Paris - Day 4 (part deux)

The Musée du Louvre is a stunning building which has taken on various forms from its early days as a fortress.  From the edge of the Tuileries gardens where sculptures line the main path, through the Arched structure which recognizes the success of Napoleon’s armies, you reach Pi’s glass pyramid which was built in the late 1980’s – the main entry into the museum.

 

The museum houses some of the more recognizable and beautiful pieces of artwork.  Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is likely the most popular.  The piece dating back to the 16th century is kept behind bullet-proof glass within a climate controlled environment.

(image from Wikipedia)

Another famous piece is the sculpture Venus di Milo. 

While some rooms of paintings or sculptures allow easy access for viewing, both these pieces are often found in rooms that are crowded with those who want a glimpse of something they might have only seen in photos or read about in books.

It really is a unique opportunity to appreciate the historical significance and beauty of what these artists have created – in the artwork and the buildings themselves.

This was not our first time to the Louvre and I hope it won’t be our last.

Our dinner this evening was at Chez Janou – an eclectic French bistro located in the Bastille area of Paris.

It is an easy metro ride from where we were staying and after missing out on having dinner there last night, we were quite happy to get a reservation for this evening.  The food was incredible!!  But, wow…we have definitely gained some weight on this trip.  Just ‘looking’ at the chocolate mousse dessert that Mark had ordered (apparently, a specialty and highly recommended) added a few inches to ‘my’ waistline. 

Tomorrow, we’re off to the Centre Pompidou