Submitted by Madeline Grabill on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Paris, France sponsored by the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies…
This week, my roommates and I took more time to explore different parts of the city that are further away from our hotel and the usual places we are near. We took the metro to Sacre Coeur to see the basilica and the views from that high up in the city. It was beautiful and definitely worth the amount of stairs it took to climb up there. We also saw the “I Love You Wall” and spent time in different vintage stores in the area.
We also took time to spend a few hours at the Louvre and my roommate Lora and I downloaded The Louvre app and took ourselves on a tour to see some of the most famous works of art featured there and read the description and history of art that the app provided. We also spent a lot of time just walking around on a day that was sunny and not raining and visited the Alexander III Bridge.
Our entire class went to the Opera together and it was a very interesting experience. The music and singing were beautiful, but the story was a little hard to follow which made a lot of people lose interest, but I still thought it was very interesting and the building itself was beautiful. Also, as an entire group, we went on a lunch boat tour that was so much fun and a great bonding experience for us all. We got to spend time with each other and also see lots of important monuments along the River Seine.
My parents are visiting for a week and it’s been very exciting to show them my favorite spots and give them a tour around the city. My knowledge of the French language has also been very helpful for them and they’ve been very impressed! I can’t believe this is my last full week in Paris and I am so grateful for the experience.
