Paris City of Love, home of the Eiffel Tower and birthplace of the beret and baguette. But Paris is also home to some of the world’s most extensive collections of priceless art treasures. A trip to the city would not be complete without spending time in at least one of the magnificent galleries. Camping holidays to France are the perfect way of blending a little nature with a lot of culture. You can spend your days exploring the galleries of the city, then return to the serenity of your rural campsite to recharge. Many galleries have free entry for at least one day a month, so if you time your French camping holidays well you can visit some of the most spectacular artwork in the world for free.
The Louvre
When you begin your camping holiday in France and arrive in Paris, the first gallery you will probably want to visit is the Louvre. It is arguably the most famous gallery in the world and the sheer size of the building is overwhelming. Exploring the maze of rooms and annexes is a confusing but delightful experience. Over 35,000 works of painting and sculpture are housed within, and you could spend many days wandering the shadowy rooms of the Louvre and still not scratch the surface.
The architecture of the Louvre itself is almost as famous as the art it contains. The faceted glass pyramid added in recent years, although the source of much debate, has somehow melted into the landscape of the forecourt and become an integral feature of the much loved building.
On your visit to the Louvre you will see such icons as the Mona Lisa, the exquisite sculptures of the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. The French are justifiably proud of their “piece de resistance”, and it deserves much more than a brief visit to appreciate the collections within its hallowed walls.
Musee D’Orsay
Famed home to the great Impressionists of France, the Musee D’Orsay is set on the left bank of the Seine with picturesque views over the city and up to the Sacre Coeur. A visit to this beautiful gallery is like walking through the pages of an art history book, and you will see many works from some of the world’s most acclaimed artists; Monet, Renoir, Degas and Cezanne to name a few.
The building in which the gallery is housed is an old train station and is as much admired as the artwork which lines the walls throughout. The high domed glass ceiling gives it a wonderful diffused light and, when you enter, you feel like you are in a giant conservatory.
Musee Rodin
The most serene museum that you can visit on your art lovers camping holiday to France would have to be the Musee Rodin on Paris’ left bank. Dedicated entirely to the work of artist Auguste Rodin, he once lived in the building which is home to the museum. Several years before his death, Rodin put a plan to the State to bequeath his entire collection of art on the premise that the house be turned into a museum. Unfortunately he died before the plan came to fruition, but two years later it became a reality.
Rodin was enchanted by the house and its lovely gardens, and filled them with his sculptures and other art work. Everything – down to the furniture and inkwells – is from Rodin’s personal collection, and they are the tools of his work and his life.
It is wonderful to wander the rose gardens which are peppered with many of Rodin’s bronze sculptures. His final opus on which he spent 37 years, “The Gates of Hell”, takes pride of place and is an awe inspiring accomplishment to witness. But the highlight of a visit to the Musee Rodin is to sit on a quiet seat in the beautiful gardens and admire perhaps the most exquisite of all Rodin’s work – the pensive “Thinker”.
Combining a trip to the any magnificent galleries of Paris with a camping holiday to France will give you a wonderful cross section of the experiences available to you in this fascinating country.
Author Resource:
Lorraine Waddell is the brand and advertising manager of Canvas Holidays, a leading European camping operator that provides the best selection of (http://www.canvasholidays.co.uk/destinations/france-604-0.aspx ) camping holidays in France. With over 40 years of experience, Canvas offer superb camping
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