Jardin de 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)