Easter in Paris
We got Easter Monday off in France so we decided to venture up to Paris. Three of our group of four had already spent some quality time in Paris, and so we wanted to take it slow and see and do things that we hadn’t had a chance to do before. My list included the Moulin Rouge, the inside of the Paris Opera, shopping, and cafe. We got to do all of those things, plus the Orsay, the Louvre, the Orangerie (where Monet’s Lilies are), and a host of other things. It was the strangest Easter I have ever had, just because I was traveling, but it was fun.
Paris is one of those cities that I could keep coming back to for the rest of my life and not get tired of. It is definitely one of my favorite cities in the world. Its romantic air charms me every time, and since this was my 4th time in Paris, I think I can safely say that my love of Paris is not just the first-time tourist infatuation. I love the architecture and the art and the sheer history of the place. I’ve spent few sunny days in Paris, and there are always crowds and crowds of tourists, but I love the city just the same.
So this decoration runs all around the TGV bathroom. Please notice the artistic use of water for, well you can fill in the blank
TGV Station
This boulangerie was our default breakfast place and it was AMAZING! I literally ate 2 or 3 pastries from here everyday. Good thing I am not studying in Paris.
The thing about Southern France is that they don’t use the famous “French butter” in their cooking as much. The butter belt is up north and boy could you taste it in the pastries.
Musee D’Orsay – one of the most famous art museums in Paris, the Musee D’Orsay is most known for its collection of Impressionistic Art. My friend Maddie, studying art here, explained some basic principles of Impressionism to me and after seeing all the Monets and Renoirs I fell in love with the style.
Left to Right – me, Maddie, Chevy, and Amelia in front of the clock inside the Orsay
Just part of the Louvre
Notre Dame – apologies for the blurriness
I wanted to get the entire front of Notre Dame in one non-panorama shot. This proved to be a little more difficult than expected!
But I think it was worth it. 
- Hotel de Ville – or city hall – of Paris
fanciest metro station ever
Left to Right – Chevy, Maddie, and Amelia, my Paris travel buddies
We thought about trying to go to Notre Dame for the Easter Morning service but then we got too late a start. We started the day near Notre Dame anyways, and the first thing we saw when we got off the metro was a pet sale.
including bunnies!
Cafe culture
Jewish Quarter
We had falafel for lunch in the Jewish Quarter. Delicious. They had a to-go window.
Place de Vosges
My fountain statue imitation!
Centre Pompidou – all of the pipes and heating systems and such are on the outside of the building. Not my favorite style of architecture but it is an up-and-coming one in Europe.
On Sunday afternoon, we went to the Paris Opera House, the setting of the Phantom of the Opera. The Opera House was fabulously ornate and fancy, just like I thought it would be.
There were a whole bunch of old costumes on display that have been used in former Opera productions.
I want this one. Tango anyone?
This is THE Grand Staircase, where the song Masquerade takes place for Phantom fans. Obviously, the movie was not actually filmed here but I had a small mind-blown moment here anyways.
Photo courtesy of Amelia
Photo courtesy of Amelia – More opera costumes on display
Grand Staircase ceiling
I bought a couple masks in Venice and I had this little dream of wearing my mask inside the Paris Opera House, while singing masquerade to myself. Epic life moment!
So I have to brag a little and say this photo idea was mine, but my camera wasn’t good enough in the dim lighting, so photo props go to Amelia.
Photo courtesy of Amelia
The Current Paris Opera House chandelier – The painting on the ceiling changes and the past ceiling designs are on display in the Opera House.
Photo courtesy of Amelia
The Opera House from the outside
There is no significance to this picture except to document the Paris street signs.
We spent some quality time smelling teas in this little Paris tea shop. Photo courtesy of Amelia
Place Vendome – the column in the center was erected by Napoleon I
Remember how I had to go to Paris way back in February for a day? Here is the same garden (Tuileries Gardens), sadly still not blooming.
A far off glimpse of the Eiffel Tower
A cafe in Paris!
Even though this was my 4th time in Paris, I had never been in the courtyard of the Louvre, so we made a quick picture stop.
We just learned about contraposto in my archeology class. For those who may not know what that is, contraposto is a standing position where your weight is on 1 leg and your body makes a little bit of an s shape. In honor of being in front of the Louvre, I did my best Greek statue imitation.
I’m unfortunately not sure what church this is, but we found it sort of randomly near the Louvre.
The Seine at dusk.
Dinner – Beef Bourguignon – we cooked the beef in a pot of hot oil on the table. Yum. At the table next to us, there happened to be a family who lives in Columbus, in the same suburb as a large portion of my family. I played against their daughter in high school tennis and another one of their daughters is looking at GCC for college. My mind was blown. After the second or third connection, I was no longer surprised.
Sacre Coeur – Even though it looks very old, this famous church was actually built in the late 1800s
View of Paris from the top
I would just like to point out the mime in the picture.
We explored Montmarte, the artistic center of Paris. While there we wondered past Van Gough’s Paris residence.
Rather unassuming isn’t it?
This is a croque-monsieur with goat cheese and pesto sauce. A croque monsieur is a French delicacy of ham and cheese on toasted bread.
I’d also never been to the Moulin Rouge, which is, not surprisingly, in the red light district of Paris.
I couldn’t get my friends to join me in the Can-Can outside of the Moulin Rouge…which is what I’m attempting to do by the way. Let me tell you, it isn’t easy in skinny jeans…
We ended up with a few free hours Monday afternoon before our train left, so we spent it in the Louvre. We literally just finished studying Greek sculpture and pottery in my archeology class, so I was extra excited. Here is the Winged Victory of Samothrace, a famous Hellenistic era Greek statue. The statue was created for the prow of a boat, and so to be viewed from far away like this.
Notice the sense of movement of the statute – how the wind is blowing her clothes back. It’s really incredible.
the Venus of Milo – this is a Second Classicism sculpture. You can tell because of the real contraposto, or s shape of the body, with 1 leg bent.
The Apollo Sauroktonas (Lizard Killer) – one of the best examples of Second Classicism sculpture because you can again see the real contraposto in the way he is standing. Another characteristic of the Second Classicism is the emphasis of beauty over strength, which you can also see in Apollo’s body and face.
Part of the Parthenon Freeze – the rest is in London. Notice how natural and real the figures look.
Ceilings!
No, sadly, that small arc you see is not the Arc de Triumph
This is an Oriental style Greek pot. You can tell because of the yellowish color, the exotic animals on the pot, and the crude depictions of human figures.
There is an entire hallway in the Louvre dedicated to Greek pottery. It was pretty much empty of people. I wondered through and admired the Black Figure and Red Figure pots and tried to remember everything I had learned about them.
The Apollo Gallery
ceiling!
Jacques-Louis David – The Coronation of Napoleon – photos can’t possibly do justice to this or any of the other amazing works of art that you see here, in the Louvre, but I decided to give it a go anyways.
The Raft of the Medusa – I didn’t know this painting existed until Rick Steves’ book kindly pointed it out to me, but apparently it is the prototype of French Romanticism and is based on an actual 150 person shipwreck.
Michelangelo’s The Rebellious Slave
Michelangelo’s Dying Slave
Cafe Times!
Thug life, on the metro
Walking Picture 