Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The garden of Luxembourg was created in 1612 at the request of Marie de Medici, who wanted a green space inspired by Florentine gardens to accompany his new palace, built by architect Salomon de Brosse. The land, originally acquired from the Duke of Piney-Luxembourg, was a private hotel surrounded by eight hectares. The garden was designed by Jacques Boyceau, a French garden specialist, with symmetrical beds, a central fountain and a restored aqueduct (the Medici Water) to feed water games. Despite the constraints imposed by the convent of the Chartreux, next to the site, the garden spread over more than a kilometre east to west, with a large cross-sectional alley.

Over the centuries, the garden has undergone several major changes. In 1635 André Le Nôtre rearranged the beds, but the southern perspective remained limited by the convent. After the Revolution, the Chartreux wall was cut down, allowing the annexation of an additional 26 hectares and the opening of the Observatory Avenue, designed by Jean-François Chalgrin under the First Empire. The garden then became a public place, with facilities for children (kiosks, games) under Napoleon I. In the 19th century, Haussmann's work reduced its area, notably with the drilling of Boulevard Saint-Michel, leading to the displacement of the Medicis fountain.

The garden was also marked by troubled historical events. During the Commune of Paris (1871), Fédérés were shot, and a commemorative plaque was placed there in 2003. Under the German occupation (1940-1944), it served as a military parking lot, even housing blockhouses and a "German garden" forbidden to the public. The greenhouses, orchards and vegetable gardens were partially converted to provide food. After the Liberation in 1944, the garden regained its public vocation, with its cultural activities (puppet theatre, music kiosk) and its spaces dedicated to sports (tennis, chess) or relaxation.

Today, the Luxembourg garden belongs to the Senate, which maintains it through an annual budget (13.4 million euros in 2024). It houses 106 statues, including the series of Queens of France and Women illustrious, as well as emblematic fountains such as that of Eugène Delacroix. Its greenhouses, created in the 19th century, conserve rare horticultural collections, including 400 species of orchids. The garden remains a place for walks, culture (photo exhibitions on the grids) and memory, with annual ceremonies such as the tribute to the students who died for the Patria.

Ranked among the most beautiful gardens in the world (3rd place in 2022 according to HouseFresh), Luxembourg combines historical heritage and modernity. His aisles inspired literary works (Les Misérables de Victor Hugo, Madame Bovary de Flaubert) and film (Les Misérables de Jean-Paul Le Chanois, Lupin sur Netflix). The garden also hosts sporting events, such as the final stages of the French Palm Game Championship, an Olympic discipline in 1900 on its grounds.

The organisation of the garden reflects its successive influences: a part with the French (central axis of the palace), areas with English (side Guynemer Street), and a geometric forest of quinconces. The conservation orchard preserves ancient varieties of fruit trees, while the apiary and greenhouses perpetuate a horticultural tradition dating back to the 17th century. The current 60 gardeners (compared to 400 in the past) cultivate ornamental plants on site, perpetuating historical know-how.

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