Lisa and Making Up With Napoleon

Another of the must-do's of Paris is to visit the Louvre and one of its most famous residents. I planned my visit quite carefully. On my first day in Paris, I wandered around and actually went into the Louvre to check out its opening and closing times and what day would be best to visit for the number of people. I really expected it to be crowded and with a long line to get in. I especially thought I would have a wait of half an hour, if I was lucky, to get to see the Mona Lisa. So I wanted to make it as favourable as possible to visit and to go in to see the Mona Lisa.

When I asked I was told that, although the museum was always crowded, Monday had a lesser crowd than Sunday, so I determined to come on the Monday and I spent Sunday seeing other places.

Early on Monday morning, I got up and had breakfast. I wanted to get to the Louvre right at opening time, so that I would have the best chance of getting and seeing things in the Louvre in a timely fashion and still have time for other things later. When I had just visited the building the night I arrived, I had realized that it was absolutely a huge building. There was likely no way I was going to see everything in the museum. This was for two reasons. First, it was just too big. Second, it was all art. I am not an art connoisseur. I know what I like and what I don't. I can appreciate the technique of an artist and the time and talent that goes into the making of a work of art. But I don't really care that much about examining it in minute detail. I can't sit and stare at something for long periods of time, contemplating its place in the universe. I am far more likely to look at something, decide whether I like it or I don't, and move on. If something particularly catches my eye, I will look a little longer. So I guess in actual fact, I did have a chance of seeing a lot of what was in the museum. At least until I got too bored to continue.

I got to the Louvre at about 9:10. I had walked and I had lost my way a bit. Paris streets are rather confusing. They go off from most intersections in more than four directions. It's often six, but not always. I kept angling towards where I thought it would be, but it took a number of stops to kind of guage where I was and where I needed to be. But I did end up right at the Louvre when I exited the streets and arrived at the river. I rushed to the entrance, hoping that the line wouldn't be too long and that I could jump the queue anyway because of my museum pass.

And there was no line. I strolled right into the museum. I passed security. I went to the information desk to ask the way to the Mona Lisa, without making it seem that that was why I was there. I imagine that's why most people come, so it was silly, but still...

I got directions and headed her way, expecting to find a line-up waiting to view the painting. I wanted to get that done with and move on, so that I would definitely get to see the painting and then as much of everything else that I wanted. I got the grand hall (it's really big) and looked around at paintings. They were on the way after all. No sense being too single-minded.

And here is where it needs saying that the Louvre, and Paris, are really generous. Other museums jealously guard their gems. They don't want anyone going away and having anything they can show others. No photos are allowed at so many museums in the world. Maybe it's just so big. Maybe it's that so many people come to the Louvre and it's impossible to police them all, or to have a place to keep bags and cameras. Maybe they realize that most people, if they see photos of art in a museum, won't be deterred from seeing it in person, but will want to go and see for themselves all the more. I don't know. But the Louvre in particular, and Paris in general, doesn't bother trying to keep photos from being taken. They welcome them. They just want you to follow the normal sorts of rules for taking photos with precious and delicate things as the subjects. Things like no flash. Don't get too close. Allow others to have their chance.

All the paintings in the Louvre were open for viewing. Most had nothing between them and the viewing public other than a bit of space marked by ropes. A few were behind glass (the Mona Lisa being one of them), and I'm sure there was security of all kinds of sorts to prevent the art from being interfered with in a way that would be long-term. But it was what an art gallery really should be, a place where people who enjoy art can go and enjoy art. And without too many rules.

At length I got to the room with the Mona Lisa. I steeled myself for a hated wait in line, and...

Hmm... Wait a minute. There was no line. When I got to the room, there were no more than maybe thirty people total milling about. And that included the security. But I wandered right up to the painting, had a look, took a few photos, frankly got a bit bored, and headed off into the rest of the museum.

