Musee d'Orsay, Paris

We awoke to overcast skies, but with confidence that the sun would shine later on in the day.    And as it turned out we were not disappointed.

We boarded the camp site bus (cost 1.70 Euros per person, one way) which took us to the nearest metro, Porte Maillot.    This is on the Le Defense metro line, which stops conveniently at Jardin de Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, Avenue des Champs Elysees and Arc de Triomphe.

The first stop for us was Place de la Concorde, which has the the Egyptian Obelisk, acquired somehow from Egypt.   Place de la Concorde was the scene of bloody head removal during the Revolution, but of course now it is a beautiful wide space, with views of Paris on every side.    Thanks to Baron Hausmann, who redesigned the centre of Paris, during the 19th Century.  

The little Citroen, with an opening roof, which is for hire, so that tourists can stand up and take photographs whenever possible.

All ready to explore Paris.   It was not as cold as the last time we visited Paris in April, 2010, but nearly as cold.   Rain coats and scarves were still required.

Our first stop, and the major one, was Musee d'Orsay, where, thanks to booking our tickets on line, and Susanne's walking stick, we avoided the extremely long queues and walked straight into the museum.

During the past two years there has been considerable work done to create new, fully renovated spaces.   The Impressionist paintings are now on the fifth floor, and the number of paintings on show has more than trebled.  There were all the usual artists of course, Monet, Manet, Renoir, van Gogh, Seurat, Gauguin, Cezanne.Toulouse-Lautrec.    

The building was once a railway station, which closed in 1979.   There were plans to demolish it in 1970.   Luckily they changed their minds, and now there is a most magnificent museum.    Sadly, no photographs, as they are banned inside the building.

And afterwards, out into the sunshine, so coats off and coffee at a cafe in Jardin des Tuileries.   Bliss.

And bliss for all the people sitting around the pond, soaking up the warm sun.   Chairs are free to use here too.

So it was off up the Avenue des Champs Elysees, only a short way as we took the metro up the rest of the avenue to the Arc de Triomphe.    I loved the lie down bicycle with passenger seat on the back.  

We should have added our lock to the lock display.    Fascinating.

Brian and I walked out into the middle of the busy street to get our photograph taken in front of the Arc de Triomphe.   And luckily we lived to tell the tale.   We were fascinated by the way the traffic moved around the Arc de Triomphe, there must be a secret code on how to access it, drive around it, and then get off it again.  Horns are a necessary item.  

And then home again, to a lovely glass of wine, and more rain.