Sakura in Paris (Cherry Blossom in Paris)
From March to April, cherry trees’ pink and white flowers are the undisputed stars of early spring in Paris.
The cherry blossom in Paris is a brief spectacle that lasts a few weeks. Because their lifespan is very limited and subject to the weather’s vagaries, it is better to know which direction to go to not miss them!
Are you planning to see cherry blossoms in Paris this spring? Check out our quick guide to Cherry Blossom, Paris 2023, which includes a cherry blossom forecast, the best cherry blossom locations in Paris (with a map), and top photography tips for making the most out of your trip.
Over the years, we have become big fans of cherry blossoms, and we look forward to the start of each spring to photograph them, so you are in good hands!
TIP: Celebrate your story through photography! Hire an amazing local photographer for the best Paris cherry blossom shots
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Paris Cherry Blossom Season
When do cherry blossoms bloom in Paris? The cherry blossom season in Paris is short! The best time to see cherry blossoms in Paris – Paris Sakura – is from late March to mid-April. We usually start exploring the best Paris cherry blossom locations around mid-March (just in case…), but we usually take the best cherry blossom pictures during the first two weeks of April.
That said, this is not rocket science, and the best time to see cherry blossoms in Paris will depend on how cold /warm the previous weeks were in Paris.
Interesting Facts About Cherry Blossoms
- Known as ‘sakura’ in Japanese, cherry blossoms are a symbol of spring because it is a time of renewal
- Hanami (花 見, literally “to look at the flowers”) is the traditional Japanese custom of appreciating the beauty of flowers, mainly cherry blossoms (sakura)
- Each cherry tree may only bloom for up to a week
- There are eleven steps in the cherry blossom life cycle: bud -bud expansion – flower opens – 10% in bloom – 30% in bloom – 50% in bloom – 70% in bloom – full bloom – petals start to fall – petals fall vigorously- Finished
- Picnicking beneath cherry blossom trees is a Japanese tradition, and it is getting popular also in Paris
- The cherry blossoms and the leaves are edible. In Japan, they are used in many traditional sweets and tea.
Best Places to See Cherry Blossoms in Paris 2023
Wondering where to see cherry blossoms in Paris? Here is the list of the best cherry blossoms Paris has to offer, along with a couple of magnolia blossoms that you cannot miss. This Cherry Blossom Paris Guide includes spots in almost all the Paris Arrondissements, so it is a good opportunity to explore the lesser-known districts and neighborhoods. If you need help finding your bearings in Paris, head here for our Paris Arrondissmentns guide.
We have developed our list of favorite Paris cherry blossom spots, but there are many more! At the end of the post, you will find the complete list of Paris cherry blossoms and a cherry blossom Paris map.
Palais Royal (magnolias) – Paris 1
The first trees to bloom in March are the magnolias. Most of the time, magnolia flowering in Paris begins in the second week of March and continues until the end of the month.
Even if magnolias are not cherry trees, they are definitely worth admiring. One of the most beautiful places to see these large fuchsia flowers is the gardens of the Palais Royal.
Despite its very central location, the gardens around the Palais Royal don’t see many visitors, which means that you can take beautiful pictures without the crowds.
Hôtel de Ville Cherry Blossom – Paris 4
The Jardin des Combattants Espagnols de la Nueve, next to the Town Hall, is one of our favorite places with cherry blossoms in Paris. In this garden, there are magnolia trees too, but when it’s the cherry blossom season in Paris, the magnolias are gone.
In this garden, we prefer to see the magnolias because they are closer to the statue (Etienne Marcel), so you can make better photo compositions.
The Jardin des Combattants Espagnols de la Neuve opens only on weekends, and it’s a cute little haven in the center of Paris.
Square Jean XXIII (Notre Dame) Cherry Blossom – Paris 4
Sometimes you don’t have to go far to see beautiful Paris cherry blossoms. One of the most popular spots to see cherry blossoms in the city is Square Jean XXIII, on the south side of Notre Dame Cathedral.
You will find some beautiful and large cherry trees, with many benches and a large sandbox, so it is ideal for playing the photographer. Due to their central location, it gets crowded very quickly, so get there early in the morning.
