Palais Royal & Gardens
Palais Royal & Gardens is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Paris audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~60 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type palace
- Suggested visit ~60 min
- Paris Paris guide
About Palais Royal & Gardens
A serene arcaded garden complex built by Cardinal Richelieu, now famous for Daniel Buren's striped columns and as a peaceful oasis steps from the Louvre.
The Palais Royal is one of Paris's most atmospheric hidden gems, a colonnaded complex of great historical depth set just north of the Louvre. Cardinal Richelieu built it between 1633 and 1639 as his private palace, bequeathing it to Louis XIII on his death in 1642. The young Louis XIV lived here during his childhood, and his brother Monsieur, the Duke of Orléans, later owned it. Under the Orléans family in the 18th century, the arcaded galleries surrounding the garden became the most fashionable gathering place in Paris, home to 200 shops, cafés, gambling dens, booksellers, and libertine establishments. It was in these arcades that the Revolution was fomented: on 12 July 1789, Camille Desmoulins leaped on a café table and urged the crowd to arms, two days before the storming of the Bastille.
Today the garden is a peaceful sanctuary, its colonnaded arcades housing antique dealers, restaurants, and jewellers. At its centre, Daniel Buren's controversial "Les Deux Plateaux" installation (1986), 260 black-and-white striped columns of varying heights, remains both loved and debated.
Did you know? The French Revolution was ignited in the Palais Royal arcades: on 12 July 1789, Camille Desmoulins called the crowd to arms here, two days before the fall of the Bastille.
How long should you spend at Palais Royal & Gardens?
Plan about ~60 min at Palais Royal & Gardens. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Palais Royal & Gardens worth visiting?
Palais Royal & Gardens is one of the 44 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Paris, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Paris
Hear the story of Palais Royal & Gardens
Preview the Paris tour free in the Gingerguide app.