Les Portes de Paris IV

 Musée du Louvre

Quiet Corner

I think at the Louvre, it's all too easy to be overwhelmed with all the grandeur, that it's easy to overlook the quiet coroners you can find if you keep your eyes open. 

Les details

Architecturally, the Louvre is sensory overload. I have to make a real effort to remember to look up. Incroyable!

Upside Down

A rainy Sunday afternoon at the Louvre,  found me looking up!

Regarder

Enjoying a lunch at  Café Nemours, this.

C'est magique!

Many friends contact me for advice on what to see in Paris to make the most of their time there. For those only in Paris for a few days,  I usually recommend a smaller museum and then to see la Pyramide du Louvre at night. C'est magique!
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Louvre Traffic Jam

For friends traveling to Paris for the first time, my advice is,  if you are only visiting the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa and Winged Victory.......skip it.  This is all you'll see of Mona, a sea of tourists with iPhones taking photos.  Thanks to my travel amie Mary Gilbert for lending this photo to illustrate my point.

UPDATE: Thank you dear reader Vreni for pointing out that on Wednesday and Friday evenings, the Louvre is open till 10 p.m. and is not crowded. I also hear from friends that they offer docent led tours in the evenings that just hit the high spots of the museum which is a good use of time spent there.

L'homme et les pyramides

Bon dimanche!

Un reflet - Le Louvre

We all know that the rain in Paris is a given , but after......the reflections make it all worth it, n'est-ce pas?  The pigeon helps.

Automne

In just three days, I'll be right there!

Pas de photos Papa!

It had been pouring rain all morning and the sun came out at noon.  All of Paris hit the streets this Sunday afternoon.  This little guy had just had enough of Papa's photo shoot at the Louvre.  Bless his heart.

Redoublement

When I teach composition to my photography students, I point out repeating patterns.  I think focusing on details such as these at the Louvre, makes travel photographs so much more interesting.

Le réflexion

You must first understand the pure joy that Mary and I experienced when we looked up from lunch this Sunday and discovered the rain that was forecasted to last ALL DAY,  had lifted and the SUN was actually shining for the first time since we had arrived in Paris!!!! We paid the bill and headed out to photograph everything possible under the blue skies. After the Palais Royal, of course the Louvre. Here puddles provided my inspiration for James' Weekend Reflections!

In For Repairs

Yesterday I posted this photograph on my Facebook Virginia Jones Photography page.  Several readers asked about this room at the Louvre.  I took these in 2008 so I am not certain where it's located but it's an area visible to the public, so I was not trespassing!  I remembered correctly (quelle suprise) that there was also a way to look down from another floor and found the second photo that I share today as well.

Tanning in Paris IV- le Louvre

Reminds me of my college days when we climbed to the roof of the dorm to sunbathe! 

Capture the Colour

My dear blog friend Francesca in  Australia has a delightful travel photoblog, Postcard Pictures.  Recently she entered Travel Supermarkets Capture the Color photography contest.  Each entry posts five photographs featuring the colors red, blue, yellow, green and white.  In addition you then invite five other bloggers to participate.  She kindly included me so today my offerings.

RED

January 2011, we arrived in Paris on a chilly, rainy morning.  I flung open the windows of our apartment on rue Saint Roch to have a look and spotted this lady with her rouge umbrells coming my way.  I will admit that I had to stand in the window sill to get this shot. It was worth it.  If this photo looks familiar, it's because it is of course the cover of my book, Paris Rouge Through My Lens!

BLUE

Twilight shoot at the Louvre is magical. The reflection of the sky and the pools took my breath.  An evening in Paris I won't forget.

GREEN

The rose gardens still blooming in late November, as seen through this interesting window at the Musée Carnavalet.  

YELLOW

Café Nemours at Place Colette is one of my favorite places to sit outside and people watch.  In January, it proved to be a cozy spot for a hot cup of tea.  My favorite table has this wonderful view of le Louvre just down the street.

WHITE

La neige.  Oh it snowed the first night we were in Paris in 2011!   That morning, we awoke to the city blanketed in white.  As we walked through the gardens of the Palais Royal on our way to catch the Metro, I got this shot. It remains one of my fondest Paris memories and favorite photographs.

Now I must invite 5 bloggers who may choose to join the contest:

Maya at Maya Photography

Grace at Perth Daily Photo

Daryl at Out and About in New York City

Luis at One Photo a Day

JM at Oeiras Daily Photo

Vue des Tuileries

I know it's gloriously springtime in Paris now, but alas, so many of my trips have been in winter months so today I will share a view of the Louvre from Tuileries taken last January.  Although the well trimmed branches are bare, I do so love the reddish brown color!

Magique !

Richelieu Wing,  Musée du Louvre

Un escalier - le musée du Louvre

Le Louvre meshes old and new seamlessly.

Paris, Je t'aime!

My two Paris loving amies, Mary and Genie are both in Paris today, so I decided to drag out a photograph that brings back some wonderful memories.

Frank Sinatra says it all right here.