Decadence, Death and Decorations

I have got to stop staying up so late with these kids.  I am too old for this kind of craziness!  It is a few minutes after midnight and we just got in from a wonderful day.  Our morning was centered around a trip to Versailles.  We arrived a bit late due to the trains running late in Paris but Madame was able to work her magic and got the group into the chateau without to much trouble.  The kids all had  audio guides and were thus able to take a somewhat guided tour of the castle which they seemed to thoroughly enjoy.

Napoleon's Tomb

After a quick lunch, we headed back to Paris and visited Napoleon's tomb after which we headed to the Catacombes.  The Catacombes are a large depository of bones buried deep beneath the city of Paris from the 1700s and 1800s, a time when they cemeteries of Paris were overflowing and had to be emptied.  We walked 2 km of underground passageways and saw some magnificent displays.  Jackson took great pleasure in trying to scare Madame out of her mind at at every turn!  Our tour was so interesting, a bit creepy, but interesting.  

Our last activity of the day as to visit the Centre Pompidou, Paris' modern art museum.  The kids enjoyed it and found many pieces of art they loved.  We have seen three art museums here in Paris, spanning from the Greco Roman period to present day, and this was by far their favorite. 

We caped of a busy day at Madame's favorite Parisian restaurant, Monte Cassino, in la Place d'Italie.  We had to wait an hour for a table, since Madame forgot to call ahead, but it was well worth it.  It was by far the favorite meal of the trip so far and I am so glad I got to share it with this group.