Paris Photos and visit to The Louvre

Below is a collection of photos from Paris which we couldn't upload due to slow wifi connection (not necessarily in order). Enjoy. 

Louvre Visit - Thursday

After being told that it would take nine months to view every exhibit in the Louve, we decided to try to put aside the day just for this wonderful museum.  We had a plan, we'd pack a picnic lunch and visit three areas: the Italian Artists' gallery in which the Mona Lisa is housed, Napoleon III's apartment and the Egyptian Collection.  We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, stopping for lunch on the floor of one of the balconies and for afternoon tea in a swish cafe where we ended up helping the Chinese couple order lunch as they had no idea of how to read a French menu. The couple on the other side of us also helped them.  Funny how you get talking to people so easily when travelling. 

Here is a selection  of photos (with Peter or me in most of them sorry) of the works that we most enjoyed in the museum. 

Louvre Entry Hall - people were still queuing all afternoon. we were advised to buy our tickets from a Virgin store  (which we did) and queued for about 5 mins to get through security. Also advised not to go through main entry (above) but one of the side entries. 

One of my favourites - The Winged Victory

Carravagio - Peter's all-time favourite painter 

Venus de Milo - what can I say - beautiful 

Looking a bit weird in Napoleon III's lounge room 

How old are you again?

Medieval moet - the real thing. Discovered when excavating to build the glass pyramid  in  1984 (I think - might have been a little later). 

At the end of the day - did you guess??

For Peter also - bit sick of getting your photo taken? 

Fat Tire Bike Tour - Paris - Sunday

Peter on Fat Tire Tour outside The Louve

Guess Who? Guess where?

Fat Tire Tour included stopping for lunch in lovely park. Coffee? No problem - only  $AUD6.30!!   I think Fat Tire might have been on a commission as a coffee at our local coffee shop near our apartment cost $AUD3.70

Fat Tire Tour. Man in grey jumper, with his wife, also did Versailles bike tour with us on Wednesday

La Fayette Department store's balconies from Level 3 (a little different from Myer and DJ's!)

Stain glass ceiling of La Fayette department Store, Paris 

View from ground floor of La Fayette balconies 

Peter performing in the Champs-Elysees

Exploring Paris on foot - Champs Elysees

View from Arc de Triomphe

One of Peter's street performer colleagues on the  Champs-Elysees

Exploring Paris on foot - Pantheon and Notre Dame - Monday

Inside Notre Dame - magnificent!

Outside Notre Dame - Peter snapped again!

View from top of Pantheon of Notre Dame 

View from Panteon of ???

Mary lunching outside the Pantheon (yes - in the gutter!)

Inside Pantheon taken from balcony while on tour (free!)

The damn door wouldn't close! It really was a 'candid camera moment' 

One of our self-catered dinners in our little Paris studio apartment 

Fat Tire Tour - Versailles - Wednesday

We caught the train to Versailles & started biking from the town centre  

Grand Canal at Versailles

Versailles Palace taken from Grand Canal

Man made Grand Canal which connects to the Petite Canal 

Picnicing on the Grand Canal with the Palace in the far distance - beautiful food, weather and friendly group 

Our Versailles tour guide, Brian. We had many stops where he explained the history of the Palace and grounds (2,200 acres) of Versailles 

Inside the Palace - OMG to think Louis XXV and his entourage  spent 50% of France's tax revenue just on Versailles (at least this is what our guide told us)