What I've learned in France

Interview with Joey

Joey Bazler told me a little about his own personal experience in France, and I found that it was pretty similar to my own. He shared my desire to travel overseas, but we differed in our language skills. I took Spanish in high school, while Joey took French and continued studying the language in college. Once he got there, he realized what a wonderful decision he had made.

“France's culture is so different than our own, and I was really interested in visiting and experiencing the different aspects of French everyday life. In addition, my interest was piqued by the amazing amount of history present in French cities and towns. I would go back, though I really want to explore other European nations as well. Part of the reason I loved France so much was that I was always experiencing new things, and would like to do the same in other countries.” This is definitely something I am interested in: experiencing new and different cultures, visiting other places and seeing anything and everything that will add to my knowledge of the world.

Not my own words

Monaco

The French Riviera just sounds so exotic. Its rocky beaches and clear, blue-green Mediterranean waters were enticing enough for us to take a train to Monaco, an island just off the southern coast.

Without even bothering to check into our hotel first, we plopped our bags down on the beach, stripped down to our bathing suits and soaked up that intense Mediterranean sun. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and sunscreen was the last thing on our minds. As a result, I ended up getting sun poisoning along with another guy in our group who couldn’t lay on his back for two weeks after this excursion.

Mountains and expensive cars dominate what I saw of Monaco, but the gorgeous coast is irresistible and intoxicating. You just don’t get scenery like that in the United States.

From where I sat on the beach, I could look one way and see huge rock cliffs stretching up towards the sky, and the Mediterranean spread out to infinity in front of me. Despite the men in speedos and topless old women, it was one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen.

Versailles

The palace of Vesailles is something everyone should see when you go to France. Not only is it gorgeous and impressive, it has so much culture and history that should not be overlooked. The Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed to end World War I, was being renovated while I was there, but we did get to see the King’s bedchamber and the gardens.

Louis XIV, nicknamed the Sun King, had the palace built and dedicated to him, so there is a statue of him on a horse and also a clock that resembles a sun at the front. We walked around the gardens, which stretch as far as the eye can see from the back of the palace, and the grand apartments and Parliament Museum.

The gardens are perfectly symmetrical, and there are statues and fountains lining the unnaturally straight bushes. There was way too much to see in just a short time, but I remember being overwhelmed by the amount of space and number of rooms for just one king’s expensive taste.

Chambord

When our little group decided to take a day trip to a castle, I imagined it in dark, gray, mysterious medieval, Beauty-and-the-Beast-style. Chambord, located between the Loire and Sologne, is not exactly what I imagined. First of all, it is called a chateau, not a castle. It is unique and enormous, bigger than any building I have even seen.


Chateau de Chambord

It thrilled and humbled me, as most of France did. It is, in fact, a white stone castle teeming with the kind of tourists on might find at an American amusement park. There is a beautiful sparkling moat surrounding the structure, but the most amazing feature is the staircase inside. It is a double helix, twisting around itself so that one person can walk up while the other is walking down and never pass each other. After touring the castle and dodging the Six-Flags-like crowds to get a crepe, we had to lounge around on the lawn outside the chateau for quite a while before the bus came. I guess it’s not such a bad way to spend an afternoon – lying in the shade of a sun-soaked French lawn, with a five-century-old castle stretched out before us.

Mont-St.-Michel

It has been said that Mont-Saint Michel Abbey is the most visited place in all of France. I can’t for a second believe that more people choose this site over the Eiffel Tower, so who knows. The cool thing about the abbey is that it sits perched on top of a hill of granite rock, and it is surrounded by beach. It is technically in Normandy, but there are disputes with Brittany over who owns it. When night falls, the tide rises and isolates the abbey so that no one can get on or off the island. Then the morning comes and the tide retreats, allowing visitors again. I visited it on a warm, breezy June day with my sister.

We had to take a train and then a bus to reach it, and met some guys from San Francisco who were backpacking through Europe. The abbey was a stronghold at one time; a fortress during the Hundred Years War. Later it became a prison and now it stands as an abbey. There was a chapel and a small cemetery with graves dedicated to French soldiers who fought in the first World War. There were also some gardens scattered around, but my favorite part was the beach. We took off our shoes and waded through the mud and clay that served as sand, and I wandered up some chipped stone stairs to a tiny forgotten chapel at the back of the abbey. The door was locked and all that was visible through the barred window was a broken altar. My sister and I ate ice cream (glace) and sat on the stone wall looking out over the ocean, with the impressive abbey at our backs.

Giverny

I remember thinking I have never seen anything so green. Before coming to France, I had never heard of Giverny – or maybe I had, in my art history class, but wasn’t paying enough attention to let it sink in. Ironically, my sister and I had gone to Musée d’Orsay earlier that same day, and had seen Monet’s Water Lilies painting. At Giverny, which was Monet’s home and gardens, we saw the inspiration.

