Jardin du Luxembourg

The Jardin du Luxembourg is a 224,500 m² public park and the largest in the city, located in the 6th "arrondissement" of Paris, France. Luxembourg is the garden of the French Senate, which is itself housed in the Luxembourg Palace.

These gardens include a large fenced-in playground that is very popular with local young children and their parents. Adjacent to it is a puppet theatre and a merry-go-round. On occasion, pony rides are also available. In addition, free musical performances are presented in a gazebo on the grounds and there is an anonymous, inexpensive restaurant nearby, under the trees, with both indoor and outdoor seating from which many people enjoy the music over a glass of wine.

The garden is famed for its calm atmosphere. On the little pond children play with miniature boats. The garden contains various statues and sculptures. Surrounding the pond are a series of statues of former French queens.

The École nationale supérieure des Mines de Paris and the Odéon theatre stand next to the Luxembourg Garden.

Open hours depend on the month: opening between 7:30 and 8:15 am; closing between 4:45 and 9:45 pm.

Trivia

* On December 7, 1815, Marshal of France Michel Ney was executed here by firing squad after having been convicted on a charge of treason for joining Napoléon Bonaparte during the Hundred Days.
* There is also a painting by Henri Matisse entitled Luxembourg Gardens. It was stolen during an armed robbery of the Chaara do Ceu museum where it was housed.
* The Luxembourg Garden (and its boat lake) features prominently in the French in Action instructional television series.
* Features in the classic children's picture book "Madeline" by Ludwig Bemelmans.
* The garden is where Marius meets Jean Valjean and Cosette in "Les Misérables".
* George Orwell spent his time there when he was Down and Out in Paris and London, (in Paris in this case).
* The first model of the Statue of Liberty is found here
* The Jardin du Luxembourg was host to a musical performances from Alsager School

External links

* [http://www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/one?public_place_id=39 The Luxembourg Gardens page at the Project for Public Spaces]
* [http://paris1900.lartnouveau.com/paris06/le_jardin_du_luxembourg_actuel.htm The Jardin du Luxembourg] - Current and old photographs of the garden, statues, fountains
* [http://www.a-paris.net/A-paris-balade-jardin-du-luxembourg.htm Detailed map with sculptures]
* [http://www.artsmia.org/viewer/detail.php?id=77&i=39&v=1 The Luxembourg Gardens at Twilight] - One of a series of paintings featuring the gardens by American (b. Italy) artist John Singer Sargent
* [http://www.senat.fr/visite/jardin/histoire.html Webpages about the Garden] fr

ee also

* List of parks and gardens in Paris