Submitted by Francesca Crawley on the 2024 Winter BUAD Micro program in Paris…
Second week in Paris!
After exploring Paris for the first time last week, I became more familiar with the city. This week started off with a visit to one of the most famous sites in the world, right outside of the city of Paris, Versailles. Versailles was magnificent, and the architecture was just unbelievable. During this trip we walked through the palace with a tour guide who shared so much interesting information about its history with us. We were also able to see the gardens which were remarkable.
Throughout the week we visited multiple cool locations like Bastille, the Paris basketball stadium, and the American Chamber of Commerce in France. It was great to immerse myself into Parisian culture and walk around the Bastille market, learning about the different types of food, and cheese, that most people in the city eat.
This week we also had one of my favorite activities on this trip, we got to see the Louvre. The Louvre is a must see when coming to Paris, and now I know why. The amount of art in this museum is unbelievable, and it includes some of the most famous paintings in the world. With the tour guide I learned so much about the various works of art, as well as the history of the Louvre itself.
Ending the week, on Saturday we took a trip to Épernay, the champagne region of France. Seeing a different part of the country, outside of Paris, helped to better understand French culture in general. I learned all about how champagne is made and even got to go on a tour of a champagne house.
Overall week two included some of my favorite events, and each day I learn more and more about Paris and its culture. Can’t wait to see what else Paris had in store for me!.
Au Revoir Paris!
Embarking on my final week in Paris I was continuing to enjoy all that the city has to offer. This week was full of activities rich in history and culture.
One of my favorites from this week was the French Revolution walking tour. Walking through the city, seeing all the monuments, and learning all about how Paris became the city we know and love today. On this day it was raining, and seeing Paris in the rain was magical!
This week we also dove deeper into the culture through food. I tried various cheeses and wines, and got to learn about where they come from! In addition to that, we had a group dinner at Bouillon. This is a traditional French restaurant offering popular French foods modeled after the Industrial period. This was a fun experience, and brought me out of my traditional food comfort zone.
Lastly during this week we got to visit the Loire Valley. During this trip we visited Blois which is a small town in the Loire valley. Seeing the medieval architecture and the castle and countryside was so beautiful. After Blois we headed over to the chateau de chambord. This castle was breathtaking. There was a double helix staircase inside, and on the roof it looked like a city in the sky. With our tour guides again, I learned so much about the history of the region and the chateau.
My time in Paris is something that I will never forget, and I am forever grateful for this amazing opportunity. After these 3 weeks I have a newfound appreciation for this beautiful city, and I hope to return in the future. But for now, au revoir Paris, je t’aime!
(Summitted February 3. 2024)
