Parc de l'Orangerie

The Parc de l'Orangerie is the oldest and best-known public park in Strasbourg, a green expanse of about 25 hectares on the northeast side of the city, beside the European quarter where the European Parliament and the Council of Europe stand. It is a place where locals walk, jog and picnic, and where families come to see the storks, which are the symbol of Alsace and which nest in the park's tall trees in spring and summer. The park is free to enter, with long opening hours through the day, and a visit of one to three hours is typical.

The layout goes back to the French formal garden tradition. The site was the subject of a plan attributed to the great garden designer André Le Nôtre, who had worked at Versailles, and the park was laid out in the early nineteenth century. It takes its name from an orangery, a building where orange trees were kept in winter, in keeping with the fashion for such collections in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. In 1804, the park was inaugurated in the presence of the Empress Joséphine, who visited Strasbourg with Napoleon, and the Pavillon Joséphine, the elegant reception building at the centre of the park, was built for the occasion and named after her. It is now used for receptions and events, and from the outside it gives an idea of the elegant tastes of the First Empire.

The park has wide, tree-lined avenues, lawns and flower beds, and a large ornamental lake where visitors can hire a rowing boat in summer. The landscaping has been varied over time, and the parts nearer the lake follow the English style, with winding paths and groves, while the area near the pavilion remains formal. Among the old trees, you find plane trees, lime trees and chestnuts, which turn colour in autumn. Modern sculptures are placed around the grounds, and seasonal displays of flowers add colour. There is a small zoo, which is free to visit, with farm animals, birds and other small species, along with a playground for younger children, which makes the park popular with families.

It is also a place to see the European institutions from a distance, and the Palais de l'Europe and the Parliament are within easy walking distance. The tram line makes it easy to reach from the centre.

The park suits families, joggers, picnickers and anyone who wants to rest after the sights of the old town. Spring, when the storks are on their nests and the trees are in leaf, and autumn are the best seasons. The Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, the Petite France and the Place Kléber are about a twenty-minute walk or short tram ride away.