The morning brings a warm European-style breakfast of buttery croissants and the smell of a fresh roast that livens up the group. (If you like strong espresso with a tiny bit of milk, try ordering a café noisette in a nearby café.) Feeling refueled and ready for the day, we gather outside of the hotel for a morning bus tour of Paris.
Our Tour Director introduces us to our local expert, a natural storyteller who describes the city with a fluency reserved for true Parisians. His stories of the city’s long history become a clear reflection of the modern landscapes we pass through—especially the rustic neighborhood markets. We imagined ourselves buying bread in the streets of the oppressive Ancien Régime, with a cloud of revolution looming over the city. Afterwards he leads us to Les Invalides, where we drink coffee outside of Napoleon I’s final resting place and discuss the many rumors about the notorious Emperor—in particular, whether or not he ate a whole chicken before every battle. There’s always a story to take back home when you spend time with a genuine local guide.
No matter where you point your camera in Paris, you’re likely to catch the lattices of the Eiffel Tower somewhere in the frame. That being said, taking our iconic Orientation group photo was a breeze, and offered lots of possibilities for the photos our group will be taking with their own students.
After we take all the pictures we can along the Seine, we’re back on the bus and headed for Versailles. To no one’s surprise, our local guide continues the story of France nearly 12 miles away without a missing a beat. And as we approach the Palace from the garden, the snow-covered fortress takes even our Parisian friend’s breath away. We spend the afternoon touring the ornate halls where members of the Sénat and Assemblée nationale still meet to revise the French Constitution. Whether the group’s students are in for a lesson in architecture, history or politics is anybody’s guess in place as rich in culture as this.
We head back to Paris and are let loose to explore the city on our own. This was the chance to step into the world we had only viewed from the windows of our bus hours before, or an adventurous opportunity to find even more destinations for the group’s students. When it was time for dînner, our Tour Director gives us a varied list of restaurants to choose from.
We had taken Paris by storm, but by now it was time to make our way back to the hotel. As we retire to our rooms, there is a feeling of nostalgia among the group. We have just spent our Saturday night in the company of very new friends in a city far from home—but no one is ready to see it end. It’s this kind of wanderlust and leadership that prepares you to take the leap into the unknown—and come out the other end with a new appreciation for the world around you.
Check out our other France blog posts here.
