Sandwiched between the unexciting suburb of Charenton and the working-class district of Fontenay-sous-Bois, to the southeast of Paris, the Vincennes Woods are often considered a poor man's Bois de Boulogne. But the comparison is unfair: the Bois de Vincennes is no more difficult to get to and has equally illustrious origins. It, too, was landscaped under Napoléon III, although a park had already been created here by Louis XV in 1731. The park has several lakes, notably Lac Daumesnil, with two islands, and Lac des Minimes, with three; rowboats can be hired at both. In addition, the park contains a zoo, the Hippodrome de Vincennes (a cinder-track racecourse), a castle, a flower garden, and several cafés. In spring there's an amusement park, the Foire du Trône. Bikes can be rented from the Château de Vincennes métro station for EUR4 an hour or EUR15 a day. Note that the Bois suffered severe damage in the hurricane that lashed Paris in 1999, and although new trees have been planted, it will take the woods a few decades to recover. To reach the park, take the métro to Porte Dorée or Château de Vincennes.

Some 1,200 mammals and birds can be seen at the 33-acre Parc Zoologique, the largest zoo in France. The most striking element is the 210-foot steel-and-concrete Grand Rocher, an artificial rock built in 1934, inhabited by wild mountain sheep and penguins. You can take an elevator (EUR3) to the top. 53 av. de St-Maurice, Bois de Vincennes, Paris, France, PHONE: 01-44-75-20-10; COST: EUR8; OPEN: Apr.-Oct., daily 9-6; Nov.-Mar., daily 9-5; Métro: Porte Dorée.

An exceptional Art Deco building that once held an African art museum now teems with fish instead of artifacts. The Palais de la Porte Dorée Tropical Aquarium fills the basement with tanks of colorful tropical fish, crocodiles, and turtles. But the building itself is even more captivating; built for the Colonial Exhibition in 1931, it has an ornately sculpted facade depicting France's erstwhile overseas empire. A small collection of headdresses, masks, and other artifacts from former French colonies is displayed on the main floor (the African art, meanwhile, has been transplanted to the new Quai du Branly complex). 293 av. Daumesnil, Bois de Vincennes, Paris, France, PHONE: 01-44-74-84-80; COST: EUR4; OPEN: Wed.-Mon. 10-5:30; Métro: Porte Dorée.

The historic Château de Vincennes is on the northern edge of the Bois de Vincennes. Built in the 15th century by various French kings, the castle is France's medieval Versailles, an imposing, high-walled castle surrounded by a dry moat and dominated by a 170-foot keep. The sprawling castle grounds also contain a modest replica (built 1379-1552) of the Sainte-Chapelle on the Ile de la Cité and two elegant, classical wings designed by Louis Le Vau in the mid-17th century that house the archives of the French armed forces and are closed to the public. Av. de Paris, Bois de Vincennes, Paris, France, PHONE: 01-48-08-31-20; www.boisdevincennes.com; COST: EUR5.50; OPEN: Apr.-Sept., daily 10-noon and 1:15-6:30; Oct.-Mar., daily 10-noon and 1:15-5; Métro: Château de Vincennes.

The Parc Floral de Paris is the Bois de Vincennes's 70-acre flower garden. It includes a lake and water garden and is renowned for its seasonal displays of blooms. It also contains a miniature train, a game area, and an "exotarium" with tropical fish and reptiles. Rte. de la Pyramide, Bois de Vincennes, Paris, France, PHONE: 01-55-94-20-20; COST: EUR0.75; OPEN: Apr.-Sept., daily 9:30-8; Oct.-Mar., daily 9:30-5; Métro: Château de Vincennes.