Jardin de Luxembourg
Jardin de Luxembourg is a well deserved favourite among Parisians and should be on any visitors must see list
Jardin de Luxembourg is situated near the famous Sorbonne University in the 6th arrondisement. It is arguably the most well known and well loved park in Paris. The name comes from the fact the park was originally owned by the Duke of Luxemberg so quite literally, Jardin de Luxembourg translates as the garden of Luxembourg.
The park covers an area of around fifty-five hectares. Famously the park was bought by Marie de Medici who was the mother of Louis XIII, because of her Italian heritage she had the garden redesigned in an Italian style so that she could be reminded of her childhood spent mostly in Florence at Pitti Palace.
The Grand Bassin is a large octagon shaped pond that is situated right at the very centre of the park, one of the favourite pastimes that people enjoy here is to rent a small boat. You may also be entertained by a small puppet theatre and there are pony rides and a carousel for the children. This park is well worth a visit and it really feels like the quintessential park portrayed in so many movies. There are many nice lawns all around the central point and one can also simply make use of one of the many chairs that are around the park if you need to take a short rest from your wanderings.
A number of Watteau's garden scenes are based on the view of the garden during a period when the upkeep of the gardens was neglected and they were allowed to run wild a little. If you are familiar with his work then you might find it interesting to try to find the locations of his paintings.
This park is a favourite for couples and also is a firm favourite of chess players as well as the traditional French game of Jeux de Boules, a game that is something like jacks. There are also a number of really beautiful fountains in this park, one of the most well known is the Fontaine de Medicis, named after the famous family that originally bought the park and redesigned it. The fountain is designed in a baroque style and has been there since 1624. There are a number of statues throughout the park that attract great interest as well.
Nearby attractions: Latin Quarter, Pantheon and the Musée de Cluny - (Medieval Art)
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: NoAddress: 75006 Paris, France
Phone: 01 42 34 20 00
Official Website: Jardin de Luxembourg
Jardin de Luxembourg Reviews
Rated
out of 5 Lovely place for a stroll. Beautiful gardens and fountains. Crepes and pastries available on the garden side. On the park side, you do have to pay for each kids activity, even the playground. 3 euros per kid and 1 per adult. Playground was great though. There’s a manual merry go round that my kids loved. 2 euros per ride. The little snack bar was meh and very pricey. Free sand boxes were good.
Katie Stills - 2 weeks ago
We had to escape the rain a bit on our visit but that was alright. There were gazebo and other structures to get some relief from the rain and grab a coffee while we waited it out. The garden was lovely and there were quite a few people hanging out and enjoying the warm albeit damp evening.
Chip Vogt - a month ago
Beautiful garden with no ticket. Its beautiful in all seasons. Whether you want yo run or take a peaceful walk or enjoy a rainy day with kids or want to embrace the flowers in full bloom in spring to frozen lake in winter or eating a Crepe in front of majestic architecture. It has it all.
Rituparna Ghosh - a week ago
It is a very big garden, where you can relax, take a walk, draw, read a book, have a snack, play with your friends/family. Honestly, it wasn't that impressive to me but it is actually a place for escape during your day and enjoy nature's beauty. I don't know if there is any parking space and public toilets.
Rafaella G - 3 months ago
Directions
Metro / RER Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
---|---|---|
M4 or M10 | Odéon | 6 minutes |
M12 | Notre-Dame-des-Champs | 6 minutes |
RER-B | Luxembourg | 0 minutes |
How to get to Jardin de Luxembourg by Metro / RER
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