The Luxembourg Garden, the oldest gardens in Paris, just a 7-minute walk from the Raspail Montparnasse hotel

Nicknamed “the Luco” by Parisians, the Luxembourg Garden are the oldest of the public gardens and parks in Paris. They are also some of the most enjoyable, due to the variety of attractions for both young and old. In short: a destination not to be missed, located just a 7-minute walk from the Raspail Montparnasse hotel.
In spring, summer and fall, spending time in the Luxembourg Garden is a sure way to relax and enjoy yourself that will leave a delightful impression.
Hotel guests can enjoy this location for relaxation and recreational activities.

An ideal garden spot for relaxation

History of the Luxembourg Gardens

In 1612, Marie de Médicis, wife of Henry IV and the mother of Louis XIII, ordered the Luxembourg Gardens built to enhance the Luxembourg Palace, where the royal family lived for 30 years. Originally, both the gardens and the palace were designed in a Florentine style.
During the French Revolution, the Luxembourg Palace was used as a prison, whose famous inmates included Danton and Desmoulins. It was then dedicated for use by the Directoire (French government under the 1st Republic) and subsequently, when Napoleon Bonaparte came to power, by the Senate.
In 1635, Lenôtre renovated the gardens.

The Luxembourg Garden are home to a great number of points of interest:

• The Luxembourg Palace, which one can tour and sit in on Senate sessions.
• The Luxembourg Museum, which in 1750 was the first museum in France, opened to the public. The museum presents a wide range of educational and cultural exhibitions.
• And then there are the gardens, which offer many attractions.

The gardens are very large. They cover 22 hectares (54 acres), comprising a French garden, an English garden and a geometric forest. What activities are available there?

Sports, recreational activities and educational visits

Guided tours of the gardens, tennis and basketball courts, bocci courts, music stands with scheduled programs, orchards, lawns with public access, pools with miniature boats for rent, tables and benches, 4,000 straight chairs and armchairs, meeting places for chess players, and beehives for learning about beekeeping.

For children

Daycare center, kindergartens, merry-go-rounds, playgrounds, pony rides, a puppet theater, sandboxes and swings.

Food services

A kiosk that sells snacks, drinks and toys, a place for refreshment and a bite to eat.

A short story about the straight chairs and armchairs in the Luxembourg Gardens

The tradition of how the chairs are set out in the Luxembourg garden dates back many years.
In the 18th century, the great popularity of the gardens and parks in Paris motivated the government to set out chairs for public use, which at that time were rented at a price of 10 cents.
This concession was let out to a private company that provided the service, collected the fees and paid the government a commission. The Senate, which had overestimated the profitability of the concession, ended up driving it into bankruptcy.
Today, the chairs and armchairs are free to use, and in 1990, the Fermob company became the official supplier to the Senate. In 2001, Fermob called on Frédéric Sofia to enhance its products and create the entire line of “Luxembourg” chairs as we know them today. These chairs are currently sold throughout the world and are a good example of the success of French products. For more information: http://www.fredericsofia.com/work.php?id=1&lng=en

Luxembourg Gardens

55 bis rue d’Assas 75006 Paris (closest entrance to the hotel)
Hours: Varies by season, 7:30 or 8:15 am until 4:45 or 9:30 pm.
Download opening times
Website about the gardens and the Senate http://www.senat.fr/visite/jardin/
Website of the Luxembourg Museum: http://museeduluxembourg.fr/