Day 2 at the Louvre

It is truly unbelievable how big the Louvre really is. Today our goal was to see all the paintings, the rest of the sculptures and, of course, Mona Lisa. As we approached the room where Mona lives, yes we're on a first name basis with her, there had to be at least 150 people in front of her. She's been stolen 3 times, no one knows who she is or if she existed and whether or not Leonardo painted her or not. But, she is the star of the show. The closest we got to her was about 4 people deep from the front. The crazy thing about the room where Mona lives is that the largest painting in the Louvre lives with her. It has 113 life size figures in it. Most people don't even notice it or the 3 original da Vinci's just around the corner from Mona.

We also went to the Musée L'Orangie to see Monet's Water Lilies. No cameras allowed. When you walk into the oval room you are greeted by the most beautiful sight. For me it was truly an emotional experience. The room is perfectly quite. When you walk in the next room you see more of the same. Unbelievable. Downstairs the museum houses Jean Walter & Paul Guillaume's private collection of Rousseau, Matisse, Picasso, Derain, Cézanne and Renior. There were mock-ups of rooms in their house where the paintings were hung. Well worth the trip to see this museum.

At the end of our visit to the Louvre we walked up the gardens to the Place du Concorde. From that spot the Arc d' triomphe, the Obelisk and the mini arc all line up. The light on the Eiffel Tower was amazing.

This is the view from our dining room window.

The coronation of Marie Antoinette, originally this was Louis putting the crown on his own head because he didn't want to wait for the Pope of the day to arrive. The painting was changed to reflect what we see today. 

An artist painting in the Louvre.

Here is where Mona lives. Behind 3 sheets of bullet proof glass and her own personal security detail.

The largest painting in the Louvre located directly opposite Mona. Most people don't even notice it.

A different perspective of her adoring fans. 

I took this to show the incredible detail and age of the paintings we saw.

Another detail shot.

I wonder how you get to do this.

Maddie in her happy place.