More France Pics

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but here are a few more pics I took while in France:

The Institut Pasteur. Louis Pasteur is actually interred in a tomb below this building. The tomb is very elaborate; the entire ceiling is a tile mosaic depicting Pasteur's achievements - studies on the fermentation of beer, the spoilage of wine, the rabies vaccine, an anthrax vaccine. Also in his tomb is his plaster death mask...that's got to be my favorite 19th century tradition.

A sculpture on the grounds depicting the boy that was the first person successfully vaccinated for Rabies.

This is the Tour Montparnasse, which is the tallest building in Paris. (The Eiffel Tower counts as a structure, technically).

It is a little known fact that there is a small branch of the casino in Paris.

Château de Chenonceau in the Loire Valley. This was a summer home for French Royalty. Now it is a tourist trap (but a pretty nice one).

The gardens on the grounds of the Château.

Well, that's it, I'll try to get back to posting on a more regular basis, because I know you are all dying to hear from me.