Gardens in Paris

Luxembourg Gardens are the greatest parks in Paris. No wonder that this place is very favourite, not only among local inhabitants. If you visit the park in the morning, you would be surprised seeing many sportsmen here. All this reminds a fact as if whole Paris awoke and started to run. So, Luxembourg Gardens are ideal place for your relax. You can have a seat comfortably into added armchairs  and enjoy marvellous sceneries. Flower-beds revell of colours, coffees allure for sitting down, and you forget that you find yourselves in city centre. Various programmes and concerts for culture lovers are often organized here.

Luxembourg Palace makes a part of vast park is a seat of Senate. Its history begun at the beginning of 17th century, concretely in 1645. Mary de Medici let it built after death of Henry IV., her husband. The construction was made by architect Salomon de Brosse. He had the task to build a palace, inspired by architecture, used in the town of Florence. Its part was also a picture collection of P. P. Rubens (at present, this collection could be admired in Louvre Gallery). Another interesting fact: Luxembourg Palace served as a jail for certain time period, in past.

Tuillery Gardens belong to another important parks in Paris. These gardens became a gallery of monuments. You can have a seat and watch world known Louvre Gallery (with glassed pyramide inside) from one part, and famous Victory Arch or Obelisk arising in sky on Concord Square on the opposite part. Quite calm atmosphere is prevailing, the people get sunshine here, children let small boats to flow in lakes, and young couples walk here to make piknik. It is an ideal place to have a relax from town-traffic or to have a rest from monuments´ watching.

Original park was established in 16th century. Nevertheless, its essential change in face of French park was effected in 17th century, by means of architect Andrew Le Notre. Today, its part is formed with vast statue collection or Orangerie Museum. You find here a collection of Impressionistic works. So, there are to be admired the paintings of well-known names, such as Paul Cezanne, Claude Monet, Renoir, Alfred Sisley or Henry Rousseau. In the outskirts of Paris, there is to be found the Castle of Versailles, with its famous gardens, suggested as typical  park in French style. Total extent of gardens makes incredible 800 ha approx. The gardens are the work of Anfrew Le Notre, similarly as Tuillerie Gardens.

These vast gardens are full of flowers, statues and 50 fountains. Nevertheless, there are also unexpected moments in gardens´ history. King Louis XVI. did not like this type of garden too much, so he had the intention to create the gardens in English style. However, the final effect (result) was not for him too satisfactorily, so the gardens changed again in typical French gardens.

Text/photo: Libor Včelík

Relating articles:

Versailles - window of France