My two French IV students, Christopher Zoida and Daniel Anguetta, and I, Monsieur Vazquez, have experienced a trip of a lifetime this past Spring Break. After clearing security at LAX’s Tom Bradley Intl Terminal, we endured an eleven-hour flight to Paris. Once we arrived in the early afternoon to the famous airport Charles de Gaulle, we took the metro from the airport all the way to the hotel, located near Place d’Italie, in the heart of the 13th arrondissement of Paris. The Place d'Italie was the site of the Barrière d'Italie, a gate built to enforce tax collections on goods entering Paris between 1784 and 1791, where the old Roman road towards Lyon and Rome began. After checking into our place, I led the valiant Celts ventured around the neighborhood, where we enjoyed a mouth-watering lunch at a local restaurant called Monte Casino.
After filling our stomachs with exquisite food, we traveled to the legendary Latin Quarter (located on the left bank of the Seine River). The Latin Quarter is one of the oldest districts of Paris, not only known for its historical cafés and brasseries, but also for its lively and village-like atmosphere. This neighborhood takes its name from the Sorbonne University, whe
re Latin was the common tongue for all students during the Middle Ages. The fearless Celts walked up and down rue Mouffetard, a primary pathway where shops, international restaurants and student bars and cafés are found. We had a quick glimpse at the Arènes of Lutèce, one of the most important remains from the Gallo-Roman era in Paris (the latter formerly known as Lutèce in French). The arena was used to present gladiatorial combats. However, today it is a popular public park in which students come to study or relax from school. Then, we discovered the sumptuous Panthéon that dominates Paris. With the Sorbonne University and Panthéon-Assas University, Chris and Daniel were pleased to see a vibrant student population, not just tourists all around us! On our way back, we all gazed upon St. Sulpice, one of the biggest churches in Paris. Amazing architecture!
The following day, the intrepid Celts traveled three hours on the TGV to Marseille, located on the southeast coast of France on the Mediterranean Sea. As we exited the train station, we walked down the city's main boulevard called la Canebière, which brings you directly to the Old Port (Vieux Port). Also, two large forts flank the entrance to the Old Port—Fort Saint-Nicolas on the south side and Fort Saint-Jean on the north. We took pleasure in devouring a typical local meal, 
mussels and French fries (moules frites).
Next, we hoped on the bus and visited the enormous 19th century Romano-Byzantine basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde located on the hills, offering a spectacular panoramic view of Marseille and its surroundings. Further out in the Bay of Marseille is the Frioul archipelago which comprises four islands, one of which is the island If, the location of Château d'If, made famous by the Dumas novel The Count of Monte Cristo. Chris and Daniel remembered quite well the French unit in which they studied the works of Alexandre Dumas. Dumas used the fortress as a setting for the story. In the book, the main character Edmond Dantès (a commoner who later purchases the noble title of Count) and his mentor, Abbé Faria, were both imprisoned in it. After fourteen years, Dantès makes a daring escape from the castle, becoming the first person ever to do so and survive. In reality, no one is known to have done this.
On the third day we strolled on Champs-Élysées which is one of the most popular avenues in Paris. We went from the huge Place de la Concorde to the Place de l’Etoile, with its great Arc de Triomphe. The Champs-Elysées Avenue and its surroundings is a very animated area, not only because it’s full of cinemas, cafés, and shopping galleries, but also because it is, with La Défense, one of the financial districts of Paris. This massive avenue is arguably the world's most famous street! The afternoon brought us to St. Germain-des-Prés, a section on the left bank which was formerly known for being the bohemian meeting place of artists and intellectuals. However, now it is mostly kn
own for being one of the most fashionable and trendy areas in Paris with high-price boutiques (Louis Vuitton, Armani, etc.) and art galleries. The area is also home to famous cafés like Brasserie Lipp, Cafe Flore and perhaps the most famous of all, Les Deux Magots, which was the hang-out joint for the intellectuals like Jean-Paul Sartre.
Next, we headed to La Tour Eiffel! We got to take the metro from Place d'Italie all the way to the stop Bir-Hakeim, right next to la Tour Eiffel and l'Ecole Militaire. We visited la Tour Eiffel, the different bridges, (Alma, Invalides, Alexandre III, Concorde). We took a lot of pictures, and once again ate quite well. Chris and Daniel couldn’t resist the baguettes sandwiches! Ham and Butter, oh la la! Délicieux! Oui Oui ! We continued traveling all around the City of Lights, reaching the Ile de la Cité, the cradle of Parisian civilization. It was here that the Romans set up camp in 52 B.C. The island hosts beautiful Middle-Age monuments such as the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Sainte-Chapelle. It was such a lovely place to walk around and admire the mansions that are still standing. We also walked through Paris's most expensive and quiet neighborhood, the Ile Saint-Louis, a smaller island right next to Ile de la Cité, connected by
the bridge Saint-Louis. This is a peaceful, small island situated in the center of metropolitan Paris. There are no metro stations here and only two bus stops, so it is wonderfully deprived of the mass tourism found in many other Paris districts. Our Celts had quite a workout, walking and exploring all those sites!
Our trip to Versailles was quite memorable! We arrived at the Castle, and took gorgeous pictures of the facades, gardens and golden gates. Then, we had to wait twenty minutes to see the light show around the gardens and fountains. Suddenly, it started to rain, only a few drops, not a big deal. However, ten minutes after, cherry on top: huge drops of rain and massive hail! We ran as fast as possible back to the train station in order to return to Place d'Italie and change clothes at the hotel!
Easter Sunday was spent in the Montmartre Quarter, the location of the Sacred-Heart, as well as, the Place du Tertre, famous for being the home of street painters and artists, who attempt to recreate Montmartre's glory days when the district was the essence of bohemian culture. We entered the Church after waiting a long time outside! The basilica looks majestically out over all of Paris; it seemed like a completely different area from the sophistication of Paris below. A lot of people were there, we were able to shop around in the beautiful little streets of Montmartre. Then, we all enjoyed a tasty lunch at the Place du Tertre.
On our last day, we visited the Gardens of Luxembourg, which was built in early 17th century by Queen Marie de Medicis on the model of Palazzo Pitti in Florence. We enjoyed its unique and relaxing Parisian atmosphere spread with statues, fountains and flowers. The Luxembourg Gardens are constantly animated by students, children, lovers, outdoor chess and tennis players.
At last, we would like to thank Father Paul and Father Tom for allowing the French IV class to have experienced a remarkable journey to the City of Lights. Quite honestly, we cannot thank you enough for our Parisian Get-Away. The trip went very well and it provided the Crespi Men with lovely memories and educational moments, culminating to explore, learn and experience the French culture and customs at its source.
Monsieur Vazquez, Christopher Zoida, Daniel Anguetta
