Our second morning marked the beginning of the end of our jet lag induced fatigue, making it a perfect day to immerse ourselves in the plethora of art on display in the museums of Paris.

After a few more croissants, we set off for the Louvre. We knew that the museum was said to be massive, but we were pleasantly surprised by the sheer size and richness of the ancient and classic collections on display.

We started by making our way through Ancient Egypt and Greece. The richness of the ancient collection really took our breath away as we observed the progression of art through both periods.

Scribe Accroupi

Sarcophage Egyptien

Venus de Milo

Victoire de Samothrace

After spending the first hour in the Egyptian and Hellenic period, we made our way through 3 centuries of Renaissance art. Of course, the inevitable Mona Lisa was a must see, but we were even more taken aback by the impressive collection of Raphael, Delacroix, and other classics who’s artistic impact we have both studied.

La Joconde, by Da Vinci

La Belle Jardiniere, by Raphael

Liberté mennant le Peuple , by Delacroix

Les Femmes D’Algiers, Delacroix

La Grande Odalisque, by Ingress

Sacre de Napoléon, by David

Oath of the Horatii, by David

Portrait de Louis XIV, by Rigaud

After covering 3 miles in the 3 floors and hundreds of galleries in the Louvre, we broke for lunch in real Parisian fashion: sandwich Jambon Beurre (Baguette, ham, butter) in the Jardin des Tuileries.

After a well deserved break, and a little more strolling through the gardens, we checked in at the Musée de L’Orangerie, which houses a sample of Monet’s breathtaking Nympheas. Although Blair was the one who developed a passion for Impressionist Art in art history class in college, I was blown away by the scale, technique, and beauty that fills the halls of L’Orangerie.

Tomorrow, we leave for the Loire Valley and all of it’s vineyards and castles!

A bientot,

Basile et Blair