Visiting the Tuileries Garden
Located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris between the Louvre Museum and the Place de la Concorde (Concorde Square), the Tuileries Garden remains the largest and oldest formal French garden in the country. A favorite spot for locals and travelers to walk and take in culture, it owes its name to the tile factories that occupied the site before a royal residence was built there in 1564. It was Catherine de Medici who commissioned an immense Italian-style garden, complete with a fountain, a menagerie, and the Grotte de Palissy (Palissy Grotto), later adding an orangery and a silkworm nursery. It served as a popular retreat for lavish celebrations. Eventually, Louis XIV ordered his gardener, the famous Andre Le Notre, to redesign the grounds using the Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte as his primary inspiration.
The redesign introduced a central alley, reflecting pools, and numerous marble statues, alongside an equestrian ring and other diversions. While the Grand Carre (Large Square) houses 19th-century sculptures, those in the Allee de Diane (Diana's Alley) date back to the 17th century. The two smaller basins are decorated with animal-themed works, while the larger round basin features mythological figures. Among the most notable pieces, do not miss the Mercury and the Fame Riding a Winged Horse by Antoine Coysevox.
The wooded area includes two exedrae, which function as open-air conversation rooms equipped with benches. The grounds are home to 800 trees, some of which are over a century old and reach heights of up to 2.2 meters. You will find various species of oaks, as well as elms, alders, ashes, yews, poplars, lindens, horse chestnuts, plane trees, maples, and white mulberries. In the Grand Carre, you will also spot hackberry trees, Judas trees, purple beeches, horse chestnuts, orange trees, and magnolias. The floral displays are equally impressive, with gardeners planting 7,000 bulbs every year.
Despite the fire that destroyed the palace in 1871, the Tuileries Garden has remained a central part of life in Paris. It hosted the first motor show in 1898. Free guided tours in French are available from March to December, and a fairground is set up during July and August, right at the foot of the Ferris wheel.
Opening hours
*Information subject to change
The Tuileries Garden is one of my favorite places to relax in Paris. Sitting on the green chairs and enjoying the sun is priceless! Its proximity to the Louvre Museum is also a huge plus. You find everything here: people reading, others chatting, or some who, like me, are just happy doing nothing at all.