We began the day at the Orangerie, the former royal garden house in the Tulleries Gardens near the Louvre that was originally used to house sensitive potted trees (like various citrus trees) during the winter months. It now houses the two 360 degree Monet Nymphea series (water lilies), painted near the end of his life and donated to the state. They are quite breathtaking and as the close up detail shot illustrates, precursors of the abstract expressionism of Jackson Pollock, Joan Mitchell and Willem deKooning that would come in the mid-20th century. 
Next we walked up Champs Elysee to the Arc de Triomphe for a fantastic view on this beautiful day. Above are views toward La Defense, the business center of Paris with its modern steel and glass buildings; the Eiffel Tower; Sacre Coeur Basilica on Montmartre; and back down Champs Elysee toward the Tulleries Gardens and the Louvre.
After taking in the Arc, we visited the Musee Marmatton/Monet, with a pause to climb around on a sculpture in the nearby park. The museum has just undergone some remodeling that shows off more of its collection of Monet's work, much of it coming from the estate of Monet through his son Michel Monet who was the museum's prime patron. No pictures though, they don't allow photography inside. More water lilies, particularly from the last years of his life, and a nice cross-section of Monet's body of work makes this a little known jewel of a museum.
After leaving the museum I tried to find the location of the Roland Garros French Open tennis tournament going on this week and next here in Paris. Found it but it was impossible to get inside. Sold out and tightly controlled. I did find a place where I could see a doubles match at one of the small courts (court 17 I later discovered). Lots of people everywhere!!
Tomorrow: The Pompidou Centre and the National Museum of Modern Art. It is a fabulous collection and one of the most interesting buildings in Paris. It is "inside out". More on that later.
à bientôt!
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