Saturday – October 29, 2011
The time is speeding by, the weather in Paris is mild and we’re having fun seeing the sights in this amazing city! This morning we decided to get an early start and go to the Musee D’Orsay. It had been closed for renovations and just opened this month. The building used to be an old railroad station and instead of tearing it down, the Paris government turned it into an art museum. It is the premier modern art museum in Paris which covers the period of 1848 through 1914. More recent and contemporary art is displayed in the Pompedieu Center and several other sites. The Musee D’Orsay has an amazing collection of the work of artists who created the term: impressionism. These are some of my favorite artists: Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Matisse, Sisley, Corot, Lautrec, Manet, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. The D’Orsay is full of all these artists!
One of the Clocks in the Musee D’Orsay
The biggest problem in our sojourn today to the D’Orsay were the many signs which read “NO PHOTOGRAPHY”! The building is a former railroad station with interesting ornamentation and lovely huge clocks and wonderful natural light. We didn’t want to take pictures of the art work, but the light and angles in the building are very interesting to photograph!! The last time we visited the Musee D’Orsay, photography was allowed and we have many interesting photos. Oh well, we just had to enjoy the art and flex our shutter fingers a lot.
Paris from the Inside Looking Out
It was almost one o’clock when we completed the 5th floor where the major impressionist artists’ works are displayed, and we were getting hungry because we skipped our morning croissants. There is a very nice restaurant at the end of the gallery and we decided to have lunch there. I had a great light meal of fresh salad Nicoise.
Another Clock in the Cafe
The Main Hall of the Musee D’Orsay
Coffee at a Sidewalk Cafe
The weather is still overcast but mild temperatures in the low 60s. We stopped for a rest at a typical French cafe and watched the world go by. We still had a few hours left so we took the Metro to the Musee des Arts et Metiers.
Paris Metro – Solferino Station
The Paris Metro system is very easy to negotiate. It is much easier to use than the NYC subway system and much cleaner. This Metro line didn’t have the glass walls like the Rivoli line.
Museum of Arts & Metiers
The Arts and Metiers Museum is a really fascinating museum which traces the invention and development of machines, instruments, and mechanical devices. It is full of models of machines and also real instruments. We had discovered it on our last visit to Paris and were eager to return to see it again.
Inside the Museum of Arts & Metiers
Part of the museum is housed in an old Gothic church. This section has a real working Foucault pendulum and a display of very old French cars, trains, gliders, and other antique motorized vehicles. It is a beautiful space.
Foucault Pendulum in Former Church
The museum has demonstrations of the history of how machines and instruments were invented and developed. It is a really interesting museum.
Hood Ornament from an Antique Car
Antique Engine
Grand Marble Staircase
Lavoisier’s Laboratory
Wooden Models of Energy Producers
We left the museum about six o’clock and took the Metro to the Chatelet Station. There was a political demonstration going on in the small park near the station. There were large crowds of people chanting and making lots of noise.
Arts & Metiers Metro Station
We walked to rue St. Honore where the 7th Best Boulangerie in Paris was located. We stood in a long line for a baguette “traditionelle”. Then we crossed the street to the trateur to get some pate and finally stopped at the fromagerie for some cheese. We took our treasures back to the hotel and had a yummy feast! Paris is such a fun place!!!!