Tuileries Garden and Carrousel Paris
The Tuileries garden and to park of the Carrousel cover 70 acres of history and are a fantastic place to walk.
Tuileries Garden (Jardin des Tuileries)
The Jardin des Tuileries is one of Paris’s most popular green spaces. Situated in the center of the City of Light, it connects the Louvre Museum, the Musée d’Orsay, the Jeu de Paume museum, and Place de la Concorde. It also provides access to the Berges de Seine. It is the ideal place for people who want to take a stroll and take in several aspects of the capital.
In the past, before the Tuileries garden, there was tile factories, which lend their name to the garden. Tuileries Palace was built by Catherine de Medici in 1564. It had a rich, Italian-style garden consisting of numerous walkways, a fountain, and a decorated grotto. One century later, King Louis XIV and Jean-Baptiste Colbert, State Finance Controller, commissioned André Le Nôtre to come up with a new design for the gardens, which were also extended. At that time, the gardens were already open to the public and accessible for all Parisians, even if it was guarded to protect its beauty. Today, Tuileries Palace no longer exists as it was destroyed in 1883. However, Parisians and visitors continue to walk there. Walks are punctuated by several ponds and sculptures. It is a great place to talk and for children to play. Benches and seats are provided free of charge so that everyone can enjoy the developments of Le Nôtre.
Every year, part of Paris Fashion Week is held there, bringing together celebrities, models, and fashion lovers. It is also the location for the Parisian “Fête des Tuileries”, a funfair that runs from June to August.
Near the Jardin des Tuileries : the Louvre Gardens
The Carrousel gardens are to the east of the Jardin des Tuileries. You go from one to the other without even realizing it. From the Louvre Pyramid, just cross Place du Carrousel and you’re there! The area is raised up compared to the Jardin des Tuileries and is decorated with sculptures by French sculptor Aristide Maillol. The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel celebrates French victory at the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805, which saw the troops of Napoleon Bonaparte fighting the Russian and Austrian Empires. The sculpture at the top represents a work seized as a war chest by Napoleon’s troops in Venice. It shows Saint Mark accompanied by a team of four horses. The original was returned in 1815 after the defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. The two sculptures surrounding the Arc de Triomphe are L’histoire and La France Victorieuse by Antoine-François Gérard.
Getting to the Tuileries Garden :
- Metro 1, Tuileries or Concorde stop
- Metro 1 and 7, Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre stop
- Metro 8 and 12, Concorde stop
- Metro 14, Pyramides stop
- RER C, Musée d’Orsay stop
Prices to access the Louvre gardens :
The Jardin des Tuileries and Louvre gardens are Free of charge
Opening hours of the Tuileries Garden :
- 7:30 am - 7:30 pm, from the last Sunday in September to the last Sunday in March
- 7 am - 9 pm, from the last Sunday in March to the last Saturday in September
If you visit Paris with children, you will enjoy the Jardin des Tuileries !
