The Tuileries Garden at a glance
The Tuileries is the formal garden between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde. Entry is free all year, with seasonal opening hours. You can use it as a break between the museum and the city, or as the first leg of a walk west toward the Concorde obelisk.
The garden lies directly west of the Louvre. The Orangerie, a separate museum, stands in it at the Place de la Concorde end. This page covers the garden and the walk. It does not cover the Orangerie as a museum.
Tuileries Garden opening hours
Regular hours by season, Paris time.
| Months | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| January to March, November and December | 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. |
| April, May, September and October | 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| June to August | 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. |
The garden is cleared 30 minutes before closing, so plan to be at an exit by then. The seasonal table is the regular schedule. Events or security measures can change access at individual gates, so look for signs at the entrance.
Louvre tours and walks from the museum
Guided visits and combined tickets for the Louvre, with live prices and availability.
Walking from the Louvre to the Place de la Concorde
One straight line, from east to west.
The main axis of the garden, the Grande Allée, and the western line of sight lead toward the obelisk on the Place de la Concorde. Start at the Louvre or at the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel and walk west through the garden.
The walk has no officially measured time. Plan an easy pace and add time for the basins and statues. If you want to see the Orangerie at the far end, calculate its visit separately.
A Louvre ticket does not make the Orangerie part of your visit. It has its own operator, so check its terms before you go.
Start: the Carrousel
The Place du Carrousel and the arch lie between the palace and the garden. The museum's Carrousel entrance is at 99 rue de Rivoli.
The Louvre map explained →Middle: basins and statues
The garden has an octagonal basin, a round basin with a fountain and statues along the paths. They make natural places to stop on the way.
End: the obelisk
The axis ends at the Place de la Concorde, where the obelisk stands. The Orangerie is on this side of the garden, at the Seine and the Concorde.
History of the garden
From a royal garden to a public park.
The garden was laid out from 1564 for Catherine de' Medici. In 1664 the landscape architect André Le Nôtre redesigned it.
The museum's own pages trace the path from royal garden to public park. The garden follows the line from the palace toward the Place de la Concorde, which is also your walking route.
Paris weather by month
Climate averages for 1991 to 2020 from the Paris-Montsouris station of Météo-France.
| Month | Average high (°C) | Average low (°C) | Rain (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.6 | 3.2 | 47.6 |
| February | 8.8 | 3.3 | 41.8 |
| March | 12.8 | 5.6 | 45.2 |
| April | 16.6 | 7.9 | 45.8 |
| May | 20.2 | 11.1 | 69.0 |
| June | 23.4 | 14.2 | 51.3 |
| July | 25.7 | 16.2 | 59.4 |
| August | 25.6 | 16.0 | 58.0 |
| September | 21.5 | 13.0 | 44.7 |
| October | 16.5 | 9.9 | 55.2 |
| November | 11.1 | 6.2 | 54.3 |
| December | 8.0 | 3.8 | 62.0 |
Highs are the monthly averages of daily maxima, lows the averages of daily minima, and rain is the average monthly total. April, May, September and October have highs between 16.5 and 21.5 degrees Celsius, which is milder than midsummer and winter. Every month has rain, between 41.8 and 69.0 mm, so no month is reliably dry. The station stands in the city, not in the garden, and the table is a climate average, not a forecast.
In winter the hours are shorter and daytime highs average 7.6 to 8.8 degrees. The longer evening hours of June to August leave time for a late walk. For the museum itself, see the page on the best time to visit.
Plan the rest of your visit
The garden fits before or after the museum.
Tuileries Garden: frequently asked questions
Is the Tuileries Garden free?
Yes. Entry to the garden is free all year. The hours depend on the season, as the table above shows.
What are the Tuileries Garden opening hours?
From January to March and in November and December it is open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. In April, May, September and October the hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and from June to August 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. It is cleared 30 minutes before closing.
How do I walk from the Louvre to the Place de la Concorde?
Walk west through the garden along its main axis, the Grande Allée. The line leads toward the obelisk on the Place de la Concorde. You can begin at the Louvre or at the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel.
Who created the Tuileries Garden?
It was laid out from 1564 for Catherine de' Medici. André Le Nôtre redesigned it in 1664.
Is the Orangerie included in a Louvre ticket?
Do not assume so. The Orangerie is a separate museum in the garden at the Place de la Concorde, with its own operator and terms.
When is the best season for the garden?
Spring and autumn have milder daytime highs than midsummer and winter, according to the climate averages. The summer evenings are longest because the garden stays open until 11 p.m. from June to August.