The Overlooked Jewel by Luxembourg Gardens

There’s a building across the street from the south end of the Luxembourg Gardens. Because it exists in the shadow of these extraordinary gardens, most people walk by it on a mission to get to there, and as a result, barely notice it. Thankfully, one day I did. And since that day, I’ve never passed it without stopping to admire its beauty. 

Unlike many buildings in Paris, it doesn’t have the year when it was built stamped on the façade, so I’m going to guess it’s from the late 19^th / early 20^th century, but I could be wrong.

It’s of course one of those stunning Haussmann influenced buildings with its stone façade and ironwork grills and balconies. But it has so much more, particularly the carvings. The carved wooden door sits under a decorated and garland-themed lintel, while the building itself is covered with carved and voluted corbels, simple and carved keystones and giant female caryatids. It has fluted columns with Corinthian capitals decorated with acanthus leaves. Amongst the carvings you’ll find lions, elephants, Bacchus and even Medusa.   

Wrapping all the way around a corner, the building is a wonderful, giant canvas upon which the architect crafted a symphony of style and grace. Each side features two rows of greenhouse like bay windows that no doubt provide the occupants with a more than ample amount of light. My guess is they are later additions, but I can’t say for sure. Given that it wraps around the corner there are six apartments that have what can only be assumed to be spectacular views.  Each of them looking over the Gardens themselves and the upper floors looking over the Senate with a view of the Eiffel Tower and Invalides. 

Topping off the building, above the sixth floor corner apartment featuring a stone balustrade sits a two story crow’s nest with a patio above, probably a spectacular place for having breakfast or dinner given that it has an unobstructed view of almost all of Paris.

And just to give you an idea of how enchanting the building is, as we were taking pictures of it a woman came up to us and said “Thank you!” Caroline asked “For what?” and the lady explained that she had lived in the building for years and had simply forgotten how beautiful it is and that seeing us standing there taking pictures reminded her to look back up at it and remember how beautiful it is.