Luxembourg Garden

The garden was created in 1612 at the request of Queen Maria de' Medici and inspired by the Florentine Boboli Garden. Over time the park was enlarged and by the 18th century it was already very popular with famous literary figures such as Jean-Jaque-Rousseau.

The location

The Jardin du Luxembourg is located in the Latin Quarter in the sixth arrondissement of Paris. To the north of the park is another small annex, Petit Palais, which serves as the official residence of the President of the Senate, as well as an orangery and the Musée du Luxembourg. The garden can be divided into a French part with strictly geometrically laid out flower beds and terraces and a part inspired by English gardening.

Activities in the park

The Jardin du Luxembourg is very popular with a wide public: students from the surrounding universities like to spend their lunch break here, joggers do their laps, but at the same time the park is also a popular destination for French families. The southwestern part of the park resembles a kind of amusement park. For children, there is a children's carousel designed by Charles Garnier as also an adventure playground. If one wishes to ride on a real pony, even this is possible or alternatively, one can take a carriage ride. There is also a Punch and Judy show performed on a stone-carved stage, the origins of which are said to date back to 1881. For sports enthusiasts, there are also tennis and basketball courts and a facility for Jeu de Paume, a precursor to the game of tennis.

If you want to take it a little easier, you can take a seat on one of the covered chess courts or simply enjoy your coffee in one of the two coffee gardens. If you're lucky, you'll come across one of the many outdoor concerts that take place under the bandstand, near the main entrance on the Boulevard Saint-Michel. If you're unlucky and there's no music playing at the moment, don't be disappointed as there are also frequent photography exhibitions nearby on the outside of the grilles.

Otherwise, one simply looks at the more than 106 statues that are scattered over the park, the monumental Medici fountain or the orangery during a long walk. Every autumn, the Orangery offers the chance to buy produce from the Royal Garden. These include old and forgotten varieties of apples from the orchard. In addition, it is possible for anyone, by appointment, to visit the nearby apiary and immerse themselves in the world of honey. There is also plenty of fun for young and old alike in the park's large centrally located water basin, where young and old can either make their own or remote control boats to whizz across the water.