A year ago: Lourdes Day 1

France 10 day previous update


April 1, 2011


Last night we left Gaming right after our classes ended and headed for Paris (our stops included Salzburg and Munich). We (Regina, Katie, Julie, Jeanine, Marianne, and I) had tons of fun-- especially in the 6 person compartment--when we were playing games. Our overnight train was from Munich to Paris and 3 of us were separated, but it worked out. It's super nice when when you can lay down and sleep on two seats. We also ran into Helen and Matt. Fortunately we found Helen's Eurrail that she left on the train.

The house that I think Regina
or Katie wanted to live in.

Julie, Me, Katie, and Regina
in our compartment.

Playing "Honey I Love You" on the train...

And so, we set off to explore Paris-- the one place I've always wanted to visit.


We began with Mass (in French!) at the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal (the bodies of Ste. Louise de Marillac and Ste. Catherine Laboure are there) and then walked down the street to see St. Vincent de Paul. When we walked in to this church, someone was playing the organ and we were able to go up right in front of his body by climbing the stairs behind the altar.

Shrine of the Miraculous Medal

St. Vincent de Paul's.

After praying there for a bit, we stopped in a epicerie and bought some delicious bread for lunch. Then we went to the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe for some pictures.

Does this one really need a caption?

This is probably my favorite picture! It was April Fools' Day
when we were in Paris, so I decided that it would be appropriate
to participate in the French custom of putting fish on people's backs.
It's a good thing that I know this innocent tourist!

Me by the Eiffel Tower. If you look closely in the
background, you'll see King Tut!

Then we went to Notre Dame at 3pm for the Veneration of the Crown of Thorns. The line was long to get in and to venerate. It started at 3pm and we weren't done until 4:40pm! But it was some good prayer time before we were able to venerate the Crown, which was in a class/plastic box/ holder.

Notre Dame de Paris!

Then we ran into Joe and Joey and went to a cafe and had crepes (mine was chocolate and coconut). (And they spoke to me in English when I spoke to them in French-- sad day!) Then we went to the Louvre and saw the Mona Lisa (and ran into Casey), Venus de Milo, and some French painting, some of which were very familiar to me from classes I've been in.

Me at the Louvre!

Katie, Jeanine, and me taking a break in the Louvre-- finally!!

Me and Casey in the Louvre!

Then we made our way to Sacre Coeur to stay with the sisters-- and I was finally able to use my French to first find out where the entry was and to help interpret when we were checking in. They had beds for us and our roommates were all Franciscan women-- yay! We had our holy hour at 11pm which was in the main Basilica.

Me in front of the Sacre Coeur