He had been at eight o’clock in the morning to see the Place Royal, the Place des Victoires, and the Place de Vendome, and the next day he went to the Observatoire, the Gobelins, and the King’s Garden of Simples.  Everywhere he amused himself in examining everything, and in asking many questions.

On Thursday, the 13th of May, he took medicine, but did not refrain after dinner from calling upon several celebrated artificers.  On Friday, the 14th, he went at six o’clock in the morning into the grand gallery of the Louvre, to see the plans in relief of all the King’s fortified places, Hasfield, with his engineers, doing the honours.  The Czar examined all these plans for a long time; visited many other parts of the Louvre, and descended afterwards into the Tuileries garden, from which everybody had been excluded.  They were working then upon the Pont Tournant.  The Czar industriously examined this work, and remained there a long time.  In the afternoon he went to see, at the Palais Royal, Madame, who had sent her compliments to him by her officer.  The armchair excepted, she received him as she would have received the King.  M. le Duc d’Orleans came afterwards and took him to the Opera, into his grand box, where they sat upon the front seat upon a splendid carpet.  Sometime after, the Czar asked if there was no beer to be had.  Immediately a large goblet of it was brought to him, on a salver.  The Regent rose, took it, and presented it to the Czar, who with a smile and an inclination of politeness, received the goblet without any ceremony, drank, and put it back on the salver which the Regent still held.  In handing it back, the Regent took a plate, in which was a napkin, presented it to the Czar, who without rising made use of it, at which the house appeared rather astonished.  At the fourth act the Czar went away to supper, but did not wish the Regent to leave the box.  The next morning he jumped into a hired coach, and went to see a number of curiosities among the workmen.

On the 16th of May, Whit Sunday, he went to the Invalides, where he wished to see and examine everything.  At the refectory he tasted the soldiers’ soup and their wine, drank to their healths, struck them on the shoulders, and called them comrades.  He much admired the church, the dispensary, and the infirmary, and appeared much pleased with the order of the establishment.  The Marechal de Villars did the honours; the Marechale went there to look on.  The Czar was very civil to her.

On Monday, the 17th, he dined early with Prince Ragotzi, who had invited him, and afterwards went to Meudon, where he found some of the King’s horses to enable him to see the gardens and the park at his ease.  Prince Ragotzi accompanied him.

On Tuesday, the 18th, the Marechal d’Estrees took him, at eight o’clock in the morning, to his house at Issy, gave him a dinner, and much amused him during the day with many things shown to him relating to the navy.