On first blush, Jardin du Luxembourg – Luxembourg Gardens – may seem like any other royal Parisian garden – a beautiful green space surrounding a royal palais – palace. However, Luxembourg is so much more than that. During a recent visit to Paris, I had the great fortune to spend a month in a lovely rental apartment in the heart of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés quarter of the city – less than a 10 minute walk from Jardin du Luxembourg. (Another bonus: it was also right next door to the legendary Le Procope, the oldest café in Paris, having been founded in 1686.) My proximity to the gardens for this extended visit…