This blog post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for any purchases made through these links. Click here for the disclosure statement.
If you’ve spent any time in Paris, chances are you’ve wandered through one of its beautiful gardens and noticed the green chairs scattered across them.
Known as the Sénat chair or the Luxembourg chair (they’re actually two different designs), these instantly recognizable metal seats are everywhere. More than 4,500 of them fill the Luco alone. Each one invites Parisians and visitors alike to sit down and take a pause.
They’ve become such an enduring symbol of Paris that you’ll spot them on postcards, tote bags, magnets, and numerous other souvenirs. Perhaps you’ve even brought one home yourself as a reminder of an afternoon spent reading beneath the trees in the Tuileries or sunbathing beside the fountains of the Luxembourg Gardens.
The iconic green chairs that dot Paris’s parks have been around much longer than most visitors might realize.
These seemingly simple green chairs are more than just park furniture, however. They have a surprisingly rich history and have become a design icon of the city. Here’s everything you need to know about Paris’s famous green chairs and the fascinating story behind them.
A Brief History of Paris’s Park Chairs
Before they appeared, public gardens were lined primarily with benches. But in the 18th century, individual chairs gradually replaced them and gave visitors the freedom to move their seat into the sun, shade, or beside a fountain.
There was just one catch: you had to pay.
Private companies rented chairs throughout Paris’s parks, and visitors paid a small fee each time they wanted to sit down.
Complaints became so common that the French government eventually stepped in, regulating rental prices before purchasing 1,500 chairs in 1843 to make them more widely available.
Although chair rentals continued for more than a century, the tradition gradually faded, paving the way for the free public seating Parisians enjoy today.
The Sénat Chairs
The park chairs in the Jardin du Luxembourg are known as the Sénat chairs. They were created in 1923 by the Ateliers de la Ville de Paris after being commissioned by the French Senate, which sits in the Luxembourg Palace. It also explains how they got their name!
They first appeared exclusively in the Luxembourg Gardens before gradually spreading to parks and gardens across Paris.
The Sénat eventually standardized the design in 1955, requiring all vendors in the Luxembourg Gardens to use the same model. Until then, visitors had to pay to rent a chair. That changed in 1974, when the Senate bought back the remaining stock and made the chairs free for everyone to use.
One of the chairs’ defining features is their practicality. Made of painted steel and weighing around 7.3 kilograms (16 pounds), they are heavy enough to resist theft and strong winds, yet light enough for visitors to move around the garden as they please.
Painted their signature “rush green,” they have become one of Paris’s most recognizable pieces of street furniture along with the Wallace fountains and the Morris columns. Keep your eyes peeled for all three on your next trip to Paris!
Fun fact: the chairs’ signature green color is used for other furniture, such as the boxes in the Orangerie.
The Luxembourg Chairs
By the 1990s, the original steel Sénat chairs were beginning to show their age. In response, the French Senate commissioned the furniture manufacturer Fermob to produce 2,000 new chairs for the Jardin du Luxembourg, Tuileries Garden, and Palais-Royal.
Although they look nearly identical, the Sénat chair and the Luxembourg chair are actually two different models. Fermob continues to manufacture the original steel Sénat chairs exclusively for the Luxembourg Gardens on behalf of the Senate. The Luxembourg chair, however, is a modern aluminum version that is lighter, more ergonomic, and available in 24 colors.
In 2002, designer Frédéric Sofia reimagined the classic garden chair, creating the Luxembourg Collection. Inspired by the original Sénat chair, he curved the seat slats for greater comfort and introduced versions with armrests. The collection quickly became an international design legend and is now used in restaurants, hotels, parks, and public spaces around the world.
Unlike the original Sénat chairs, which are reserved for the Luxembourg Gardens, the Luxembourg Collection is available for anyone to purchase. Today, Fermob still produces both models, and the colorful Luxembourg chairs can be found throughout Paris in places like the Tuileries Garden, Place de la République, and Paris Plages. Keep an eye out next time you’re in the French capital!
The chairs are also carefully maintained. Once a week, the seats are inspected to remove any damaged ones and distribute them evenly throughout the garden. New ones are regularly added to keep the gardens fully stocked for visitors.
Where to Find the Green Chairs in Paris
Jardin du Luxembourg
Jardin du Luxembourg is the original home of the legendary green chairs, and it’s still the best place to experience them. Pull up a chair beside the Grand Bassin, turn it toward the sun, and settle in for a while. One of my favorite things to do here is watch the miniature boats sail across the water with the Luxembourg Palace in the background. Such a charming scene in Paris.
You’ll find chairs scattered throughout the garden, including around the Medici Fountain and along the tree-lined promenades.
Jardin des Tuileries
Near the Louvre, in the Tuileries Garden, you’ll find rows of the Parisian park chairs along the central path, beneath rows of chestnut trees and clustered around the round pools. It’s the perfect place to rest after exploring the museum or strolling along the Seine.
Jardin du Palais Royal
If you’re looking for a quieter corner of Paris, the Palais-Royal Garden is a lovely spot to take a seat. Hidden behind the Palais-Royal, this elegant garden has green chairs arranged around its central fountain beneath rows of towering plane trees. We all need to escape the hustle and bustle of Paris at times, and this is a peaceful place to do it!
On beautiful spring and summer days, finding an empty green chair in one of Paris’s gardens can feel nearly impossible. By lunchtime, almost every seat is occupied by locals and visitors reading, chatting, soaking up the sun, or enjoying a picnic. I’ve even seen many couples squeeze into a single chair.
The next time you’re in the City of Light, don’t miss out on the opportunity to experience this remarkable piece of Paris culture and design.
Discover More on Paris Travel
- 7 English Bookstores in Paris Every Bookworm Should Visit
- How to Picnic in Paris
- 10 Famous Paris Cafés You Can’t Miss
Have you ever noticed these iconic green chairs while visiting Paris? Let me know in the comments below.
