Jardin du Luxembourg

This French-style formal garden at the very centre of Paris, not far from the Bon Marché department store on the Left Bank, will charm you with its flower-lined walkways and its scenery that changes with each season.

Go off in search of the 100 or so sculptures dotted around the park; as you turn a corner, prepare to happen upon a "Rodin", a "Dalou" or a "Zadkine". And for a well-earned moment of relaxation, take a seat in one of the metal chairs arranged around the central pond, one of the most iconic features of this iconic park. Unless, that is, you prefer to spend a sunny day luxuriating in the shade of the Fontaine Médicis, a fountain named after Marie de Médicis, the woman who ordered the construction of the Palais du Luxembourg, now home to the French Senate and its gardens. Don’t forget to take a look at the calendar of events at the next-door Musée du Luxembourg. The exhibitions are worth your time!

As for children, they won’t be bored either. What with the play areas, pony rides, beekeeping lessons and toy sailboat races… they are spoilt for choice!