During one of our afternoon excursions around Paris we visited the Jardin du Luxembourg, or the Luxembourg Gardens.  It is the second largest public park in Paris and located in the 6th arrondissement.  It was such a beautiful garden (and somewhere I could see us visiting with the bambino).  I tend to spend a lot of time at the Tuilleries Gardens, near the Louvre Museum in the 1st arrondissement, but this one might be my new favorite.

For anyone wanting to know a little history about the gardens, in 1611, Marie de Medicis, the widow of Henry IV, decided to build a palace and purchased the hotel du Luxembourg.  Then in 1630 she bought additional land and enlarged the garden.  The gardens were neglected and then in 1780 part of the garden was sold. Following the French Revolution, the garden was expanded.

Today the gardens include a large fenced-in playground, a vintage carousel, free musical performances, a small café, and orangerie displaying art, photography and sculptures.

Below is a picture of the Medici Fountain (La fontaine Médicis).  The sculptures are of the giant Polyphemus surprising the lovers Acis and Galatea.