France, Part 4-First Trip to Paris

---

Note: All the events described in this entry occurred in September 2006. For more updated entries and trips, please refer back to this page in the future.


Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy living in Dijon, I can't say that enough I feel. It's really a great city, however my family and I spent thousands of dollars for me to be here for 9 months, so I wanted use as much of my free time as possible towards travel. One of the first places I visited was Paris. During the first week of September, I had gone to visit a small town called Besancon, the capital of the Franche-Compte region. I had spent the day there, admiring the Citadel (a 17th century fortress which is now like a little theme park similar to Castle Island in Boston), two cathedrals and some of the local parks. It was a very short trip (in fact too short-I was determined to go on a return trip). Anyways, back to Paris. My reasons for visiting were not only for the world-renowned monuments, museums, churches, shopping and cuisine but also because I had a friend there I wanted to catch up with and I wanted to scope out the location of the bus station for my upcoming trip to Poland.

I called my friend up two weeks in September to schedule. She was eager to see me however she didn't have time to entertain me the whole time. However, she did have availability on one particular Sunday during mid-September. Even though I was a little disappointed I agreed to the meetup. I decided, because of money, that I would only stay in Paris overnight. I would arrive Saturday morning and leave Sunday evening back to Dijon. Dijon was only 1 hour-2 hours away (give or take whether you take TGV or regular train) so this was very possible and easy. All I had to do was go to the local SNCF (France's national train company) boutique and buy my tickets. I was able to get a round trip ticket for 40 euro for Saturday morning, thanks to my brand new student discount pass which enabled me to get discounts from 10%-80% with all travels within France. It costs 25 euro to start and I will admit one of the best purchases I made during my stint abroad because it made travel within France very affordable.

Saturday morning finally came. I woke up an hour and a half before, so that this way I would have time to walk to the station, grab some breakfast, get something to read, and find my platform, which I was able to accomplish all of these things. My train arrived on time, which was a TGV or fast train, and I found my comfy seat in second class. During the first thirty minutes of travel I kept to myself, attempting to read pages from the copy of Le Monde I had purchased while at the train station. However, this changed after a chance meeting with a woman ironically from Besancon. My conversation with her started when she started asking for assistance with her baggage once she arrived in Paris. Only myself and another passenger took up the offer after also being encouraged by one of the conductors. "What brings you to Paris?" I ask her. "I'm going to visit my family for a bit before I fly over to Guadelupe." This intrigued me, i asked her more about Guadelupe and she began to tell me about her travels there and how much she loved the country. After she had exhausted her tales of Gaudelupe she then asks, "so what brings you to Paris?" "I'm visiting a friend," I reply. I then tell her a little more about myself, that I was an American studying abroad in a small intensive French program in Dijon. We then talked about Besancon, what I thought of France and the language, and then she asked me details about what the US was like.

We finally arrive in Paris' Gare du Lyon around 11 AM GMT. I fulfill my promise and I aid the woman with her baggage, which was easy because all I had was a backpack. Once we are comfortably off the train, she tells me to wait a second because she's going to get me an espresso. She soon comes back with two small cups filled with espresso, one for me and one for her. For a few minutes, she and I sit in silence in the middle of Gare du Lyon and enjoy our drinks. I then ask her do I owe her any money for the espresso. "No, no, no, it's a reward," she says. Once I finished my espresso I bid her thanks and good will, and we parted ways.

I immediately went outside the station to look for a taxi. I had almost four hours before I could check into my hotel, so I had plenty of time for sight seeing. "Notre Dame, s'il vous plait," I said to the cab driver. In five minutes, we had arrived. I remember feeling awestruck seeing Notre Dame for the first time. By now I had seen like 10 cathedrals, however I had never seen one so massive like Notre Dame. It's a very wide, tall cathedral with lots of shrines to saints and to the Virgin Mary and Jesus inside. The walls were pretty plain in comparison to other cathedrals I had been to, which had tapestries in them, however the stain glass windows were very colorful and detailed. It was also very clean, which was evidence of lots of restoration work, which I will admit I was impressed with it.

