Jardin du Palais Royal

A few things in life are so rewarding as spending time in the Parisian gardens. The Jardin du Palais Royal, opened every day, is a true refuge to escape the hustle and bustle of the city center.

in its surroundings, galleries with restaurants (like the Grand Véfour), cafes, antiques, art galleries and brand shops.

Whoever walks through the serene garden, never imagines that it was once a place of great freaks

A bit of history...

The palace was built for Cardinal Richelieu, who chose the site because of its proximity to the Louvre and commissioned the architect Lemercier (who was also the builder of the Sorbonne) for the project. The works took place between 1628 and 1642. Then, at the time, it was named "Cardinal Palace". When Cardinal Richelieu died in 1642, he bequeathed the property to the crown.

In 1643 Anne of Austria moved there with her two sons, Louis XIV and Philippe d'Orleans.

In 1781, the duc d'Orléans (Philippe), later known as Philippe-Egalitié, commissioned the architect Victor Louis to extend the palace and renovate the garden, building apartments above the arcades on three sides of the garden.

With that, Philippe-Egalitié opened the Palais Royal Garden to the public, but ... forbade the police. The place then became perfect for gatherings of writers, philosophers, intellectuals and artists of all genres, as well as providing a very large freedom, to the point of becoming the most popular meeting place in the city.

The work was completed in 1784, but to pay for the duc d'Orléans found itself rebuilding forced to build shops under the arcades to pay for its grandiose building with its rents. Success surpassed expectations: cafes, restaurants, shops and also houses of prostitution (the police were banished, remember?) Made the place a political and revolutionary center.

The Jardin du Palais Royal was a very lively place there in the year 1789. People went there to receive the latest news and political rumors. It was a place for drinks, gambling, speeches, discussions and pleasures.

Two days before the Bastille episode, a young lawyer, whose name was Camille Desmoulins, gave a heated speech that moved the masses! At last he shouted, "To arms!" And, two days later, the Bastille was taken.

With the end of the French revolution, the place became French heritage.

Many have been made since then, and today is a perfect place to rest, play with the kids or have a picnic.

At the entrance of The Palais there is a patio with the funny columns of Daniel Buren and the ball fountains, also sculptures of Pol Bury, where the kids run and play, reinforcing the fame.