Introduction

Throughout middle and high school, I studied the French language, or should I say, I was forced to study a language and chose French. After six years of French classes, I felt I had made the right choice. Not that I enjoyed writing papers in French or anything, but I did enjoy learning about French culture and understanding a small amount of French.

This summer, I had the chance to visit France for a short time. Normandy and Paris were some of my favorite places. It was nice to finally be able to use the little bit of French I’d spent so long learning, and I can’t wait to go back.

Food

The food in France is incredible, the bread especially. All the food is so fresh, even in convenience stores, and there seems to be a bakery around every corner. While there, I had a chicken sandwich from a bakery, and it was quite honestly the best lunch I’ve ever had and the object for which I’ve spent the better part of the last six months searching for. The French are also well known for their pastries, and for good reason. My favorite pastry thought was the macrons. On the street, they were super expensive, but in bakeries and supermarkets, they were dirt cheap and always made for a good snack.

Culture

While it’s a common understanding in America, or should I say a commonplace, that French people are incredibly rude, I found this to be very untrue. All the French people I met were very kind and helpful, and I wasn’t even trying to speak French! The entire atmosphere also just seemed very relaxed, and people were generally happy. I remember seeing people lining the river Seine at sunset, drinking wine, and talking to friends.

Architecture

The architecture, especially in Paris, is stunning. Paris is full of impressive structures, from the Arc de Triomphe to the Eifel Tower to the Louvre. These pieces are massive and make you realize how small you are. The Louvre alone takes up an entire city block, and you could spend an entire day walking through it and still not see everything. Thanks to Napoleon’s rebuilding of the city in the 19th century, Paris has a unique feel to any other city as all the buildings are built in a similar style and aren’t very high, making the city feel less daunting.