A ground for sports since 1987
Since its inauguration, Parc de la Villette has established itself as a privileged venue for a variety of sports activities. The culture of sports is embedded within the park’s different spaces, whether it’s the Jardin des Voltiges, the largest street workout area in France, the Jardin des Vents et des Dunes, where children engage with climbing walls and motor skills games, or the two large central meadows, ideal for ball games and Sunday football matches, as well as activities like tai chi, yoga, or capoeira.
© Sophie Schiano di Lombo
An ever-evolving welcome:
This support also involves the installation of new equipment. Since 2020, adapted equipment has been made available to the public in the heart of the Jardin des Voltiges, managed by the Villette Workout association. In 2024, two new basketball courts are being created: one for 3×3 basketball near the Géode, and another in a less conventional shape, known as a “basketball tree,” featuring multiple hoops installed at various heights on a single structure.
In 2025, new facilities were installed in the park: ping-pong tables, three dance floors, a pétanque area, and basketball courts, all accessible to people with disabilities.
These facilities are supported by the Agence Nationale du Sport
© Sophie Schiano di Lombo
Fostering dialogue between sports and arts
In this field as in many others, La Villette cultivates connections between disciplines and practices through exclusive creations. Since 2019, Frédéric Ferrer has been performing Olympicorama, combining lectures and performances to showcase some of the flagship disciplines of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, their history, and their specificities. Starting from June 2024, the Archi-Folies 2024 project will be implemented in the park, offering a unique encounter between architecture and sports.
© Renaud Bouchez
Dance floors to get La Villette moving
Since 2015, La Villette has offered a 300 m² wooden floor under the peristyle of the Grande Halle, freely accessible to everyone from spring to autumn. It hosts a wide range of activities, from dance to martial arts, and also serves as a space for relaxation or observation.
In 2025, two new wooden floors were added, further enhancing the existing offer. Open all year round, they provide everyone with the opportunity to practise a favourite activity or discover new ones. Together, these three open-access spaces help make La Villette a place of encounters, sharing, and expression at the very heart of the park.
The dance floor of the Grande Halle will be reinstalled starting March 12, 2026.
© Joseph Banderet