Loops around le Luco

 

Every morning, hundreds of walkers and runners follow the 2km path along the perimeter of the Jardin du Luxembourg, some once or twice, others three or four or more times.  Many sport Paris 10k or Paris Marathon shirts.  Others have t-shirts that look fakely American ("West Coast US Football") or genuinely American ("U of Michigan").    Others are wearing more serious running gear from New Balance or Adidas.  Sometimes an entire corps of firefighters or police are out running together, with matching athletic shirts to identify them.  It is a famously wonderful place to run, with well-maintained paths and unmatched scenery.   

The photo above is of a spigot along the path where runners regularly stop for a drink of water.  I have also seen dog owners turn on the spigot and invite their dogs to drink straight from it, licking it as they go.  I'm not sure that the runners know that.  

I rarely follow the path in its entirety because Sandy is only allowed on about a half a kilometer of it.  So that is typically where we spend our garden time.  Glenn, however, regularly runs the loop.  

One day recently, I decided to follow the entire path (without Sandy) to see the Luxembourg Gardens from a different perspective.  Some of the photos I took that day have appeared in other posts, such as the one about chairs, but here is a collection of interesting views I had from the perimeter.   

Below is a sycamore, or plane, tree.  It is near the Medici Fountain and seems pretty old to me.  I love the pattern that the bark makes.

Here is a view of one of the many, many sculptures in the garden, and it has the Pantheon in the background.  This is the view roughly east from the Senate building.  Perhaps it is designed so that Senators can be inspired as they work by the great men and women of France who have been honored by being buried in the Pantheon. 

Some of the paths are paved with concrete, others with cobbles, and some are just packed dirt.

A lovely lawn with more statuary...

The Medici Fountain...

One of the areas populated with regularly-spaced chestnut trees--on busy, sunny afternoons, areas like this are full of readers, picnickers, and conversationalists who have pulled chairs over to sit in the shade.

Indeed, there was much I was missing by sticking to the dog quadrant.  We are lucky to have such a beautiful spot so accessible to us.