Jardin du Luxembourg - Paris

After the tour of Notre-Dame, with the sound of the church bells and the images of the stained glass still ringing in my head, I wished for some peace. Paris knows how to be loud and fast, but it also knows how to surprise you with moments of silence, if you go just a little further from the main streets.

And so, walking through the streets of the Latin Quarter, I reached one of the most beautiful places in the city, the Jardin du Luxembourg, also known as the Luxembourg Garden.

Already at the entrance, I was greeted by autumn, yellow leaves, cool air, a gentle wind, and people casually walking, sitting on benches, or simply enjoying the moment. Paris under a grey sky has a special colour, one that is hard to describe but easy to recognise.

The history of the garden

The Luxembourg Garden was created at the beginning of the 17th century on the initiative of Catherine de' Medici, the French queen of Italian origin, who wanted to bring a part of Florence, her homeland, to Paris.

That is why this garden is designed in the style of Italian Renaissance parks, with symmetry, fountains, wide avenues and open lawns. It was later expanded, redesigned and refined in the French style, so today it represents a perfect mixture of two worlds.

In the centre is the Palais du Luxembourg, a palace that today serves as the seat of the French Senate, but was once the residence of the Queen. That's why everything looks so aristocratic; you feel like you're walking through a private royal garden.

As I was walking down the avenue, I saw a bronze sculpture of a man playing a flute, all in motion, as if dancing. It is one of the numerous works of art scattered around the park.

The Luxembourg Garden has over 100 sculptures, including mythological figures, monuments to writers, philosophers and important historical figures. Among the most famous is the sculpture of Pan, the Greek god of nature, who is often shown playing and dancing.

These sculptures are not there by chance; they are part of the story of the garden, part of the French love for art that does not stick to museums, but lives outside, among people.

And then comes the main scene.
The Palais du Luxembourg, which looks like something straight out of a fairy tale. Massive, elegant, with domes, a clock and sculptures, and the French flag on top adds a little more dignity.

The building fits perfectly into the environment. He seems to be watching over the garden, as if he is guarding it.

In front of the palace is a large man-made lake, where people gather to watch the ducks swim or to rest their feet after a long walk.
Although the weather was cold and gloomy, the garden was alive, children were laughing, couples were walking, and people were sitting with hot coffee, looking out at the lawn full of colour.

When I went deeper into the garden, everything slowly opened up. There are wide paths, people walking, running, driving children in strollers, tourists taking photos of every corner, and, of course, what makes this garden alive, an incredible amount of flowers.

It was the flowers that first caught my attention. So many colours, so many neat flower beds, all arranged as in the picture. Yellow, orange, purple, white, everything resembles a perfect natural mosaic.

Even the ducks, which were walking along the path, seemed to be part of that composition. They were not afraid of people at all. On the contrary, they walked completely relaxed, like true residents of the park who welcome new visitors every day.

What amazed me the most was how calm everything seemed to be. While standing in the garden, it is as if you are far away from the traffic, the metro and the speed of Paris. And you are actually in the very centre of the city.

Jardin du Luxembourg is one of those places where you can sit and simply breathe, let your thoughts wander, and enjoy the simplicity of the moment.

It is a space that restores energy.

After a day spent in Paris, from walking around Notre-Dame to arriving at the Luxembourg Gardens, I realised that this city is not just light, it's not just glamour and architecture.
Paris is also those quiet moments, a walk on the damp earth, the sound of leaves under your feet, the smell of flowers, sculptures that keep their stories and ducks that walk next to you as if they have known you for years.

The Jardin du Luxembourg is the place where Paris breathes the slowest.

And that's exactly why it's one of the most beautiful places I've visited.