On a previous trip to Paris, my husband noticed the sign on the building across from the entrance to the Orsay museum. It identified the building as the Legion of Honor museum. It was closed for the day. On this trip, we built a visit to the museum into our itinerary. WOW. FABULOUS. They have interactive displays to help you understand the history of the honor. There was a protest of some sort going on that followed us into the square/space between the Orsay and the Legion of Honor museum. At first, we didn't think the museum attendant was going to let us in. When he figured out we weren't part of the protest, he let us in and immediately locked the doors. We had the place to ourselves. When we were ready to leave the protester were still there so an attendant led us out the back door through a courtyard. So cool.
Posted by
OP
Apache, OK
109 posts
Next, we walked across the Seine on the Passerelle Solferino and entered the Tuileries Garden. We devoured some gelato. My husband played weatherman and hustled us into the Orangerie Museum right before the bottom fell out of the sky. We happily avoided the storm communing with Monet's Water Lilies. We hopped on the metro at the Concorde stop (so neat with the tiles that write out the "Declaration of Man") and headed to Montmartre. We took the funicular up to the top, and did the RS Montmartre walk. We bought paintings from an artist in Place du Tertre. I sit here looking at it now...back to the story... Mom is a van Gogh fanatic, so we took pictures in front of the house where he shared an apartment with his brother. The next day we headed to Auvers.
Posted by
Greensboro, NC, USA
55 posts
Cathy - Thank you so much for posting your report! I will definitely add the Legion of Honor and the Orangerie to my itinerary! My husband and I will be going to Paris the first week of September. Can't wait!!
Posted by
OP
Apache, OK
109 posts
Glad you found some help in my report. It looks like that bridge over the Seine has changed names to...Leopold-Sedar-Senghor. If you are in a romantic mood when you go over that bridge, you can buy a lock to put on the fence then throw away the key. Hope you have a wonderful trip!
Posted by
OP
Apache, OK
109 posts
Glad you found some help in my report. It looks like that bridge over the Seine has changed names to...Leopold-Sedar-Senghor. If you are in a romantic mood when you go over that bridge, you can buy a lock to put on the fence then throw away the key. Hope you have a wonderful trip!
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10606 posts
Cathy, Pat We just walked over Pont des Artes this afternoon and thought about the structure and stability of this old bridge. It's covered, absolutely covered and shines gold from the locks. Kids sell locks on the bridge, in English. I figure the city of Paris government will take the fencing off the sides with all the locks attached and sell it for the metal. Then they'll put up new fencing and it will start all over again. First time we saw this was three years go in Ventimille. Spread like the plague, a first world activity.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
Cathy sounds like it was great getting into Legion Honor Museum However putting locks on the bridges is actually forbidden,, the local government has to pay to have them all cut off every once in awhile, the weight of them is damaging the bridges metal work parts.. so suggest you not suggest it as an activity for others.. I agree it seems romantic, but the locals do not agree .
Posted by
OP
Apache, OK
109 posts
I'll try this one more time. The web keeps eating my post. I hope it doesn't end up here 3 times. Good to know! We didn't do the whole lock thing. Glad we didn't!