Sixth Form trip to Paris

The capital of art, culture and romance, Paris, I was certain, held numberless possibilities which could meet their realization on this weekend trip. Having arrived late at the hotel, and slept as if with a distinct determination never to rise, it was a pleasant surprise and a much needed wake-up call to walk outside into a crisp Parisian morning. Our first destination on this Saturday was the Louvre, the largest collection of artwork in Paris, and an impressive assortment of art through the ages by any standards. The palace itself did not disappoint with its ornate décor both outdoors, and indoors. While the glass pyramid, so often shown in movies, brought to it a feeling of modernism, already managing to unite the old and new in a complementary way. We were let loose to conduct our own explorations and we found ourselves enthralled by the genius of the works of all the artists, sculptors, and ancient civilizations. From the infamous smile of La Joconde to the patriotic paintings of Delacroix and to Egyptian sarcophaguses of small animals, it was a collection that could only inspire awe in the eye of the beholder. Unfortunately we had to leave its embrace, but we were soon to find out that close to the Louvre was, quite hidden, the Orangerie, no less beautiful than the Louvre itself. A simple façade hid two incredibly peaceful, oval rooms where Manet hung his impressionist paintings of lilies. Even though we were told that they had been moved here to the second floor because of the dampness caused by the Seine, we nevertheless felt calmed by them as must have those for whom this exhibition was originally designed for. Slowly we descended to the second level, and the shock we felt was of one discovering a treasure chest. The paintings contrasted with one another and played on the ideas of brightness, form and subject matter. Needless to say, the feeling was that the Orangerie was a perfect transition to the Musee d’Orsay which boasted an impressive collection of post, neo and simply impressionism, along with other influential art movements. It is here that the spirit of Paris was truly contained, with canvases from Toulouse Lautrec, showing the fervor of city life and the Monet’s ‘Rouen Cathedral’ paintings, portraying the very best of its architecture. It is true that we left this art behind in a daze of wonderment, but we were also ready to explore the streets of Paris for ourselves.

Our next stop, the Champs Elysees, gave us an unobstructed view of the Arc de Triomphe and allowed us some time to acquire tokens of remembrance for this trip. The Notre Dame was next on the itinerary, and as we had already seen it depicted on numerous paintings we were eager with anticipation to turn the corner that would finally put it in our view. It was a magnificent tribute to gothic architecture, towering over the rest of the Latin Quarter where we were to have our dinner that night and try out the local delicacies of snails, frog’s legs, and the less adventurous onion soup.

If Saturday was spent in rapture of great art, then Sunday was an exploration all around Paris that very successfully concluded our stay. First was the Montparnasse tower, where on the 56th floor and if we so desired, on the 59th, we were free to observe a vista of Paris. Pointing and laughing we once again spotted the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and the grandiose Notre Dame. Despite its openness to wind, many of us were glad to spend most of our visit there on the roof. After this we were ushered into the subway and set off for Montmartre, the area of Paris which had housed famous writers and artists. Even the subway stop itself was a tribute to Art Nouveau, with an elegant spiral staircase at its entrance. The area was hilly, but we managed to keep pace as we approached the Sacre-Coeur church, so different from the Notre Dame. It marked the top of Montmartre, and from it one could travel to the streets below, which we later did to visit a local restaurant and explore the stores filled with all sorts of local delicacies, nearby.

As a culmination to our trip we visited the iconic Tour Eiffel which seemed to be always in sight during our trips elsewhere. The sun was out and our cameras captured photo after photo of the monumental tower. Standing right under it, with other eager tourists milling around, we could sense its immense weight and delight in its careful structure. So taken were we by its beauty that it was only with a grand effort on our part that we managed to reach our boat that would take us down the Seine on time. Here, sitting comfortably, we were transported through the heart of Paris, past most of the locations we had been to see. And across the river itself were numerous bridges, ranging from the oldest Pont Neuf to the most ornate, gilt with gold, bridge built in the 1900s which symbolized cooperation between the Russian and the French empires. As we said our quiet goodbyes to the places that now seemed so familiar, to Paris’s unpredictable weather, and to its jocund residents we imagined hanging our own locks from a bridge, promising to come back. 

Sophia - Year 13