Paris - Le Luxembourg

This area of the fifth arondissement, now the Palace and Gardens of Luxembourg, was originally a Roman camp. Before the Carthusians came along in 1257, the neighborhood was ill-reputed and considered to be "evil". The monks converted the area into a flourishing monastery. In 1612, Marie de Médicis bought the Duke of Luxembourg's mansion and made it into a palace. It was designed by Salomon de Brosse in a Renaissance style inspired by his native Tuscany. Despite her exile and banishment from Paris, Marie's palace remained the property of the royal family until the Revolution. The gardens grew and are now a marvelous area to walk, play, or sit and watch passers-by. The Luxembourg Palace is currently the seat of the Senate. Also of note in this neighborhood is the church of St-Sulpice, one of the largest churches in Paris.