The Palais Royal is a garden surrounded by cloisters in the 1st arrondissement of Paris.
The historical garden is a precious place that has been the setting for many historical events.
It is now open to the public with no entrance fee, and there are many cafes nearby.
It is a space where the hustle and bustle of the surrounding area seems to be a lie, so if you are sightseeing, be sure to stop by.
Le Palais Royal Paris
Practical information
Le Palais Royal
Address：8 Rue de Montpensier, 75001 Paris, France
Opening hours：07:00~23:00
Closed : None
Nearest Station：Palais Royal Musée du Louvre Line1 Line7 Pyramides Line7 Line14
History & Features
History
Built for Cardinal Richelieu in 1634.
The architect is Jacques Lemercier, who is also famous for designing the chapel attached to the Sorbonne.
Donated to Louis XIII on the death of Cardinal Richelieu in 1642.
From this point on, it will be called the “Palais Royal.
In 1661, it became the property of the Orléans family and underwent various renovations.
In the 1780s, architect Victor Louis redeveloped the building and introduced an arcaded garden.
The arcade consisted of more than 140 cafes, boutiques, beauty salons, and restaurants.
Among them, Le Grand Véfour is said to be the first restaurant in Paris, and it is still in business today.
It is also famous for being the place where Napoleon and Victor Hugo once dined.
To the southwest of the Palais Royal is the Comédie-Française, home to France’s leading royal theater company.
1789 During the French Revolution, Lucie Simplice Benoist Desmoulins (Camille Desmoulins) incited the crowds at the Palais Royal to make the first protest against royalty.
This is why it is said that the revolution began at the Palais Royal.
In 1793, it was placed under the control of the government.
Since then, it has been used for a variety of purposes, but it has always been a place for citizens to meet and a center of entertainment.
Currently, it houses the Ministry of Culture and the State Council.
Features
From Place Colette, with its distinctive metro entrance, head for the Palais Royal.
This square in front of the Comedie Francaise is often the site of street performances, including music.
The entrance on the Louvre side blends in so well with its surroundings that you would never know you were in the Palais Royal just by walking in front of it.
It seems to be just a part of a normal row of buildings along the street.
If you don’t walk carefully, you might walk right past it.
After passing through the entrance, the scenery suddenly changes.
The first thing that jumps out at you is the Colonnes de Buren (Buren’s columns).
This is a work by Daniel Buren, a famous French artist.
Produced in 1986, this work caused a great deal of controversy at the time.
Daniel Buren is a very prominent artist, and in the 2000s, he created a number of collaborative works with Hermes.
In the 2010s, he also released collaborative works with Louis Vuitton, and in 2016, his fantastic collaboration with Louis Vuitton Fondation was a big hit.
At the end of Buren’s column is another famous fountain, the Fontaines de Pol Bury.
Created by Belgian sculptor Pol Bury at the request of French President Francois Mitterrand.
The fountain consists of ten stainless steel spheres and is designed to rotate with the force of water.
(In most cases, the rotation mechanism is not working due to wear and tear.)
If you look at the garden from the fountain side, you will see a very nice sight.
The photo was taken in February, but when the weather is a little warmer, it becomes a place of relaxation for many people like this.
There are a lot of chairs, but even so, the place is crowded with so many people that it’s impossible to sit down.
A shot of the fountain from a distance.
The lawn in the garden is also beautiful and covered with many flowers in the warm season.
The balance between the buildings and the trees is perfect.
The surrounding buildings are low, so the balance and contrast with the sky is also very beautiful.
It is crowded to the far end of the garden.
If you go straight ahead, you can exit toward the Bourse.
Summary
How was it?
The Palais Royal is surrounded by buildings on all sides.
Inside, there is a world that cannot be imagined from the outside.
Especially on a good day, it creates a very beautiful and wonderful space.
Old buildings, lush greenery, and a low sky.
I even felt as if I had traveled back in time.
It is very easy to get to, so please visit it when you are in Paris.
The only drawback is that it is a bit too crowded.
Thank you again for reading to the end of this article.
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