UPDATE: After the fire that ravaged the cathedral on 15 April 2019, Notre Dame Cathedral and the surrounding area, including Square Jean XXIII, are closed for restoration until further notice. However, you can get pleasing panoramas gazing from across the river.
And while you’re around, take a look at Shakespeare & Co. (37 Rue de la Bûcherie, Paris 5), the famed English language bookstore only 5 mins walk from Notre Dame, on the other side of the river. There are two beautiful sakura trees right in front of the bookstore.
Square Paul-Langevin – Paris 5
This little square located at the back of the former École Polytechnique in the Latin Quarter is dedicated to the famous physician and magnetism theorist Paul Langévin. In spring, magnolias and cherry trees bloom, and it’s a pleasant place to read a book under these trees.
Jardin des Plantes Cherry Blossoms – Paris 5
The next stop is the Jardin des Plantes, also in the fifth Arrondissement of Paris. There are beautiful flowers everywhere in this garden, but you want to head towards the Gallerie de l’Evolution to see the HUGE cherry tree, probably the largest in the city. This magnificent cherry tree, whose branches reach almost to the ground, blooms by mid-April, and it is a wonder.
The last time we passed by this year, in February 2023, we saw a wooden fence around this cherry tree. Most probably, people did not respect cherry trees enough last spring!
Also, there are three more beautiful cherry trees in the central alley. These trees are less spectacular than the giant cherry tree, but they see lesser crowds, so you can take better pictures.
There’s also a white cherry tree in the Jardin des Plantes, and it is stunning! When we took this picture in 2022, the tree was almost alone as the giant (pink) cherry tree attracted all the crowds.
Luxembourg Gardens Cherry Blossom – Paris 6
The Luxembourg Gardens has some of the most beautiful flower beds in the city. However, if you visit the park early in the season, you’ll want to see its wonderful cherry trees. This picture was taken on the park’s west side, near Paul Verlaine’s statue.
And while you are around, you may want to try this self-guided Treasure Hunt in the Luxembourg Gardens, a fun and educational way to visit one of the most beautiful gardens in Paris.
Square Gabriel Pierné Cherry Blossom – Paris 6
Square Gabriel Pierné is a quiet and peaceful little square in the neighborhood of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, located just behind the Institut de France. This is a perfect spot for reading a book or having a quick eat during your wanderings around Paris. The statue of a little girl (she is Carolina) is ideal for some beautiful photo compositions.
Champ de Mars Cherry Blossoms – Paris 7
The Eiffel Tower with cherry blossoms? YES, please! Champ de Mars is one of the best spots to photograph the Eiffel Tower, surrounded by beautiful blossoms during March and April.
In Champ de Mars, there are magnolia trees too, and they make the perfect framing for the Eiffel Tower earlier in March. If you are visiting Paris in March or April, you cannot miss this spot!
Champ de Mars is a beautiful garden that blends nature with architecture. The cherry trees are scattered in this vast garden, so you will have to look for them!
When the weather is good, Champ de Mars is a popular spot for a picnic in Paris, from which you can enjoy one of the best Eiffel Tower views.
Parc Montsouris Cherry Blossom – Paris 14
Parc Montsouris is one of the most beautiful parks on the Left Bank of Paris. It has beautiful plants and trees and a much more local feeling than most of the city’s main parks.
There are some small cherry trees near the park’s fence, but Montsouris’s most beautiful cherry tree is on one of the main alleys, and it has white and pink blossoms.
Parc Montsouris is a bit far from the center, but it’s definitely worth visiting. You can easily combine Parc Montsouris with the Paris Catacombs, the Museum of the Liberation of Paris, and the beautiful Montparnasse Cemetery.
Place Camille Claudel (Falguière Metro Station) – Paris 15
You cannot miss the lovely Camille Claudel Square, the access point to the metro station Falguière (line 12) in Paris 15. Here, there’s one of the iconic bouches de métro (metro entrances) designed by Héctor Guimard, and also a tall dark green column with advertising posters known as Morris Column.
There are only a couple of cherry trees, which were in full bloom in the last week of March, but you can’t get more iconic pictures of the city’s landscape than in this place!
