Photo Diary of Paris- Day Three

On our third day in Paris we managed to get loads done. The Louvre was our first stop, where I took my parents and brother on a guided tour of the eighteenth-century French art rooms, the eighteenth-century French sculpture and then onto the 'grands machines'- the Salon Carre where all of the largest and most famous paintings are held like David's Oath of the Horatii, Gericault's Raft of the Medusa and Delacroix's Massacre of Chios. The Mona Lisa is in the Italian art section of this area but I didn't feel inclined to waste my time looking at it as it is ridiculously small and over hyped. In my opinion there is nothing at all interesting or even that skilful about the painting. Next, my mum and I went on a walk through the Tuilleries gardens, past the arc du carousel, and onto Rue de Rivoli where we stopped for lunch at a great French brasserie and ate croque monsieurs, pate, chips and kir royales (I cannot recommend this drink enough, especially the peach version- it's a sweet, girly champagne drink of heaven!) After a trip to Chanel and a quick dash back to the hotel for a costume change we went to have afternoon tea at the Ritz. Possibly the most lavish hotel I've ever been in in Europe- the decor is stunning, sensuously rich but not overpowering- and the scones, sandwiches and pastries were TO DIE FOR. Simply sumptuous! Once we were sufficiently full of sugar and champagne we went to walk it off with a bit more shopping in Galleries Lafayette, passing the opulent Opera house along the way.