The Luxembourg Gardens are a park ensemble in the center of Paris. This famous landmark is known for its quiet and peaceful atmosphere. It is located in the Latin Quarter and covers an area of 26 hectares. The garden was laid out around the palace in 1611-1612 by decree of the French Queen Marie de Medici. The palace was built in the image of the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, where Marie de Medici grew up.
You may ask, why it named Luxembourg? The reason is that the park ensemble grew on the land of the Duke of Pinay from the Luxembourg family. The gardens include many green spaces, flower beds and artificial ponds, and fountains. Water was supplied to them through a specially stretched aqueduct. The park has a large number of sculptures. The famous one is 2-meter Statue of Liberty by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi.
Today, the Senate sits in the Luxembourg Palace. Also you can find a greenhouse there and a Luxembourg museum. Luxembourg Gardens is not only a great location for a walk, but also for a sketch! Park has a lot of things to sketch: flowers, sculptures, people, and architecture. It’s quiet and there are places to sit. I hope you will make a lot of sketches in your sketchbook! The entrance is free, you don’t need any ticket, the gardens are open year round.
How to get to Luxembourg gardens?
Best way is by metro, the closest metro station is Odeon (line 4).
Great spots of Luxembourg gardens for sketching and leisure:
Orangerie du Sénat
The orangery is located in Luxembourg garden, here you can find exhibitions of photographs, paintings, sculpture etc. So, you can make some sketches inside or outside the orangery. For more information visit official site.
Luxembourg Palace
The palace was a royal residence, now used as a meeting place for the French senate. The palace was modeled after Palazzo Pitti in Florence. In front of the palace is a pond, there are benches and chairs around it. As you already understand it is a great spot for sketch. You can sketch the palace, the people sitting around or flora.
Medici Fountain
Fountain was built in the 17th century, and like the palace it has a Florentine vibe of Italian Renaissance. This beautiful part of the gardens perfectly decorated with vases, flowers and sculptures. Around the fountain are placed chairs, so it is one more amazing sketching location. In Autumn it mostly beautiful view, when leaves are turning to shades of orange, red and yellow.
Statue of Liberty
As I mentioned earlier Liberty Statue located in the gardens. The original statue was placed outside Musée du Luxembourg in 1905 and stood here till 2014. Nowadays the original statue is standing near the entrance to Musée d’Orsay. And the bronze replica of Liberty Statue, was placed instead of it. In my opinion it’s a great option for making sculpture sketches and not only for this sculpture. There is dozens of gorgeous statues around the garden.
Pavillon Davioud
In the Pavillon Davioud you can find another exhibitions of photographs, paintings and sculptures. The exhibitions open from June till September, and the entrance is free. For more information click here.
Sketch spot near Luxembourg gardens:
Val de Grace Church
17th century church in baroque style. In Paris you hardly find Baroque style in architecture, so don’t miss your chance to see it and sketch it!
Address: 1 Pl. Alphonse Laveran, 75005 Paris, France.
Enjoy your trip, have fun, and make amazing sketches!
