If you want to understand the people of a city a great place to start is in one of their parks. Seeing them relaxing, at play, you can appreciate not how different they are from you but how similar.
On the Saturday afternoon of our recent visit to Paris we spent some time in the Jardins du Luxembourg. As well as enjoying our surroundings we of course indulged in that perennial Parisian sport of people watching.
We observed some games of pétanque; took lots of photos; relaxed for a while on a couple of those small green chairs that are helpfully dotted around all the Parisian parks; watched children playing with sailing boats on the pond as no doubt they have done for generations; and popped inside the Orangerie where there was a small sculpture exhibition.
The gardens date back to the early seventeenth century when they were laid out for the Luxembourg Palace, which was built by Marie de’ Medici, the widow of King Henry IV, as her new residence. The gardens echo those she knew as a child in Florence as well as the later more formal French style, laid out in squares.
Today this is a public park owned by the French Senate, which meets in the Palace. It contains over a hundred statues, monuments, and fountains, and is understandably popular with locals and visitors alike. Here’s just a glimpse of the activity and sights of our short visit that sunny afternoon.
I last visited Paris in September 2021, when all these photos were taken
36 Comments
Annie Berger
Thanks for bringing the park to life for us as I never knew of its neverending charm and beauty, Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
It’s a real Parisian favourite Annie, a great place to watch Paris at play, especially at the weekend!
SoyBend
It looked like love was in the air, Sarah! Loved the color of those pink flowers.
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, so it seemed 😀 And I couldn’t get over the pink of those flowers – and there were loads of them! Thanks Siobhan 🙂
wetanddustyroads
Wow … so many beautiful photos! The bright pink flowers made me smile, as did the couple that sat on the wall of the dam/fountain (I’m not sure what you call it ☺️) … I like the guy’s hat and how they hold on to each other (call me a romantic).
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you again 🙂 I was pleased with that capture, they looked almost old-fashioned to me and yes, quite romantic. That’s not a dam, at least not how we use the word which is a large structure built to hold back water in a river to generate power or provide flood protection or some other purpose. Nor is there a fountain in the pond. It’s simply a large round pond in front of the palace used my kids (and a few adults!) to sail model boats – very colourful!
wetanddustyroads
That is actually the word I was looking for … a pond ☺️.
grandmisadventures
beautiful pictures of the people within the park. I think that’s true that parks offer a view on the city that is so different from anywhere else 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, I’m glad you liked them 🙂
Gift N. T.
Beautiful and interesting collection of photos! You have captured some interesting moments there. I have heard of this park, but it seems bigger than I thought. Definitely didn’t expect that many statues and fountains.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much 😊 Yes, it’s a pretty large park for one in a city centre and there’s lots to see there!
justbluedutch
What a lovely place Sarah! and you´re photos are always so dreamy.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you – yes, it is a lovely park 🙂
Gilda Baxter
Paris is always a beautiful place to visit. I visited with my sisters and brother-in-law a few years ago and remember enjoying these gardens a lot.
Lovely to look through your photos and be taken back to that wonderful trip.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Gilda 🙂 I’m always happy when people enjoy my photos, whether inspiring them to travel somewhere new or, as in your case, bringing back good memories of places they have also visited!
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
Love the urns with the vibrant pink flowers. And the romantic couples (though not 100% sure about the first guy who looks a little bored).
Sarah Wilkie
Hmm yes, I see what you mean about him 🤔 And I was really taken by those pink flower urns – so vibrant!
XingfuMama
I always love to visit parks. Parks are one of the best places to get a real feel for the city you are in.
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, absolutely – and a chance to slow down and absorb the place rather than simply ticking off the sights!
Heyjude
Sigh… I often wish I lived closer to London again so we could pop over to Paris. There is so much to love there. Not sure I have actually been into this particular park, but you are right they are great places to visit.
Sarah Wilkie
One of many reasons we like living in London is the ease of getting to other places, and none more so than Paris 😀
Heyjude
That’s certainly true, though I don’t think I would cope with all the traffic and noise in the south-east now after being a country bumpkin for so long 😂
Sarah Wilkie
Noise only bothers me at night, and we don’t get much traffic in our road. The main noise nuisance is neighbours, or rather one specific neighbour, but it’s a price worth paying to live somewhere that otherwise suits us well 🙂
Heyjude
Well we have noisy neighbours too, especially today! Some noisy cattle arrived next door in the middle of the night and haven’t shut up yet 😵
photobyjohnbo
If I ever get to Paris, this is one of the places I intend to visit. You’ve given me quite a taste of what to expect in the garden, Sarah!
Sarah Wilkie
I hope you do get to Paris one day John, it’s such a wonderful city to visit!
equinoxio21
Thanks for the tour. Felt like home. I was a student a few blocks away for two years, in 70-72. So the Luxembourg was a nice green haven nearby. (Couldn’t step on the lawn then though!)
Bon week-end.
Sarah Wilkie
Glad you enjoyed the tour and it brought back good memories for you 🙂 It must have been a great experience to live and study in Paris!
equinoxio21
Overall, in various moments, I’ve lived about 15 years in Paris. A city of my heart. (But then so is New York, and I haven’t lived 15 years there. (Wish I had. 😉)
Sarah Wilkie
Ah, you’ve named my two favourite cities in the world, the two I would have loved the chance to live in for a spell 😍
equinoxio21
Both are great. With their ups and downs. When I stayed in New York, it was quite dangerous. Late 70’s. Couldn’t think of taking the underground at night.
Sarah Wilkie
We first visited NYC in 1982. We were there three weeks and my mother in law reckoned she didn’t sleep the whole time, worrying we’d get shot! But we used the subway (by day) and explored all over without ever feeling particularly nervous 🙂
Mike and Kellye Hefner
So lovely, Sarah. You do have a knack for capturing the spirit of a place by including people in your shots.
Sarah Wilkie
It’s something I try to do, certainly – what is a city without its people, after all?
thehungrytravellers.blog
I think that if your opening sentence had appeared on our blog instead of yours, the last word of the sentence wouldn’t have been parks, it would have been …….. bars….ha ha. Seriously though some of these images really capture the spirit of one of our mutually favourite cities.
Sarah Wilkie
I carefully said ‘A great place to start’ not ‘THE place to start’ and I agree, bars would work just as well in that sentence 😂