FRANCE - Europe by Eurail 2015: Touring Europe by Train - page 191

Paris has triumphed once again in the arts—this time in a museum that served
the city as a train station for nearly 40 years. Gare du Quai d'Orsay was inaug-
urated on Bastille Day 1900 and included a 400-room hotel. By 1939 the Gare
d'Orsay was obsolete, its platforms too short to accommodate the longer, electri-
fied trains of the day. In 1971 the city of Paris reluctantly scheduled the structure for
demolition, creating an uproar from its citizens. Under pressure, the government
reversed itself and saved both the station and the hotel, which became the Musée
(museum) d'Orsay.
Located at 1 rue de la Légion d'Honneur (at entry to Quai d'Orsay RER station
and near Solférino Métro stop), Musée d'Orsay boasts a glorious collection of
19th-century French painting and sculpture. Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday,
Saturday and Sunday 0930-1800; Thursday 0930-2145. Galleries start closing at
1730 (2115 Thursday). Admission: €11.00. It is usually most crowded on Thursday
night and the weekend. Reduced price, €8.50, on Sunday. Visit www.musee-or-
say.fr .
An interesting mix of Egyptian and European art can be found at the Musée du
Louvre. Its glass-pyramid entrance, designed by I. M. Pei, has sparked much con-
troversy, similar to that brought about by Gustave Eiffel and his tower. Referred to
by the writer Guy de Maupassant as the “disgraceful skeleton,” the Eiffel Tower be-
came the city's most recognizable landmark. Hours: 0900-1800 daily except Tues-
day and certain public holidays. Evening hours are extended to 2145 Wednesday
and Friday. ( Tel: [phone]; www.louvre.fr .) Admission: €16. Reduced price
(€6) after 1800. Free admission to youths younger than age 18.
To avoid queuing up and having to buy a separate ticket for each museum and
monument, consider purchasing the Paris Museum Pass, which covers an unlim-
ited number of visits within the validity period to more than 55 museums and monu-
ments in Paris and Ile de France.
Purchase the pass at any of the museums, at more than 100 Métro stations, or
at tourist offices.
No stay in Paris is complete without a visit to one of its great cabarets. Our fa-
vorite is Paradis Latin, at 28 rue du Cardinal Lemoine ( Tel: [phone]; Fax:
01 43 29 63 63; www.paradislatin.fr ) . This beautiful and elegant theater-dining hall
played an interesting role in Parisian history. Its foundation dates from the 12th
century, and its walls date from 1803 when Bonaparte decided to construct his