Gardens Festival 2026 at the Arènes de Lutèce: tours, workshops and activities at this ancient site

The 2026 Fête des Jardins takes root at the Arènes de Lutèce in Paris’s 5th arrondissement, on September 26 and 27. Highlights include guided tours, repotting, plant weaving, games, and demonstrations by arborist-climbers, all set in a garden shaped around one of the capital’s major Gallo-Roman ruins.

The Garden Festival is back across the capital on Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27, 2026. For two days, Paris’s green spaces become hubs of discovery where you can garden, observe, play, and above all meet the people who tend to them every day.

Organized by the City of Paris, this event offers an inside look at the work of gardeners and arborists, as well as the diversity of plant-filled spaces across the capital. Gardening workshops, horticultural advice, demonstrations, guided tours, games and activities for children unfold in numerous parks, squares and gardens. A free program that lets you get your hands dirty while discovering careers related to urban nature.

The Garden Festival also aims to raise awareness for both kids and adults about biodiversity, tree preservation, and smart gardening practices. From site to site, the program adapts to the locale’s unique traits: some focus on wildlife and flora, others on gardening or the crafts of green spaces. A number of events invite you to see the gardens we pass by every day with fresh eyes and a sense of their history.

In the 5th arrondissement, the scenery changes completely. This year, the Fête des Jardins takes over the 5th arrondissement, at the Square des Arènes de Lutèce, an exceptional site that blends botanical heritage with ancient ruins, since its garden surrounds the Arènes de Lutèce, built in the Gallo-Roman era and still visible today in the heart of Paris.

City gardeners will host workshops and offer tips, while a 15:00 guided tour revisits the history of the arenas and their place in the Parisian landscape. Families can also take part in nature-themed games that explore how the gardens work. Another highlight: the arborist-climbers reveal their tree-ascension techniques, their gear, and their role in maintaining Paris’s arboreal heritage.

Les Arènes de Lutèce, a Gallo-Roman amphitheatre in the heart of Paris
Did you know about the Arènes de Lutèce? This well-preserved Gallo-Roman amphitheatre, located in the heart of the Arènes de Lutèce square in Paris, is a true symbol of Parisian art de vivre! [Read more]

The 2026 Garden Festival program at the Lutèce Amphitheatre

Guided tour

Discovering the History of the Lutèce Amphitheatre

Showcasing their integration into Paris's landscape heritage

Starting at 3 p.m. from the welcome desk

Activities and Workshops

Gardening tips from the gardeners

Plant-weaving workshop, sign up at the information desk, sessions run every 30 to 45 minutes
Plant repotting, tips on proper planting practices

Games

Discovery of scents: a mystery box to identify different natural elements by touch
Hopscotch around park and garden regulations
Goose Game « Stop incivilités »

Around Trees and the Craft of the Arborist-Climber

Tree-climbing and arboreal navigation demonstrations by the City of Paris's arborist-climbers

A look at the gear used
An introduction to the arborist-climber trade
Raising awareness of the maintenance and management of Paris's tree heritage
Climbing work requires at least a basic level of independence, motor coordination, and the ability to follow safety instructions.

Don't miss the 2026 Garden Festival at the Square des Arènes de Lutèce this year!

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