Visiting Historical Gardens In Paris

The oldest public gardens in Paris were created for the queens of France – the Jardin des Tuileries for Catherine de Médicis in the 16th century, and the Jardin du Luxembourg for Marie de Médicis in the 17th century. The Tuileries form the beginning of the axis running from the Arc du Triomphe du Carrousel through the Arc de Triomphe to La Défense. These gardens retain the formality devised by landscape architect André Le Nôtre, originally for the Palace of Versailles. Many of the Jardin des Tuileries’s original sculptures survive, as well as modern pieces, notably the bronze nudes by Aristide Maillol (1861–1944).

The Jardin du Luxembourg also has the traditional formal plan – straight paths, clipped lawns, Classical sculpture and a superb 17th-century fountain. It is shadier and more intimate than the Tuileries, with lots of seats, pony rides and puppet shows to amuse the children. The Jardins des Champs- Elysées, also by Le Nôtre, were reshaped in the English style during the 19th century. The gardens have Belle Epoque pavilions, three theaters (L’Espace Pierre Cardin, Théâtre Marigny and the Théâtre Barrault), chic restaurants – and the ghost of the novelist Marcel Proust, who once played here as a child.

A haven of peace in a busy district is the Jardin du Palais Royal built by Cardinal Richelieu in the 17th century. An elegant arcade encloses the garden. The 19th-century Parc Monceau, in the English picturesque style, has follies and grottoes. The flat Jardins des Invalides and the landscaped Champ-de-Mars were the grounds of the Hôtel des Invalides and the Ecole Militaire. They were the site of the Paris Universal Exhibition, whose reminder is the Eiffel Tower. An attractive public garden is attached to the lovely Hôtel Biron, home of the Musée Rodin. The 17th-century botanical garden Jardin des Plantes is famous for its ancient trees, flowers, alpine garden, greenhouses and small zoo.

Keywords: