Enchanté, Mona Lisa

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October 9, 2023

My semester classes finally started the third week of September! For my parents: let the record show that I’m also taking classes here and not just gallivanting around Europe. College courses in French have proven to be the challenge I expected. Dozing off in class is not an option! However, my professors are really kind and much easier to understand than your average French person. My classes are designed for international students, so I’ve met even more students from around the world. It’s fascinating to hear their perspectives on global issues and learn about different cultures firsthand. Unfortunately, I feel like I’ve befriended people from every country except France. My new quest is to make at least one French friend my age!

What my school lacks in functioning hand dryers, it makes up for in rich student culture. My professor ended class early on Wednesday so we could explore the Hors Normes exhibit. This is a region-wide “Out of the Ordinary” art exhibit, and my university hosted the official inauguration of the event! In abnormal fashion, some of the art was truly bizarre. It wasn’t all visual art, either. I got roped into playing a cello-type instrument for almost 20 minutes (it’s hard to escape situations like these when you’re not fluent in French).

To celebrate a successful first week of school, I visited Paris for the weekend with some friends! For the first time, it felt like Autumn had arrived and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t magical. The French find it comical how much Americans romanticize Paris, but I’m not ashamed of the stereotype.

While en route to Champs-Élysées, we made a few notable pit stops. The first was Place de la Bastille! Most everyone knows about the storming of the Bastille at the start of the French Revolution. But that was in 1789, so I didn’t understand the significance of “July 1830” displayed on this monument. Apparently, la Colonne de Juillet (the July Column) doesn’t commemorate the Bastille at all. The monument celebrates the Revolution of 1830 and the Trois Glorieuses – the “three glorious” days of July – when King Charles X fell and the new July Monarchy began under King Louis-Philippe.

Around the Colonne de Juillet, the locals seemed more interested in the life-sized public art displays. They were creative photography projects that provided statistics about social issues in France (and around the world). The most notable displays focused on domestic violence, femicides, and racial discrimination.

Our next accidental stop was Église Saint-Sulpice. We ate lunch at a nearby café and wandered into Saint-Suplice afterward. This church was founded in 1646 and I don’t know much else about it. The white brick and plentiful sunlight made it less creepy than some other churches I’ve visited in France.

It’s impossible to miss the fountain outside (due to its size and strong scent of chlorine). Apparently Fontaine Saint-Sulpice was made by the same architect who designed Napoleon’s tomb. Each side of the fountain has a statue constructed by a different sculptor, and each statue represents a famous French religious figure from the 17th century. Having never heard of any of these guys, I was more entertained by the pigeons enjoying their gigantic bird bath.

Soup de Jour : une église (a church)

At last, we found our mobs of fellow tourists on Champs-Élysées. I saw a lot of green this weekend between the South African and Irish fans in Paris for the Rugby World Cup.

In terms of accessibility, Arc de Triomphe gets one star from me. I had no idea it stood at the center of a massive, chaotic roundabout. Most of the chaos is caused by tourists running across the road to reach the monument. And was I one of them? Of course. Who knows how many times I can almost get hit by a car in Paris?

By all other standards, Arc de Triomphe was incredibly impressive. The inner walls are engraved with names of French generals and battles. After 30 seconds of research, I learned that the monument was commissioned by Napoléon in 1806 after his victory in the Battle of Austerlitz. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier lies in the center of the arc to represent all the unidentified French soldiers who died in both world wars. My advice to future visitors: risk the roundabout because Arc de Triomphe is worth seeing up close!

Walked back along the Champs-Élysées, we stopped at La Durée. La Durée is famous for its pastries and macarons. I don’t know if I can say the macarons are overpriced, because they were absolutely scrumptious. They are, however, expensive.

Some of my friends wanted to check out the luxury stores in the Champs-Élysées. If I could rank all the attractions in Paris, this would be at the very bottom. But traveling in a group means being a team player, so there we were.

I take back all my comments about old churches being creepy: the inside of Chanel was the most unsettling atmosphere I’ve encountered so far. I recommend this experience to anyone who enjoys:

  • Bourgeois financial irresponsibility
  • Cold, boring interior design
  • The bone-chilling glare of Coco Chanel casting down on you at all times

Onto better things! After just a few metro stops, we arrived at le Musée du Louvre. I know its famous and all, but I was wholly unprepared for the size of this museum. We only spent a few hours inside the Louvre before it closed and I feel like 90% was left unseen (my 10% was still awesome).

As usual with attractions of this magnitude, I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

Obviously I took some better pictures, but everyone knows the Mona Lisa. Allow me to provide a new perspective: this is what it looks like to be 5’2″ (157 cm) in a crowd of tourists trying to catch a glimpse of her.

After leaving the Louvre, we popped right out at the Jardin des Tuileries. I immediately sprawled out on the grass to give my legs a break. This garden is as beautiful as it is huge. I couldn’t help but smile watching peaceful family picnics and energetic puppies playing on the lawn.

What better way to end the day than with France’s biggest tourist attraction? Voila, la Tour Eiffel.

Watching the Eiffel Tower light up with a warm crêpe in my hand fulfilled a dream I didn’t realize I had. It was truly magical. Please forgive me for the following absurdities, but I discovered a new way to entertain myself. I think my life’s purpose might be creating a collection of distorted world monuments.

