Paris in Review: Part 1
I was scrolling through my phone looking at my Paris photos and thought I’d share them here. I hope I can look back on these in a few years and remember the little things that made the trip so special. Our first stop was to see the Notre Dame Cathedral along the Seine River. With lots of scaffolding, work was being done to restore it. We walked along the river and took in the sites. It was exciting to experience everything for the first time in Paris.
Our first walk also led us to Luxembourg Gardens. The gardens were well maintained and had flowers blooming. It was Sunday, so the gardens were full of people relaxing and enjoying the day. This is the location where children can race toy sailboats in the water. This was something I was glad to see because it was just like the movies. You can experience a lot of Paris by just walking around. Every corner has something new to see with plenty of cafés to take a break.
The architecture was just like I imagined, but better. Each apartment building has a large door to enter and big windows that swing open. I could have taken a picture of every door in Paris, but I only took a few. Many apartments have cafés and storefronts underneath. A few of my favorite pictures are the ones that I took quickly while walking to our next destination. My greatest challenge was taking pictures without any people in them–you had to be strategic.
Day 2: Our Journey to Giverny, France
We took the train to Giverny, France to visit Claude Monet’s home and gardens. I really enjoyed this because we got to see the countryside. Giverny is quaint and picturesque. The small towner in me enjoyed every minute. A few galleries, restaurants, and homes make up the town of Giverny, France.
In Monet’s house, the walls and trim are painted in the same color as the furniture. My favorite part was the kitchen. It had blue and white title and a line of copper pots. Of course, we had to see the famous bridge and pond with the waterlilies. It is a must when you visit Monet’s home. A few streams led up to the pond where you could find bamboo planted around. I would love to see what it is like in different seasons—especially spring.
Day 3: Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles is very grand. Each room has painted frescos on the ceiling, detailed trim work, and plenty of historic furniture. When we toured each room, it was hard to take in every detail. You could go back and see something different each time. It’s amazing to think of the time and effort it took to make each room so detailed.
The outdoor gardens matched the same level as the interior. The gardens are symmetrical with closely trimmed boxwoods. You could rent bicycles, golf carts, and boats to cover the full grounds. The sky was nice and blue the day we were there.
The best part of Palace of Versailles was The Queen’s Hamlet. Marie Antonine built a “farm” about a 25-minute walk from the palace. They describe the space as her escape. She had the right idea because it was like walking inside a story book. The style of buildings reminded me of Hansel and Gretel. Each building was made of stone with thatched roofs and wooden fences. The gardens had vegetables and sunflowers growing like someone might still be living there.
I have more pictures to come of our river cruise, Eiffel Tower, art museums, and food in a part two. Thanks for reading and following along. My studio is full of snowy Christmas paintings, so it is nice to talk about the current season, even though my mantle is already decorated for fall.
