We came up out of the Metro at Notre-Dame des Champs and, upon consulting the map, headed off in the direction that seemed the most promising. We were, however, still rather unsure, and so resolved to ask a passing stranger which direction we should take. This went something like this:

Me: “Excusez moi, ou est les Jardins du Luxembourg?”

Passing stranger, turning around, and revealing that he was not only looking at a map, but at the same map, in the same book, that we’re looking at: “I dunno. I think it’s over this way.”

So much for getting directions from helpful natives.