Paris, Day 4: City Sightseeing Tour and Angélina

Originally published on January 11, 2014, this blog post series is an undergraduate short-term study abroad trip in Paris, France in partnership with Salve Regina University and AIFS Abroad. The blog post may have been edited for clarity and updated with relevant travel information and links.

On Day 4, our professor took us to three different cathédrales: Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre, the only Roman-style church left in Paris; St. Severin, a Gothic-style cathedral; and Saint German des Près, another Gothic-style cathedral. For the sake of easy identification, I have described each cathédrale in one specific style, but in actuality, each one is made up of a mix of various different architectural styles because of invasions and wars over the centuries.

The oldest tree in Paris is in front of Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre

Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre

St. Severin

St. Germain des Près

After class and lunch, we went on a sightseeing bus tour of Paris with Cityrama. Some of us managed to sit in front of the double-decker bus, on the second level. I won’t really bother going into detail about the tour, since it’s just more interesting to look at the pictures…

When we were looking for a place to eat lunch, we came across this goat. As small as this goat is, it’s not a baby goat–unless I misunderstood the owner’s explanation, she uses the goat to make dairy products… Now that’s fresh food.

My first croque monsieur in Paris

We started facing the Opéra

I think this was a part of a palace Napoléan wanted to build, but ran out of funds, so the only trace of it is this pillar…

La Comédie Française

The Louvre. It started to rain during the tour, hence the Impressionist looking photo

I forget what this is… There’s a carrousel in front of it that’s not in the picture if that’s interesting…

… The Panthéon? Clearly I didn’t pay attention enough …

… No idea. At least it’s easy to identify it as un cathédrale …

Les Deux Magots is one of the three main ex-pat cafés in Paris. Located on Boulevard St. Germain (?), Hemingway, Wilde, etc. would often come to the café for drinks and discussions

I don’t remember the specific name of this plaza and the fountains, but the obelisk on the far right is a gift from Egypt. It’s amazing how it was transferred up the Nile River, up the Seine, then placed in the square.

Les Champs-Elysées and L’Arc de Triomphe

The Louis Vuitton flagship on Champs Elysée

*It figures that I can remember a luxury store, but not important historical French monuments that I’ll be studying…

Yes, I know what this is…

A view of Le Grand Palais et Le Petit Palais. There’s a Cartier exhibit in the Grand Palais I want to visit.

I remembered reading in Paris My Sweet about Angélina and her famous hot chocolate, so naturally when one of our group study abroad advisors suggested us to go there after the tour, I was very determined to go. When we arrived at Angélina on Rue de Rivoli, we didn’t have to wait that long for a table. I don’t think it’s uncommon for people to go to Angélina just for a cup of chocolat chaud and not an entire meal.

If you identify yourself as a chocoholic, you must order the hot chocolate. Once the chocolate touches your lips, you will never forget its light, silky, luxurious taste. It might be impossible to find a better hot chocolate anywhere else.