We spent the morning in the Orangerie museum, where we really loved the huge display of Monet's water lilies paintings, displayed in the round, in two large oval rooms, with natural lighting. The basement is filled with a once-private collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings, collected by a friend of the artists. My favorite: the Renoirs, especially two girls at the piano.
Afterwards, we walked the entire length of the Avenue Champs Elysees, on a beautiful sunny fall afternoon. We stopped halfway, at a little sidewalk cafe called Brioche Doree. (Doree means golden but it was my French nickname in high school!) They had the most delicious chocolate croissants and raspberry tartelettes! Ymmm. 
Ended at the Arch de Triomphe, which celebrates Napoleon's victories all over Europe.
This evening we met our group and guide Arnaud, and had a terrific dinner at the Cafe des Musees, with salmon tartare, a hunk of tasty lamb, and chocolate fudge cake.
Good thing we walked a lot this morning!
You realize this is 'torture' for some of us. .. I mean how much magnificence can we take? (I'm almost ready to put on my shoes & drive myself to the airport to catch the next flight to CDG!) Oo-la-la: architecture, history, ritual, light, food, music, geography, Chocolate! NO wine, yet!?
ReplyDeleteWe even attended Sunday evening mass at Notre Dame Cathedral!
ReplyDeleteAnd - yes, we've tasted the wine. Excellent!