Opened in 2007 on a former SNCF freight rail site known as Cour du Maroc, Éole Gardens spans 4.2 ha in an elongated shape nestled in metro Paris’s 18th/19th districts. Designed by landscape architect Michel Corajoud with sociological input, the garden offers a diverse green space replacing derelict land with a community garden, lawns, wooded areas, and recreational zones.

Ecological management is central, with manual mowing, leaf composting, sustainable water systems discharging less than 6 % into sewers, and richly diverse planting promoting biodiversity (grasses, perennials, shrubs, gravel garden). The infrastructure complies with HQE standards; buildings and roofs are vegetated, and safe LED lighting is spread along paths.

Sports enthusiasts can enjoy multisport fields (2 soccer, 4 basketball), ping-pong tables, playgrounds, sand pits, and a tennis wall. A pedagogical urban farm features sheep, goats, chickens and rabbits, while the “Trèfle d’Éole” shared garden fosters citizen planting. Managed by Espoir‑CFDJ, the farm offers educational programs, school visits, and civic volunteer engagement.

Summer brings lively municipal programs like multisport sessions, outdoor mini‑golf, Fit Truck, pop‑up library, drinks stall, stargazing nights, and Olympic viewing events.

The vibe is urban yet communal: families, skaters, joggers, picnickers, sports users, and locals in search of a green refuge, come together in a simple, authentic, frills‑free space.

Practical info:

Open daily; hours vary seasonally (e.g., May–Aug 07:00–21:30; other months 08:00–19:00/20:30).

Free entry via Rue d’Aubervilliers, Rue du Département, Pont Riquet.

Metro: La Chapelle (line 2), Marx Dormoy (12), Stalingrad (2/5/7).

Fully accessible for wheelchair users, toilets, drinking fountains equally accessible.

Leashed dogs allowed; off-leash fenced dog zone exists.

AED defibrillator on site; Ecojardin certified.

A vibrant everyday green lung, Éole Gardens has low tourist traffic but high local significance—a restored urban corridor inciting community, sustainability, and active leisure.