The famous River Seine that flows through the city of Paris
La Tour Eiffel (The Eiffel Tower), one of the world's most photographed monuments, along the River Seine. We thought we'll take a photograph too. The Eiffel Tower look...
View of Paris from Eiffel Tower. The tall buildings far behind are in new (corporate) Paris called La Defense, separated from old Paris by the River S...
View of River Seine from the Eiffel Tower
Same view at night
View of Arc de Triomphe from the Eiffel Tower
View of Eiffel Tower from Arc de Triomphe
The famous Champs Élysées as seen from Arc de Triomphe. This avenue is often called the most beautiful avenue in the world. Every evening that we were...
View of Sacré-Coeur church at Montmartre
Arc de Triomphe, built by Napoleon to commemorate his many victories. Twelve important avenues emanate from this monument, including the Champs Élysee...
Walking from La Defense to Arc de Triomphe
The Grande Arche at La Defense
At the Tuileries outside Louvre
Our favorite crêpery, where we had crêpes almost every day that we were in Paris. Notice the dinky Smart car in the foreground. These 2-doors are dies...
At Louvre, the largest and richest museum in the world. This museum is famous for its Greek sculptures, Italian paintings, and French paintings. It c...
Below the glass pyramid at Louvre
Listening to the audioguide to understand these statues from pre-classical Greece (3000 BC)
At Louvre
The famous Venus de Milo, circa 100 BC, marble, discovered in 1820
At the stairs leading to the Winged Victory, circa 190 BC, marble
Statue of a fighting gladiator at the peak of action
Fresco ceilings
Intricately carved ceilings
The crown of Louis XIV
The Regent Diamond discovered in India, acquired by the Governor of Madras, purchased for the French Crown in 1717. After the French Revolution, Napol...
The corridor at the end of which Mona awaits
The Mona Lisa, also known as La Gioconda
A painting we found interesting because of its 3D effect, and because it showcased some important Roman monuments
A famous painting showing Napoleon being crowned the French Emperor in 1804, in the Notre Dame cathedral.
The unfinished slaves of Michelangelo, marble
Eros reviving Psyche, who was put to sleep forever by inhaling a magic perfume
A model of Paris at the Orsay Museum
The dancing figures. Ruchi is behind the glass.
Manet (impressionist)
Van Gogh (impressionist)
Cezanne (impressionist)
Sacré-Coeur basilica at the top of Montmartre hill
At Montmartre hill, the highest point in Paris, from where you get a spectacular view of the city
At Place du Tertre, well known as the last village in Paris. A few streets away from Sacré-Coeur, this area is in the heart of Montmartre.
Place du Tertre is filled with painters who sell souvenirs of Paris and are even willing to paint your portrait
This place is a reminder of the time when Montmartre was the mecca of modern art. Many famous painters once lived here, including Picasso.
Walking the old narrow streets of Montmartre
At Montmartre, you feel as if you're in a tiny French village, while still being a part of Paris
The Lapin Agile Cabaret, where Picasso and other artists gathered for performances
Le Bateau Lavoir, a modest Montmartre landmark, considered the birthplace of modern art. In this studio, Picasso, Juan Gris, Braque, Van Dongen and ot...
At a tiny Montmartre restaurant where crêpes are being made
Notre Dame cathedral
Rue de Rivoli, where fashion begins for the world
The streets of Paris. This is near the Tuileries gardens and Louvre.
A band playing in the underground metro tunnels
In the Paris underground metro, the most efficient way to travel around Paris. The most recent addition to the metro, line 14, is a technological marv...
Loius XIV's Chateau of Versailles just outside of Paris, with his equestrian status in the center. King Louis XIV transformed his father's (Louis XIII...
Outside the palace, from where the picturesque gardens start
View of Versailles from the palace gardens
Enjoying the fall colors and mild weather in the gardens
At the gardens
At a cute little restaurant in the gardens of Versailles
We enjoyed this restaurant a lot. The setting was perfect — an isolated café in the vast gardens of Versailles, with fall colors and great weather tu...
Inside Versailles: statue of Louis XIV
The Battle Gallery is the largest hall in the castle. In this 120 meter long room hang paintings that depict some of the most famous battles in the hi...
At Vaux le Vicomte near Melun, about 45 minutes from Paris by train. This palace was built for Nicholas Foquet, Louis XIV's finance minister.
Tired?
Distant view of the palace
On the way up the hill near the palace
Wine cellar inside the palace
Done visiting the palace
Beginning our 15-hour train journey to Rome. These Paris-Italy night trains are run by a consortium of the French and Italian railways called Artesia....
In the train, just outside our compartment. Three compartments down was a restaurant.
Our first class Artesia Excelsior sleeper compartment with en suite bathroom and shower. The sofas can be folded into a bed, ready to sleep. This cabi...
