Jardin des Plantes, Paris

Nice and relaxing. Plenty of space for some good wandering. Nice cool spots for lounging on a hot summers day. You have to pay to get in the glass houses, but I guess you could look at that positively and say you don't have to pay to walk around the gardens. To be fair, I would have happily paid a reasonable price to get in. Plenty of options for refreshment. Sufficient toilets. In fact, I went in a very futuristic self cleaning toilet. I'd recommend it. The plants too.

This garden is quiet, green and very relaxing. You could spend a whole afternoon if not a day here. The plants are labeled so that you and your children could do easier research, or just know what they are. There are natural history and geology museums as well as a zoo. You can come here for a quick picnic (on the benches though, grass are fragile), relaxing, running or just walking. The plants are so dense that you hear no traffic or city sounds. Great for coming alone or with children.

The botanical gardens of Paris are always surprising, every day and every season of the year. There is always something to see. The zoo is so-so (we heard that the one in Vincennes is better), but the rest of the park is amazing and fun.

Very good pace to take a walk. Don't forget to go to the Alpine Garden. You can enter it for free, passing by underground tunnel from central zone. Also you can take a look at the cute red pandas and kangaroo right from free zone.

Walk through it coming back from the museum. They have little flower gardens and french style walkways with benches on the sides. Very nice in the summer