Formerly known as the Pépinière Buffet (1867), this pavilion was originally a café-restaurant and was built by Gabriel Davioud (1823-1881).
As the Inspector General of architectural works for the city of Paris and the chief architect in charge of promenades and plantations, working under Haussmann's direction, Davioud was also a sculptor and landscape designer. He is credited with the nearby fountain in the Observatory garden, topped with the Carpeaux sculpture "The Four Parts of the World," as well as the two theatres at Place du Châtelet and the Saint-Michel Fountain.
Today, this small building houses the free public courses of the Luxembourg School of Horticulture, as well as conferences given by the Association of Listeners of the Luxembourg Courses (AACL) and by the Central Beekeeping Society (SCA). In the summer, the Davioud pavilion hosts various exhibitions by artists, painters, sculptors, visual artists, and more.
