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Things to Do in Paris

Reviews and photos of Paris attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Paris sightseeing.
Local Time 6:33 am Monday, May 12, 2008
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Louvre: Richelieu - Paintings of Northern Schools.
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  • Updated By breughel on September 4, 2007
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  • Louvre - Quentin Metsys
    Louvre - Quentin Metsys
    "Prêteur et sa femme" 1514
    by breughel, 4 more photos
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    As soon as you reach the Second Floor of Wing Richelieu by the main escalator you will see the large Gallery Medicis with 24 large paintings (1622-1625) by Rubens(photo 5). These paintings ordered by Queen Marie de Medicis glorify this famous Queen of France (wife of Henri IV and mother of Louis XIII). From here you may visit about 40 smaller rooms with a large collection of Flemish, Dutch and German paintings from the 15th to the 17th century. The highlights of this collection are from the Flemish School (Flemish Primitives): Jan Van Eyck "La vierge du Chevalier Rolin" (1434), Rogier van der Weyden "L'Annonciation" (1435). Room 5 shows six paintings of Hans Memling (photo 4) what makes of Le Louvre the second museum outside the town of Brugge to have so many Memling's. From the 16th c. is shown the famous painting "Prêteur et sa femme" (1514) from Quentin Metsys (photo 1) and a small Pieter Bruegel "Les mendiants" (1568). The Dutch School is very well represented by two Vermeer's "La Dentellière" and "l'Astronome" in room 38 (photo 2). I was pleased to see that tourists, mainly from Asia, have now discovered the existence of these two Vermeer's at the Louvre; on my previous visits I was nearly alone in that section, no more now. Nearly all famous Dutch painters of the 17th c. are on display here: Rembrandt with "Bethsabée au bain" (1654), Frans Hals with the excellent "la Bohémienne" (1666) (photo 3), Pieter de Hooch, Van Ruysdael, Wouverman and many others shown in small cabinets. The German school is present with great names such as Dürer, Cranach and Holbein with a famous portrait of "Erasmus" (1523). Even the tourist on a 1 day visit of Le Louvre should not omit to spend some time on this 2nd Floor of Richelieu Wing.

  • Address: Richelieu wing - Second floor.
  • Directions: Métro: Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre

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    Louvre: MONA LISA IN THE CROWD.
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  • Updated By breughel on February 6, 2008
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  • Mona Lisa smiling at the crowd. - Paris
    Mona Lisa smiling at the
    crowd.
    by breughel
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    At the beginning of the sixties I visited for the first time Le Louvre. There was no pyramid; the facades of the Louvre were of a dirty grey colour as most of the buildings of Paris. No queue at the entrance of the museum. We were only four visitors in front of Mona Lisa. I returned in the nineties; the pyramid was standing there as well as the queues. We were more than forty to admire Mona Lisa. In the spring of 2005, I was again in the Louvre where the Joconde had just been installed in a new bigger room (Wing Denon, 1st floor, room 6). By curiosity I went to this new room to find inside and around a crowd of about 400 persons. In 40 years there had been a hundredfold increase of visitors to Mona Lisa! I abandoned and went to the Richelieu wing with on the 2nd floor the collections of the Dutch and Flemish painters. I was almost alone and could admire in all quietness (room 38) two Vermeer "The Lace maker" and "The Astronomer" and one painting of Pieter de Hooch. Shall I add that there are only few museums in the world which have two Vermeer's. On the first floor I paid a visit to the tapestries of Brussels with the famous "Hunting's of Maximilien". A bit before the closing time I returned to the room of La Joconde which I could finally approach. I was amazed at the Mona Lisa's bad look; she showed a greenish complexion; or is it the effect from the thick glass panel which protects her? I read that the Joconde would need a restoration; the wooden panel bends. But who in France will dare to make the decision to remove Mona Lisa from the Louvre for a restoration? By her attraction on the world tourism, Mona Lisa represents an important part of the GNP of France! No mystery anymore. Experts of the University library of Heidelberg have found a book belonging to Agostino Vespucci, an acquaintance of Da Vinci. A note in this book indicates that Mona Lisa was Lisa del Giocondo wife of Francesco del Giocondo a rich merchant of Florence.

