Garden of the Aristocrats
This is the garden of the Louvre and the aristocrats which once inhabited the palace. It was designed by Le Notre, the same architect who designed the famous gardens at Versailles.
It’s also the most central garden in Paris, located right next to the Seine in the “Grand Axe,” the triumphal axis that stretches from Place de la Concorde to the Grand Arche de la Défense passing by the Arc d’Triomphe.
The garden is rather small and modest in comparison to some other French castle and palace gardens. It starts at the Louvre and stretches to the Place de la Concorde.
The entire garden is flat with the exception of some smaller gardens and elevated walkways on the sides and is composed mainly of hedges and trees, but there are some blossoming flowers in spring.
There is a circular fountain in the center with a fun statue that keeps the whole place a bit cooler in summertime. You can also rent small boats to float around the pond and chat. There is a rather nice collection of 20th-century statues scattered around the gardens as well.
Visits are free although the opening hours are rather short. There is a souvenir shop at the corner with Place de la Concorde. The gardens have their own metro stop so you can’t miss it!