We set out to go to Jeu de Paume and arrive to find it has just closed as of 1st April for work. No probalem we had planned to follow this with a visit to Musée de L'Orangerie nearby; so we walk across the Tilleries to find it does not open for another hour and a half. No probalem we shall use the time to visit Madeleine, somewhere none of us have previously been. We still have a little time after to browse the food delicacy shops in the surrounding square.
Returning at 12:30 (the opening time) to Orangerie we find ourselves in what turns out to be a 40
minute queue - mostly caused by the security screening. No probalem once inside we find the most amazing exhibition of Monet paintings together with Renoir, Cézanne, Derain, Picasso and Matisse. This is definitely a Musée to put on the must do Paris list. Kwan discovers a female French painter, Marie Laurencin, to her liking.Now after 2:30 we head off to the the third part of our schedule where we are planning to have lunch in the restored 19 century dining area at Musee Jacquemart-Andre before exploring. It's quite a walk Boulevard Hussmann and by the time we get there the staff are putting out the sign telling us that only afternoon tea is now being served. "No salad?", we enquire - "non". No probalem we will find something nearby. The local brasserie says the kitchen is closed and the nearest will be Champs Elysées. We stumble across a patisserie much closer and are well satisfied with a baguette - jambon et fromage et poulet et crudités we share.
Back at Jacquemart-Andre we partake in afternoon tea avec gateau et tarte - we are happy. The house and gallery prove very rewarding. Musee Jacquemart-Andre is a private museum in a
mansion. The design of the mansion is really something (apparently it’s the architect who didn’t get to design the Opera House so poured his heart over this mansion instead). There are lots of Italian religious collections that are much better preserved than the ones we saw in Italian national museums. All of us were pleasantly surprised by this little museum and enjoyed our little tea in the salon which was part of the mansion with original tapestry and high ceiling.We luck out with a last minute reservation at Brasserie Gallopin in the 2eme. This place is great - another good find; nice surrounding, good food, reasonable prices and waiters who treat you well.
- No probalem. So notwithstanding a day of many hiccups we are well satisfied in the end.
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