The Senate One of the two chambers of the French Parliament
The Senate is one of the two chambers of the French Parliament. It sits at the Luxembourg Palace in Paris. It represents local authorities and votes on laws. It is made up of 348 senators, elected for six years by indirect suffrage. The Senate works alongside the National Assembly to draft and oversee laws. The Senate is a key institution that ensures the representation of the French territories within Parliament.
Where is the Senate located in Paris?
The Senate sits at the Luxembourg Palace, located in the 6th arrondissement, in the heart of the Luxembourg Gardens. Its address is: 15 rue de Vaugirard, 75006 Paris.
Visiting the Senate
The Senate can be visited, but under certain conditions:
1. Open Days: Every year, during the European Heritage Days in September. During this event, the public can discover the Luxembourg Palace, its historic rooms, and the gardens. 2. Guided Tours: Guided tours are available, but only with prior reservation. Usually, visitors must be accompanied by an elected official (senator) or be part of a school, association, or institutional group. No self-guided visits are allowed except during special events.
How to get to the Senate by public transport?
The Senate is easily accessible by public transport:
Metro
- Lines 4 and 10, Odéon station
- Line 10, Mabillon station
- Line 4, Saint-Sulpice station
RER
- RER B, Luxembourg station
Bus
- Lines 58, 84, 89, Sénat stop
What to visit around the Senate?
The Luxembourg district (6th arrondissement) is full of cultural, historical, and leisure sites around the Senate. Here is a selection of interesting places to discover nearby:
- Jardin du Luxembourg: beautiful gardens for walking, admiring the fountains, statues, and flowerbeds. Many activities are available: chess games, puppet theater, and sailboat rentals for children.
- Musée du Luxembourg: temporary art exhibitions, right next to the Senate, inside the gardens.
- Zadkine Museum: a 5-minute walk away, dedicated to the sculptor Ossip Zadkine.
- Saint-Sulpice Church: a large 16th-century church, remarkable for its frescoes and organ.
- Sorbonne and Latin Quarter: the heart of student and intellectual life, with many cafés, bookstores, and the Panthéon just a few streets away.
- Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots: two legendary Saint-Germain-des-Prés cafés, frequented by famous artists and writers.
Around the Senate, the district offers a rich variety of places to visit—nature, culture, architecture, and gourmet pleasures. It is an ideal starting point for exploring the heart of Paris!