During a stay in Paris, there are plenty of places to visit if you live on the capital’s Left Bank: old historic districts or artists’ streets, souvenir stores and high-end boutiques for shopping, museums and restaurants, but also and above all, the sublime urban parks like the famous Jardin du Luxembourg.
The Jardin du Luxembourg is in fact an emblematic park much appreciated by Parisians, tourists on vacation in the city and other visitors. Couples, friends, families, students, tourists, sports enthusiasts and chess players spend pleasant moments strolling along the flower-filled paths (primroses, forget-me-nots, pansies, wallflowers, geraniums, calceolaria, petunias, ageratum or dahlias). There’s no shortage of activities on offer, including pony rides for children, concerts, art exhibitions and more.
The Jardin du Luxembourg: layout, creation, history
The Luxembourg Gardens are located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, on the edge of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and in the heart of the Latin Quarter. Its creation was commissioned in 1612 by Marie de Médicis (wife of King Henri IV and Queen Regent during the reign of her son, Louis XIII) to embellish the Palais du Luxembourg, her personal residence at the time. Its realization was an extraordinary project, this immense garden initially created to resemble the superb Florentine garden Boboli, according to the Queen’s wishes. Marie de Médicis called on various Italian, German and French artists to decorate the Palais du Luxembourg. She also commissioned Pierre Paul Rubens to paint several pictures illustrating her life at the palace.
You can also admire Rubens’ works at the Musée du Luxembourg, near the Palais du Luxembourg, where a special exhibition is currently on view (between October 2017 and January 2018).
Today, the public has access to 21 hectares of this 23-hectare urban park, featuring plane, chestnut, lime, soap, paulownia and ginkgo trees. The whole of the Jardin du Luxembourg is made up of a French garden and an English garden, separated by the geometric forest of quinconces.
To the south are sumptuous lawns and an orchard with over 600 varieties of pears and apples. The paths lined with flowerbeds and sculptures that run through all these areas invite you to enjoy pleasant morning or late afternoon strolls.
Jardin du Luxembourg, near listed buildings and our hotel Paris 6th arrondissement
The Jardin du Luxembourg is recognizable from the outside by its gates with their golden leaf-shaped spikes. The grounds include several listed buildings, the most notable of which is of course the Palais du Luxembourg, which today houses the Senate and the upper house of Parliament. Also of note are the Musée du Luxembourg, which hosts major temporary art exhibitions, and the former Hôtel de Vendôme, now home to the Mines ParisTech school.
Nearby are greenhouses containing large collections of plants and flowers, including 400 species of orchid. A further 180 crated plants, including citrus, pomegranate, date palm and oleander, are housed in an orangery.
Book your hotel just a few minutes from the Luxembourg Gardens
For geology and mineral enthusiasts, the Musée de Minéralogie is just 200 metres from the Jardin du Luxembourg. Here you’ll discover sublime minerals, crystals and volcanic rocks from the four corners of the globe. Its “human scale” is perfect for tourists looking for places to visit away from the crowds, and its design is reminiscent of the museums of the 70s.
Activities in the Jardin du Luxembourg near the Hotel Aramis Saint Germain
A variety of sports can be played in the garden, including basketball, martial arts, tennis and jeu de paume, which hosts the French championship. Chess players can take advantage of the 6 tables near the orangery, donated by the French Senate. As for children, there’s a playground where they can ride ponies, watch puppet shows or remote-control miniature boats in the main pool.
On the cultural side, photographs are regularly exhibited on the outside railings, and sculptures and other forms of art are displayed inside the garden. Artists sometimes perform in the bandstand in the northeast corner of the garden.
In short, the Jardin du Luxembourg remains a highly prized place, full of history, that takes its visitors into a unique world, far removed from the daily hustle and bustle of the City of Lights. It’s undoubtedly a “must” on any stay in Paris, whether you’re in the city for a few days or a long vacation.
The Jardin du Luxembourg, the Latin Quarter and other places to visit in the 6th arrondissement of Paris are, by chance, all around our beautiful Hotel Aramis! So don’t hesitate to book your stay with us, either directly online or by calling us on 01 45 48 03 75.