Trocadéro Gardens Cherry Blossoms – Paris 16
Created for the Universal Exposition in 1937, the Trocadéro Gardens is a green space of nearly 10,000 m², offering stunning views of the Eiffel Tower.
Trocadéro Gardens has beautiful cherry trees and a traditional carousel, all bundled together for your eyes’ pleasure. The view with the carousel and the Eiffel Tower in the background is picture-perfect!
However, this is a favorite spot for Instagrammers, wedding photographers, and regular tourists, so you might have to wait in line to take some pictures.
These cherry trees are the first to blossom in the city (around the end of March), and they are also the longest-lasting (through to the middle of April).
Parc Buttes-Chaumont Cherry Blossom – Paris 19
This lonely cherry tree, located by the pond of Parc Buttes-Chaumont and with views over the park’s pond and little temple, is one of the most beautiful cherry blossoms Paris has to offer, perfect for a hanami moment or a picnic in the park.
This tree is a vestige of the first plantations in the park – there mainly were fruit trees when it opened – since the designers’ idea was to represent the countryside in the city.
Unfortunately, yesterday’s walkers were as uncivilized as those of today, and we don’t need to tell you why the fruit trees did not last long in Paris!
Bonus: Parc de Sceaux Cherry Blossom 2023
For the very best cherry blossoms, head to Parc de Sceaux, located on the outskirts of Paris. Here, you will find an entire orchard of pink cherry trees blooming from mid to late April.
This beautiful park featuring an octagonal lake and canal was designed by André Le Notre, the principal gardener of King Louis XIV of France. He is also the author of the parks and gardens around the most beautiful castles near Paris, such as Fontainebleau, Chantilly, Vaux-le-Vicomte, and the Versailles Gardens.
If you are lucky to visit the park on a warm sunny day, pack a picnic and eat below a canopy of fluffy pink petals; you don’t need anything else for a fantastic day trip out of Paris!
The park is open from Tuesday to Sunday. It is located 12 km south of Paris, but it’s worth the 30-minute train ride (RER B).
During the Parc de Sceaux cherry blossom season, the park starts getting busy after 9 am. To avoid the biggest crowds, try to visit the park from Tuesday to Thursday rather than on weekends.
Cherry Blossom Paris Map
Here’s the full list of sakura in Paris 2023, listed by Paris Arrondissement, and the Cherry Blossom in Paris Map to pinpoint them. If you plan a trip to Paris in March or April, don’t miss the opportunity to check out some of them!
We discover new spots with cherry trees every year, so we will probably be adding new places soon. The red icons correspond to the locations mentioned above, while the violet icons are the rest of the cherry blossom locations in Paris.
Jardin Anne Frank – Paris 3
Metro Saint Paul – Paris 4
Square Marie Trintignant – Paris 4
Jardin Tino-Rossi – Paris 5
Shakespeare & Co. bookstore – Paris 5
Square Honoré Champion – Paris 6
Around Saint-Germain-des-Prés Church – Paris 6
Gardens of Musée Quai Branly (no entrance fee) – Paris 7
Champs Elysées Gardens – Paris 8
Gardens around the Petit Palais – Paris 8
Parc Monceau – Paris 8
Place Franz-Liszt/ Church of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul – Paris 10
Parc Floral de Paris (there’s an entrance fee) – Paris 12
Parc Georges Brassens – Paris 15
Rue Carrier Belleuse – Paris 15
Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil – Paris 16
Parc Martin Luther King – Paris 17
Montmartre Cemetery – Paris 18
Jardin Saint-Simonian – Paris 20
Père Lachaise Cemetery – Paris 20
Tips for Photographing Cherry Blossoms in Paris
There are average dates for the cherry blossoms, but nature is fickle, and the Paris cherry blossom season is short. If you are in quest of the best cherry blossom shots in Paris, you need to be patient and flexible.
Try to be early in the morning, pre-dawn, when there are no crowds yet. During the cherry blossom period in Paris, crowds become unmanageable later in the day.
Think about the colors. You’re going to be looking at a lot of pink, so choose contrasting colors and good exposures to showcase the blossoms best — for example, blue sky on a sunny day as background.
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