Luxembourg Gardens
History & Real Estate
the Jardin du Luxembourg, between royalty, urban transformation and Parisian memory
A rich and centuries-old history: the Jardin du Luxembourg, between royalty, urban transformation and Parisian memory
The origins
Created in 1612 at the request of Marie de Medici, the Jardin du Luxembourg is one of the most emblematic places on the Left Bank. Originally, it was just a vast plot of land surrounding the Duke of Piney-Luxembourg's mansion, which the queen acquired to escape the austerity of the Louvre and find a setting closer to the Italy of her childhood. It is from this house that the palace and the garden take their name.
To build a palace worthy of her rank, Marie de Medici called on the architect Salomon de Brosse, who was freely inspired by the Pitti Palace in Florence. She also imported to Paris an "Italian" vision of the garden: symmetrical flowerbeds, a central fountain, structured paths and terraces allowing you to admire the landscape. Work began immediately after the purchase of the land, and the first garden was entrusted to the master gardener Jacques Boyceau.
Very quickly, the garden developed in width rather than depth: the presence of the Carthusian convent prevented a classical perspective to the south. Marie de Medici tried in vain to impose her displacement. The garden therefore extends laterally, to the current Boulevard Saint-Michel and Boulevard Raspail. The old large alley that crossed this estate would later form, after successive amputations, the rue de Fleurus.
From the seventeenth to the eighteenth century: redevelopments, alienations and social life
After the death of Marie de Medici, the estate changed owners several times. In 1778, the Count of Provence — the future Louis XVIII — inherited the palace and undertook its restoration. To finance the work, he sold the western third of the garden, leading to the disappearance of famous paths, including the Promenade des Soupirs.
This sale set the current limit of Luxembourg to the west, now bordered by the current rue Guynemer.
The Revolution: abandonment, detention and recomposition
During the Revolution, the palace became a prison where Danton, Desmoulins, Fabre d'Églantine and hundreds of other inmates were imprisoned. The garden, left abandoned, is only frequented by families who have come to try to catch a glimpse of their loved ones. But the revolutionary period also led to the expansion of the estate: the Carthusian convent was seized, its wall torn down, and the garden now extended to the current Boulevard du Montparnasse.
The nineteenth century: Chalgrin, Le Nôtre, Napoleon and the great works
Under the Directory and then the First Empire, the garden underwent major redevelopments. The architect Jean-François Chalgrin, who also designed the Arc de Triomphe, redesigned a large part of the site. He created the Avenue de l'Observatoire, reorganized the flowerbeds, and gave the garden its current balance: terraces, large lawns, perspectives and fountains enhanced.
Napoleon I wanted this garden to be dedicated to children: the first games, kiosks and attractions were installed there.
In the middle of the nineteenth century, Haussmann's projects were still shaking up space. The opening of the Boulevard Saint-Michel and the Rue de Médicis reduced the garden to the north-east. The famous Medici Fountain was dismantled stone by stone before being moved and transformed into the romantic jewel that is admired today.
Commune, wars and Occupation: a garden that bears witness to history
In 1871, during the Commune, several Fédérés were shot at the foot of the Queens' Terrace. A commemorative plaque has been commemorating it since 2003.
During the First World War, the garden was bombed by the Germans: several palm trees still bear traces of shrapnel.
During the Occupation, the palace housed the Luftwaffe headquarters. The garden was partly enclosed, crossed by barbed wire and trenches, and two blockhouses were built under its paths. Vegetable gardens were created to provide food for Senate staff, while the Germans held military concerts there.
On 25 August 1944, the 2nd Armoured Division forced open the gates of the rue Auguste-Comte: the German surrender was signed there the same evening.
A Senate garden open to the public: living heritage and universal heritage
Now owned by the Senate, the Jardin du Luxembourg covers 23 hectares, 21 of which are accessible to the public. Its flowerbeds, statues, exceptional orchard, beehives, sports fields and famous pond make it one of the most popular places in Paris.
In 2022, an international ranking (HouseFresh) consecrated it the most beautiful garden in Europe and the third most beautiful garden in the world, behind Gardens by the Bay (Singapore) and the Jardin Majorelle (Marrakech).
Nicknamed " the Luco ", inherited from the ancient name Lucotitius, it remains the beating heart of the 6th arrondissement, a place to live, walk and inspire.
A place of culture and a must-see walk
The Jardin du Luxembourg is a real open-air museum. Its alleys are home to more than a hundred statues, including those of great writers, queens and saints. In the centre, the Medici Fountain, a baroque masterpiece, remains a romantic place par excellence. Parisians come here to read, play chess or simply enjoy the calm. Children crowd around the pools to sail small colorful sailboats, a tradition that is more than a century old.
In addition to the promenade, the garden regularly hosts photography exhibitions, free concerts and cultural events. The Orangerie, transformed into an exhibition space, is one of the privileged places to discover contemporary artists. The Jardin du Luxembourg thus illustrates this Parisian ability to combine historical heritage and cultural vitality.
