Two words flow easily to mind while walking through the Parc de Sceaux: calm and welcoming. With it’s wide open fields and beautiful fountains, the Parc lulls you into a sense of comfort, inviting you to sit a while, wander a while, relax. Located just 30 minutes outside of Paris by RER, the Parc de Sceaux is a quick and easy antidote to the frenzy of Parisian life. The chateau itself is small but picturesque, although unfortunately, currently undergoing construction. Surprisingly, even the scaffolding can’t upset the serenity and romance of the Parc. In fact, on the day I visited, we saw no fewer than eight wedding parties. Something in the air, I suppose.

The most majestic feature of the grounds is easily the cascades. Walking away from the chateau, down a series of steps, you see row after row of fountain. In the distance, a powerful geyser in the middle of a pond. Once you reach the bottom and look up, you see the fountains and the waterfalls, and hear the sound of rushing water, and are transported.

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