We knew today would be long and involve quite a bit of time on our feet but even we underestimated the task.
We had tried a few times to book a time slot for getting into Norte Dame as we had been told the queues were very long. We had failed in all three attempts so decided just to wing it.
We caught our favourite #69 bus from our back door and arrived at 10.00am. The queues looked pretty long but not as bad as we had seen them when we had walked past the cathedral previous times.
Once we found the end, which was the most difficult part, it took us only 15 minutes before we were going through the front door – we were most surprised and pleased.
The cathedral is certainly open for business even though there is a lot of scaffolding still on the outside of it. The inside looks 95% completed.
Di had first seen it in 1982 when it was black inside because of the pollution as well as the burning of all the candles and incense. We both saw it in 1991 and it was no better. Seeing it this time was amazing. It is one of the cleanest churches we have ever been in and what a difference it makes to being able to see the fine detail of the craftsmanship. Would recommend a visit though beware the morality police as inappropriate clothing will get you banned which we did see happen to one lady.
Next it was off for our morning coffee and to recharge the batteries.
We wandered up through the Latin Quarter to the Luxembourg Palace.
After the death of Henry IV in 1610, his widow, Marie de’ Medici, became regent to her son, Louis XIII. Having acceded to a much more powerful position, she decided to erect a new palace for herself, as you do. It is but a modest little abode.
We were much more interested in the boat pond.
For €8, you got a yacht and stick for half an hour.
Then you got to play with it ….heaps of fun.
We made sure none of them pesky kids got in our way!
Then it was time to look around the lovely gardens and avoid the rain.
We made our way back through the Latin Quarter but took our time as our next appointment at the Louvre was not until 6.00pm.
We came across a few cafes that had these large bears set up in them and saw a few people enjoying a coffee alongside.
We had some dinner at one of the cafes but made a fatal error by having a charcuterie board – money poorly spent as the meat and cheese were well below par. Time then to make our way towards the Louvre by walking down at the water’s edge of the Seine which was nice and cooling but the surface was treacherous. The Seine often floods and it washes the sand and grout away from the cobblestones leaving them exposed and uneven. We thought it a good idea at the time but would not recommend it.
Then to the pyramid and down into the museum itself. We thought by doing a 6.00pm booking that it might be quieter – very wrong. It was very much wall to wall people.
The expansiveness of the rooms is magnificent. We were more intrigued and gobsmacked with the architecture of the building than the art work.
Goodness, the lavishness that the nobility bestowed upon themselves is just so unreal. Yeap, no arguments as to why the peasants decided to lop off their heads.
Couldn’t go to the Louvre without dropping in for a quick cuppa with Mona and her 1001 besties.
Now this picture intrigued us as it is Napoleon crowning Josephine after crowning himself with the pope at the time looking on with thunder on his face. If you are interested in more of the detail to the painting, below is the link. It is quite fascinating. Napoleon was quite the megalomaniac.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Coronation_of_Napoleon
We wanted to go up to the top floor to see more of the Northern European masters but it was closed which very much disappointed us. By now, our feet had been worn away to just below our knees and we needed to call it quits for the day. It took us foooorreveeer to find our way out of the bloody place.
We came out the wrong door so ended up near the balloon again but on the opposite side of the Louvre to catch our bus. When we finally caught the bus, the damn thing terminated three stops down the road. It was another 20 minutes before another one came along and by then we were just about crying in our soup. Finally made it home just before 9.00pm to have a shower and fall into bed. It was a long day but pleased we did it.
Steps – 27,212 NO word of a lie
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