  • Address: Wing Denon, 1st floor, room 6
  • Directions: Métro: Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre

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    Invalides: Musée de l'armée
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  • Updated By breughel on September 8, 2007
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  • Invalides - Cavalry helmets c.1900 - Paris
    Invalides - Cavalry helmets
    c.1900
    by breughel, 3 more photos
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    The best department of this museum, i.e. the Département Moderne (1648 - 1871) with the splendid collections from King Louis XIV to Napoleon III is closed for renovation. Fortunately for the visitor, the WW I and WW II department has been renovated and extended what is a good thing because this part of the Invalides Army Museum was somewhat short in the previous years. This department deals with the military history from 1871 to 1945 on an expanded surface of 3500 m2 since July 2006. I was pleased to see that this period of history in which France had a central position is now up to other museums WW departments like the ones of Brussels, London or Vienna for example. Are exposed French and foreign uniforms, certain having belonged to major figures - Foch, Joffre, de Lattre, Leclerc - diverse armaments and objects of the everyday equipment of the soldier. I found very interesting the windows showing proposals around 1900 for less visible uniforms as those inherited from Napoleon III. (see cavalry helms around 1900 on photo 1). But they were finally refused so that the French soldiers went into the WW I with "garance" red coloured trousers (photo 2) what made of them quite visible targets for the German riflemen. I was much impressed by a model of the famous German heavy howitzer called "Grosse Bertha". My grand parents told me about that howitzer used in Belgium against the forts of Liège and Namur in 1914. It would fire 800 kg shells at 9 Km distance (photo 3). Is also shown one of the "taxis de la Marne" (photo 4). In September 1914, 600 taxis from Paris were requisitioned to bring troops to the Marne battlefield. The movement started at the Invalides and conveyed 5 infantry battalions (total 5000 man). What is not shown in this museum are heavy weapons like tanks or planes. For the tanks one should visit the "Musée des Blindés" in Saumur (on the Loire) where there are more than 800 tanks!

  • Address: Invalides, Musée de l'Armée.
  • Directions: Western wing of the Invalides.
  • Website: www.invalides.org

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    Louvre: Le Louvre - Avoiding the queues.
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  • Updated By breughel on March 18, 2008
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  • Queuing in the rain 1 - Paris
    Queuing in the rain 1
    by breughel, 2 more photos
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    The longest queues are at the Pyramid main entrance. Not funny when it is raining as you can see from my photos nr.1 and 2. Avoid this entrance. There are underground entrances by the Galerie du Caroussel (99 rue de Rivoli) with a connexion to the Metro station and by the Caroussel gardens. There are also queues but at least you will remain dry. As I always buy a Paris Museum Pass, I enter by the Passage Richelieu for groups and visitors with museum pass. Go straight to the security control and don't get mixed up with the groups standing there. Another point is to get there close to the opening at 9.00 h. The longest queues are between 10 and 12 h. Absolutely avoid the first Sunday of every month; the entrance is free and the queues start well before 9.00 h. Once you are in you have to buy your ticket and you might well be queuing again! My photo nr 3 shows the Napoleon Hall with the ticket desks at 17 h. in August 2007 on a Wednesday when the museum is open until 21.30 h. Of course the length of the queues depend on the season: high season at the museum is spring and summer, less crowded later. In 2007 there were 8,3 millions visitors. Good luck - bon courage! NOTE: It is now possible to buy in the main Metro stations and RER A a "Billet Louvre" at 9,70 € which gives priority entry to the museum via the Passage Richelieu and the Carrousel Gallery and so avoiding the queues. See www.ratp.fr for more info. Another question: how much time does one need to visit Le Louvre? There are 3 options: 1° The one day program. This is for well trained joggers. They will see it all but look at nothing. (The difference between the French "voir" and "regarder"). 2° The program for amateurs of art and history. They need 3 or 4 days to see it all and look at the best art works. 3° Connoisseurs need 2 - 3 weeks. I'm following that program over a 20 years period. The problem with me is that on my spaced visits I forget what I saw the years before and I start again the grand tour. I'll never finish with Le Louvre!

