France
Paris
[This section is in the earliest
stages of development: 28 December
200
6
]
Since my first trip overseas, to Paris in April 1970, I have visited the city many times. There is no end to what it has on offer: architecture, galleries and museums, cafes and restaurants. In December 2003 I followed a delightful tour around Montmartre in homage to Amelie, and in August 2005 visited the area around rue Mouffetard (also in Amelie).
My favourite Parisian gallery, visited many times, is the Musée d'Orsay,
based in the old Gare d'Orsay, on the rive gauche of the river
On several occasions, I have visited the Musée du Louvre (set in an impressive series of galleries, including a huge glass pyramid, based in the Palais du Louvre, and most famously housing the Mona Lisa). Sadly, though amusingly in retrospect, we got locked in the Louvre just after Christmas 2003. Walking through unlit galleries at night, surrounded by walls of centuries-old paintings is a disturbing experience usually reserved for strange, uneasy dreams that result from having eaten four different types of curry. I have written about this experience in my Sound Signs weblog posting 18 December 2006.
The Jeu de Paume, which used to focus on Impressionist paintings, displayed them poorly, in my opinion. By way of contrast, the Centre Pompidou, housed in an innovative and impressive building in its own right, has an impressive modern art collection. In August 2005, I spent an entire day viewing an exhibition of a selection of the Centre's collection. It was one of the most superlative exhibitions I have ever seen, incorporating a rich, generous helping of artwork, displayed well, presented thematically, with excellent artitstic interpretation - difficult to ask for more, really! I filled my camera with photographs, and shot some video footage, and it feels like I returned home with treasure.
The Musée Marmotttan focuses on the work of Claude Monet. I first visited this gallery long before I went to Giverny. Having allowed Giverny to alter the way I view Monet's work, I was keen to revisit the Musée Marmottan in December 2003. The collection lived up to expectations, although the attitude of some of the staff towards wheelchair users was so appalling that they deserve to be sacked.
I have been up the Tour Eiffel (Eiffel Tower) many times, although never to
the top. On one occasion, recently, as we were on our way back down to the
ground, the elevator jammed for about 20 minutes. My daughter, Jemima, loves going up the tower. She strongly identifies
the tower with
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The photographs (thumbnails and full size) on this page are courtesy of:
