Our 10 favorite parks and gardens in Strasbourg

Map of Strasbourg’s parks

We’ve listed the parks and gardens in Strasbourg here. If you’re looking for green spaces outside the city, check out our article on our favorite walking spots around Strasbourg.

1. Orangery Park

Situated next to the European institutions in the chic Orangerie district, this 26-hectare park is the largest near the city center and one of Strasbourg’s favorite parks. The Parc de l’Orangerie is the place to be for joggers, families, street performers and yoga enthusiasts.

The downside is that it’s a bit crowded at weekends. I still come here regularly – by bike, along the Quai des Belges – to read in the grass. On the way, you can also borrow a book from the self-service book hut and, of course, make a compulsory stop at the Franchi ice cream parlour at both entrances to the Park.

It’s also the one I prefer for my running, with lots of little alleys and things to see. This elegant English garden is dotted with numerous works of art, rose gardens, old and new buildings such as the Josephine Pavilion (1807) in honor of the Empress, and half-timbered houses, one of which houses the Burehiesel gourmet restaurant (1895).

It’s a family park where you can stretch your legs on foot or by bike, and often rhymes with a Sunday or romantic stroll. With its many playgrounds and vintage car circuit, it’s the ideal park for a picnic followed by a game of pétanque or a canoe trip on the lake. And it’s particularly beautiful in spring when the magnolias are in bloom and the storks are putting on a show!

2. University of Strasbourg Botanical Garden

For strolling, lounging or reading by the central pool, the Jardin Botanique is a bubble of calm and freshness in the heart of the Esplanade district. Too bad it’s only open in the afternoon from 2pm.

This garden is fairly close to the town center (approx. 20 min walk from the Cathedral) is very pleasant and refreshing in summer when the vegetation is dense. Created in 1619, the botanical garden boasts almost 6,000 plant species spread over 3.5 hectares. Both relaxing and educational.

I have a great passion for small urban jungles and trees with XXL leaves, so don ‘t miss the tropical greenhouse, a steam room containing 450 exotic species. To get to the Jardin Botanique, take the Quai des Bateliers, a really nice and interesting walk along the River Ill. Along the way, you can discover some of the Neustadt ‘s nuggets, such as the Palais U and the Municipal Baths.

3. Parc des Contades

Just a stone’s throw from the Place de la République, in the heart of the Neustadt (Germany’s imperial district) is the Parc des Contades. Relatively small (7.9 ha), it’s easy to get around, but it’s still pleasant and close to the town center (approx. 15 min. on foot).

Created in 1764 by the Marshal of the same name, it is bordered on one side by the Avenue de la Paix and its opulent buildings, and on the other by the Quai Zorn, where the River Aar flows. A number of pretty buildings punctuate the stroll: in the center of the park, a pretty cast-iron bandstand serves as a stage for musicians during the summer; on the quay, a former architect’s villa, the Villa Osterloff; and the former Synagogue on the Avenue.

4. Parc de la Citadelle

This park is close to the universities and the Esplanade campus. It’s very lively, with a rather young clientele. Designed by Vauban (engineer and architect to Louis XIV), this former military fortress was intended to defend the city on the Rhine.

Located in the Esplanade university district, surrounded by the remains of the citadel and its still-filled moat, the park covers 11 hectares. You can also walk around the top of the citadel. I’ve been a regular visitor to this park, and I still like to run or stroll through it from time to time.

It’s probably the best equipped to keep the kids busy, with several large play areas, a zip line and water games. It’s also the best equipped, with a pétanque court, body-building equipment and several basketball courts. It’s a park for sports enthusiasts and families alike. The Parc de la Citadelle hosts a wide range of events, from community meetings and cultural events to open-air cinema.

5. Heyritz Park

Another park I really like is Strasbourg’s newest park in the new Heyritz district. It is located along the quays bordering the Nouvel Hôpital Civil and the Porte de l’Hôpital basin. Crossed by a long floating bridge, its proximity to the water makes it a truly pleasant park, with beautiful late-day light reflected in the pond.

8.7 ha of lush greenery, ideal for a Sunday stroll or for watching the suns et. Featuring a sports field with apparatus, children’s play areas, ping-pong tables and a water mirror, the Parc du Heyritz is well laid out. Families come here to relax, enjoy a picnic with friends, read a book on the grass or on the planted bleachers, watch the rowers or paddleboarders. You can also rent canoes and kayaks at the leisure center a few meters away.

