Comfortable morning on foot. We walked to our initial destination, L'Eglise Saint-Francois Xavier, and onward to another day immersed in the architecture, history and art which Paris offers. This days travels went flawlessly as we stayed ahead of schedule throughout the day, affording time to just roam and relax in the streets of Paris. Concluding at Musee d'Orsay, we spent a most enjoyable last night in Paris.

• L'Eglise Saint-Francois Xavier - Jane attended, and I'm presently enrolled at, St Francis Xavier University. We decided it would be fun to visit L'Eglise Saint-Francois Xavier in the morning before our first museum opened at 9:30 am. As luck would have it, we caught an 8:00 am mass full of fire and brimstone (as Jane interpreted) which suggested you should be at mass all the time, not only during holy week. Regardless, we enjoyed our visit and took some pictures of the inside and outside facade. With coffee on the brain, we stopped at a great little cafe just around the corner from the Rodin Musee and enjoyed some quiet and a stiff cup of java.
• Musee Rodin - I had purchased Musee Rodin tickets as part of a dual ticket offer to the Musee d'Orsay, for later in the evening. Jane and I were quickly becoming real appreciators of sculpture, and the Rodin exhibit, with The Thinker, The Kiss, and the Burghers of Calais harboured some of the best. The grounds were impressive, with statues outdoors as well as inside the two story exhibit area at the centre of the enclosed grounds. We cut the line with our tickets and spent about an hour and a half exploring the gallery and outdoor areas. Lots of fun and not crowded at all. Great change of pace. After leaving, we walked to the North entrance of Hotel Les Invalides and picked up tickets for the next leg of our journey.
• Hôtel des Invalides - Described in our guidebook as having enough small arms and artillery to start a revolution, the Musee l'armee was just that. All manners of sword, spear, armour, gun and cannon were found in the medieval exhibit area. The artifacts were immaculately displayed, and showcases were in French and English which was greatly appreciated. We explored exhibits on WWI and WWII which focused on infamous Great War battles and the French resistance. I thoroughly enjoyed the information which was so well laid out and carefully planned. Jane especially remembered a short presentation which described the opening "tactics" of WWI and eventual trench lines and positions. Leaving the Musee l'armee, we headed for Eglise du Dôme which is the home of the tomb of Napoleon. While walking around the opening and looking down, I once again thought of the picture of Hitler overlooking the tomb after the fall of France in 1940. Somewhat eerie... in another way spectacular. So much history and we have only three days.
• Opéra de Paris Garnier - We jumped on the Metro and traveled to the Right Bank up to the Opera Metro station to visit the Opera Garnier premises. We lined up for tickets and found out that the auditorium hall was closed for rehearsal. Regardless, we opted to head in and we were treated to the classical glitz and glamour which is the Paris Opera Garnier. Opulent ceilings and moldings, rich red trims and huge chandeliers adorned the staircases and hallways. This building is the home of the "Phantom of the Opera" and as legend goes he lived underneath the building in the lake beneath. We peaked in the door windows on the second floor to see dancers on stage and could hear the orchestra. Quite a building indeed!!!
• La Madeleine - We left the Opera and headed towards La Madeleine. On our way we stumbled into Place Vendôme, home of the Ritz Paris and La Colonne Vendôme. The column is set in the centre of a working court yard and was quite busy with pedestrian traffic when we walked through. We moved along to La Madeleine, a temple-like church located just north of the Place de la Concorde. We entered the church and sat to take in the view. A production team was actually setting up the alter for an upcoming performance so there was a lot of bustle. The church is modeled after a Roman temple, with sixty foot columns which follow around the entire building. In ways out of place, more suited for ancient ruins in Italy or Greece. Upon our departure we walked back to our hotel, stopping to collect some "vittles" for the evening, and enjoyed some wine and conversation.
• Musee d'Orsay - The evening plan was to visit Musee d'Orsay, just a five minute walk from our accommodations. The museum was formerly a railway station, but has been retro-fitted into a world class attraction. We lined up briefly and once inside, treated to some of the best art anywhere. The Impressionist rooms were my favorite, and I especially enjoyed the works by Monet. Van Gogh's "Starry Night" made me think of the Grade 3 Class artwork projects in which they used Van Gogh works as models. Degas, Renoir and Cezanne were also highlights. Our two hour visit has cemented a new appreciation for the world of art, and the tremendous technical skill and time that must have been involved in their creation. We departed for a short walk, in light rain, home for the evening.