As an artist, a man has no home in Europe save in Paris.
– Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher
On our way to the Louvre Saturday morning, we look back on the Seine River and see the tip of Ille de la Cite, where Notre-Dame Cathedral sits.
Approaching the Louvre.
A view out of the Louvre, looking down.
Given the size of the Louvre, we dedicated our second full day in Paris to this museum. My experience in the Louvre was not unlike that at the Metropolitan Museum in New York and the Prado in Madrid – overwhelming! I tend to curl up when the floors and connecting rooms are endless. So we tried to see what the kids and we wanted to see and leave it at that. For the kids, it was all things Egyptian. For David and me, it was the major works such as the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. It’s one of those times where you tell yourself you will have to come back when there’s more time – and no kids – so you can fully enjoy it. The crowds weren’t too bad. We got up early and walked to the Louvre, and enjoyed some beautiful sights along the way.
I did a selfie with me and the Mona Lisa, but sparing everyone here my selfie. Just Mona Lisa her glorious self.
Everyone and their smartphone cameras capturing Winged Victory of Samothrace, Louvre.
Jacob and Isabella surrounded by wondrous statues.
A quiet corner of the Louvre with a statue of a woman in repose. No tourists!
The architecture in the Louvre is outstanding. Ceilings are great to photograph when there are too many tourists, too.
Close-up of an Egyptian mummy at the Louvre.
Isabella will agree that we had the best Nutella brioche at the Louvre café, and lunch wasn’t too bad. All in all, museum food was pretty good. We all agreed that New York museum food is the worst. At any rate, we enjoyed the Delacroix special exhibit. I can’t look at Liberty Leading the People by Eugéne Delacroix without thinking of Cold Play’s Viva La Vida cover. David and I managed to battle the tour groups to get decent, some unobstructed, shots of the Mona Lisa. We also admired the beautiful statues everywhere. The Louvre took up most of the day, as expected.
A refreshing salad with rosé.
Salmon with potatoes au gratin.
Dessert, anyone?
Liberty Leading the People by Delacroix.
I admired the folds and the light in the sheets by this painting by Delacroix.
Bouquet of flowers by Delacroix.
Afterwards, we walked to Jardin du Luxembourg, a beautiful 60-acre garden in the Left Bank. I was enamored of the fountains and especially the green metal chairs that were occupied by people who were in leisurely conversations with one another, having a picnic of wine, cheese, bread, and charcuterie, or reading intently. Few were glued to their smartphones! And how could you not fully take in the beautiful garden.
Beautiful pool at the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris.
Statue in Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris.
A replica of the Statue of Liberty stands in this garden. Originally, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, designer of the original Statue of Liberty, created a smaller version for the Exposition Universelle of 1900 and was subsequently given to Musée du Luxembourg. In 1905, it was placed outside the museum in the garden. It stood there until 2014, when it was relocated to the entrance hall of the Musée d’Orsay. What is now in Jardin Luxembourgh is a replica of the original scaled-down model.
A miniature Statue of Liberty in Jardin du Luxembourgh, Paris.
Lion statue near the manicured lawns of Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris.
After dinner at nearby La Bastide Odeon, we walked around to take night photos of the city, which was all eye candy.
The Eiffel Tower with searchlight at night.
The Louvre at night.
Next to the Louvre is the Arc du Carrousel, all lit up.
One of the many bridges over the Seine River that are lit up.
Detail of the bridge over the Seine River.
Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, all lit up.
Approaching home at night, we can see the tip of lle de la Cite, where Notre-Dame Cathedral resides.
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