Museums and Montmarte

Museums, museums wherever you go.  We visited the 2 most famous ones- Louvre and D'Orsay.  Both are amazing buildings and museums.  

The Louvre is enormous and I must say a bit overwhelming especially when you add in the crowds and the people who find it necessary to pose in front - not sure if they even look at the art. The original fortress walls forming the museum are impressive even before you see the art that is in those walls.

Depiction of the original fortress

And there she is the piece that everyone wants to see Mona Lisa herself

The D’Orsay is a much friendlier and easy museum to navigate and the the marvellous art there. The Van Gogh collection is impressive.

Montmarte was one of my favorite areas.  After riding the funicular up, we arrived close to Sacre Coeur.  High atop the highest part of Paris, it overlooks the city. Inside was beautiful and had such a comfortable feel.  The art is all mosacis and is amazing.  For many of us this was the favorite church we had seen.

For the most part Montmarte neighborhood is the whole hill.  From the church we started walking down passing many homes of famous artists.  There is one area that artists work daily on their craft. A very special area indeed - it would have been nice to spend more time here.

What a Besutiful City

As we continued to explore Paris with our guide, I realized what I have been missing - it is a beautiful city, the metro has been easy and the people have been friendly and helpful.

Notre Dame is definitely a gem that could take an entire day to learn about! The reconstruction of the building has made it lighter inside as everything was totally cleaned.  As with everything else, it is packed - entrance is free.

It is equally impressive from the outside and even at a distance.

We did a short tour to the Left Bank and a short exploration of the Latin Quarter.

Then it was back over one of the 37 bridges to return to the island, explore the flower market and visit Saint Chapelle.  It is the private church of the king.  Many of the stained glass have been replaced as they were damaged during the war.  The spiral staircase is not for the faint of heart but the climb is with it.

Paris from the water during a river cruise.