Luxembourg Garden and Saint-Germain

What it is

The Luxembourg Garden is the garden of the palace where the French Senate sits, which is also the body that manages it. It covers almost 26 hectares, of which about 22 are open to the public, with French-style flower beds, symmetrical and geometric, and English-style corners, wilder. It is where Parisians sit and read, children push toy boats on the large pond and tourists rest between museums. Entry is free.

Allow an hour or an hour and a half to walk it at leisure, plus as long as you want to sit.

What to see

• The palace and the large pond: in front of the Luxembourg Palace facade, the large pond is the centre of the garden. Around it are green iron chairs, the famous "Sénat" and "Luxembourg" chairs: there are 4,517 and they have been free since 1974. Take them and put them wherever you like.
• The Médicis fountain: commissioned by Marie de' Medici, widow of Henri IV, who had the palace built. It is in shade, beside a long pond, on the east side.
• The Queens of France: a series of statues of queens and illustrious women surrounds the terrace: Anne of Brittany, Queen Margot, Saint Geneviève, Mary Stuart.
• The Orangerie, the Davioud pavilion, the bandstand and the teaching apiary, scattered around the garden.
• The railings: they host open-air photography exhibitions. Until 17 January 2027, Terrains hostiles, by National Geographic.

The Musée du Luxembourg, beside the garden, has paid exhibitions; until 10 January 2027, Andy Warhol: la ligne et l'image.

Hours

Open every day, in daylight. The hours change with the light and the Senate adjusts them on the 1st and 16th of each month: in November 2026, from 8:00 to 17:00. Check the timetable on its website before going in the afternoon.

With children

With children it is a very rewarding stop, with free and paid activities:

• Free: sandpits, ping-pong tables, chess, basketball, pétanque and skittles, and themed trails.
• Paid: the children's play area, the swings, toy sailing boat hire for the large pond, the carousel, ponies, the puppet theatre, tennis and a nursery.

Prices and times for each activity depend on who operates it; you will find them at each stand.

Rules

You may not walk on the lawn, ride a bike or scooter, or pick plants. Dogs are only allowed on a lead in the south-east area, between the Gay-Lussac and Observatoire gates; in the rest of the garden they are prohibited. There are free public toilets in several chalets.

Getting there

The garden has ten gates, all with free entry; there are entrances on place Edmond-Rostand, place André-Honnorat, rue Guynemer and rue de Vaugirard. By RER B, Luxembourg-Sénat station; by metro, Odéon (lines 4 and 10), Mabillon (10) and Saint-Germain-des-Prés (4). Buses 21, 27, 38, 58, 82, 83, 84, 85 and 89.

Saint-Germain-des-Prés is to the north, a short walk, and from there you continue to the Île de la Cité, with Notre-Dame and the Sainte-Chapelle.

Guided tours and activities

The garden organises guided tours, free horticulture courses, concerts at the bandstand and longue paume matches, a very old ball game: the society that plays it holds matches on Sundays at 10:30. Programme on the garden's website.