After Notre Dame I decided to walk down a little side street, which took me to the Conciegerie, which was used as a prison during the French Revolution, however the building was built during the 12th century I believe. The building is empty inside, however it contains some pretty impressive columns and buttresses and there are plaques that contain historical information. I got to see the exact locations where Marie Antoinette and Robespierre were held before they were guillotined which I found cool. After leaving the Conciegerie I decided to check the time. It was already 2 PM GMT, and I realized I needed to get to my hotel. I decided to take the metro however I wasn't sure where to go. I go to an information desk and I ask for help. The gentleman unfortunately didn't understand my French and assumed I wanted to get off at Place du Charles de Gaul. I follow his advice, believing that I had gotten the information I needed, however, I realized immediately that I was lost. I did not recognize any of the street names, and then all of a sudden I realized that I was on the Champs-Elysee, heading away from the Arc du Triumph! I wandered aimlessly for 20 minutes, until I realized that I needed to to take a taxi. I found a taxi waiting sign and stood by there until the first one arrived. I told him, using my French again where I wanted to go. He asked me several times, "is this in Paris?" I told him yes the hotel advertised that it was. I had a hard time understanding him because he spoke French with a very gruff, accent and he slurred his consonants and words together and rolled his r's in a way that I wasn't used to. It took a while, but we managed to find the hotel. He explained to me that the hotel's advertisement was not to reality because the hotel was located in a different town, Gallieni, which was not "Paris." I took his word for it, but he thankfully charged me only 20 euro, despite the fact that we did get lost for a bit. After checking into the hotel, I decided to go back to Paris and do some more sightseeing, maybe also pick up some much needed lunch/dinner.

I don't remember what stop I got off at, but I was interested in looking for the Eiffel Tower. However I will admit that I did not plan this very well. I ended up wandering once again, aimlessly through Paris, but I didn't care. Every street I turned I saw an aesthetically pleasing edifice, bridge and/or park as I walked by. For example, I passed by the Musee du Orsey, the magnificent bridge across from it, and the Musee des Armes, where I got to see Napoleon's tomb in the church there. I didn't go inside the museum since I didn't have much time and it was really late, however I spent a few minutes walking through the grounds and taking pictures.

I got thirsty, so I decided to head over to a cafe across the street from the Musee des Armes. I ordered an Orangina which had now become my favorite soda. I expected to pay 2 euro, which is what a bottle normally costs in Dijon; I ended up paying 6 euro for an 8 oz bottle! To myself I grumbled as I put my euros on the table. After getting my change I left immediately still in search for the Eiffel Tower. I finally started to see it's tip, however I was still quite a ways a way. After 2 hours of wandering down streets aimlessly I found the Eiffel Tower. I wanted to go up it, however the line for the elevator had a huge line! I could have taken the stairs, but my legs were starting to hurt, so I decide to sit down on one of the benches underneath and take a rest. While seated I began talking to these Irish tourists who were also taking a break. Our conversation focused on Paris, what we thought about it, etc. We also talked a little about Ireland and the US. After thirty minutes or so I decided to walk to the park facing, Les Invalides, take a picture of it and another of the Eiffel Tower and then go in search of a pastry shop.

I go down a small street where I encounter a pastry shop. I end up ordering what was called a feuilletee: a strambroli looking pastry filled with savory items like tomatoes and cheese. ordered one filled with goat cheese, dill and smokes salmon with a drink, for 4 euros. I find a park nearby where I go to eat. I save the rest for later, and then start looking for a metro station to take me back to the hotel. On my way, I pass a monument dedicated to the exploration of French Canada. I decide to take a few pictures. I finally find a metro station and head home.

Before I go to sleep, I call my mom and then my friend and eat the rest of my feuilletee. She and I arrange a meeting time near the Gallerie Lafayette (a major department store found all over France) in the morning.

Sunday morning comes, and I meet up with my friend. She begins to take me on a really quick walking tour, which takes me through the Latin Quarter, the Diamond Quarter, Eglise St. Etienne, Jardin du Luxumbourg, the Louvre, le Pantheon, the oldest grammar school in France, an opera house and some government buildings. While in front of the Louvre I remember seeing a little boy trying to put out his toy boat in one of the fountains in the Tuileries gardens. She and I did spend a few minutes in the Jardin du Luxumbourg, looking at a photo exhibit and listening to a symphonic band perform. We spent that time talking and catching up. this unfortunately was the last time I saw her. She moved two weeks after to San Francisco, and unfortunately we have lost contact.

We parted ways later in afternoon. I already had my stuff with me, so all I had to do was go to Gare du Lyon and pick up my train.

---