The Bois de Boulogne, spanning 2,090 acres on the western edge of Paris, was originally a hunting ground for the kings of France, from King Dagobert, who used this forest to hunt bears and deer, to his  grandson Childeric II who gave the forest to the Abbey of Saint-Denis, and to King Philip Augustus, who bought the main part of the forest back from the monks and re-established it as a royal hunting reserve. The forest served as a battleground during the Hundred Years’ War. In the 14th century, King Philip IV established a pilgrimage route through these woods to the shrine of Notre-Dame de Boulogne-sur-Mer, lending the forest its eventual name. Under the Ancien Régime, the Bois remained the exclusive domain of the monarchy. Louis XIV occasionally hunted there, though he generally preferred the grander forests of Versailles and Compiègne.

The Revolution of 1789 opened the park to the public for the first time, but at a cost in that as desperate Parisians cut down trees for fuel and building materials. In the mid-19th century the park was transformed during Baron Haussmann’s urban renovation of Paris. The renovation included the creation of two artificial lakes, Lac Inférieur and Lac Supérieur  as well as the establishment of the Jardin d’Acclimatation in 1860, originally conceived as an acclimatization garden for exotic plants and animals. The famous Longchamp Racecourse, built in 1857, quickly became a centerpiece of Parisian high society.

The park’s redesign was partly inspired by Dr. Michel Lévy, a prominent 19th-century physician, who thought that large green spaces were crucial elements in preventing disease. The park’s design incorporated wide promenades and open spaces specifically to facilitate the circulation of fresh air, which was believed to combat the “miasmatic” theories of disease prevalent at the time. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Bois de Boulogne functioned as an unofficial outdoor sanatorium. Physicians regularly prescribed walks in the park as treatment for various ailments, particularly respiratory conditions and nervous disorders. The park became home to several medical facilities, including the Hôpital Sainte-Périne, established in 1863 for elderly patients. Locating the hospital in the park’s  allowed  patients access to therapeutic gardens and fresh air, and there were also specialized clinics for treating nervous conditions.

Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the wealthy paraded in carriages along its avenues, particularly the Avenue Foch, while the growing middle class enjoyed boating on its lakes and dining in its restaurants. The park witnessed significant historical moments, including serving as a landing ground for early aviation pioneers and hosting events during the 1900 Paris Olympics. During both World Wars, the Bois was used for military purposes, and in World War II, it sheltered refugees and later served as a detention area. The post-war period saw efforts to restore and modernize the park while preserving its 19th-century character. Access to the park, once reserved for the wealthy, is now open to all with cycling paths, lake rowing, and organized sports events.