Paris 3 - Musée D'Orsay

Mary had to fly home in the morning, but there was one more day for me to explore Paris. The first thing I did after 3 weeks of getting up early and rushing off to tour activities was to sleep in. Yes, I woke up long enough to mumble goodbye to Mary, but then slept until my body felt like waking up. What a feeling!

After a leisurely breakfast with lots and lots of café and a mini croissant or two, I finally got moving. The walls of the Invalides Metro station are painted to reflect the very fancy Alexander III bridge nearby:

In no particular hurry, I eventually made it to the Musée D'Orsay, which is housed in a former train station. All I can say is "wow."

See if you agree:

There were so many beautiful impressionist paintings and sculptures.

Here are some of my favorites (my camera didn't capture the intensity of the colors - must be operator error): 

Claude Monet - The Boat at Giverny (above)

and Blue Water Lilies (below)

Girl in the Garden by Mary Cassatt

The Shepherdess by Camille Pissarro

City Dance. Country Dance (above)

Pierre Auguste Renoir

Dance at the Moulin de la Galette (below). 

Lol

Poppies (or The Promenade) - Monet again 

Little Dancer Aged Fourteen 

by Edgar Degas

This piece was very controversial when it debuted. The girl wasn't considered beautiful or delicate enough. I love her focus and determination.

Lunch in the museum's beautiful café was a welcome break from the slow walking/ standing required in museums.

There were so many sculptures, including this apparently famous polar bear by François Pompon.

and Rodin's "Thinker" on his Gates of Hell.

Eventually I'd soaked up about as much art as I could handle in one day, the weather was fine, and our hotel wasn't too far away, so I strolled back along the river on the Quai D'Orsay, where Parisians and tourists alike were all having a great time.

Exercise class

Skateboarding

Snacking and drinking

Nice Canadians filling their water bottles. One of the moms said that one side dispenses sparkling water, so of course I had to test it. Incroyable! It really does.

There were joggers, skaters, walkers, bikers, houseboats, and bad selfie takers. Here's the ornate Pont Alexandre III and the Grand Palais behind me (just one of several palaces we didn't visit).

It was a lovely day, although being a tourist wasn't the same without my travel buddy. 🙂

- Christine