The next day walked along the Quai

to the beautiful Musee d’Orsay with their wonderful collection of pre to post impressionists. It is housed in the former Gare d’Orsay, a Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900.

We walked along the Quai some more

before making our way up to Montmartre. We did a little walking tour going up and stopped to view the Moulin Rouge (sorry no picture), the cafe de 2 Moulins, the place where Van Gogh lived with his brother Theo and the square with all the artists selling their work and trying to get you to sit for a portrait and lots of interesting graffiti on the way.

We had lunch up there and toured Sacre Coeur and got great views of the city from above.

We got to take the funicular railroad down the steepest part of the slope back.

We stopped at a chocolate shop on the way home that had a model of Notre Dame in chocolate and other goodies.

 

Our final day we visited Versailles.  Versailles is an incredible monument to opulence! One can easily see why there was a revolution.

Our train there even had interior designs like the palace.  There were of course long lines to get in and you’ll notice the reconstruction on the front with the faux scaffold cover.

We spent the day there and after touring the main palace

walked through the huge acres of gardens

to the pool where Louis would be entertained by watching war exercises and then to the Trianon where Marie Antoinette had her own retreat complete with gardens, farms, hamlet and orangerie (orange orchard).

Marie Antoinette’s bed and the King’s pool room

The Gazebo and pond

Grand Lac and Farm

Louis XIV had his own orangerie near the palace. He was the first to grow oranges in France. The girls took us out for our final dinner in Paris. It was a an amazing trip and we are so grateful to have been able to show our granddaughters many of the highlights of London and Paris. They were so appreciative and interested in all the history and beauty that they made it that much more special.

Peace,
Nancy & Denny