Parc Floral + Jardíín du Luxembourg

(Katherine) In keeping with our quest for jazz, we had researched an event in the Parc Floral de Paris - a botanical garden located in the 5th arrondissement. They are holding a series called the Plein Tarif Concerts; you pay the $5 euro entry fee for the park and then you get to enjoy a free concert performance. We had packed a hearty picnic, so we sought out a shady piece of real estate to spread out our blanket and enjoy the music. It was a very soft contemporary jazz performance, and Robert spent some time exploring the area (and PA system) while I did some writing. After the act was over, we wandered through the gardens and took some photos of our beautiful surroundings.

We decided that we wanted to continue our garden experience, so we headed to one of the most famous ones in all of Paris, the Jardíín & Palais du Luxembourg. A huge palace overlooks a series of sculptures, an English garden, and the Medici Fountain; all of which contribute to the area being known as the city’s most romantic park. Photos simply don’t do it justice, although I had to try!

The extended daylight hours caused us to be caught by surprise when we realized the park was about to close (it stays light until about 10:30.) We headed to Boulevard Saint Germain and grabbed a great table at Le Danton overlooking the busy street. We enjoyed a carafe of wine (the most economical way to drink wine here) and went through the series of pamphlets we had collected, discussing ideas for upcoming adventures. There is so much to do here! We made a quick trip to the Latin Quarter for a simple meal from a Greek food kiosk and headed home with ideas racing through our head about what to do in the upcoming week.