Paris

Here are some photos from my Easter trip to Paris:

View of the Arc de Triomphe...

... and Eiffel Tower on the first night

The amazing staircase at the Jacquemart-André Museum

Place du Canada!! With statues of Cartier and de Champlain

The beginning of a beautiful 5 hour visit to the Louvre

Some favourites from the long visit: (Left to right, top to bottom)

1. a dutch painting that I was really taken with. I was stupid and didn't really pay attention to who painted it or who it is...  

2. Giambologna's Mercury - saw another of these at the Bargello in Florence, I am a big fan of his sculptures.

3. Madame Récamier painted by Jacques Louis David, who painted my all time favourite painting The Coronation of Napoleon 

4. The dining hall in the Napoleon III apartments in the Louvre. 

5. The ballroom of the Napoleon III apartments. 

And eventually we did see some other things in Paris...

The Conciergerie - the Hall of Men-at-Arms with amazing gothic arches

The holding area for people on their way to the guillotine, called the "Corner of Twelve" as they were in groups of 12

Sainte Chapelle's stunning stain glass windows

We also went to the Musée des arts et métiers, the science museum. I went around with the audio guide, but most enjoyed the replicas they have that you can play with. Two favourites: A Pascaline adding machine invented by Blaise Pascal and Napier's Bones used for multiplication. 

Adding Machine

Napier's Bones

We also had time for a day trip to Versailles. Unfortunately by the time we arrived the line was too long to go inside of the palace. Instead I wandered around the gardens and walked out to the Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon.

Made a new friend :)

Grand Trianon, with a nicely furnished interior

Petit Trianon

Lindsay and I at dinner