Life around the Jardin du Luxembourg
The area surrounding the Jardin du Luxembourg is one of the most elegant on the Left Bank. There are many academic and cultural institutions, such as the Lycée Montaigne, the Lycée Saint-Louis, the École des Mines de Paris, the Institut Catholique and the nearby Sorbonne . These establishments contribute to the attractiveness of a sector that is highly sought after by families and foreign students.
As for shops, the adjacent streets such as Rue Soufflot, Rue de Vaugirard or Rue Guynemer offer an authentic Parisian atmosphere, combining specialized bookstores, historic cafés and refined restaurants. The area is also full of small high-end shops and local markets, enhancing the quality of life of the inhabitants.
A highly coveted real estate market:
Prestige, upscale and family
The real estate around the Jardin du Luxembourg is one of the most prestigious in Paris. Demand is constant, both from Parisian customers and international buyers. Haussmannian and Art Nouveau buildings dominate, with their dressed stone facades, continuous balconies and generously spacious reception apartments.
The streets directly bordering the garden, such as Rue de Vaugirard, Rue Guynemer or Boulevard Saint-Michel, offer a breathtaking view of the lawns and statues, a rare privilege that justifies prices of up to €25,000/m², or even more, for exceptional properties. A 150 m² family apartment with garden view represents a safe heritage value, highly sought after by foreign buyers looking for a unique address.
A few streets away, the market remains high but more accessible: rue Madame, rue d'Assas or rue Bonaparte, when there is no direct view of the garden with average prices that vary between €14,500 and €20,000/m², depending on the condition of the property, its floor and the presence or absence of an elevator. The renovated properties, with beautiful volumes and a prestigious address, particularly appeal to an international clientele who want a pied-à-terre ready to live in.
For investors, the academic and cultural environment of the sector guarantees a high liquidity of the rental market. A two-room apartment in the immediate vicinity of the garden, particularly in the streets of Soufflot or Monsieur-le-Prince, is a safe investment, popular with students and young professionals alike.
A unique art of living
Living around the Jardin du Luxembourg means enjoying a rare atmosphere: a subtle balance between calm, prestige and dynamism. In the morning, joggers roam the shady paths; On weekends, families come to relax, and students study in the sun.
The emblematic cafés of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, such as the Café de Flore or Les Deux Magots, are only a few minutes away, while the Odéon district, with its theatres and cinemas, adds a cultural and festive touch to local life. This Parisian art of living, between bourgeois elegance and intellectual vitality, is one of the great attractions of this sector.
Your real estate agency in the Luxembourg Gardens
Buying a property near the Jardin du Luxembourg means choosing a rare and heritage address in the heart of the 6th arrondissement of Paris. Our agency, located just 200 meters from the garden, is one of the major players in the purchase and sale of apartments in the Luxembourg district. Thanks to our perfect knowledge of the surrounding streets – from Rue de Vaugirard to Rue Guynemer, via Rue de Médicis, Rue Madame and Rue Fleurus – we support Parisian families and international buyers in the search for or sale of unique properties: family apartments, high-end pied-à-terre, exceptional addresses with a view of the garden.
For sellers, entrusting their property to an expert agency in Luxembourg allows them to benefit from an exclusive file of qualified buyers and optimal development. Our local roots, reinforced by a loyal international clientele, make our agency a trusted partner for the success of your transaction in one of the most prestigious districts of Paris.
Your expert real estate agency in the Luxembourg Gardens
Located 200 meters from the Jardin du Luxembourg, our agency is one of the local references for the purchase and sale of properties in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. We work exclusively or almost exclusively on the left bank — a conscious choice, because to be specialized is to be better.
In Paris, when you want to cover too widely, you often end up not mastering any market; we have chosen the opposite: to know the 6th in detail, street by street, building by building.
This local expertise makes us a recognized player by sellers and buyers alike. Our clients come to us for our precision in the estimate, our fine reading of the dimensions, the invisible advantages of an apartment.
A targeted, qualified and monitored clientele
Our teams support two types of major buyers:
• Parisian families, looking for apartments with character: large volumes, 3 or 4 bedrooms, close to schools in the area.
• International buyers, seduced by the idea of a pied-à-terre in Paris, sometimes for a second home, sometimes to pass on an exceptional heritage.
All our buyers are qualified, verified and monitored in a dedicated database. We don't present a good to someone by chance — we present it to someone for whom it makes sense. This is what allows our sellers to benefit from controlled, often rapid marketing and direct contact with real buyer profiles.
A tailor-made agency, complete support
Selling or working with us means relying on:
a well-argued and accurate estimate of the real estate price in Paris 6th, a tailor-made analysis of each property, according to its potential and rarity, buyers already ready and actively looking for a property in the area. But also a rigorous follow-up until the final signature and the possibility of accompanying buyers in the renovation or development after the purchase.
Our strength is not the quantity, but the quality of the work and the people with whom we move forward. This is why we are recommended, and why our customers sometimes come back years later, to buy, sell and pass on.
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