Jardin du Luxembourg

The Jardin du Luxembourg is a large public garden in Paris’s 6th arrondissement created in the early 17th century for Marie de’ Medici. It combines formal parterres, tree-lined promenades, statues and recreational lawns around the Luxembourg Palace.

Prominent features include the palace (now the seat of the French Senate), the Medici Fountain and a central octagonal pond where model sailboats are commonly sailed. The garden offers ornamental flowerbeds, a rose garden, an orchard and children’s play areas.

The gardens were laid out in the early 1600s and have been reworked and expanded across centuries to their present form, serving both as a public amenity and a setting for cultural monuments. They sit in central Paris on the Left Bank close to Saint-Sulpice and the Latin Quarter.

• Size: Covers roughly 23 to 25 hectares in Paris's 6th arrondissement and combines formal French and English-style landscaping.
• Crowds and highlights: Early morning and weekday afternoons are typically quieter than weekends; the central pond and the Medici Fountain are among the most photographed spots.

What to See #

• Luxembourg Palace: The Luxembourg Palace, built in the early 17th century by Marie de' Medici, which now houses the French Senate and forms the northern edge of the gardens.
• Medici Fountain: The Medici Fountain, a baroque-style fountain and sheltered pool dating to the early 17th century, located in the southeast section of the gardens.
• Grand Bassin and promenades: The central octagonal pond and tree-lined promenades where model sailboats are commonly sailed and public chairs are arranged for visitors.