Musée du Louvre – Paris

Hubby and I had two days on our own after our amazing Trafalgar Tour, Best of France, came to an end in Paris (July 2012)   We knew we couldn’t see and do everything in two days.   Having done guided bus tours with both Mark and the local guide, Veronique, we knew the ‘lay of the land’ as it were, and with map in hand, off we went!!!  Bought Metro tickets and museum passes, even though we weren’t going to visit many of the latter but it meant easy access and no long queues hence no time wasted!!!   We had heard a little bit about the museum passes thinking they wouldn’t be worth buying, but it definitely was!

Our plan was to skip the Louvre, surprisingly enough !!  .. as we had heard it was way too vast for a ‘quick look’ and needed at more than a day to see all it’s treasures.  But it was silly to walk through the Tuileries gardens, with the Louvre right there, without going inside !!!!   .. and who on earth would go to Paris and NOT see the Mona Lisa !!     One thing that surprised me was that photography was allowed – but without flash, which many people ignored completely.    The voice-from-nowhere repeatedly had to remind visitors that flashes were not allowed

Because we hadn’t planned to visit the Louvre (the plan was the Musée d’Orsay instead)  and therefore didn’t do any research 🙁   I didn’t have my travel book with me either, and couldn’t think what we needed to see besides Mona Lisa and Aphrodite!!    Inside, we grabbed an English brochure, found the whereabouts of the Mona Lisa and Aphrodite, ‘Venus de Milo’ !!!   Definitely needs a re-visit .. we missed out on so much sadly 🙁

We were in awe to be so close to these fine works  !!

Leonardo de Vinci’s Last Supper opposite his Mona Lisa ..

It was easier to take photos of the magnificent ceilings !!

I’ve always thought, and still do now that I’ve seen it for real, that the pyramid is an eyesore, but it serves a purpose by letting in light plus it’s incredible from the inside ..

Outside the Louvre ..

Jardin des Tuileries ..  see also http://momsmeanderings.wordpress.com/2012/08/23/quick-pic-paris-titbits-for-birds/

….