29 September, 2006 | Leave a Comment

I’m just going to tell you that I had a magical afternoon. Magical. I discovered what is now my favorite place in all of Paris, the Jardin du Luxembourg. It’s Paris’s most beloved garden – 60 acres of flowers and trees and fountains and sculptures and endless delights right in the middle of the Left Bank. I’ve been to Paris numerous times but have never visited the Luxembourg Gardens until today. And I’m glad that I’d never gone before, because discovering this place for the first time right now is like receiving a rare and beautiful gift.

The day didn’t start off well, I’ve gotta tell you. Everything that could have gone wrong did. By mid-afternoon I was taking care of some business at the Sorbonne and by the time I was done, I was a tad cranky. So I walked down the hill to the Jardin du Luxembourg, which is literally a couple blocks away. And leaving the traffic and the bustle behind and walking through those black iron gates was like slipping into a warm bath. I can think of no better way to describe it. The hours I spent exploring the gardens were the most peaceful and meaningful moments I’ve experienced since arriving in Paris.

As soon as I entered the gardens, I was reminded that it’s autumn. The leaves on many of the trees had already turned gold and were falling to the ground. My first stop was the café, of course. I sat at a table outside in the trees and ate a crêpe au chocolat and drank a citron pressé. [If you read this blog, you know I’m not supposed to be eating foods that contain dairy, but over the past few days I’ve been indulging quite a bit. I will have to stop soon or I’ll get sick, but my newfound desire to eat everything in sight is a good sign. It means my appetite is back. True confession: My first three weeks in Paris, I lost nearly ten pounds. When I was depressed I stopped eating. So at least now I know I’m feeling better.]

It’s hard for me to explain how amazing the Luxembourg Gardens are. On an aesthetic level alone they are unparalleled, with the magnificent Palais du Luxembourg dominating the landscape; there are fountains, sculptures, flowers, thick groves of trees and expanses of the greenest grass. There are cafés, tennis courts, a merry-go-round, ponies and old men playing boules. You could spend all day exploring every hidden corner. But most of all, these gardens (what Americans would refer to as a park) are meant to be enjoyed by Parisians. It’s hard to imagine something so beautiful and pristine being used on an everyday basis by regular people, but there are benches and chairs everywhere, filled with people talking, napping, reading, painting and playing. And you know, I didn’t see anyone jogging along in black Lycra. The Jardin du Luxembourg is not a place where people seem interested in doing things. Rather, it’s all about being, about living and experiencing life in that very moment. It’s about slowing down, stopping, simply existing and seeking out moments of pleasure for their own sake (and not feeling guilty about it). Perhaps that’s why visiting the gardens was so meaningful to me – I could really understand, for the very first time, how life is lived so very differently in this city.

I was completely bewitched. By early evening I had to force myself to leave for home because I didn’t have my umbrella with me and the skies were darkening. But even after I walked out through the gates and into the bustling Latin Quarter, the garden’s spell stayed with me, calling me back for another visit.

See my photos here, if you so desire.

Tags: Jardin du Luxembourg

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