Paris surely is one of the most beautiful cities I know. Its unique architecture and beautiful monuments make every locations super photogenic. But when March & April come, thousands of trees burst in different shades of white and pink, bathing my favorite city in my favorite color. As an art and photography lover myself, I’m putting here my favorite photography locations in Paris during spring. If you’re planning to visit the French capital soon, make sure to keep this guide with you while visiting !
Obviously, the blooming season depends widely on weather conditions. Unfortunately, there is no blossom calendar like it is done in Japan for the hanami (the tradition of viewing sakura blossoms). However, if you scout locations on Instagram where local bloggers will be eager to share the first bloom, you won’t miss the beginning of the season !
Blooming season usually starts with plums and magnolias, followed by the first cherry blossoms. Then the Kanzan cherry blossoms bloom, which are the fluffiest pink cherry blossoms you may find. In the Parc Monceau, you will find the first early cherry blossoms around late January, a delicate and pale pink blossom.
March
early-mid
- Champ de Mars (plums)
- Parc Monceau (plums, cherry blossoms)
mid-late
- Square René-Viviani (plums, magnolias) on the left bank side of the Seine, facing Notre-Dame de Paris. You will also find the oldest tree in Paris.
- Jardin du Palais-Royal (magnolias, daffodils), located in the middle of the former royal palace which now houses both the Ministry of Culture and the Constitutional Council. In the large inner courtyard, you can enjoy the blossoms surrounded by a mix of classical architecture with modern art pieces, columns by Daniel Buren, fountains, cafes and antiques shops. It is a really nice place to relax as soon as the first rays of the spring sun fall.
- Parc Monceau (plums, magnolias)
- Hôtel de Ville, river side (magnolias) with its garden Jardin des Combattants Espagnols de la Nueve. The garden is only open on weekends, but it has a truly charming couple of pink magnolias trees and lovely corners to sit and read a book under the blooms.
- Champs de Mars (magnolias) with a view on the Eiffel Tower.
late March – early April
- Jardin des Plantes and its white Mount Fuji cherry blossoms, the biggest cherry tree in the city.
- Odette (tall Bradford Pears), the charming bakery located near Notre-Dame Cathedral.
- Rue du Louvre (cherry blossoms)
- Parc Martin Luther King (cherry blossoms), a less-known parc in the 17th.
April
early-mid
The biggest and the most breathtaking period for the blooms is, definitely, April.
- Jardin des Plantes (cherry blossoms & Kanzan cherry blossoms*) is not only having the biggest cherry tree but also a lot of other types of blooms. You can be sure that something will always be blooming from late January on through May. As the park is very spacious, it is fun to visit and easier to photograph.
- Parc Monceau (Kanzan cherry blossoms*)
- Institut de France on the left bank side of the Seine river with its beautiful little garden Square Gabriel Pierné (Kanzan cherry blossoms*).
- Shakespeare and Company (Kanzan cherry blossoms*)
- Metro Falguière (Kanzan cherry blossoms*)
- Eglise de la Trinité (Kanzan cherry blossoms*) located near Saint-Lazare train station.
- Champ de Mars (Kanzan cherry blossoms*) : When the big fluffy clouds open in Trocadero Gardens, they offer a picture-perfect view of the Eiffel Tower and famous carousel. The place is also inundated by tourists even from the very early mornings as a lot of visitors come here for photo shootings. Champs de Mars has always been a must-see for any tourist visiting Paris, so expect big crowds especially during the blossoms, even if you visit it early.
- Cathédrale Notre-Dame Left bank side & Square Jean XXIII (Kanzan cherry blossoms*) : Nevertheless, for me, the best place to watch the cherry blossom would be Square Jean XXIII and the left-bank side of Notre Dame Cathedral. All the fluffy pink blossoms create a perfect canopy framing the cathedral perfectly.
N.B.: The cathedral is still under renovation following the tragic fire of April 2019 and the square is still closed until further notice. The cathedral is expected to reopen by the end of 2024.
mid-late
- Parc de Sceaux (Kanzan cherry blossoms), around 10km south of Paris : Those previous places are in full blooms almost at the same time. But the magic doesn’t end, as close to the end of April, a magical orchard of dozens of Kanzan cherry trees creates a pink haven . When in full bloom, it becomes the best place to enjoy a hanami, like they do everywhere in Japan. The peak bloom can be really early or really late so I suggest you keep an eye on the Kanzan cherry trees at Notre Dame, Champ de Mars etc as a gauge of when to travel to the park.
- Rue Chanoinesse (wisteria), draping the facade of the Vieux Paris café. Note: the wisterias got a little cut and are not flowering this year, 2023, but hopefully they will bloom again next year!
- Square Marcel Blanchet (wisteria), behind the Sacre-Coeur in Montmartre.
- Rue de Fourcy (wisteria), near St-Paul Cathedral.
- Grande Mosquée de Paris (wisteria), close to the Jardin des Plantes. It is open to visit everyday except Fridays and days of Muslim celebrations (3€). Please be quiet and respectful as this is above all a religious place.
- Port Debilly (wisteria), near Pont de Bir Hakeim. It is the only place with wisteria and the Eiffel Tower.
- Cité Florale (wisteria), rue des Glycines. It is a very quiet residential neighbourhood so be as quiet and respectful as you can towards the inhabitants if you go there.
These are my favorite photo spots to enjoy Spring in Paris. I hope that this little guide will help you taking beautiful pictures !
Please note that the Kanzan cherry blossoms with an * usually always bloom around the same time so be ready for a true pink dream!
Don’t forget to tag me in your stories and posts on Instagram if this article inspired you !
With love,
Marina
P.S.: Have a look at all of my seasonal Paris photography guides!
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Beautiful images and such a sweet guide ππ»β€οΈπ·β¨
Author
Thank you so much ! I hope that it will be useful for you πΈ
Canβt wait see all this myself! Thanks π for the detailed article! π
Author
Oh dear you’re welcome !
I feel like Paris is prettiest in the spring! These are some great spots! I had no idea Parc de Sceaux had cherry blossoms!
Author
Really ? It is the best place to admire the cherry blossoms near Paris!
Paris is beautiful, especially when itβs in bloom!
Lovely photos! π
Author
Thank you very much Amy!
I am a sucker for photos with flowers. I live near Amsterdam and every year I go to Keukenhof to enjoy the flowers. I also travel often to Paris but never took into consideration the blossoming of the flowers there! I love to have found your blog for that! Thanks!
Author
Thank you very much! So happy that I could help you a little! I’ve never been to the flower fields there but it’s on my list for next year!
I absolutely love all these photo spots! And, you have such amazing pictures π
Author
Thank you so much girl!
Wonderful post! I cannot wait to visit Paris when the flowers are blooming. It must be so pretty!
Author
It really is! I just love that there is so many places to enjoy spring to its fullest!
Where can someone do a photoshoot in a rose field ? they all seem to be private ?
Author
No you have some public gardens like the Jardin des Plantes or la Roseraie du Val de Marne π