-9.30p Sa-Su
Until its decline in the 1960s, the area now covered by the Parc de Bercy was the bustling centre for wine importation and storage in Paris. Wine arrived by barge and by train; the rails of the latter can still be seen in what are now the pathways of the park. The long-abandoned warehouses have been replaced by a neat garden, with wide lawns at one end and lines of plants, including a small vineyard, in the centre. Landscaped hills, with fountains and ponds, manage to make the bizarre architecture of the nearby Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy (Paris-Bercy Multipurpose Sports Arena) a little less of an eyesore. In order that the illustrious history of the spot not be forgotten, there is a little exhibition telling the story of wine in Paris. The Maison du Jardinage (Gardening Centre) is in the Parc de Bercy.
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