Paris has a hundred goddesses hidden in the mysterious place! A romantic forbidden place hidden by locals

Under the halo of the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, there is such a mysterious garden hidden on the Left Bank of Paris - there are no troops of tourists holding selfie sticks here, but there are French senators passing by every day; 106 peerless "stone beauties" are scattered on the lawn, and every corner tells the secret history of the Bourbon court. This is the Luxembourg Gardens, which is regarded as an "urban oasis" by Parisians, a French romantic secret place carved out over four hundred years. In 1612, after her husband Henry IV was assassinated, Marie, a princess of the Medici family from Florence, started the most romantic garden legend in Paris with a contract. This regent queen, known as the "First Widow of Paris", created a 22.5-hectare dreamland on the Left Bank based on the model of her hometown's Pitti Palace. When the fountains of the Italian Renaissance meet the geometric gardens of France, they give birth to the most unique hybrid aesthetic in Europe: the plane tree-lined avenue and the tulip garden form the golden section line, and the marble goddess statue looks gracefully on the French lawn. Walking through the chestnut trees, you will come across more than a hundred stone goddesses. From Athena in Greek mythology to Joan of Arc of France, from Victor Hugo's daughter holding a scroll to the Muse holding a harp, this open-air sculpture museum is full of mysteries. According to the park, most of these sculptures were created during the "Belle Époque" of the 19th century, when artists were inspired by "Liberty Leading the People" and used female images to reshape the French spirit. The most intriguing thing is the bronze group statue in the central fountain. Four fairies like lotus flowers emerging from water hold up the crown, which is Queen Marie's affectionate confession to the Bourbon dynasty. On weekday afternoons, you will see this picture guide of French life: senators discussing state affairs under the chestnut trees, students from the Sorbonne University walking between statues with books in their arms, and old Parisians teasing the white pigeons by the fountain with baguettes. Every autumn, this place is transformed into a "mobile art gallery" - the City Hall will move the Louvre's collections to the open-air exhibition hall, allowing art to truly enter life. Want to experience the everyday romance of Paris? You might as well follow the locals and rent a dark green folding chair (2.5 euros/hour) and watch the small sailboat race in the sun by the octagonal pool. Guide to the quest: Address: 6e arrondissement, 75006 Paris Transportation: 3-minute walk from Luxembourg Station on RER Line B Opening hours: 7:30-21:30 in summer/8:00-17:00 in winter Tickets: Free admission (reservations are required for the open-air art exhibition) Easter egg: Find the prototype of the "Statue of Liberty"! The bronze statue in the northwest corner of the park is the "first generation version" of the Statue of Liberty in New York. When travel guides were recommending Montmartre, real Parisians were already sitting in the open-air theater of the Luxembourg Palace, listening to the echoes of Moliere's plays. There is no hustle and bustle of internet celebrities checking in here, only the rustling of plane tree leaves telling of Queen Medici’s unfulfilled love - perhaps, this is the most luxurious romance in Paris: hiding four hundred years of time in a garden.