The public parks in Paris are much more than just your average grassy area attached to a sandlot and swingset. You best believe that the 'gardens' in Paris act relatively the same way. These serene and acutely organized spaces exist all over Paris and provide a definite relief from a busy day at work or from commuting back and forth on the metro. Jardin du Luxembourg was one of the closest large scale garden park to Cité U - an easy three minute metro ride would put me right near a public enterance. The gardens also sit in between the neighborhoods of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter, which are both excellent areas to grab some french picnic foods. You'll immediately notice that there is a rather large palace situated on the extending grounds - both the garden and the palace were intiated by Marie de' Medici for her royal residence in Paris. You will notice that most French gardens are extremely organized and beautifully executed. From the systematic planting of trees, to flowering vases and the shortly trimmed grass, the Luxembourg gardens prove to be an independent artistic venture. There is even a large fountain pond for kids to play with colored minature sailboats in, which was one of my favorite things to watch when visiting. The plot of land is very large and every sub area of the gardens is highly unique; Jardin du Luxembourg is the perfect spot to go to relax, read a book, or to simply just people watch.