Less than a 10-minute walk from Le Relais du Louvre, the Tuileries Garden is one of Paris’s most iconic gardens. Designed by André Le Nôtre in the 17th century, it was the first French formal garden opened to the public and stretches from the Louvre Museum to Place de la Concorde.
Covering 23 hectares (57 acres), it provides the perfect setting for a leisurely stroll, a relaxing break in the shade of its trees, or a quiet moment beside its famous ornamental ponds.
The Tuileries Garden was created in 1564 at the request of Catherine de’ Medici, on the site of former tile factories that gave the garden its name. The adjoining Tuileries Palace later became one of the principal royal residences before Louis XIV commissioned André Le Nôtre to design the formal garden we admire today.
In 1871, the palace was deliberately set on fire during the Paris Commune. Its ruins were demolished in 1883, making way for the creation of the Carrousel Garden and opening the magnificent perspective that now stretches from the Louvre to Place de la Concorde.
The Tuileries Garden is the largest garden in central Paris.
Among its many attractions are:
more than 3,000 freely accessible chairs and seats available to visitors
The Tuileries Garden still offers several traditional attractions that are especially popular with families:
The Musée de l’Orangerie is world-famous for Claude Monet’s Water Lilies, displayed according to the artist’s wishes in two oval rooms bathed in natural light.
Its permanent collection features masterpieces by Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse, Picasso, Modigliani, Derain, Soutine, Utrillo and Henri Rousseau, known as Le Douanier Rousseau.
Throughout the year, the museum also presents major temporary exhibitions devoted to Impressionism, Modern Art, and the leading artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Dedicated to photography, video and contemporary visual arts, the Jeu de Paume hosts several high-quality temporary exhibitions each year.
Every summer, from late June to late August, the Tuileries Garden hosts one of Paris’s oldest and most famous funfairs. More than 60 attractions are featured, including a Ferris wheel, bumper cars, a ghost train, a traditional carousel, a funhouse, carnival games and a wide variety of food stalls and sweet treats.
Admission is free; visitors only pay for the rides and attractions. One distinctive feature of the fair is the absence of amplified music, helping to preserve the peaceful atmosphere of the garden.
Admission to the Tuileries Garden is free throughout the year.
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