FREN

Skateparks

Find a skatepark open to everyone, check what it offers and share the space well.

A free-access skatepark needs no membership or booking: you simply follow the rules posted by the local authority. Oukonjou puts them on a map so you can see which ones are near you. This page covers the essentials: obstacles, slang, shared-use rules and safety.

Also known as: skate park, skate spot, skate bowl.

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Overview

A skatepark is a space built for wheeled sports: skateboarding, inline and roller skating, scooters and BMX. It usually mixes two families of obstacles. Street features borrow from city furniture: stairs, handrails, ledges and banks. Transition features (quarter pipes, mini ramps and bowls) let you build speed and get air.

Many skateparks are made of concrete poured on site, which gives smooth surfaces and flowing transitions. Others combine prefabricated ramps in metal, wood or composite materials set on a slab. Either way, their safety requirements and test methods fall under the European standard EN 14974.

A good skatepark has a surface free of cracks and grit, enough clearance around each obstacle and a layout where lines rarely cross. A beginner area with small obstacles, rules posted at the entrance and bins nearby also make a real difference. If you mostly ride a BMX or mountain bike, take a look at pump tracks too, and turn on email alerts to hear about new skateparks listed in the towns you follow.

Where to find skateparks

45 skateparks listed in 28 towns.

By country

Best-equipped towns

Who it's for

SkateboardingThe original use of the space. Street skating happens on stairs, rails and ledges; ramp and bowl skating on the transitions. Skateboarding has been an Olympic sport since the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Freestyle scooterVery common, especially among younger riders. A freestyle scooter, with a fixed bar and reinforced deck, handles jumps and landings far better than a folding city scooter.
Inline and roller skatingOn inline skates or quads. Aggressive skaters use the rails and transitions, while beginners make good use of flat areas to work on balance and stopping.
BMX freestyleAlso an Olympic discipline since Tokyo 2020. Depending on the town, bikes may be welcome everywhere, only at set times or not at all: the posted rules are what count.
Beginners and familiesQuiet hours are the best time to learn. A flat area and a few small obstacles are enough to find your feet before you take on the transitions.

Rules of use

A skatepark is shared between disciplines, ages and skill levels. These rules appear in most posted regulations and in riders' own habits.

  • Follow the opening hours and rules posted at the entrance: they are set by the local authority.
  • One person at a time on a line or in the bowl. Wait your turn at the edge, where others can see you.
  • Make eye contact or call out before you go, and never cut across someone who is already riding.
  • Don't sit or stand in landing zones or at the bottom of obstacles. If you fall, clear the way quickly.
  • Respect which disciplines are allowed: bikes, scooters or skates may be limited to certain times or areas.
  • Spectators and parents stay off the riding surface.
  • Don't alter the park: no makeshift ramps, and go easy on the wax on the edges.
  • Report any damage (cracks, protruding screws, broken edges) to the town hall or the park manager.

Safety and gear

  • Wear a helmet that meets EN 1078, properly fitted and fastened. Local rules often require one, and it makes sense at any age.
  • Add wrist guards, knee pads and elbow pads while you learn: falls onto hands and knees are common early on.
  • Before riding, walk around the park and look for grit, debris, puddles or cracks.
  • Don't ride on wet surfaces: grip drops sharply and transitions turn slippery.
  • Check your gear: tight trucks, bearings and wheels, and working brakes on a BMX or scooter.
  • Learn how to fall: let the board go, tuck your head in and, on ramps, slide out on your knee pads rather than catching yourself with your hands.
  • Avoid riding alone late at night, and keep a charged phone to call for help if needed.

Regulations

EuropeEN 14974 standard

This European standard sets safety requirements and test methods for wheeled sports facilities. It is the benchmark for judging whether a skatepark is safe.

EuropeHelmets and boards: EN 1078 and EN 13613

Cycling, skateboarding and roller skating helmets fall under EN 1078. Skateboards themselves fall under EN 13613, published in France as NF EN 13613. Look for these references on the label or in the instructions.

FranceBefore the European standard: NF S 52-401

In France, the national standard NF S 52-401, published in 1999, used to cover structures for skateboards, inline skates and BMX. The European standard EN 14974 is now the reference.

FranceOpening hours and noise

The mayor can set access hours for the skatepark by municipal order, as part of their policing powers. The French Public Health Code (Article R.1336-5) prohibits any noise that, through its duration, repetition or intensity, disturbs the peace of the neighbourhood or harms human health.

SwitzerlandSwitzerland: SN EN standards

In Switzerland, European standards are adopted under the SN EN reference. Compliance is voluntary, but after an accident, courts check in practice whether they were followed.

AndorraAndorra: the posted rules apply

In Andorra, rely on the rules posted on site. They are what set out any opening hours, allowed disciplines and required gear.

European standards are voluntary, but they are the reference when an accident happens. The rules posted on site always come first.

Etiquette

  • Give beginners priority on small obstacles and leave them room: everyone started there.
  • Don't hog an obstacle for ages while others are waiting.
  • Keep your music in your headphones, especially near homes and in the evening.
  • Take your rubbish with you: cans, wrappers, scraps of griptape and broken parts.
  • Cheer people on rather than mock them: a welcoming park is better for everyone.
  • No glass on the riding area: a single shard can stop a wheel dead.

Glossary

Bowl
A large basin with curved walls that you ride by carving around the edges.
Quarter pipe
A curved ramp shaped like a quarter of a cylinder, used to go up, turn around or get air.
Ledge
A low block with a reinforced edge that you slide on with the board or grind on the trucks.
Rail
A metal bar, flat or sloping, that you slide or grind along.
Coping
The metal pipe or reinforced edge that runs along the top of a transition.
Funbox
A central obstacle combining banks, a flat top and often a rail or ledge.
Drop-in
Starting from the top of a ramp: you set your front foot down and lean into the transition.
Line
The sequence of obstacles you plan before setting off. Waiting your turn means letting the other person finish their line.
Did you know?

Skateboarding joined the Olympic programme at the Tokyo 2020 Games, along with BMX freestyle, 3x3 basketball and sport climbing.

What to bring

  • Skate or cycling helmet meeting EN 1078
  • Wrist guards, knee pads and elbow pads
  • Flat-soled shoes with good grip
  • Skate tool to tighten trucks and wheels
  • Water bottle

FAQ

Is the skatepark free?

Yes. Skateparks listed on Oukonjou are free-access: no fee and no booking. Some towns set opening hours by municipal order, which you will find on the sign at the entrance.

Do I need a helmet?

Local rules often require one, and it is a good idea at any age. In France, helmets are compulsory for children under 12 cycling on public roads; inside a skatepark, the town's own rules apply.

How old do you have to be?

There is no general minimum age. Posted rules may ask for young children to be accompanied by an adult. To get started, pick a quiet time and an area with small obstacles.

Are scooters and BMX bikes allowed?

It depends on the town. Some skateparks welcome every discipline, others set aside times or areas for each. The rules at the entrance are what count.

Can I ride in the rain?

Better to wait until it dries: wet concrete and ramps get slippery, and water damages bearings and wooden decks.

A skatepark is missing from the map. What can I do?

Suggest it on the “Suggest a facility” page: every suggestion is checked before it is published. In France, the map also draws on the official Data ES database, fed by owners who declare their facilities on equipements.sports.gouv.fr. Elsewhere, you can add it to OpenStreetMap, which anyone can edit.