Le Jardin du Luxembourg

Spanning 25 hectares, this stunning garden is a quintessential Parisian space for relaxation.

TravelCurious Tip

If you want a picnic, don’t bother with a blanket as you’re mainly not allowed to sit on the lawns. Be eagle-eyed and grab a bench as soon as one frees up!

Le Jardin du Luxembourg was the pet project of Marie de’ Medici, the widow of King Henry IV of France, who created it in 1612 to go with her latest residence, the Luxembourg Palace. The palace and the garden were designed to imitate the Palazzo Pitti in her native Florence, as she longed for home. Today, the garden is owned by the French senate, who also hold their meetings in the Palace.


The park was somewhat neglected by later monarchs, but it was rejuvenated during the 19th century when Napoleon dedicated it to the children of Paris. Nowadays, the 25 hectare gardens are split into two sections: the English gardens and the French gardens, which are, of course, very different. Between the two, there is a neatly geometric forest and a large pond. To one side you can also find an orchard nurturing all sorts of unloved apples, beyond the usual suspects of the Pink Lady and the Granny Smith.


There’s also an apiary where you can learn about bee-keeping and a greenhouse that holds a stunning assortment of orchids and a rose garden, sheltering them from the surly Parisian weather. Dotted across the gardens are no fewer than 106 statues, but the finest stonework comes in the form of the Medici fountain with its ornate fish pond.


There’s plenty to do besides simply wander around too: adults can play chess or tennis, and children can enjoy rides, slide and remote control boats. Moreover, the Musée de Luxembourg also holds prestigious temporary art exhibitions, such as the recent “Cézanne et Paris”.

Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in Paris
The Latin Quarter
The Latin Quarter represents the essence of intellectual Paris, a place to unwind amidst the rarefied atmosphere of the 5th and 6th arrondissements.
Panthéon
Initially designed to outdo the great architecture of Rome and London's churches, the Panthéon later became a place of interment for distinguished French figures.
La Sorbonne
Founded in 1253 to give impoverished students the opportunity to study theology, this is one of the world's most famous universities.
Thermes de Cluny
Gallo-Roman thermal bath's ruins lying in the heart of Paris' 5th arrondissement.
Church of Saint Severin
It is one of the oldest churches that remains standing on the Left Bank of the Latin Quarter, and it continues in use as a place of worship.
Académie de la Grande Chaumière
Art School in Paris

Related Tours

The Latin Quarter: Paris' Left Bank Private Half-Day Tour

The Latin Quarter is one of Paris' most quirky and interesting neighbourhoods located on the left bank of the Seine River, around the Sorbonne. It is an ambient juxtaposition of medieval backstreets, churches and grand Haussmman-style boulevards, which were built in the 19th century as part of Paris’ modernisation, the area takes its name from medieval times when the majority of local residents were clergy or students who spoke Latin.

On your private half-day tour, you will:

  • Explore the Latin Quarter with your private professional guide;
  • Experience the artistic haunts of Sartre, Hemingway, and Camus;
  • Get off the beaten track at Paris’ best-hidden squares and parks;
  • Walk Paris' narrowest street and see the city's oldest church;
  • See the famed Paris Panthéon and one of the most beautiful parks in the world - the Luxembourg Gardens.

The Latin Quarter was the scene of the student uprising in May ’68, even though its medieval facade strikes a strong contrast to its liberal, intellectual and artistic side. On Boulevard St-Michel and Boulevard St Germain, you will find many cafes where the likes of Camus, Orwell, and Hemingway passed hours discussing philosophy and literature.

The area is also rich with interesting book shops, most notably the Shakespeare and Company - a legendary meeting place and boarding house for many aspiring writers.

Your tour guide will direct you through the neighbourhood’s best cultural haunts: experience the wonders of medieval backstreets that are adorned with theatres and jazz clubs, unchanged since their post-war beginnings, and see the narrowest street in Paris. Visit the city’s oldest church in St Julien le Pauvre and see one of the most famous academic institutions in the world - La Sorbonne.

Next stop off at the Panthéon, a mausoleum where many distinguished French figures such as Voltaire, Braille, and Rousseau were laid to rest. Then wander through the grounds of the stunning Luxembourg Gardens and Palace, the perfect place to people watch, enjoy nature, and feel like a true Parisian.

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