Notre Dame Cathedral (sans Hunchback)
Here are the gardens - in the foreground is the Hotel des invalides and the Eiffel Tower.
We visited the Rodin Museum. The grounds include a statuary in French style gardens. We photographed the original "Thinker" (Le Penseur)
The Eiffel Tower was completed in 1889. It was meant as a temporary monument and built to be taken apart. It was initially protested. Here's an excerpt:
"...in the name of the underestimated taste of the French, in the name of French art and history under threat, against the erection in the very heart of our capital, of the useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower..."
http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/documentation/dossiers/page/debats.html
Detail of sculpture on L'Arc de Triomphe.
L'Arc de Triomphe was commissioned by Napoleon I to celebrate his military victories. To be able to see the whole monument, we took this photo about 1/2 kilometer away on the Champs Elysees.
The Marriage at Cana is in the same room as the Mona Lisa. The painting spans an entire wall. Conversely, the Mona Lisa is the size of standard poster.
Philippe outside the Louvre. This was formally the royal palace until Louis XIV decided it was not glorious enough. He subsequently built Chateau de Versailles.
We traveled by TGV (High Speed Train) while in France. It was an especially scenic way to travel. This is the station in Paris. (Gare de l'Est)
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