The 10 best things to see and do around Tuileries Garden

The 10 best things to see and do around Tuileries Garden

Photo by Jean Pierre Dalbera on Flickr

Framed by the Louvre, the river Seine, and Place de la Concorde, the Tuileries garden is one of the most visited places in the whole city. Tree-lined walkways lead up to the Louvre, and grand fountains feature throughout the park; complimented by the immaculately manicured gardens. Here are the best things to see and do around the Tuileries!

1. Visit the Louvre Museum

Photo by Jebulon on Wikimedia Commons

One of the best things to do around the Tuileries is to visit the Louvre Museum.  Overlooking the stunning gardens, the Louvre is one of the most famous museums in the entire world. Known for housing masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, there’s a lot more to the Louvre than you would expect.

The museum is split into three main wings cover 60,000 square meters and displays over 380,000 objects! With so much to see at the Louvre, it can be tough to know where to start, especially if it’s your first visit.

Guided tours are probably your best bet if you’re not very familiar with the Louvre yet. You’ll get to see all the highlights, and learn about the interesting history behind them!

2. Shop til’ you drop on Rue Saint-Honoré

The famed Rue Saint-Honoré is located just behind the Tuileries gardens, so this is a great addition to your itinerary if you’re up for some shopping. This street stretches from the Les Halles and runs along the Tuileries until Place Vendome. Lined with luxury and designer boutiques and dotted with some of the city’s finest palace hotels, Rue Saint-Honoré is a glimpse of Parisian glamour.

3. Enjoy a picnic along the Seine

Photo by Dany 13 on Flickr

Grabbing a baguette and some snacks and heading to the Seine for a picnic is a favorite pastime for Parisians. During the summer months, riverbanks are lined with locals and visitors alike – enjoying the simple magic of the French capital.

And since the Seine runs just in front of the Tuileries gardens, a picnic on the river is the perfect way to end your day in the gardens. But rather than buying a sandwich to go in the garden, do as the Parisians do and shop local. There are plenty of food shops and bakeries with ample picnic supplies on the streets behind the Tuileries.

4. Admire Impressionist works at l’Orangerie Museum

Did you know that the Tuileries is home to four different museums? Aside from the Louvre, the Jeu de Paume, and the Musée des Arts Decoratifs, this garden is also home to the l’Orangerie Museum.

While smaller in size than many of its Parisian museum counterparts, l’Orangerie is famous in its own right. And mostly due to the stunning Impressionist collections on display, including Monet’s famous water lilies.

5. Stroll in the Jardin du Palais Royal

Photo by Babyaimeesmom on Wikimedia Commons

Just across the Rue Saint-Honoré from the Tuileries gardens lies another beautiful Parisian garden; While much less expansive than Tuilieries, Palais-Royal is charming in it’s own right.

If you enter from the southern side, you’ll pass by the artistic Colonnes de Buren, which has become a popular photography spot. The garden itself is lined on all sides by covered passages, which host boutiques, restaurants, and coffee shops. This is the perfect place to enjoy a stroll or a peaceful moment away from city life.

6. Have drinks with a view at Café Marly

Very few Parisian cafés can boast a front-row view of the Louvre, but Café Marly is one of those special places. Situated just a quick hop from the Tuiliers across from the Louvre pyramid on the main Pavilion, this two-story café provides tasty fare and a delightful view. If you can manage to get a table at sunset, the light playing on the glass pyramid and buildings around is just magical.

le café marly – 93 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris

open daily 8AM – 12:30AM

7. Take a walking tour of Paris Landmarks

Photo by Complex Captured on Wikimedia Commons

One of the best things to do around Tuileries gardens is to take a tour of the Parisian landmarks. From the gardens, you can spot nearly all of Paris’ main landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Place de la Concorde and Champs-Elysées. You can even spot the Sacré-Coeur in Montmartre if you look carefully!

Our guided tours of Parisian landmarks will show you the magic of classic Paris, and teach you about this city’s history too. Tours leave on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from just in front of l’Orangerie Museum in Tuileries.

8. Visit Paris’ Japanese Quarter

Many first-time visitors don’t know that Paris has it’s very own Japanese Quarter. Located just a quick hop from the Tuileries gardens is the Rue Saint-Anne, complete with Japanese eateries, supermarkets, and tea houses.

So if you’re hoping to try some authentic Japanese cuisine in Paris, this is the area in which to do so. Plus, this area has so many options, making it a great place to refuel after a day of exploring the gardens.

9. Discover the Musée d’Orsay

Photo by Jean Pierre Dalbera on Flickr

Just across the river from the Tuileries is another incredible Parisian museum, le Musée d’Orsay. This museum is actually a former train station, but has been converted during the last century to become on of the world’s most renowned art museums.

Here you can spot lots of Impressionist works, as well as sculptures, and seasonal exhibitions. But just like the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay is huge, and you’ll need more than a day or two to see everything. If you’re short on time or just want to catch the highlights, try a guided tour to make the most of your visit.

10. Take a ride on the giant Ferris Wheel

Each summer and around Christmas time, the Tuileries is transformed into a fun fair or carnival, complete with rides, food stands, and a giant Ferris wheel. The wheel provides stunning birds’ eye views of Paris and of course, the gardens. Definitely worth a visit!