park
Luxembourg Garden
A French garden commissioned by Marie de Medici in 1612, the most beloved Left Bank park.
History & context
Marie de Medici had the garden laid out in 1612 around a palace inspired by her Florentine childhood. The design mixes French parterres with English-style winding paths added later.
Owned by the Senate since 1799, the garden holds more than a hundred statues, a conservation orchard and a working apiary.
Why visit
- ·The famous green chairs, free to use
- ·The basin where children rent little sailboats
- ·The Medici Fountain, a shaded romantic corner
What to see
- ·Luxembourg Palace
- ·Grand basin
- ·Beehives
- ·Medici Fountain
- ·Poets' garden
Practical tips
- ·Chairs are free — settle in
- ·Puppet theater for kids
Best photo spots
- ·The grand basin with the palace behind
- ·The Medici Fountain in late afternoon
Good to know
- ·The garden closes at dusk; hours shift with the season
- ·Most lawns are off-limits — chairs are the way to sit
- ·Playgrounds, ponies and the puppet theatre are on the western side
Schedules and tickets may change. Check the official website before booking.
Anu's insider tip
Take a chair facing the basin and let half an hour pass: this is the Paris of Parisians.
With family
Sailboats, ponies and puppets make it one of the best gardens in Paris with children.
Itineraries with this place
Nearby
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Panthéon
Neoclassical mausoleum in the Latin Quarter where France's greats rest: Voltaire, Hugo, Curie, Zola.
Saint-Germain-des-Prés
The literary heart of the Left Bank, home to Sartre, Beauvoir, Hemingway and legendary cafés.
Latin Quarter
The student quarter around the Sorbonne, medieval lanes, bookshops and lively bistros.