Paris stroll, Tuileries style

Jardin des Tuileries

The oldest garden in Paris wasn't named for a king or queen. Jardin des Tuileries was named for the tile factories which stood on the site when Catherine de Medici built the Palais des Tuileries in 1564. A century later, André Le Nôtre, Louis XIV's gardener relandscaped the garden, creating its formal French style.

On our recent trip to Paris, ma belle-mère and I spend a bit of time in the Tuileries garden, which offers a sunny respite from our visit to the Louvre. (Incidentally, the museum is far from crowded on the September afternoon we are there).

Dotted with comfortable seats and shady snack bars, Tuileries is a popular spot for strolling and relaxing.

Jardin des Tuileries

Snack bar in the Tuileries garden

The garden also offers art lessons en plein air with its many statues and sculptures.

Jules Ferry, prime minister of France (1883-1885)

'Theseus Fighting the Minotaur'

'La Comedie'

'Spartacus'

Julius Caesar

The garden also contains ponds and fountains, and, of course, flowers and trees. The maximum height of Tuileries trees is 2.2 meters, and the trees are carefully shaped to accentuate the axis that runs from I.M. Pei's Pyramid through the Arc de Triomphe to la Defence, 6 kilometers to the west. Each spring and fall, 7,000-square-meters are planted with around 70,000 plants and bulbs from the gardens at Saint Cloud, according to the Louvre website,

Jardin des Tuileries

Jardin des Tuileries

Fountain in Jardin des Tuileries

Fountain in Jardin des Tuileries

Jardin des Tuileries extends from the courtyards of the massive Louvre museum to the Place de la Concorde. Musée de l'Orangerie, which houses eight Monet's Water Lillies murals and other impressionist paintings, is located here, and just outside the garden borders, one can walk along the Seine. Which we do, before saying adieu to le soleil and head back to the Louvre.

Bronze of Rodin's 'Le Baiser" outside Musée de l'Orangerie

Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel

'Joanie on a Pony' gilded statue
adjacent to Jardin des Tuileries