go to the museums? Is that considered an anathema?

I often don't go to museums in Paris; just shopping, strolling, eating, drinking. Just do whatever you like; it's your holiday.

Try this test.

Stand near the Louvre for 30 minutes. Count the visitors. Multiply by the nuber of hours a week the place is open, and then by 52.

Now divide that by 6 million (the rough population of the Greater Paris departments) plus 15 million (the local tourist board's normal estimate of Paris' annual visitors).

Multiply that figure by 10, and separately divide it by 10 (because my numbers are probably wrong)

Whatever. The absolute, overwhelming majority of Paris inhabitants and visitors happily go from one year's end to the next without ever darkening an art gallery's door.

They shop. They eat (do you realise there have been people on this board saying they were too busy in Paris to eat!!). They look at Parisians. They work (Paris is, after all, one of Europe's major second-tier commercial centres). They train spot. They tomb spot at the Pere Lachaise. They go to Johnny Halliday concerts (yes, I though he was dead too). They gawp at what goes on at night in the Bois de Boulogne.

Because, like all sensible people, they realise life may well be too short to hang round museums.

Mind you, if you do go to Paris and fail to visit the Musee Cluny you're mad.

Dear lucky,

I guess that you are not aware that upon leaving France the Immigration inspectors ask you for your museum receipts. If you cannot produce them from at least two different Parisian museums you are not permitted to leave the country.

I said this once before and was slammed for my "snobbery". But I've never understood why people who don't care about museums or art generally feel compelled to go spend their vacations in art museums. Is it just because they feel they have to? If you don't go to art museums at home, why would you go to them when you travel. Many people hit the Louvre and head for the Mona Lisa -- you can watch them passing a wealth of incredible art and ignoring it, but get to the Mona Lisa, stand there and say "oh isn't it wonderful", then leave. There is little doubt that they only went so they could tell everyone they saw it. Also you can often see people hurrying through museums looking ONLY at the labels and actually not even glancing at the paintings. Then if they see a name like Monet or Rembrandt they will bother to look up at the painting. I've never quite understood that.

In the same vein we had two friends with us in Paris who really didn't want to spend a lot of time in museums, but had already resolved themselves to giving up a day or two to do so. Oddly enough, the musuem strike started the day we got there, and they were off the hook. They are probably the only people in all of Paris who were thrilled that all the museums were closed that week.

patrick, I expect many of them go because they think its the "right thing to do and people back home will think them a bit odd if they didn't go. The old "top 10 checklist" approach.

What irks me is the travel partner who
tries to turn an hour visit into a four hour "read every sign and view every picture" endurance test. That's why I often visit museums alone. Everyone has thier own interests and limits.

An arts professor once told me that many people spend more time reading the sign than actually looking at the picture. Anyway, what I like to do is sightsee in the morning (not necesarily museum) then have a good lunch, then go shopping. Or to the beach, depending on where I am. Then an aperitif and a good dinner.

I wouldn't understand it, but we love museums. It is your vacation after all, so you should go and do as you wish.

I think Patrick has a point, but of course it depends on where you live and whether or not art museums are available. We attended a wonderful Chagall exhibit on Saturday at San Francisco MOMA and will soon be going to see Degas Sculptures at the Legion of Honor. We are fortunate to live in an area where art is easily accessible.

I suppose if we lived in a very small town far from a city with museums and we still had our interest in art, we would be thrilled to see what we had only seen in books when traveling.

We feel fortunate to have been to the Louvre, Dorsay, Prado, Uffizi, Accademia, etc., but that's our interest. If it doesn't interest you lucky03, that's fine. I don't think not going would make you a pariah!

There was a column by Art Buchwald where he and some friends try to see how fast they can get through the Louve. They have to see/run by the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, and something else. The best time of the group was around 5 1/2 minutes. The column was reprinted in one of his books and was mentioned in "The DaVinci Code."

Like Degas I have family that spends waaaaaay too much time looking at the signs while I'm ready to hit the road. The solution I've come up with is to take the docent led tour. You hit the lightlights, you get more info than on the cards, maybe a bizarre insight, and you're out of the museum.

In Paris I have to break up the shopping with something!! LOL, actually, wherever I go, I go to museums. We were in Jacksonville Florida a few weeks ago and we went to their museum, and a nice one it was!
I think maybe because we are close to so many amazing museums here in NYC, it is just natural to us to want to see them in other cities. Besides, what a great way to spend a couple of hours, seeing up close in person, stuff that so many people only get to see in books.

I get stressed out in the Louve. The nerve of all those people coming exactly when I arrive from half way around the world!

When the going gets tough, me and the "little wife" stand side by side (think a large space) and start vigoriously swinging our ample hips; letting our large fanny packs reak havoc on the slow and weak!