The real water lilies that had been the model for his masterpiece. They sat suspended in a lake sparkling with sunlight, with weeping willow trees dipping their ends into the water. A little bridge cut through the lake and every kind of flower I will never know the names of were scattered throughout the gardens.
We also took a tour of his house; a rickety old two-story with green shutters, draped in foliage. The upper rooms had fans to blow the stale, humid air out and the floorboards creaked with age.

All this added to the overall effect of the place, and the gift shop stuck out like a sore thumb. Giverny was truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. I’d like to think (if I had artistic talent that extended beyond stick figure drawings), that I too would be inspired to create a work of art out of the beauty of those surroundings.

Parc Montsouris

I figured finding a sanctuary in such a huge, overwhelming city was almost impossible. I had prepared myself for big city life – and all the scenery that came with it.

But then, when my sister and I were asking around about a good place to go running (without being run over by those oh-so-cautious Parisian drivers), we were told to visit Parc Montsouris. Just a few blocks from the Glacier Metro stop, and from the place we were staying, this park is truly a sanctuary. The first day Melanie and I set out for this new running spot, we were expecting the kind of park you would find in the United States: a few swings, a slide, monkey bars, maybe some grass and a sandbox. That was our first mistake, assuming. Nothing was what I thought it would be in that country. This was just another confirmation of this mentality. When we passed through the wide open iron gates, we both caught our breath. There were people everywhere, kids playing and mothers pushing strollers, old men jogging and people of all ages sitting on benches. The park itself is enormous, with more green space in this one place than you can find in all of Paris. There are bridges, creeks, a lake, playgrounds, a gazebo, and plenty of space.

After my sister and I finished our run, we sat on the grass in front of the lake and soaked up the sun and Parisian culture that was so prevalent all around us. This became a ritual, and we visited the park about three times a week. I felt like it was my secret of Paris, something not mentioned in guidebooks and only stumbled upon by accident.
Joey Bazler, one of my classmates who studied abroad with me, had the following to say about his experience:
"There were so many things I loved about France. But most of all I loved the number of beautiful parks and the popularity of the parks. The parks themselves were incredible and interacting with the visitors in the parks, Playing soccer, frisbee or just hanging out was a great way to meet and interact with the French."

Notre Dame

Probably the second most famous structure in France, Notre Dame de Paris boasts countless numbers of tourists each day. What slightly diminishes its beauty is exactly that: the crowds. Unlike Sacre-Coeur, tourists are permitted to snap as many pictures as they can inside the church – and they take full advantage of this privilege.
Still, Notre Dame is Notre Dame, and nothing compares to the architecture, size, and sheer beauty of this cathedral. The famous rose window sits in the middle of the front, flanked on either side by towers reaching to dizzying heights. Gargoyles perch on all sides, looking like they are ready to leap out at intruders at any moment.

Three arches, carved with statues of saints, mark the entrance. Huge, heavy wooden doors are already open as I step inside and my eyes adjust to the dim light. Tours are offered, but I take my time and stroll around the cathedral on my own. The stained glass is impressive, and there are candles which visitor can light for loved ones who need prayers. Wooden pews stretch acoss the aisles, inviting church-goers to seek comfort in their surroundings. There was a mass going on when I was there, so I didn’t sit down and really felt guilty and uncomfortable taking pictures and talking to my sister, but no one else seemed to mind. It felt surreal to be a part of such a historical and awe-inspiring piece of French culture.

Chartres

This amazing cathedral is the main focus of the quaint little French town, complete with cafes and shops and narrow cobblestone streets. It was nice to get out of the city for a day. Paris can be overwhelming, and it's so seductive that you can be lost in it so easily and forget there is a rest of the world out there. I'm glad I got to see another version of France; the simpler, quieter, more peaceful France.

The cathedral is famous all over the world for its stained glass windows, as was explained to us by our wise and elegant British tour guide. Its from the 12th and 13th centuries, and all the panes tell stories of religious happenings.
The cathedral is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary – something I had heard about all my twelve years of Catholic education but never quite pictured the way it was portrayed on the glass.
It is one of my favorite churches in the country because it does not have that restored, rebuilt look of Notre Dame, and it does not have nearly as many tourists swarming its streets like Sacre-Coeur.

The whole building looks like its poising itself for destruction, but I think its seemingly untouched antiquity is what makes it so charming.
The rest of our time in the city was spent window-shopping, eating lunch at an outdoor café that served Italian food, and wondering why the French are not obese with all the delicious ice cream served by street vendors.

Sacre-Coeur

Sacre-Coeur is a basilica that sits up on a hill in the section of Paris known as Montmartre. This is a cute little town, quaint but unfortunately overrun by tourist predators waiting around to sketch less-than-Louvre-worthy portraits. Despite this minor distraction (and the mass crowds), the town is filled with cafes, shops and stunning views of Paris.

From the steps of the great basilica, one can see straight to the Eiffel Tower over the tops of the buildings reflecting the fading sunlight. But the most amazing thing was the basilica itself. Once I stepped inside, through the enormous doors, everything became still and silent. There are guards inside, preventing tourists from taking pictures, which made the experience that much more rewarding.

