Attraction
Musée du Louvre
The world-famous former royal palace on the Right Bank, home to the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and thousands of works spanning antiquity to the…
Jardin du Luxembourg
The French Senate's formal garden in the 6th arrondissement, with the Medici Fountain, tree-lined promenades and the famous green chairs around its central basin.
At a glance
- Type
- Public park
- Area
- Saint-Germain-des-Prés / Latin Quarter, Paris, France
- Official site
- jardin.senat.fr
Good to know
- Free entry
- Medici Fountain
- Apiary
- Bandstand
- Fruit tree collection
Why we recommend it
The Jardin du Luxembourg was laid out from 1612 for Marie de' Medici, widow of Henri IV, around the palace she built in the style of her native Florence. The Palais du Luxembourg now houses the French Senate, which owns and maintains the garden. Covering around 23 hectares on the edge of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter, it combines formal French terraces with a more informal English-style section, and it is one of the most loved green spaces in Paris.
At the centre is the octagonal Grand Bassin in front of the palace, where children push small wooden sailing boats across the water with sticks, a tradition that has lasted generations. Around it, the famous green metal chairs can be moved freely, so visitors pull them into the sun or the shade. The Medici Fountain, a grotto-like fountain at the end of a long, shaded pool, is the most romantic corner. Elsewhere you will find a terrace of statues of French queens, an orchard of old apple and pear varieties, an apiary, an orangery, a bandstand with summer concerts, tennis courts and a small replica of the Statue of Liberty.
The garden suits everyone: families come for the playground, the puppet theatre and the pony rides, students from the nearby university read on the lawns where they are allowed, and older Parisians play chess and pétanque under the trees. Entry is free. Opening hours change with the seasons, opening in the morning and closing around dusk, so the gates close earlier in winter than in summer. Guards blow whistles shortly before closing time to clear the paths.
Allow an hour for a stroll or a whole afternoon with a book. Spring, when the chestnut trees flower, and autumn, when the leaves turn, are the most attractive seasons. The Musée du Luxembourg, which holds temporary exhibitions in the former orangery wing on Rue de Vaugirard, is at the edge of the garden.
The main gates are on Place Edmond Rostand, Place André Honnorat, Rue Guynemer and Rue de Vaugirard. Luxembourg station on RER B is opposite the eastern side, and Odéon, Saint-Sulpice and Notre-Dame-des-Champs metro stations are within ten minutes' walk. The Panthéon is a short walk east, and the cafés of Saint-Germain and Rue de Médicis are close by.
Jardin du Luxembourg FAQs
Who runs the Jardin du Luxembourg?
The garden belongs to the French Senate, which sits in the Palais du Luxembourg.
Where are the entrances?
The main gates are on Place Edmond Rostand, Place André Honnorat, Rue Guynemer and Rue de Vaugirard.
Is it free?
Yes, entry to the garden is free.
What are the opening hours?
The hours change with the seasons, from early morning until around dusk, so the garden closes earlier in winter.
Is it good for children?
Yes. There is a playground, a puppet theatre, pony rides and model sailing boats to push on the Grand Bassin.
Can I sit on the grass?
Only on the lawns that are signposted as open. Otherwise use the green chairs, which you can move freely.
How do I get there?
Luxembourg station on RER B is beside the garden, and Odéon and Saint-Sulpice metro stations are a short walk away.