CHAPTER X

I had a group excursion this week. The main destination was Paris, but we visited a couple other French towns along the way. The first stop was in Colmar to see the Isenheim Altar located in the Unterlinden Museum. The altarpiece is like nothing I’ve seen before. It is a giant wooden piece that shows one picture while closed and can be opened to show two other different scenes. Each painting is filled with different symbols, obvious and subtle. The Isenheim was one of the many pieces retrieved by the Monuments Men during World War 2. A notable feature of the painting is that Jesus while on the cross is covered with boils of the plague; this detail signifies that Jesus understood and shared their sufferings.

The main sight in Beaune is the Hotel Dieu. The roof is made of ceramic tiles. It also had a rather impressive altar piece with both a closed and open painted scene. Contrary to the name, it was a hotel for the poor taken care of by nuns.

I was so, so looking forward to seeing Paris. (Thankfully, the rain did not dull the visit to Paris in the least.) My host mom absolutely loves it. In conversation last week, I learned that she spent a year or so as an au pair in the city. She said that she just decided Paris would be her destination and found a job once she arrived which seems like a quite bold plan – I’ll miss Regina; she’s such a bubbly, blunt lady who makes life a bit more interesting. She insisted that we must try some extravagant French pastries while traveling.

We kicked of Paris with some savory and sweet crepes, and then later a walk around the city along the Seine River. The Eiffel tower was all lit up, quite the picturesque scene. I had expected Paris to be filled with tall, skyscraper-like buildings, but that is not allowed. There is a business district with some skyscrapers, but it’s technically outside the city limits of Paris.

The next day we covered so many different sights in Paris, rushing on to the subways and winding through the streets. Many of the significant buildings in Paris are leftover from past World Fairs. Paris hosted six different ones total. The Eiffel served as the main exhibition for the 1889 fair; the stories of Paris’s prominent position in recent history definitely enriched the sightseeing. The Arc de Triomphe was probably the highlight; the whole thing is crafted with magnificent detail. It was erected 100 years after the French Revolution. Also, The Unknown Soldier memorial is located underneath; a constant flame burns paying tribute to the soldiers of World War 1. There is this historic axis through the center of Paris with the Louvre’s Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, Arc de Triomphe, and the 200 year arc located in the skyscraper district. Paris is such a busy city; encircling the main Arc was a roundabout with twelve different streets spanning off of it. Notre Dame was the last stop of the day, and it is also awe-inducing. The famous stained-glass rose windows are what stuck out to me.

The next day, we visited the Louvre. I did not realize that the Louvre used to be a fortress; I just think that’s incredibly neat! The Louvre is giant – and to think only a small percentage of the Louvre’s pieces are actually on display. I only saw the main attractions which are wonderful, but the Louvre could be explored for days. I would love to go back and see some of the smaller, less-popular exhibits. For the afternoon, I went up to Montmartre. It’s home to many art shops as well as the Basilica of Sacre-Coeur (which as some fun painted ceilings) and a spectacular (but foggy) view over the city. I stopped and looked around in some painter’s shop, a ceramic store, a couple boutiques, and a chocolate store! I really appreciated the peaceful area with quaint little shops and cafes.

The symbol of Versailles is the sun, and I would say it lives up to its name. I could see what drew Benjamin Franklin to the golden palace. Oddly enough, Americans are a large source of the funds to maintain and restore Versailles because of ties to the Revolutionary War. While we were there, we had a lovely French picnic, filled with cheeses I had never heard of. In true French fashion, our only plate was a giant baguette; it was delicious indeed!

Random Takeaways

I am convinced that the Versailles gardens are perfect for hide-and-go-seek.

Always take the stairs, especially if it means walking through the Eiffel Tower.