Champ de Mars, Urban park in the 7th arrondissement, Paris, France
Champ de Mars is a public garden in the 7th arrondissement of Paris that stretches between the Eiffel Tower and the École Militaire military building. The wide lawns are lined with rows of trees and offer space for rest, sport and leisure activities across roughly 24 hectares (59 acres).
The grounds served as a training field for the neighboring military school in the 18th century and took their name from the Roman god of war. Over time the exercise ground transformed into a public park that played a central role at several world exhibitions.
The name recalls the Roman god of war and the military past of the grounds, which now serve as a public garden. Families with children use the playgrounds while others sit on the lawns and enjoy the view of the nearby landmark.
The park remains accessible around the clock and allows visitors to walk across the lawns or along the paths at any time. Playgrounds, basketball courts and puppet stages offer additional options for activities and entertainment, especially for younger guests.
The park's name comes from the Campus Martius in Rome, dedicated to the god Mars, because these lawns were once military drilling and marching grounds. In 1783 Jacques Charles and the Robert brothers launched the world's first hydrogen-filled balloon from here; it landed at Gonesse.
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