Popular with residents of the Neudorf district, the park is very lively in summer and even offers open-air cinema sessions.

6. The two-rives garden and footbridge

The Jardin des Deux-Rives is a 150-hectare cross-border park. A link between France and Germany, it connects Strasbourg with the city of Kehl. To reach the opposite bank, take the suspension footbridge – designed for pedestrians and cyclists – over the Rhine.

On the French side, the garden forms a semicircle. On either side of the Mimram footbridge (named after the architect), vast lawns with little shade, and two parallel themed walkways. Strolling along the arc, you can discover a water wall (often HS unfortunately), a host of secret little islands, discovery gardens, a children’s playground – in short, lots of educational spaces for all ages. Les Deux-Rives is also the ideal setting for events, festivals and concerts every summer.

I must admit I prefer the German side (der Garten der zwei Ufer), which is shadier and more refreshing. There’s plenty to keep the kids busy, with activity areas, water games, a few works of art and a panoramic tower. And to relax, head for the Rheinschneck, a small, friendly beer garden, perfect for a good beer and currywurst. A change of scenery guaranteed, just a few minutes from Strasbourg!

7. The banks of the Rhone-Rhine Canal (Malraux)

A short urban stroll from the Presqu’île Malraux ! The banks of the Canal du Rhône au Rhin, which run from theold Môle Seegmuller to the new Danube and Môle Citadelle districts, have been laid out for a stroll. Joggers, walkers and two-wheelers can all be found here, as the cycle path also runs along the Parc de la Citadelle and the quays to the Citadelle, Vauban and Dusuzeau harbour basins.

To drink a pint and munch a knack while waiting for the sun to set, in summer we like to meet at the Phare Citadelle, port halls transformed into a very cool third-place with a large terrace on the waterfront. On this side, you can still feel the spirit of the wasteland. Along the Bassin Vauban, with its new apartment buildings, the promenade is cleaner.

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8. Along the winding Rhine (Krimmeri)

The Rhin Tortu, also known as the Krimmeri, is a winding branch of the Ill that stretches 21.7 km through Strasbourg’s southern districts (Neudorf and Meinau). Neudorf is my HQ! Which also hides its own little corner of greenery. The Kurgarten Park is a little-known area, frequented mainly by Neudor residents.

Very shady, it’s nice to come and rest here on a bench at the end of the day. Table tennis, soccer pitch and petanque court, play areas for children, fitness areas for adults, wooden walkways, there’s even a bistro in the center of the park. A small stream, the Ziegelwasser, runs through it. A path, also shaded, leads along its banks, lined with numerous allotment gardens, where you can stretch out on a metal deckchair or have a picnic by the water.

Heading south towards the Meinau district, stop off at the Extenwoerthfeld park behind the Stade or along the Rhin Tortu (also perfect for a quiet, open-air lunch break), then walk or drive to the Parc Schulmeister and its central pond. Another way to discover this part of Strasbourg is by paddle (or Stand Up Paddle). The Office des Sports de la Ville offers a range of formats and courses, but does not provide the equipment.

9. L’île aux sports (Wacken)

This 30-hectare sports and leisure park is surrounded by the River Ill. Located in the heart of the Wacken district, the Île aux Sports is the only sports facility of its size in France, right in the center of town. Some 15 sports associations and clubs have opened their doors, covering some 20 disciplines. L’Île aux sports is set in lush green surroundings between the banks of the Ill and the allotment gardens, just a stone’s throw from the new Archipel business district and the European Parliament. Access is by public transport or bicycle.

10. Parc du Glacis

Not exactly the most popular of the city’s parks, nor the most ideal for a stroll. Parc du Glacis is located behind the main railway station. Running parallel to the A5 freeway, it separates the Cronenbourg district in the northwest of the city from the city center. A small canal runs through the park, with a footbridge at the entrance. Less well known and therefore less visited, it is above all a park steeped in history.

This part of the city corresponds to the former ring of military forts built after the siege of 1870 (the ring is followed by the Piste des Forts cycle route). A few unusual features punctuate the route, such as these two former caponiers (bunkers), remnants of the German occupation. Access to the park is via the imposing War Gate (Kriegstor), dating from 1877. Rue du Rempart is still marked by the presence of other military buildings from the period.

At the end of the street, another building known as Bastion 14 now houses artists’ studios. It’s a pity that the landscape is marred by the presence of too many homeless tents, because the walk along the water and allotments is really pleasant.