Our entrance into Paris was somewhat less triumphant than we would have liked as one of our students was left behind in Germany—unfortunate moment as a group leader involving an unexpected change in train platforms, some AirPods and an incorrect assumption that everyone made the mad dash across the station. Fortunately, everything worked out as well as it could have given the circumstances, and we were reunited with the student just a few hours later. Also, there were violent protests happening on the outskirts of the city the days leading up to our arrival, and Paris had enforced curfews and abbreviated transportation schedules. Again, despite the tension, none of our plans were affected by the restrictions and everyone was still able to experience the beauty! As I have said a million times, to live in Paris is to live in the midst of constant strikes and protests.

Our IBIS hotel, located just a block or two from Gare de l’Est was very basic, but roomier than our accommodations in Heidelberg. Plus, there was a cool view of the train tracks from the hallway outside of my room. We arrived before our rooms were ready, so we checked luggage and I took most of the group on a small tour involving lunch from a nearby bakery (enjoyed on the banks of Canal St. Martin); a metro ride to Concorde for a brief brush with history and an extremely beautiful walk through Tuilieries (with a pause for crêpes); up to and around the Louvre (a photo stop at the Richelieu passage because it’s the best); and then to Palais Royale to see the gardens and the colonnade sculpture installation that I don’t quite understand, but I can’t get enough of. The students seemed to love everything there was to eat, see and do and we lingered on many walkways and places to take in the sights of impromptu dancing and the sounds of chatter. As I always do, I fell right back in love with Paris.

For the final stop on my little duckling tour, we zipped over to Trocadero for a magnificent view of the Eiffel Tower and then, after ensuring that my young friends knew how to sort themselves out/get home safely, I abandoned them for a solo dinner in my old neighborhood at Il Far Niente. It was great to see the owner after almost 10 years and the food was as delicious as I remembered!

Most of the rest of our time in Paris, I was on my own and could not have loved my life more. I took another cooking class at La Cuisine Paris (a truly special experience that you don’t want to miss!) and crossed off many to-see spots on my ever-evolving list. Plus, I got to enjoy my favorite foods (crusty baguettes, flaky croissants, quiche, salads with tangy vinaigrettes and more) on a daily basis. What more could a girl want? Perhaps just a charming man to share all the memories with. Ha!

Halfway through our stay in France, we moved out to the suburbs. For the few days that the students took classes from our hotel, I enjoyed bonus solo trips into the city. We also had a day to enjoy Disneyland Paris. To be clear: I am not a Disney adult and honestly was a bit bummed to be spending time at an amusement park when the city of Paris was just a short train ride away, but I ended up enjoying my time at the park (although I wished on that particular day to have people to share the experience with).

My final afternoon in Paris was a casual walk through Le Marais (my favorite arrondissement) for lunch at a familiar favorite (Le Pick-Clops), more drawing practice, and delicious sorbet from Berthillon on a very warm summer day.

The Highlights

Sandwich au jambon et fromage (I could eat these every day for lunch. So simple, but so delicious). Canal St. Martin. Citron & sucre crêpes. Topiaries in every garden. The Eiffel Tower. Palais Royale. Il Far Niente (the BEST Italian food. Find it in the 16^th arrondissement). Cedric Grolet (worth the wait for a fruits de bois pannier!!). Luxembourg Gardens. Saint-Chapelle. Buying vintage French novels along the banks of the Seine. Drawing practice in the park. Speaking French with some level of competence. Père Lachaise cemetery. Quiche. Tour of Printemps department story (including a rooftop view of the city). Berthillon sorbet. Keith Haring mural. Marché Rungis. La Cuisine Paris market & cooking class. Le Marais. Centre Pompidou. La Muette Rieuse (bookstore). Merveilleux de Fred. Disneyland Paris.

The Remarkable

One of our corporate visits was a 4:30 a.m. tour of the Rungis International Market—the second largest wholesale food market in the world. It was ENORMOUS. We actually arrived a bit too late to see the hustle of the fish market, but had extensive tours through football field-sized buildings each dedicated to butchers, cheese sellers, flower farmers, and multiple fresh produce hubs. Our group had to take the tour with a group of French organic farmers, so our tour guide was a bit overwhelmed trying to translate for both groups, but the experience was very interesting! The next day, during my market tour/cooking class with La Cuisine, the chef told us about Rungis as she pointed out fresh shrimp for sale. It was wild to think I probably saw the same little crevettes the previous morning!

SDG

p.s. Wondering the context of this visit to Paris, France? This was one of the nine countries visited on the 2023 International Business Institute, for which I was the program assistant. Interested in learning more? Read about my own undergraduate experience on the trip when I participated in 2011.

LMB #12