Parc Hentsch

Parc Hentsch is a public park in the Charmilles district of Geneva, officially named Parc Gustave et Léonard Hentsch after the family that gave it to the city. It lies on the right bank of the Rhône, away from the lake and the Old Town, in a residential area of apartment buildings, schools and shops. It is not a tourist attraction in the usual sense and will not appear in many guidebooks, but it is a good example of the kind of everyday green space that makes Geneva’s neighbourhoods pleasant to live in, and a useful stop for visitors staying in this part of town or travelling with children.

The Hentsch family is one of the old banking families of Geneva, and members of the family were among the city’s benefactors. The park was created in the 2010s on land donated to the City of Geneva, and it opened in 2015. The design makes the most of a flat urban site by dividing it into zones. Large lawns offer space for picnics, ball games and sunbathing, and groups of trees give shade, with several hundred newly planted trees and thousands of shrubs and perennial plants arranged to provide colour through the seasons. Water terraces and basins add a cooling element in summer, and wide paths link the various parts of the park.

Families make up many of the park’s users. A large playground has equipment for a range of ages, and there are benches and tables where parents can sit, as well as outdoor fitness equipment for adults and teenagers. The park is designed to be accessible, with step-free entrances and paths suitable for wheelchairs and prams. Toilets and a few other facilities are provided, and the park has no admission fee and is open throughout the day, though like most city parks it is best used in daylight.

Public transport makes reaching the park simple, with city bus stops nearby on the lines that run through the Charmilles and Châtelaine areas. It is a short ride from the central station, and the park can be combined with a walk through the neighbourhood or a stop at the nearby markets and bakeries. Because it is outside the main tourist area, it feels local, with residents walking dogs, children playing and older people sitting on benches.

The park suits families, joggers, picnickers and anyone looking for a quiet green break away from the crowds. Visit on a weekday morning for peace, or in the late afternoon when the city comes outside.