18. The Tuileries

I was feeling a bit blah today, so instead of cranking up our next four-day Museum Pass, we just went for a stroll in the Tuileries in the late afternoon. 

The Tuileries extends from the Louvre to the Place de la Concorde.  No matter which of these two monuments you stand at, you can see the other down the wide gravel path, flanked by chestnut trees. 

Under the trees and around the fountains there are many individual chairs that can be moved according to requirements for sun or shade, privacy or public view. Like so much of France, the Tuileries is both designed and maintained to be available to everyone.

"The Tuileries is a public garden located between the Louvre Museum and the Place de la Concorde . Created by Catherine de Medicis as the garden of the Tuileries Palace in 1564, it was first opened to the public in 1667, and became a public park after the French Revolution. In the 19th and 20th century, it was the place where Parisians celebrated, met, promenaded, and relaxed." Wikipedia
Tuileries

This photo is taken about half way down and looking back towards the Louvre.

From the same spot, this time looking towards the Place de la Concorde.

Then I spotted the playground ... always worth a look.

Shade and chairs for Mum and Grandma ...

Surrounded by flowers ...

What do you think about that slide, Jack and Henry?

Pretty popular for 5.30 in the afternoon.

The carousel is next door ...

Then an appropriate statue ...

Then the tramoplines ...

Patiently waiting their turn... Two euros for 5 minutes and here is the young man with the stop watch.

The shoe rack!  Don't you love it.  And the sign says ,,,, "Very springy jumping carpets, Caution!"

Paul tried to sail a boat on the big pond ...

Chairs are supplied ... move them where-ever you like.

Here's the man with the boats.  They sailed extraordinarily well.

The Place de la Concord.  It is an obelisk presented to the French by the Egyptians a long time ago.  It sits on the site of the guillotine of French Revolution fame.
Place-de-la-concorde

Walking home we saw this very, very long barge passing in front of the Musee d'Orsay - where the Impressionist paintings live.  The building was originally a railway station.

And on the final hop to home ..... they are still queueing for the Louvre at 6.40pm.