For a relaxing afternoon in Paris, most people will head to the array of charming parks, either in the centre of the city, like Jardin du Luxembourg, or the larger ones, like Grand Bois, on the outskirts. However, I’d argue no park is as peaceful as the Grande Mosquée de Paris in the 5^th arrondissement. Someone recommended I go because it was “beautiful,” but I don’t think that word does this remarkable site justice. It feels like Paradise.

The mosque is the oldest in Paris, having been built in the 1920s in memory of the estimated 100,000 Muslims that died fighting for France in the First World War. Visitors can, at their leisure, walk through the peaceful gardens – full of flowers, fountains, and channels of running water. With the only noises being the steady trickle of water droplets and the singing of birds, it is easy to think you are in a different country altogether. The tiled pathways are reminiscent of far-away lands, and everywhere seems to glitter in the sunlight. The Moorish architecture is stunning, and intricate detail abounds.

In addition to the surrounding gardens, you can wander through a few of the rooms, though of course not the areas reserved for prayer. One spot to note – the mosque hosts an old library.

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