Charlotte Olivia Olver

Emily may make the headlines for fashion and cafés, but some of the most memorable moments unfold in gardens. From Paris to Giverny, Versailles, and Rome, these green spaces shape friendships, discoveries, and new beginnings – and you can experience them yourself

Where story and garden meet

In Emily in Paris, gardens are more than backdrops. Jardin du Luxembourg offers Emily quiet pauses amid chestnut avenues and miniature sailboats on the pond. At Palais Royal, arcades and clipped hedges host whispered confidences with Mindy, showing how even compact city gardens can nurture connection.

Monet’s Giverny and Versailles shift the scale. Water lilies, wisteria, and reflective pools create spaces for contemplation, while formal avenues, parterres, and fountains guide movement and highlight seasonal planting. In Rome, Villa Borghese blends open lawns, shaded paths, and fountains, offering room to pause, explore, and meet new people.

Visiting the gardens yourself

Jardin du Luxembourg – Early mornings or late afternoons are best for quiet reflection. Pause by the pond, walk along tree-lined avenues, and notice the seasonal colours.

Palais Royal Garden – Explore the arcades and clipped hedges where key conversations unfold. Even small spaces can feel intimate and restorative.

Versailles – Take in the scale of formal parterres, avenues, and reflecting pools. Follow paths that frame views and offer moments of calm amid grandeur.

Giverny – Wander Monet’s Clos Normand and water garden. Water features and carefully arranged plantings reward observation and reflection.

Villa Borghese, Rome – Cycle or walk through shaded avenues and open lawns. Look for quiet corners tucked beneath trees, ideal for a pause or a picnic.

Why these gardens matter

Emily’s story is glossy, but the gardens she visits quietly shape her journey. They are spaces to pause, notice, and connect, where friendships deepen, new encounters happen, and moments of self-discovery unfold. As Lily Collins has said, “You just can’t fake those locations. The texture, the depth, and the history that all of those iconic locations bring… some of them who were born and raised in Paris even said, ‘We’ve never experienced Paris this way.’”

Following in Emily’s footsteps, visitors can see cities differently: slower, softer, and full of corners that invite exploration, quiet thought, and new connections. Even in busy urban areas, gardens guide movement, frame moments, and offer a chance to notice the world – and yourself – afresh.