  • Directions: Métro: Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre

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    Musée d'Orsay: An Impressionist Triptych.
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  • Updated By breughel on September 1, 2007
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  • Orsay - Sisley, Pissarro, Monet - Paris
    Orsay - Sisley, Pissarro,
    Monet
    by breughel, 4 more photos
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    The museum has put together in one frame 3 landscape paintings of different impressionist painters: Sisley, Pissarro and Monet (from left to right) forming a kind of triptych. The style of these 3 impressionist painters is very close in these landscapes; the visitor might hesitate about who belongs to whom. In other works Monet marks his difference with Pissaro or Sisley. In this large room 32 from the upper level are many other paintings all of excellent quality from Monet, Pissaro, Sisley and Renoir. I dare say it is the best room of the upper level. Among my favoured paintings in this room 32 there are the "Régates à Argentueil" from Monet, from Pissarro "la Bergère" and from Sisley the famous "Inondations à Port-Marly". There is also that highlight of Renoir "Le Bal au Moulin de la Galette" with the wonderful play of sunny spots and shade. ================================= Triptyque impressionniste. Avoir réuni en un seul cadre 3 tableaux de différents peintres impressionnistes comme Sisley "L'île Saint-Denis", Pissarro "Entrée de village de Voisins" et Monet "Bateaux de plaisance" (de gauche à droite) est une idée originale. On a là un véritable triptyque de paysages de l'école impressionniste. On remarquera que les styles et la facture de ces trois tableaux de peintres différents sont très proches à tel point qu'on peut hésiter à définir qui appartient à qui. Il est évident que ces trois oeuvres ont été groupées à cause de leur ressemblance et qu'un Monet, par exemple, s'écartera fortement de ce style dans bien d'autres œuvres. Personnellement en matière de paysages mon préféré est Sisley. Cette grande salle 32 comporte bien d'autres belles œuvres de Monet, Pissarro et Sisley ainsi que le merveilleux "Bal au Moulin de la Galette" avec les jeux d'ombre et de lumière qui font de ce tableau l'un des plus appréciés de Renoir.

  • Address: Upper level - Niveau sipérieur 5, Room-Salle 32
  • Directions: Métro: line 12, Solférino station; RER: line C, Musée d'Orsay station
  • Website: http://www.musee-orsay.fr/

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    Musée d'Orsay: Vincent Van Gogh at Orsay.
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  • Updated By breughel on August 30, 2007
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  • Orsay - Van Gogh
    Orsay - Van Gogh "Les
    Roulottes"
    by breughel, 3 more photos
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    Van Gogh is well represented by 15 works in room 35 at the upper level of Orsay. I prefer these works to most of those I saw recently at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam (ref. my Amsterdam tip). The quality of all the 15 works of room 35 is excellent with highlights such as "Les roulottes, campement de bohémiens aux environs d'Arles" (photo 1), "L'église d'Auvers-sur-Oise, vue du chevet" (photo 2), "Fritillaires couronne impériale dans un vase de cuivre" (photo 3) and the portrait of "Le docteur Paul Gachet" (photo 4). But there is more for me: I discovered Van Gogh, when I was 7 years old, from reproductions of these works in a calendar. I presume that these paintings now at Orsay "impregnated" me when I was a kid and opened my liking for impressionism. =============================================== Je préfère les Van Gogh de la salle 35 à Orsay à l'ensemble de ceux que j'ai vu récemment au Musée Van Gogh d'Amsterdam (réf. ma page Amsterdam). Pourquoi? La qualité de cette quinzaine de Van Gogh est excellente comme "l' Eglise d'Auvers", "Les roulottes", "Fritillaires dans un vase de cuivre" ou encore le portrait de Paul Gachet mais il y a surtout le fait que j'ai découvert Van Gogh, quand j'avais 7 ans, par les reproductions de ces tableaux ci dans un calendrier. Je suppose que ce sont ces œuvres actuellement au Musée d'Orsay qui m'ont "imprégné" et m'ont donné le goût pour les impressionnistes en général.

