Today, we undertook a walking tour of Paris, where we experienced the many places that held high importance during both the American and French revolutions. To begin the day, we took off to meet our tour guide in front of the statue of Danton. We were informed about the significance of Danton to the revolution, and the location where his house once sat. Danton was one of the leaders of the revolution, and the statue itself was a representation of the speech he gave, where he encouraged the people to overthrow the government and utilize weapons to protect themselves from the force of the French government. It was marked with the most famous quotes from Georges Donton, such as “Audacity, more audacity, always audacity”.
After discussing the rich history behind the statue, we embarked on a short stroll to a small hidden walkway across the street, lined with its original cobblestone pathway. The passageway holds some of the richest history in the city, especially in regards to the revolutions of both countries. This is where we found one of the first shopping malls invented. The idea of shopping malls was not common at the time, as the poor were unable to afford shopping around, and the rich would have their clothes made for them personally and at their house. But this street was created to encourage those in different classes to go out and look for premade items in windows as well as visit cafes, all in one spot. We also learned that instead of window shopping, the French use the term Leche vitrine, which literally translates to window licking. On the street, there also lies the printing shop that was specifically used to spread news of the revolution. At this point, most everybody could read and was better educated than they had been in the past. This was the main way that news and ideas of a revolution were spread and allowed the idea to take off. As the street continued, we were able to visit the oldest café in the city. This was the place where many American revolutionaries, such as Jefferson, Adams, and Franklin, once gathered while visiting the city to gain support from the French to fight in the revolution. The café was the first place to launch coffee as an exotic drink for sale. Across from the café is a restaurant that still contains the original wall of one of the towers that once stood in the spot. The street was also home to many of the revolutionaries of the time, including the owner of the print shop and many other historical figures.
After leaving the passageway, the group wandered the streets of Paris along side our guide learning the rich history of various places, such as the University of Paris, the home of Marie Antoinette’s final letter to her children, the place in which the first American Bar was, the original Shakespeare and Company, and the home of Thomas Paine. We also learned about the place where the Tennis Court Oath took place. This happened on some of the original indoor tennis courts of Paris, in which a court was booked for a few hours until the King’s booking, which gave them only a couple of hours to pack the people into the court and plan out the French Revolution. Walking along, we were able to see some of the government buildings and view people protesting laws outside. We also got to see some of the ways the revolution was acting against royalty, such as building the metric system. The original measurement system was created by referencing the size of the King’s body parts, such as feet, fingertips, and more. To convert to a more stable system, they measured the distance between the poles and sized it accordingly, as well as posting examples on buildings around the city.
After we toured revolutionary Paris, we headed over to the Pantheon. The Pantheon is one of the most intricate and historically important locations within Paris. It is a monument that was used to honor St. Geneviève and her protection over the city of Paris. To this day, lining the walls are paintings of Genevieve through the years and her impact on the people. Now, the Pantheon is the final resting place of hundreds of influential individuals, including those of the resistance, scientists, writers, and more. Many of the individuals who are not buried within the monument are given an honor with their name around the crypt. The building models numerous different cultures and blends them, such as Italian, French, Latin, and more, to create the beautiful interior and honor of the structure itself. The outside of the building is lined with stone heads of the most influential people, as well as Latin around the interior and exterior.
Overall, today was one of the most informational and entertaining experiences thus far on our travels. It was wonderful to connect the writers and people that we had been discussing and researching with the events of history and places around Paris. Following our eventful day, I was left wanting to learn more about the city and its rich history, as well as excited to visit more historical places.