the Tuileries Garden and Musee de l'Orangerie

Between the Louvre Museum and the Place de la Concorde is the Tuileries Garden. This garden was originally built by Catherine de Medicis in 1564. It was opened to the public in 1667 and became a public park after the French Revolution. The name is derived from the workshops or tuileries that were located on the site since the 13th century. The shops made roof tiles.

The history of the Tuileries is both long and interesting. Each successive king, emperor and government has left its mark on this garden. Kings and queens strolled its paths and battles were fought along the same walkways. Today it is a beautiful public space for everyone to enjoy.

One of the added features of the Tuileries is the Musee de l'Orangerie. It was built in 1852 and since 1927 it has displayed the series Water Lilies by Claude Monet. It also houses the Walter-Guillaume collection of impressionist painting and features several Rodin sculptures. Although the Water Lilies were not to be photographed, for the impressionist collection photography was permitted.

After touring the museum, we strolled the length of the gardens to spend a bit of time at the Louvre.