Imagine stepping back in time to the era of queens and royal secrets right here in the Jardin de l’Infante. This garden offers a serene escape between the Louvre and the Seine. But why is it called Jardin de l’Infante?
Let’s uncover its story. Up until the early 19th century, the Jardin de l’Infante was a continuous space. It stretched from the Louvre’s colonnade to the Galerie d’Apollon. During the 18th century, flâneurs enjoyed its sunny location. Today, a passage connecting the Louvre to the Pont des Arts bisects the garden.
In the late Renaissance, the garden was dedicated to the Queen. It was separate from the apartments of the Galerie d’Apollon. Prominent princesses like Catherine de Médicis, Marie de Médicis, and Anne of Austria enjoyed the sun here. This garden was more for the queen mother than the queen consort.
To reach the Jardin de l’Infante from the Galerie d’Apollon, one had to cross a ditch. This was done via a small bridge. On the Seine side, a wall with arcades and a terrace enclosed the garden. This protected it from the Hôtel du connétable de Bourbon and the capitainerie.
Legend says that during Louis XIII’s youth, Maréchal d’Ancre often slept in the capitainerie. At night, he would cross the garden and the bridge to visit Queen Marie de Médicis. People called this the “pont d’amour” or love bridge.
However, Maréchal d’Ancre’s influence was not well-received at court. He was assassinated in 1617 on another bridge of the Louvre. Later, the conciergerie was torn down. But the Jardin de l’Infante and its love bridge remained.
In 1722, the apartment overlooking the Jardin de l’Infante was renovated. It was intended for the Infante, who was engaged to Louis XV. She made her grand entrance into Paris in March 1722. The apartment and garden then took the name Jardin de l’Infante. Though she never became queen of France. She was sent back to Spain shortly after. She didn’t cherish her Parisian stay. She preferred Madrid.
In 1778, the garden was altered to create a passage to the quai. It was further changed during the construction of the Pont des Arts. The Jardin de l’Infante reminds us of the ephemeral fiancée of Louis XV. She was a Spanish infanta, a child of the Spanish royal family.
In 1721, little María Ana Victoria was betrothed to her cousin, the King of France. She was only three years old. He was eleven. She arrived in Paris on March 2, 1722. Because of her status, she lived in the queen mothers’ apartment in the Louvre. A garden was created for her. She could admire it from her windows and play there.
The garden’s design, by architect Robert de Cotte, ran from west to east. It featured a parterre de broderie, an embroidery-like flower bed. It was adorned with statues of Diana’s nymphs. These statues were brought from the park of Marly. In June 1722, the king moved to Versailles. His fiancée followed. But in 1725, she was sent back to Spain. Louis XV then married Marie Leczinska, the daughter of the King of Poland.
From her short time at the French court, only the name of this garden remains. The Jardin de l’Infante has been modified several times since. Today, you can enjoy the massed dahlias at the entrance to the Cour Carrée of the Louvre. These flowers bloom in yellow, white, orange, and dark red. They mix with burgundy amaranth and caster bean plants. Though a tall iron fence may block a close inspection, the beauty of the Jardin de l’Infante endures.