Orangerie and D'Orsay

This is the post for Friday, 10/17

Friday we learned that Elisabeth will need surgery to relieve the pain in her hip/leg. She is still meeting us in the lobby each morning, but is unable to go out with us. Another Rick Steves guide, Ineke, stepped in to lead us for the day. She first took us to the Orangerie where we had a fantastic tour led by a local guide named Joelle. It was posted "no photos" in the water lilly rooms, but we got quite a good long talk about them. Her commentary on the collection downstairs was also interesting.

After the Orangerie, the four of us left the tour group and walked over to Orsay. First stop was Le Restaurant on the 2nd floor for lunch. The food was very good and very impressive in presentation. After lunch we wandered through the exhibits until about 4:30. The renovation that was underway on the 5th floor in 2011 is complete---gallery after gallery of the impressionist paintings. Cafe Reno looked very nice too, very modern.

We came back to the hotel with just enough time to do a load of laundry before heading out with Ineke for the last night group supper.

Our last group meal Friday night was in an area called Bercy Village. We had to take the #8 and transfer to the #14 at Madeline. It was one of the new fast trains, all computerized. No driver. We had to hop on and off very quickly. There was time for a little shopping in the village before supper. The meal was at Chez Bruno. For appetizers, we started with a kir with white peach liquer instead of the normal cassis, fois gras on baguette and smoked salmon on baguette. Sharon liked the fois gras, and the salmon was OK but a bit fishy for me. Plat choices were rabbit or sea bass. We both had the sea bass and Bonnie tried the rabbit which she enjoyed. Dessert was a creme brulee'. All very good. Elisabeth was waiting when we got back to the hotel and where there was a group picture taken. Hope we get a copy of that somehow.

Off we go!

While we weren't looking, they installed a new piece of art at the entrance to the Tuileries Gardens.

The Orangerie

Our local guide, Joelle.

After the tour at the Orangerie, the four of us left the others and walked to the Orsay.

This group was playing in front of the Orsay as we walked in. There were a lot of street musicians in the tourist places.

The entrance to the Orsay.

The "Le Restaurant" on the second floor.

There wasn't any picture taking inside where all the art was but needless to say there was plenty of it. Especially on the newly opened 5th floor were all the impressionist were.