Where France and Germany Meet 8: Paris October 2012 Road Scholar

Paris: A Very Short Sketch

Our Road Scholar group spent two days in Paris. We stayed in a lovely small hotel called Villa Montparnasse.

On October 10, under the leadership of our local guide Brad, we focused on the central areas of Paris that were occupied by the Germans during the Second World War. This deepened our understanding of the idea "Where France and Germany meet". In the afternoon, we visited the Louvre, the world's most visited museum. The Louvre began as a fortress in the 12th century and was expanded by the French monarchs over 600 years. Today, as an art gallery and museum, it contains nearly 35,000 objects. 

On October 11, we were led through some of the fascinating medieval parts of Paris by our excellent tour manager and guide Karin. This included many parts of the Île de la Cité and featured Notre Dame Cathedral. In the afternoon, most of our group did some individual shopping. This was followed by both a cruise on the Seine and a city lights tour by coach.

This collection of photos is a random selection. The images were selected to give a small flavour of our Paris experience.

Street scene - taken from the balcony of our room in the Villa Montparnasse

Near Place Clemenceau, we learned about Charles de Gaulle and the Liberation of Paris in 1944.

Mounted police ensure the calm at Place Clemenceau.

Front entrance to the Presidential Palace

When I waved to this silent and motionless guard, he winked at me!

Hotel de la Marine on the Place de la Concorde: photo taken from near the place where the guillotine was used to behead Queen Marie Antoinette.

Near the Jeu de Paume

Walking past storefronts in the area, we noticed this watch retailing for 101,300 Euros!

Joan of Arc is a national heroine.

Gerry is admiring the inverted pyramid in the centre of the Louvre.

Mercury, messenger of the gods

Ceiling in the Louvre

Detail of ceiling

One of the most celebrated sculptures in the world, the Winged Victory of Samothrace is a 2nd century BC marble sculpture of the Greek goddess Nike (Victory).

Another ceiling in the Louvre

Detail

The Venus de Milo, created in the 2nd century BC, is believed to depict Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty.

Our group walked around the subterranean base of the old fortress of the Louvre.

The beautiful clock on the north-west corner of the Conciergerie has been newly refurbished.

The City Hall is on the right bank of the Seine.

Our guide Karin explains the twenty arrondisementes (districts) that make up Paris - using a pink snail postcard!

Near the medieval home of Héloïse and Abelard

Back side of  Notre Dame

Permanently locked padlocks declaring the love of many partners

Helen posing for Gerry in the gardens behind Notre Dame

I am fascinated by the flying buttresses of medieval Notre Dame - complete with gargoyles to carry away the rainfall.

Carvings on the front of Notre Dame - St. Denis was beheaded but rode his horse many miles while carrying his head

The Kings of France hold an important position on the front of Notre Dame.

Be careful - Satan is everywhere!

Notre Dame rose window

Detail of architectural highlights at Notre Dame

Our Parisian river cruise gave us a different view of many of the sights.

Paris is famous for its bridges.

We sailed past the statue of Charlemagne, the ninth century ruler who gave rise to the French-German conflict by dividing his kingdom among his three sons.

The Eiffel Tower, built of iron lattice work, was constructed as the entrance arch to the World's Fair of 1889.

View from the river Seine

Another view from the Seine

Gustav Eiffel engraved the names of 72 French scientists, engineers, and notables on his tower.

Fittingly, the last photo in the collection, nest-ce pas?

Where France and Germany Meet 7: October 2012 Road Scholar

7. Battle of Verdun and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive

This posting features photos taken on our last afternoon and evening on the Ste Odîle, and on our coach trip on October 9 from Saarbrücken through France to Paris. The central theme is World War I battle sites, but ironically this collection also includes photos from our final gala dinner held onboard the ship.

On the afternoon of October 8, we prepared for our October 9 coach tour with an onboard lecture/discussion on two battles in World War I. The Battle of Verdun was fought between the armies of France and Germany from February to December 1916. It was the longest and one of the most devastating battles in the First World War with casualties numbering between 700,000 and 976,000. The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, also called the Battle of the Argonne Forest, was fought from September to November 1918 between the allied forces of France and the United States on one side and Germany on the other. This battle was part of the larger "grand offensive" which resulted in the Armistice of November 11, 1918.

On the morning of October 9, we visited the Douaumont Ossuary which is a memorial to the soldiers of the Battle of Verdun and is located within the battlefield. At lunchtime, we ate in a small village at the Hotel Belleville. In the afternoon, we visited the American Meuse-Argonne Cemetery and Memorial.

In the Ste Odîle dining room, our seminar group has pencils ready to learn about the two World War I battles.

Peter explains the Allied offensive of 1918 through the Argonne Forest - the area where we will travel on the next day.

Lou is settling down for a discussion.

Gerry is ready to make a strong point in the discussion.

Later that evening, we enjoyed a gala dinner starting with duck foie gras, caramel with calvados and brioche roll.

Liberal quantities of red and white wine for our last dinner onboard

The Douaumont Ossuary contains the remains of both French and German soldiers, killed in the Battle of Verdun 1916.

Towns represented in the battle were named in plaques over the window openings.

There were no Canadian regiments in this battle (they were farther north). But I was interested to see the Ottawa plaque.

We travelled to the Hotel Bellevue in a small village for lunch. This staircase across the street made for a good photograph..

Tanemi, Allan, Sally, and Cathy are ready to eat.

Lou, Elaine, Glory, and Susan are waiting patiently for the photographers to finish.

Frank, DeAnne, Jack, Gerry, and Helen are ready to eat.

Peter, Sandi, and Peg smile for the camera.

The hotel has an interesting staircase.

The Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial is breath-taking.

Headstones are either the Star of David or a Latin cross. Headstones of Medal of Honour recipients are inscribed in gold.

The placement of the headstones made the experience very dramatic.

I was quite taken by the headstone of the Private from Ohio who was killed one day before the Armistice.

I think the Memorial is appropriately classic and stark.

The map shows the advance/retreat of the battle in the fall of 1918.

The Memorial Loggia (east and west) show the names of 954 missing soldiers.