  • Address: Upper level - Niveau supérieur 5, Room 35
  • Directions: Métro: line 12, Solférino station; RER: line C, Musée d'Orsay station
  • Website: http://www.musee-orsay.fr/

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    Louvre: Egyptian Antiquities.
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  • Updated By breughel on September 6, 2007
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  • Louvre -
    Louvre - "The Seated
    Scribe"
    by breughel,
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    With more than 50.000 objects the Egyptian collection of the Louvre is the second in the world after Cairo. This is not surprising as the collection started with Napoleon Bonaparte's expedition to Egypt between 1798 and 1801. It was the talented French linguist Jean-François Champollion who solved the enigma of Pharaonic writing in 1822 and was appointed curator of a new department in the Louvre that was inaugurated in 1827 under King Charles X. Another famous name was the archaeologist Mariette who became the first director of Egyptian Antiquities. In 1997, during the Grand Louvre renovation project, this huge collection was distributed on two different floors of Wing Sully. As the heaviest objects had to remain on the ground floor it was impossible to arrange the works by period. This ground floor with 19 rooms, including the temple room (12) and the sarcophagi room (14), features a thematic installation centred on the major aspects of Egyptian civilization i.e. the daily life in Ancient Egypt. The 1st floor of wing Sully (rooms 20 to 30) presents a chronological approach, highlighting the different historical periods and the development of Egyptian art from 4000 BC to 400 AD. Numbers of visitors of Le Louvre are coming here with the sole aim to visit the Egyptian department; for the others it would be a real pity not to spend at least one hour here. The most famous artefact which always impresses the visitors is "The Seated Scribe" (c. 2620-2500 BC) in room 22 on 1st floor wing Sully. The inlaid eyes are the most striking aspect of this sculpture; furthermore nothing is known about the person portrayed!

  • Address: Wing Sully, Ground floor & 1st floor.
  • Directions: Métro: Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre

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    Place de la Concorde: Place de la Concorde
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  • Updated By sim1 on November 19, 2006
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  • Place de la Concorde - Paris
    Place de la Concorde
    by sim1,
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    After our leisurely walk on the Rue de Rivoli, and my stomach happy after that delicious cup of hot chocolate at Angelina's, we are ready to explore more of Paris. And the Place the la Concorde is where we are heading to. Traffic is swirling around the square and the sun is smiling down on us. This is one of Paris' largest squares and a busy one as well. But the traffic couldn't hide the beauty of this place for me, even if it tried its best at doing so. This octagon shaped square is dominated by a huge obelisk and I loved walking around here and taking it all in. Don't forget to go up to the Jardin the Tuileries before you cross the street towards the middle of the square though! From this point of view you have some really nice photo opportunities.... if you get here at the right time of the day that is. I arrived late afternoon, not the best of time of day. But when you go early during the day, you probably have the sun in your back, and you are able to get some lovely photos of the Place to Concorde, with the Eiffel tower in the background (see photo 1). The statue in the foreground of the first photo is one of the 8 statues surrounding the square, created by Jacob Ignaz Hittorf. They are all placed in a corner of the octagon and represent the French cities of Lille, Strasbourg, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Nantes, Brest and Rouen. In the second photo you can see the statue representing Nantes.

