On Wednesday we slept in and went next door to visit the Eiffel Tower. Crowds were light, weather was good. We got in and up to the 2nd level quickly. We enjoyed vantage points all the way around the observation deck before heading back down. Then we walked to the far end of the Champ du Mars (Eiffel Tower park) where Davey played and rode a carousel, getting a total of six brass rings.
We enjoyed a nice walk, lunch at a local cafe and headed back to the apartment for a break. Since the Louvre is open late on Weds and we had one day left on our museum passes, we decided to pop in for a quick visit.
We enjoyed the Denon wing with the classical paintings, Egyptian artifacts and of course, the Mona Lisa. This was my fourth visit to the Louvre and I was absolutely shocked that there were no crowds. We were able to walk right in (didn't even need to use the group/ museum pass entrance). It was so quiet that at times we had entire rooms of the Denon wing to ourselves. That is unheard of. I'm not sure if it was unusual timing, if tourism is down in general or if this is an after effext of the volcano / travel disruption. Another pleasant surprise, the selection and prices at the Louvre gift shops.
In Search of McDoo
Two hours were about the right amount for Davey and we had promised him we would find McDoo (McDonald's) after the museum visit. There is actually a McDonald's downstairs at the end of the food court at the Louvre. All I kept thinking was that we were perpetuating an American stereotype as we asked the Louvre people for Directions to McDoo.
The Lights at the Louvre
We left the Louvre via thy pyramid at closing time. It was dark out and all of the lights and fountains were on. It was a breathtaking spectacle. Although I'd been to Paris a number of times before, I'd never seen the Louvre at night. This is a must for all future trips.
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