I didn’t mind not being able to take pictures because it forced me to enjoy the beauty instead of trying to capture it on film. I walked around the edges of the church, humbled by my surroundings, and encountered an old woman draped over a statue in the back, mumbling prayers in sad French. Candles flickered everywhere, casting everything in an eerie golden light. Massive stone pillars were spaced throughout, structures too big for two people to stand on either side, wrap their arms around them and touch hands. I sat in a pew, let the magnitude wash over me, even said a prayer while gazing at the dome overhead that was letting sunlight spill in. Then, back to the crowds, the cameras snapping furiously, the real world.

Musee Rodin

“The Thinker” is one of the most duplicated sculptures, but most people probably could not name the museum that claims it.

Musée Rodin was a fantastic collection of the most expressive sculptures I have yet seen. There is an outside wing filled with pieces like “Le Penseur,” and especially on a gorgeous day like the one when we were there, the sculpture garden is a must.
There are also several rooms inside containing works like “The Kiss” (a fairly erotic piece), and an elaborate and beautiful sculpture of hands. This was definitely worth the 3 euro admission price.

Musee d'Orsay

With its extensive collection of 19th century art, this museum is most famous for its Impressionist collection. I focused mainly on the works of Monet, Van Gogh and Degas. Since I had already visited Monet’s home in Giverny, I got to see the actual lilies that inspired the painting Water Lilies, which resides in Musée d’Orsay. And

Van Gogh is just so spectacular that seeing an original in person was awe-inspiring, despite the fact that Im about the furthest thing from an artist. Degas is an artist I didn’t know a lot about before I visited this museum, but he had a passion for ballet dancers and they are the focus of much of his work. A side note: The museum building used to be a train station.

The Louvre

Talk about overwhelming. The Louvre is much, much more than its most famous inhabitant, the Mona Lisa. Although that’s the only thing most people look at when they visit this famous museum, because they literally don’t know where else to go. I listened to the tour guide tell us about some sculptures and paintings in French, but couldn’t truly appreciate any of it because I did not understand a word she said. When we were released to look around on our own, my sister and I obviously headed straight for the Mona Lisa. It was not exactly a memorable moment. There was a large crowd in front of the painting, and I had to hold my camera up above all the heads and take a blind picture, which came out fuzzy because of the glare of the protective glass in front of it.

Louvre Web site


I personally liked Winged Victory so much more, because she sits at the top of a flight of stairs and looks so refined and regal, presiding over all the onlookers in the hallway below. Another personal favorite of mine was the sculpture of the guy getting his ass bit by a lion. Note to self: figure out what that’s called, and purchase an exact replica. The glass pyramids were also impressive, and I knew a lot more about them due to the recent popularity of The da Vinci Code.

Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile

The Arc de Triomphe rose up before us as we emerged from the Metro station. It is situated in the middle of an enormous traffic circle, and is inscribed with the names of soldiers as well as sculptures depicting battles of the Napoleonic Wars and the French Revolution.
An eternal flame marks the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier that honors those who fought in both world wars beneath the arch. An interesting fact: the only time the flame has been extinguished was when a homeless man peed on it.


We climbed the circular stairs and enjoyed a breathtaking view of Paris from the top of the arch. It was dark, so the entire city was illuminated and the traffic circle displayed lines of color split in half: the right a sea of red brake lights and white headlights on the left.
My sister and I wanted our picture taken with the Eiffel Tower in the background, but a couple already had the idea so we had to wait. As a woman started to take their picture, the man suddenly turned, dropped to one knee, and proposed to his girlfriend right there on the top of the arch in the middle of Paris. It was a little surreal – but then again, so was my whole experience.

Nobody does it like Paris

“Nobody does it like Paris.” This is what my sister said to me as we gazed at the Eiffel Tower for the first time. There it was, in all its glory, looking just like the pictures but being so much more real. The first night we were in Paris, we didn’t even go up to the top, we just sat on the huge stretch of grass below it, drinking wine and watching the sun set. Every hour after darkness settled in, twinkling lights made the entire structure sparkle for five whole minutes. This aspect was a little gaudy and made it more of a spectacle than a world-renowned piece of art, but I suppose that’s part of Parisian culture.
When we finally did make it to the top, my sister and I waded through a mass of people to see Paris from all sides.
The Seine snaked its way through the city, shimmering with the reflection of the fading sun. This aerial view is an illusion. It hides the rush, the chaos, the hustle and bustle of the city. But I know. I’ve been down there, in the whirl of Parisian life. Now it is spread out before me, like a child’s finger painting, awaiting approval. Once the sun sets, the wind whips around us and my sister pulls her hood up over her head to shield herself from the harsh chill.

I take a picture of her, of Paris now living up to its reputation of being the city of lights. But I shift my gaze upward, and my eyes catch the pinpricks of light scattered aimlessly in the black velvet sky. I agree with Melanie. Nobody does it like Paris.