# Luxembourg Garden and Saint-Germain

What to do en Paris · Paris

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/things-to-do/luxembourg-garden · Revisado: 2026-11-12

- Duración: 1 h 30
- Temporada: All year, in daylight
- Para quién: Families with children

The Senate's garden: a large pond with toy boats, the Médicis fountain and 4,517 free chairs; free entry, in November from 8:00 to 17:00.

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.

## Cómo llegar y contacto

- Coordenadas: 48.8462, 2.3372

## Cerca de aquí

- [Mandarin Oriental Lutetia, Paris](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/where-to-stay/mandarin-oriental-lutetia), a 918 m
- [Shakespeare and Company, the English-Language Bookshop in the Latin Quarter](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/things-to-do/shakespeare-and-company), a 1.0 km
- [Notre-Dame and the Sainte-Chapelle on the Île de la Cité](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/things-to-do/notre-dame-and-sainte-chapelle-on-the-ile-de-la-cite), a 1.2 km
- [One-Hour Seine Cruise from the Pont Neuf](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/things-to-do/seine-river-cruise), a 1.3 km
- [The Louvre Museum with a Booked Time](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/things-to-do/louvre-museum-with-a-booked-time), a 1.6 km
- [Musée d'Orsay and the Impressionists](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/things-to-do/musee-d-orsay-and-the-impressionists), a 1.7 km
- [MIJE Marais](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/where-to-stay/mije-marais), a 1.9 km
- [Le Marais and Place des Vosges on Foot](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris/things-to-do/le-marais-and-place-des-vosges), a 2.1 km

## Consejos

### Check the closing time
In winter it closes early, at 17:00 in November. The hours change every fortnight.

### Hire a toy boat for the children
The sailing boats for hire on the large pond are the garden's classic activity.

### Look for the Médicis fountain
It is tucked away, in the shade, on the east side: it is the quietest corner when the pond is full.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### Do you have to pay to enter?
No. The garden has free entry through any of its ten gates. You only pay for some activities, such as the boats or the ponies.

### Can you go with a dog?
Only on a lead and in the south-east area, between the Gay-Lussac and Observatoire gates. Dogs are not admitted in the rest of the garden.

### Can you eat on the lawn?
You may not walk on the lawn. Sit on the garden's free chairs or on the benches.

Destino: [Paris](https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/paris.md)