Point of interest
Jardin du Luxembourg
in Paris, France
The city's most elegant park, wrapped around the Senate palace, with green chairs by the great pond — perfect for a break in the Latin Quarter.
Where it is
The Jardin du Luxembourg lies in the 6th arrondissement on the Left Bank, between the Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain-des-Prés, around the Luxembourg Palace.
Address: Paris, Paris
What it is
Across 25 hectares, formal French and English garden sections combine with the Medici Fountain, over a hundred statues, an orchard and the famous octagonal basin where children sail model boats. The signature green Senate chairs invite lingering, and entry is free.
History
The garden was laid out from 1612 for Marie de' Medici, widow of Henri IV, who had the adjoining palace built in a Tuscan style. Today the garden and palace belong to the French Senate, which maintains the park.