Monday, October 22, 2012

Paris, Part III

For those still reading, allow me to present Part III of our Paris sojourn:

We adored the Rodin Museum (you have to go), housed in a beautiful chateau.
The space is light-filled, airy and magical (the sculptures aren't bad either):
Pedestals elevate smaller sculptures which might otherwise be missed...

Many famous sculptures are housed here, including The Cathedral (which has two right hands):

Seated Venus (casually relaxing without her head):

Moi, overlooking the grounds. 

The Eiffel Tower.  A great time to visit the Eiffel Tower is at the end of the day.  We showed up around 6 pm (the wait is shorter and you get to watch the sunset, which is very romantic and good for photography!)

Amazing views (see what I mean about the evening light):

Sacre-Coeur (Montmartre) in the far distance:

The next day we visited the Tuileries Gardens (with the Louvre in the background) just as it started to rain.  People scattered, so I got some nearly people-free shots (which is very rare in Paris):

On sunny days, these chairs are filled with Parisians and tourists:
From the looks of the flower gardens, apparently it is still summer in Paris.  I definitely live in the wrong city...

Then we visited Musee de l'Orangerie in the Tuileries Gardens.  This classical building houses Monet's famous water lily murals (les Nymphaes), in addition to many lovely paintings by Monet's contemporaries (which are worth the trip alone). 
 It was my first time here and I loved it (add it to your list)!

Photography is strictly forbidden inside the dreamy oval galleries, but I sneaked one just for you.  The two rooms have skylights and are lined with murals, giving them an underwater feel:
A group of French school children receiving an art lecture (poor deprived little souls).

Later in the week, we briefly visited the Maison Victor Hugo, inside the Place des Vosges.  He lived here after writing The Hunchback of Notre Dame but before writing Les Miserables:
His writing desk, with four inkwells. He also had a tall desk where he wrote standing.

Views from his writing desk (I could easily be inspired here):

Paris parking (not so polite):

We also visited the Musee Carnavalet, which houses a varied collection covering the history of Paris!  I was most enchanted with the furniture rooms, displaying pieces from the reigns of the various Kings Louis:
Furniture experts will see evidence of Louis XV here

The Musee Carnavalet is huge and tiring.  If you have limited time, you must visit the art galleries which feature room after room of utterly stunning paintings depicting Paris in the 1800's.  Most of this art precedes Impressionism.  The artists are not famous but the art is exquisite:
A painting by Victor Dargaud of the Statue of Liberty, being constructed in a Parisian workyard before being dismantled and shipped to New York

I must confess, I am not yet done describing our Paris journey, so there will be another post or two in this series!  I hope you'll not be too bored when I'm through with you...

Soon, Terri

14 comments:

  1. More lovely photos! Your pictures have convinced me that I must visit the Rodin Museum (Musee Carnavalet also looks wonderful) the next time I'm in Paris...for some reason, we have never been!

    Thank you for the info on "Le Paul Bert"; I will certainly keep it in mind for lunch while antiquing!!

    ~Lisa

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  2. Anonymous6:08 pm

    Please keep the Paris posts coming as I never tire. Looks like you had a very enriching visit. It is a grand belle of a city!

    NB in Ontario

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  3. Are you kidding? Bored? I think not. I had to giggle at you comment about the poor little children. Paris is such a lovely city and appears to be planned so logically. Is that true? That painting about the Statue of Liberty being assembled is fascinating to me.

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  4. ...typing too fast again

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  5. Not bored at all, Terri ... enjoyed this post and look forward to the next one. Friends of ours are on their way to Paris tonight for a week's vacation/birthday celebration. So envious!
    Claudia

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  6. Glad you are all enjoying it. I knew all my American readers would like seeing that Statue of Liberty painting! I was surprised to see how they constructed it (I guess I had never thought about it). :D

    Terri

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  7. I was in Paris this week last year...and it took me 4 posts to share it all! Going to lose myself in your posts

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  8. Bored, never, green yes... so wish I was in Paris! Keep the pictures and posts coming, so enjoying them.

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  9. Thank you for sharing your beautiful pictures of Paris! I felt like I was there once again. I love the Rodin Museum, and you captured it so wonderfully!

    Jane
    Flora Doora

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  10. Keep it coming!! Love your photos. It is rare to get shots w/out people. Lucky you. Then again, sorry about the rain. But who cares? It's Paris in the rain....so romantic! Look forward to seeing more.
    xoxo
    Loi

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  11. I'll bet you wish you could be Venus some days: Relaxing without your head.

    I wouldn't mind seeing about 800 more photos! I want to live in Victor Hugo's maison. Love the moodiness of it as much as I love the light in the Rodin museum.

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  12. Oh, keep the Paris posts coming. I won't tire of them. The Rodin museum looks like a wonderful place to visit. I read his biography years ago and so much of it has stayed with me, making him my favourite sculptor.

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  13. Terri,
    I've just read back and enjoyed the tour immensely-mad me want to hop a plane and get back to visit-it's been so long!

    I'll take the wood acanthus leaf lamp for Christmas-please!

    It's looks like you are standing in the spot from that iconic photo of 1925!
    xo,
    ~R

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