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  • Address: Place de la Concorde
  • Directions: 8th arrondissement In between the Tuileries and the Champs-Elysées. Métro stop: Concorde

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    La Seine and Its Bridges: Pont Alexandre III
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  • Updated By sim1 on November 25, 2006
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  • Pont Alexandre III - Paris
    Pont Alexandre III
    by sim1,
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    Instead of walking towards the Arc de Triomphe from the Place de la Concorde, we made a left turn, towards the river Seine and the famous Pont Alexandre III. A bridge I just HAD to see! The bridge is famous for its exuberant Art Nouveau lamps, cherubs and nymphs. It is just unbelievable to see all the decorations put on just one bridge! You can argue if you can call this 'beautiful', but it is surely special. And I loved it! The bridge was build between 1896 and 1900 by the architects Résal and Alby. The inauguration of the bridge was just in time for the Universal Exposition of 1900. The first stone was placed in October 1896 by Tsar Nicholas II and the bridge was named after his father Tsar Alexander III. In the photos you can se some of the sculptures ornamenting the bridge. In the first photo for example, you can see one of the sculptures at the base of the lamps on the bridge. These statues are by Henri Désiré Gauquié. In photo no. 2 ond of the lamps decorating the bridge. Third photo: you can see a sculpture by Léopold Morice: Young girl with seashell. In the fourth photo you can see a decoration on the outside of the bridge, by Abel Poulin and Grandzlin. And to top it off a fun little detail: a little lizzard watching the bridge. The Pont Alexandre III is located in between the Grand and Petit Palais on the right bank of the river Seine and the Hôtel des Invalides on the left bank of the river.

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  • Directions: Métro stop: Champs-Elysées-Clémenceau In between the Grand and Petit Palais and the Hôtel des Invalides.

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    Musée d'Orsay: Les nus à scandale d'Orsay!
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  • Updated By breughel on September 4, 2007
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  • Orsay - Manet
    Orsay - Manet "Déjeuner sur
    l'herbe"
    by breughel, 3 more photos
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    Le musée d'Orsay comporte quelques tableaux de nus qui ont défrayé la chronique en leur temps (±1860) et dont l'un "l'Origine du Monde" (1866) de Gustave Courbet suscite encore des remous. Cette même décennie 1860 produisit à la fois des nus aussi académiques que la "Naissance de Vénus" (1863) du néo-classique Alexandre Cabanel, des nus d'inspiration impressionniste comme "Déjeuner sur l'herbe" (1863) et "Olympia" (1863) d' Edouard Manet ainsi que des nus réalistes comme la "Femme nue avec chien" (1862) et "l'Origine du Monde" (1866) de Gustave Courbet. Les deux nus de Manet, surtout le "Déjeuner sur l'herbe", déchaînèrent les sarcasmes et critiques au Salon de 1863. J'avoue que le contraste entre les deux messieurs en redingote et la dame nue m'interpellent. Qu'allait-elle faire nue dans la forêt; à moins qu'elle ne se soit baignée dans l'étang à l'arrière plan? Quant à "l'Origine du Monde" de Courbet, acquis en 1995 je constate qu'aujourd'hui encore cette nudité crue, provocante, une description presque anatomique du sexe féminin, suscite de l'émotion: les messieurs la photographient, leur compagne se tient en retrait. Pour rester "culturellement correct" sur ce site VT mondial, je n'en publie pas de photo. ============================= "Scandalous" nudes at Orsay! The museum of Orsay shows some paintings of nudes which in their time (around 1860) where found scandalous. The art amateur will notice that this decennia of 1860 produced academic nudes such as "Naissance de Vénus" (1863) of Alexandre Cabanel, impressionist nudes like "Déjeuner sur l'herbe" (1863) and "Olympia" (1863) from Edouard Manet as well as realistic nudes such as "Femme nue avec chien" (1862) and "l'Origine du Monde" (1866) from Gustave Courbet. As for "l'Origine du Monde" of Courbet, acquired in 1995, I notice that today this provocating nudity, an almost anatomical description of the female organs, still arouses emotion. The first years that she was exhibited at Orsay a special security guard was posted in the room!

  • Address: Level 0 - ground floor, rooms 3, 14 & 15
  • Directions: Métro: line 12, Solférino station; RER: line C, Musée d'Orsay station
  • Website: http://www.musee-orsay.fr/

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