In 1610, Queen Marie de Medici was so depressed after a crazed monk assassinated her husband, King Henri IV that she decided to move out of the gloomy, drafty old Louvre Palace and build herself a cheery new house in her native Italian style just to perk herself up.
The Luxembourg Palace sits on 60 acres of park land on the Left Bank near the Latin Quarter. After Marie moved out, the palace went through a series of owners, and eventually was the first home in Paris for Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Today it houses the French Senate and is not open to the public for tours. The gardens however are a public park enjoyed daily by Parisians. The large palm trees in the garden are in box planters and are taken inside during the winter.
Beautiful statuary and fountains dot the gardens.
The flowers are completely changed three times a year. Currently the gardens are planted in Fall colors
In addition to statues of humans, there are some lovely animal statues as well.
We had leisurely lunch in the gardens at Cafe de la Fountain in the French style: very slow with lots of conversation and people-wtching, and of course with wine, salad, cheese, and cafe to finish up. Then we are off to the Jacquemart-Andre Museum via the Metro.
Getting around Paris on the Metro is so easy. And fast! We bought Metro passes our first week here and use it every day.
Some of the subway stations are even pretty.
The Jacquemart-Andre Museum is the former home of a wealthy Parisian couple who lived during the Belle Epoque. Edouard Andre was heir to a banking fortune, and along with the Rothschild family, his family bankrolled most of the projects of the Second Empire under Napoleon III. A bachelor when he commissioned the construction of the house, he had not finished decorating it when he married Nelie Jacquemart. They had no children, so together they finished decorating the house with art works they collected in their travels. Nelie lived there until her death in 1912 and willed the house and its contents, including their significant art collection to the State as a museum.
The museum today offers an glimpse into the lifestyle of a wealthy Parisian couple of the Belle Epoque from the 1890's to World War I. Guests arriving by carriage drove up a curved carriageway to the second-level entry garden on the side of the house away from Hausmann Boulevard.
A typical room with some of the artwork.
At one end of the house is the winter garden, a large room with plants and a grandly theatrical staircase rising to the second level and a huge glass skylight.
Artwork is everywhere. This is the entrance to the "Italian Room."
Nelie's bedroom.
Edouard's bedroom.
The tapestry salon, specifically built according to the measurements of the tapestries the Andres planned to hang here. So, how did wealthy Parisians live 100 years ago? Apparently a lot like royalty, only on a smaller scale. This house is much smaller than the Luxembourg Palace, but quite grand compared to homes today.
An example of the fine furniture the couple collected in addition to paintings and sculptures. We were happy to visit this house and see how "The Other Half" lived in glittering Paris of the late 19th century. But we were also glad that someone else has to dust all this stuff!
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