Medici Fountain in Jardin du Luxembourg — The Most Romantic Fountain in Paris
La Fontaine Médicis, or Medici Fountain, is a romantic fountain in the beautiful Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris found in the 6th arrondissement. Built in 1630 for Marie de Médicis, the monumental fountain is of an ornate Italian design that stands out from the geometric French layout and the formality of many areas of the Luxembourg Garden. You'll find it in a quiet, shaded corner of the garden surrounded by benches, urns and sweeping ivy vines that border and separate the fountain from its surrounds. Stunning in any season, it's easily the most romantic fountain in Paris.
The History of Medici Fountain
The Medici Fountain was commissioned by Marie de Médicis around 1630 for her palace on the Left Bank. Marie de Médicis is one of the 20 illustrious women of French history who are honoured with a statue in the Luxembourg Garden. See our post 20 Queen Statues in Luxembourg Garden to read more about these incredible French women.
The fountain takes inspiration from Florence’s Boboli Gardens. It was moved to the present site and expanded in 1864 to 1866. Sculptor Auguste Ottin added the figures from Greek mythology, including bronze cyclops Polyphemus discovering white marble lovers Acis and Galatea. In the myth the jealous giant kills human Acis, so sea-nymph Galatea transforms her dead lover into an immortal river spirit. The long reflecting pool in front is fringed with charming flowers and foliage.
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The atmosphere at the Medici Fountain is unlike anything else in Paris. The long, still reflecting pool which is lined with plane trees whose branches form a canopy overhead, and their leaves filtering the light into patterns of gold and green on the water below, leads your eye towards the grotto-like alcove at the far end where the dramatic sculpture of Polyphemus looms above the lovers. The combination of mythology, water, shadow, and the sound of the city entirely absent behind the garden walls produces a quality of enclosed, quiet calm that is rather special for such a busy city.
Fontaine Médicis, or Medici Fountain in English, is a perfect destination on a warm afternoon. Depending on the time of day in spring and summer, you'll have to be lucky to find a spare chair beside the pool. However, during autumn and winter you may have more luck; but it's still a favourite spot for readers, dreamers, and visitors who want to slow down and really enjoy the peace and quiet of the Jardin du Luxembourg and Paris.
Medici Fountain - Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris in Autumn
Medici Fountain - Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris in Autumn
Medici Fountain - Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris in winter
Medici Fountain - Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris in Autumn
I thoroughly recommend allowing time in your Paris itinerary to view and enjoy this fountain - listen to the water, watch the ducks swim, or simply stop and breath in the garden's refreshing air.
At the rear of the fountain you'll find a second fountain of Leda and the Swan, the Fontaine de Leda. It's a little hidden gem that most tourists do not know about. Commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1806, it's truly one of those delightful Parisian secrets that reward any visitor that looks a little further than the obvious.
Helpful Information
Seasonal note: The Medici Fountain operates from spring through autumn. The reflecting pool is at its most beautiful between April and October when the surrounding flowers are in bloom and the foliage is full. You can see from my winter photos of the fountain that the urns are empty of flowers.
Getting There: Métro stop Odéon on Lines 4 and 10 (10-minute walk through Saint-Germain-des-Prés), or RER B Luxembourg (directly adjacent to the garden). Bus lines 38, 58, 82, 83, 84, 85, 89, and 171 serve the Luxembourg garden stops. The fountain is free to visit and open during Luxembourg Garden hours which are generally from 7.30am until dusk.
Places to See Nearby
Just a short walk from the Medici Fountain is the Pantheon and the University of Paris, the Sorbonne. English bookstore the Red Wheelbarrow is almost directly across the street from the fountain and a number of delightful cafés including Treize au Jardin, (a quaint tea parlor with a terrace and Luxembourg garden views) are along rue de Médicis and perfectly located for a snack and drink. Exit the garden beside the Medici Fountain for these nearby places.
If you are looking for hotel options to stay within easy walking distance of Jardin du Luxembourg, then my guide on Where to Stay in Paris will help you. I always stay in a neighbouring area to the garden and my guide has a number of hotel options that I recommend.
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