Welcome to the smallest garden in Paris by Michael Thoati

There is a French proverb that says, “Everything small is beautiful.” This proverb is also true for gardens, especially those in Paris, and thanks to this, the “smallest garden in Paris” has a special charm. Due to its modesty, this garden does not have a special name and is only called after the street on which it is located: “The Garden of Rue Visconti” (Le Jardin de la rue Visconti). It is an aesthetic and discreet garden in the heart of the Saint Germain neighborhood. However, it is not recommended to plan to go jogging there because, unless you run 150 laps, you will not burn many calories… the entire area does not exceed 80 square meters.

On both sides of Rue Visconti, the longest of the capital’s “narrow streets”, you can find mainly luxurious houses and hotels built in the 17th century and even at the end of the 16th century. The street was opened in 1540 under the name “ Marais -Saint-Germain” and during the 16th century it was a refuge for Protestants who faced systematic persecution at that time. Surprisingly, the Protestants living in Rue Marais-Saint-Germain were not harmed at all in the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre in August 1572, although nearly 3000 Parisians were murdered that night. On August 24, 1864, the street was renamed to its current name in honor of Louis Visconti (1791-1853), architect to Emperor Napoleon III and known for building the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1840.

Rue Visconti has such a rich history that a website (in French) with extensive content is dedicated solely to the street, which is 176 meters long and only 3.5 meters wide at its narrowest point. According to Chamel, the famous playwright Jean Racine died in his house at number 24 in 1699 after living there for 7 years, the writer Honoré de Balzac established a printing house at number 17 in 1826, and the painter Eugène Delacroix lived in an art studio at number 19 on the street between 1844 and 1836.

Today, the street is mainly filled with typical “palaces” (Hôtels particuliers) and art galleries.

Visconti Garden, inaugurated in 2000, was built on the site of a building that collapsed 25 years earlier. It consists of a perimeter path covered with wide stone slabs around a square area. Above the path is a 3-meter-high oak pergola covered with climbing plants (yarrow, wisteria and ivy) that bloom at different times of the year. The central square area has rich vegetation including low ferns as well as exotic plants such as Mexican orange, vinca and boxwood that offer a different appearance depending on the season. In the middle of the vegetation stands a 10-meter-high tree. Three stone benches lie on three sides of the miniature park, inviting pedestrians to moments of calm and meditation. All the elements together create a timeless and intimate appearance so typical of the City of Lights. It can be assumed that the City of Paris attempted to recreate a garden typical of ancient French monasteries, which were often built around a green square that exudes peace and inspires a desire for introspection.

In conclusion, it is definitely a pleasant, quiet and almost secret place that invites you to take a short break and is fun to walk around. Or especially to sit in it… It is worth passing through during a trip to the Saint-Germain district and being impressed by the intimate atmosphere of the place . The garden is located on rue Visconti, number 12-8, in the 6th arrondissement. As in most municipal parks in Paris, dogs are not allowed and there are fixed opening hours: the park is open from 9:30 to 18:30 only. The place also allows accessibility for people with disabilities.