Today on my agenda was to visit the Musée Marmottan Monet (http://www.marmottan.com/). When our friend David had suggested this to me before leaving I thought we had been to this museum on our last visit but I now realize we saw Les Nymphéas of Monet at the Orangerie (http://www.musee-orangerie.fr/homes/home_id24799_u1l2.htm).
I arrived in the vicinity of the museum with success but the nearest metro stop was a few blocks away - with a parkway dividing me from my destination. With my trusty compass I headed in the right direction, located a 'passage sous terrain' - OK this is my way under the parkway. Also the resting place of two 'sans abris' (a good number of homeless 'reside' in Paris). More than the smell of damp concrete down there. Note to self- hold your breath on the way back.
Am so glad I didn't omit this museum - it was such a treat! There were also good representations of other impressionists: Renoir, Manet, Sisley, Gauguin, Degas and Pissaro but the works of Monet in the lower, very dimly lit rooms were extraordinary! My favourite is 'Impression, Soleil Levant'. Even the furnishings in the museum were beautiful - Louis the something chairs and tables and, my goodness, Napoleon must have been very short - the bed in the First Empire room was barely four feet long.
My plans were to also visit Les Jardins de Monet in Giverny ( about 90 km) outside Paris but thought this visit today would be enough. It only made me want to see more. There will be a 3 days period when Francois will go to Compiegne for an exercise so I think I will treat myself to wander through the gardens that inspired this great man.
