~Jardin du Luxembourg~

I love the Jardin du Luxembourg. After you see these photos, I think you will too.

It was amazingly colorful this visit.

This is the Fontaine de l'Observatoire (observatory fountain).

The Paris Observatory is several blocks behind me.

The fountain is located south of the garden; the Palais du Luxembourg is in the distance.

Just like kids everywhere~playing in the fallen leaves.  The little guy on the left is on a scooter.

The city maintenance crews were in the process of cleaning up the fallen leaves.

You can see the map of the extensive gardens (60 acres).  

The great octagonal pool is a focal point on the grounds.

There is statuary throughout the garden.  I have photographed both of these

bronze statues on previous  visits.

There are beautiful walkways and quiet places to sit.

Everytime I look at this, I know why I love fall.

Students exercising or working out for the track/soccer team...

The children's play area is wonderful.  Pony rides, pedal cars, puppet shows, swings, 

a merry-go-round and a fenced in play area and sand pits~what a fun place.

We were walking slowly along towards the Palais when this flock of pigeons swooped down

 and proceeded to have a "feeding frenzy".

This is part of the terraced area which surrounds the octagonal pool.

These magnificent gardens attract university students from the nearby Sorbonne law school and provide Parisians a quiet place to relax at lunchtime.  We have seen tai chi classes, kindergarteners taking a morning walk; there is even a beekeeping school on the grounds.

The flowers  and plantings were spectacular.

More dahlias.

Statues of the Queens of France are dotted throughout the gardens.  I took this photo of the guy shaping the trees because it looks like Woody.  He trims our hedged shrubs but not on a ladder.

This is looking back down the avenue coming from the Fontaine de l'Observatoire.

The Palais du Luxembourg was built for Marie de Medici after Henri IV's death. It was to remind her of her native Florence.  It was designed in the style of the Pitti Palace.  By the time it was finished in 1631, she had been banished.  It remained a royal palace until the Revolution when it was used as a prison.  During World War II it was occupied by the German Luftwaffe.  Today it houses the French Senat.

A view of the octagonal pool where kids love to sail boats.  You can see the Eiffel Tower in the distance.  No sailors or boats for rent today.

Mary Stuart ( Mary, Queen of Scots) was wife of Francis II (1558-1560)~a very short reign after which she returned to Scotland.

Palais du Luxembourg

If you look very closely at the head of this guy, you can see why the pigeon is perched below.

There is a beautiful open-air cafe to the left.

A small cart selling all kinds of play things for children, note the hula hoops.

This is the Medici Fountain setting in a quiet shaded area.

The fountain is located right next to the Palace. From here we walked through the north entrance and continued our day in the St. Germain area (6th arr.).

~Window Shopping~

One of the things I love most about Paris are the shop windows. Colorful, creative and clever~

what every shop window should be~"eye catching".

Would any of these catch your eye??

"idee cadeau"~ gift idea

Unlike the US~in Paris colored appliances are the norm.
  You can have this one for 13,850 euros ( about $18,000).

Or, if you need something a little bigger~ this one is only 16,800 euros
$23,000.

\

Eyewear!

What every school girl needs~right?

This is a lighting fixture 5500 euros~a mere $7500 but very unique don't you think?

This isn't a shop window but "eye-catching".

Now this would catch a blind man's eye!

We came upon this shop on the way home one night...old sewing machines.
We aren't certain what they were selling but it wasn't sewing machines!!

This is the side of the building...it was some sort of clothing design store.

Doesn't everyone want a RED bathtub!

We passed this window on the Rue de Rivoli almost every day...finally
one night I got an unobstructed shot (except for the glare).

Don't these just make you smile?!  Flavored water.

I love the color combination of blue and yellow.

I loved this window, so went inside to take a photo of the hanging
Eiffel Towers.  Then we noticed everything else~

Wine bottle openers.  Everything in this shop was clever, creative and fun.
(We even bought something but I can't say what here....)

This is a "large woman's" clothing shop....size 42 to 60
(that's european sizes)
When I got back to the apartment, I checked the size conversion
chart that I keep with my sizes and found that a US 12 is a 42!!

One of the many(!) hat shops....I thought of Patsy every time!

Love, love, love the colors.

I thought this a bit unusual for Paris.

If you can't find it here, you're not looking hard enough.

I want a chaise lounge~I have always wanted a chaise lounge.
This KENZO was THE one...but Woody wasn't in the buying mood.
(it's even my favorite color)

That's it, I'm going back to Paris......

I have enough shop windows for at least 3 more posts...so I think I'll save some for later.