Jardin du Palais Royal

The Jardin du Palais Royal began as a private sanctuary for Cardinal Richelieu, who commissioned his residence here in the seventeenth century. When the property later became royal territory, it was enclosed by buildings that shielded it from the surrounding streets. This separation created an exclusive environment where the rules of the city did not apply, as the grounds operated under royal jurisdiction rather than municipal law. This loophole transformed the garden into a destination for activities that were otherwise prohibited in Paris, including high-stakes gambling, unlicensed commerce, and subversive political debate.