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Another favorite spot in Paris is the Luxembourg Gardens , named after the famed palace they surround. While the history of the palace may be rather gruesome today the gardens are anything but as they act as the backyard to many Parisians. The Palace has held the French Parliament since the early 19th century. Completed in 1645 by architect  Salomon de Brosse for the mother of Louis XIII, the regent Marie de' Medici, later in the mid 18th century becoming an art museum.  Name it and this palace has hosted the use: private home, art museum, prison, parliament - talk about adaptive reuse! One of the most famous things in the garden is the Medici Fountain, built elsewhere on the grounds in 1630 but moved closer to the palace in the 1860s when roads were routed through the gardens. It's a popular shady spot on a hot day.  My favorite view in the gardens may be this statue of Narcissus with the Pantheon over his shoulder. Nothing is better in nice weather to join all of Paris...

Across the street from the famous exhibition hall the Grand Palais sits its more decorative sibling, the Petit Palais.  Built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900 by architect Charles Girault in the Beaux-arts style the building now houses a magnificent art museum. We entered the palais on a whim as the day was hot and the ornate entrance was cool and welcoming. The interior was even more exuberant then the exterior and admission was free! Before touching on 2 interesting exhibits I saw as well as some of the general collection I'll share some pictures of the astounding architecture with you.  It may be smaller than the Grand Palais but this is not a small building!  The interior is light filled due to a lovely courtyard which floods every room with natural light.  Impressive right? Decorative murals decorate each space. A lovely view of the Grand Palais across the street through the windows. The ironwork on the staircases was astounding as were the mosaic floors....

One of my favorite museums in Paris is the Musee Rodin  housed in the historic Hotel Biron .  Designed in 1732 by architect Jean Aubert  (debatedly with help from Jacques Gabriel ), the building has been home to the Rodin museum since 1919 and recently undergone a huge renovation. Now located in central Paris, when built the house was on the outskirts of town. It still feels separated from the city due to the large gardens. As it turns out early June when I was there is the perfect time to visit as the roses are at their peak. Each day large crowds patiently waited to gain entry. The grounds are dotted with numerous Rodin works.  This one, " The Three Shades ",  reminds me of Beyonce's "single ladies" video ! The ever popular " The Thinker " from 1903 is seen here in front of the Chapel which houses exhibition space and gift shop. A current exhibit which I really enjoyed were these quotes attributed to Rodin lining the trees in the garden. This photo ...