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Published: August 15th 2017
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Today is the 6th and last day of our Musem Pass. We started out early to try and start ahead of the tourist crowds. Take the #1 metro to the Charles de Gaulle-Étoile stop and you will come up directly across the traffic circle from the Arc de Triomphe in Place Charles De Gaulle, at the top end of the Champs Élysées. From here you need to work your way across some of the ELEVEN streets that end here, until you find steps back underground to cross the traffic circle to come up directly below the Arc de Triomphe.
http://www.paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr/en/ Although we arrived right at the 10:00AM opening time, there was already a long lineup, which we were able to bypass with our Museum Pass and go straight inside. Built in 1836, its primary purpose was to glorify the armies of the Republic and the Empire. On the ground level, below the arch, the Unknown Soldier was buried in 1921 and a permanent flame of remembrance was lit, still burning there today.
The Arc de Triomphe is covered with sculptures depicting soldiers and the Spirit of Liberty. Names of soldiers during the Revolution are engraved on tablets on the
Interior of Musée d'Orsay
It's history as a railway station is obvious here. inside walls and a variety of inscriptions commemorate other events. But, the major tourism feature is the view from the mezzanine at the top of the 50M high monument. And the only way to get there is to climb up the circular stairway of 284 steps!
The view from the top is spectacular, and you can walk around the perimeter on the roof to see all of Paris for 360 degrees. Even though the day was cloudy, the view was well worth the climb.
After descending the 284 steps to leave, and retracing our underground path below the traffic circle, we took the metro back a few stops near the Luxor Obelisk at Place de la Concord at the end of the Tuileries gardens. This ancient Egyptian granite obelisk is originally from Luxor, has hieroglyphs and a gold-leafed top.
https://archaeology-travel.com/france/luxor-obelisk/ We walked from here across the bridge, Pont de la Concorde, over the Seine and east along the Left Bank for a couple of blocks to the Musée d'Orsay.
http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/home.html The building is huge and was originally a railway station, which will be apparent from some of my photos. Inaugurated in 1900 for the World Fair, it
housed a luxurious hotel and a grand reception room. In 1977 it was decided to change the building into a museum which was inaugurated in 1986.
The museum holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1914 including paintings, sculptures, photography and even some furniture. Including some time stepping outside to find a bench for a short lunch break, we were there for nearly four hours. This really is a huge building and holds perhaps the very best and largest art collection in the city, especially of the impressionist painters. On any trip to Paris, do NOT miss a visit to the Musée d'Orsay.
After our museum visit, we walked west along the edge of the Left Bank, below the street, to buy some ice cream from Food Breizh.
http://www.foodbreizh.bzh/accueil/les-produits/ Perhaps better known for all of their other organic food products, they also create their own organic ice cream. And it was definitely delicious!
We continued on to the beautiful, elaborately sculptured bridge Pont Alexandre III to cross back to the Right Bank. From here, you can see the Eiffel Tower and the Grand Palais, some of the most beautiful sights in the city.
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