Unfortunately, we ended up at the most American café the next day. It was a total accident, but it’s difficult to find a Parisian coffee early on a Sunday morning. The café was bike-themed and the baristas were so “granola” I felt like I teleported back to Portland. After we escaped the anglophones, our walk toward la Notre-Dame was quiet and peaceful.

It’s been over four years since Notre-Dame caught fire and occupied TV screens all over the world. The cathedral is still closed to the public and construction is underway, but it’s expected to reopen in 2024.

While admiring the façade, I overheard a nearby tour guide discussing the building’s history. In a lovely French accent, she said the tower decorated with Adam’s statue is meant to represent all things good, and Eve’s tower represents evil. Then she added, “they say it doesn’t signify anything, but I think it’s because the cathedral was built by men and they were just being sexist“. I think she’s got a point.

I followed the sound of music just around the corner to the Statue of Charlemagne. A small band serenaded us with jazz remniscent of New Orleans, all inclusive with an upright bass and trumpet solo. Surrounded by tender tunes, sunshine, and a street performer blowing bubbles, I was in disbelief. I felt like I was watching a dreamy Parisian film rather than witnessing real life.

Strolling the streets of the 5th arrondissement, we made our way to the Panthéon. If you want a better visual of Paris’s escargot-esque districts, I recommend Googling “Paris arrondissements snail. I didn’t know much about this monument before, but I’m ever prone to post-experience research.

The Panthéon was originally meant to be a church when its construction began in 1758. However, it was finished in 1790 just after the start of the French Revolution. Shortly after, it was voted to become a mausoleum for “distinguished French citizens” instead. The Panthéon changed back and forth between church and tomb for a while, but it was officially decreed as a mausoleum in 1881. Notable dead folks who rest here include Victor Hugo, Marie Curie, Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Louis Braille.

Please enjoy this groovy picture of another Paris landmark.

After the Pantheon, we stumbled upon l’Église Saint-Étienne-du-Mont. I would’ve spent more time exploring inside, but there was a full mass in progress. I can’t imagine going to a casual Sunday service in an architectural wonder like this. I guess thats the mode de vie for many a European!

Soup de Jour : mode de vie (way of life, lifestyle)

Looking past the occasional tourist posing ridiculously for an Instagram photo, the Jardin du Luxembourg allows you to forget that you’re in the largest city in France. A breath of autumn graced the trees as giggling children played with toy sailboats in the fountain. The local ducks and fish appeared blissfully unbothered. As we dawdled about the park, I realized why so many people want to live in Paris. Finding peace in the chaos of a big city is thrilling, like unearthing buried treasure.

After lunch, we visited Shakespeare and Company. I’d never heard of this bookstore, but apparently it’s pretty famous among tourists. Per usual, I was delighted to browse the shelves (you’ll never hear me complain about going to a bookstore), but I wish there were more books in French and not just English!

When I planned my trip to Paris, my host family recommended Berthillon ice cream on l’Île Saint-Louis. Anne and Sanae said it was the best ice cream in Paris, and I’m not one to pass up suggestions from locals (Anne is originally from Paris)! Lo and behold, they were right. This ice cream was incredible! Needless to say, it will be making a splash on my Chews Wisely page soon.

La basilique du Sacré-Cœur became our final destination for the weekend. After taking the metro, we braved the stairs and trekked up to the basilica. Sacre-Cœur is like the Fourvière of Paris with its fantastic overlook of the city. My photos are never as pretty as their subjects, but this picture is truly underwhelming. The view is a much more impressive in real life (and gratifying after you’ve battled through a crowd to see it).

I was overwhelmed by the masses of people, but it’s impossible to get bored amidst all the action. I’m still trying to decide if the interior or exterior of Sacre-Cœur was more impressive. Let me know what you think!

I hope this isn’t sacrilegious, but standing next to a world-famous basilica, I was most engrossed in the man playing an accordion with his cat perched calmly on top. Now that’s what I call the Paris experience.

To conclude, I’ve added a few pretty buildings I saw in the city. I don’t know how else to describe it, but the architecture in Paris is so unique it cannot be mistaken for anywhere else.

I’m still trying to comprehend all the history and culture I’ve seen this past month. These are once-in-a-lifetime experiences and I’m savoring every second. With that said, I was happily exhausted after back-to-back weekends of travel. I’m always content returning to Lyon, which has begun to feel more and more like home. Upon first arrival in France, I was overwhelmed by all the foreign novelties surrounding me. Now, when visiting other cities, I find myself missing the familiarity of Lyon. I know the metro stops and bus routes, where drivers occasionally brake in the middle of the road to exchange croissants with another bus driver. Lyon feels like a new, stiff armchair finally wearing down and becoming a cozy haven. Who doesn’t love that feeling?

Thank you to everyone who’s followed along so far! I’m thinking of renaming this blog Kera, Sometime with how far behind I am! But I’m determined to pull my posts back to the present this week, so stay tuned. Until then, à plus tard!

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3 responses to “Enchanté, Mona Lisa”

  1. Pa Avatar
    Pa

    Really have enjoyed your traveling experiences, you have a special talent in communicating.

  2. Danielle Avatar
    Danielle

    Beautiful!!!

  3. Frances Broussard Avatar
    Frances Broussard

    Oh my goodness you are amazing