I actually did cover most of the museum that day. I really am not that much of an appreciator of art, beyond knowing what I like and what I don't. So I was just wandering past things that maybe deserved more of a look because it was done by a famous master. It was nice, but... in the end, ho hum in many ways. Sorry art lovers.

And art was everywhere. You really had to look in every nook and cranny, around corners, behind walls, and on the ceilings to see it all. It was amazing. There were paintings, and sculptures, and crowns and jewels. Every kind of art imaginable was there. It was stunning just for that.

There was Egyptian stuff.

There was history, too. The Louvre was built on old foundations and the building itself has a lot of story behind it, or rather under it. The original foundations of the building are there under part of the museum and have been excavated and are available for viewing as well.

The Venus de Milo was there as well. I had forgotten about that one. I was glad I walked around everywhere or I would have missed it.

Lots of places there were students, young and old, sitting or standing, drawing, copying, painting.

It must be fantastic to have such a resource to go and be an art student. And there were school groups coming in to view the art and have an art lesson. What must that be like? In Calgary, they get to go and look at line drawings by unknown (publically) Inuit or Native American artists. In the Louvre, they get to go and have a look at a da Vinci, or a Rembrandt. Wow!

I saw most of what was in the museum, if I didn't actually take it all in. But in the end I got too bored to continue and headed out after about 4 hours. I walked down through the gardens of the museum and had a look at one of the arches that is built along the Champs Elysees. There are three, one at the Louvre, one at Arc de Triomphe, and one further along in the new financial district. They are each bigger than the last, and it is supposedly possible to look through the first and see the others framed in it. It must have been quite a feat. Except...

Some bozo decided to mar it by putting a big carousel in the way. It is perfectly placed to be in line with the arches, but it is completely out of place, all big and round and white. Why do they do these things?

After a spot of lunch, I decided to go and make up with Napoleon. I noticed that the Musee de L'Armee was open everyday, but parts of it were closed on Mondays. Napoleon's tomb was part that was open everyday. I headed in that direction to have a look at the little man's final abode. And while the man may have been little, his tomb is grand. It sits at the back of the property known as Les Invalides. This is, from what I could gather, a place where the injured of was would be housed and nursed after they returned from battle. There is also a nice church in the building, and it is behind and attached to it that Napoleon's tomb is located.

I wandered around the building and went in. It's ornate and full of art and sculpture and there is really no way to do it justice in words. Photos aren't enough either, but here are some.

In the front of the building is the Musee de l'Armee. There were several exhibitions inside, but time had been marching and I only had time to see one of them. I decided on the one outlining France's military development around the two world wars. There were all sorts of information panels describing how war seemed almost inevitable from the time of about 1870-71 when Germany defeated France in a conflict. It was really interesting and showed how all the situations developed that led to the First World War and then that led directly to the Second World War. Of course, it's all hindsight, but so much could have been avoided, so much disease and death. What a waste.

I spent a couple of hours in that exhibition, and then headed out to see the chapel in the middle of the courtyard of les Invalides. It was nice, but not up to the standards of Notre Dame. I guess not much would be.

By this point, I just wanted a rest, so I stopped at a Starbucks. I wanted to go and climb the Eiffel Tower and get a good view of the night over Paris. So I sat and had a frappucchino in Starbucks and waited for night to fall. This turned out to be a mistake. I arrived at the tower at about 6:45 as a result of my stop. But the stairs had closed at 6:00. No climbing this night for me. Oops!

I was leaving the next morning, so I decided that, okay, I would take the elevator up all the way. I went to get into the strangely short line for the elevator. And I noticed that the elevator to the very top was closed. I asked why. It wasn't because it was night. There was some sort of technical difficulties and it was not operating as a result. I decided that if I couldn't go all the way to the top, there was little point in going up the tower. It would offer no better a view than I had had the night before on the Arc de Triomphe. So I settled for a few more shots from below and then I headed back to the hostel. It had still been a very busy and interesting day.