When I travel, I go to do the things that make me happy and enjoy. Paintings don't thrill me so I go to museums that have sculpture. If I want to learn something that a museum has to offer, I go. If I don't care, I enjoy myself in other ways.

In a nut shell. Go to Paris and enjoy the life, wander the streets, sit in a sidewalk cafe and people watch with a bottle of wine and a plate of cheese. Absorb everything you want to absorb from Paris and when you go home, you'll have the fabulous memories and wonderful feelings.

This thread seems to relate to my "organized tour" concerns. This is my first trip abroad, and I chose to accompany this group to Paris 'cus I'm unfamiliar with European travel. The catch is that the itinerary (one week only) includes: the Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, the Marais, Palace of Versailles, & Opera Garnier. My friend is going with me, and she also isn't super excited about doing all the museums. So....for those of you who have travelled with an organized group, how tacky will it be to skip many of those attractions, and do more individual explorations? We still want the comfort of the group for hotel accommodations, a couple of dinners, etc. Just looking for opinions. Thanks!

lololol...that was quite a picture degas!

Seriously, I love museums...but do not expect any of my travel partners to also love them. Therefore we have ....solo day's. I recommend this approach to all. That way everyone is happy. I couldn't drag my best travel partner anywhere near another museum if she were paid to visit. So she does what she does best while...she goes shopping.(grin)

I also have a major tiff with paris museums...three visits now and I still have not been able to see the Musee d'Orsay. I have been to the Louve...I have been to just about every other museum...but that one eludes me. (and in my typical american fashion, I assume it's me...they hear I am on my way and they strike!).

I love museums...the history...seeing the objects in person. you can go to just about any museum now on the web and see it virtual...but it is not the same.

JMHO

Hey, lucky03 - when I went with a friend on her first trip to Paris, the Louvre was high on her list of places to visit. After 1/2 hour, she said to me, "I don't want to spend all day looking at a bunch of old stuff!" So we went shopping - she was good at it and had a great time. In other words, do what you like that will make the trip memorable.
Colette - it's perfectly okay to ditch the group FIRST THING IN THE MORNING before the tour starts so they aren't waiting for you to come out of the first museum and go to the second while you've gone off for a glass of breakfast wine. Courtesy is all that matters here. However, on a first trip to Europe, sometimes you will learn some ropes and see things on those annoying tours that will awaken some sleeping interest. Give it a chance first; then head out on your own.

Shanna-----some good points made! Thanks for your reply. Altho I had never thought about "breakfast wine"!!! Mmmmmm.....where else but Paris to do that!!!!

I was just in Paris and I decided not to pressure myself to go to a museum. I just shopped, walked and ate the whole time (6 days). The weather was so nice that I didn't want to be cooped up and some stuffy museum looking at a painting of a lady doing her laundry on a rock. i often wished it would rain when I was in paris so i would have an excuse to go see that painting of a lady doing hert laundry on a rock. The last 4 times I went to paris i had nothing but beautiful weather!

Ira, You are correct. All foreign visitors are required to show 2 museum or cutural receipts upon leaving France. I took a cue from the gypsies and pickpockets a Australian tourists backpack and stole his receipts. Besides when I was going through the cultural check (Contrôle Culturel)I distracted the guard with a large sausage and a bottle of wine so they never asked to see my ticket stubs.

Go figure.

Perhaps habits about museums reflect education, family, culture. Friends in France use museums the way some use movie theatres - to see whatever is being offered, if of interest. Certainly, when you visit Paris, or other great centers, seeing the museums is important, and one or two ought to be included in the itinerary -along with your goal - am I seeing the building, the contents, or other museum goers. I find all to be valid. What I don't find particulalry useful is the stress some seem to project onto visitng museums - making it a major decision seems beside the point, and counterproductive.

Yes, I am sure plenty of people go to Paris without visiting museums. It's a personal preference, isn't it? Some would not miss any museum, others would not feel comfortable in museums. Both types can be culturally astute people. We've been to Paris five times, have never been to the Louvre,(but possibly will sometime) and I think we would enjoy the Musee D'Orsay. Walking the streets and getting the flavor of the city seems more to our liking.
It seems strange to feel one is pressured into seeing artwork(as the "thing to do&quot if one does not enjoy it that much. One takes what they want out of traveling.....there is so much offered!!!

Colette - it's your money, time and holiday. To me that means the person I am paying money to does not get to tell me what to do, if anything it's the other way around.
Do what you want with the tour and then go your own way for the rest of the time (I've actually done this in the past and had a great time - you may well find a few people from the tour joining you rather than endure another trip though a gift shop..........)
Once you start heading off on your own there will be no stopping you.
I hope you and your friend enjoy your trip - I assume its your first time in Europe?