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Religious Diversity in Paris

Three things I was able to experience during my time in Paris were attending a Roman Catholic Mass, visiting a mosque, and touring the immigration museum. All three were extremely different encounters, however, each helped me to better understand French culture as a whole.

The first place I visited was St. Eustache for a Catholic Mass. I am not religious and have never attended something like this so to experience it on such a large scale was incredible. I did not realize how much singing takes place during service even from the father himself which was actually quite enjoyable. The architecture was gorgeous and made my time there feel almost otherworldly.

Next, we visited the mosque and learned a lot from our tour guide. He was extremely knowledgeable and engaging to talk to. The way they decorated their building was extraordinary and I was surprised to learn they do not include imagery in their art as to not pray for false idols. Rather, art includes a lot of geometric shapes and is very intricate. I loved their incorporation of the garden and natural life. I think it makes perfect sense to surround a place of worship with their Gods creation.

Lastly, we toured the immigration museum which had a shockingly dark past. The history was extremely racist in the way France portrayed themselves as superior and the center of all places. There was basically a sense of France being a “savior” type country while others needed their help and guidance to get by. While the place is definitely controversial, I am definitely glad it still stands as a way to learn and grow from past mistakes.

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Musée National Eugène Delacroix Continued

One thing I found of particular interest was an original painted sketch of ‘Liberty Leading the People’ which I was fortunate enough to see a week prior in the Louvre.

If one is interested in visiting this lovely place, it is recommended but not required that you book a slot. The museum is open from Wednesday to Monday from 9:30am to 11:30am and then again from 1pm to 5:30pm. It is closed on the 1st of January and on the 25th of December. Admission costs €7 but is free for people under 36, teachers, holders of the Louvre card or the Paris Museum Pass, and disabled civilians or victims of war. There are plenty of friendly employees there eager to help!

Overall, this is a place I would highly recommend to art and history lovers alike. Even if you are just interested in old homes or beautiful spaces you should check it out.

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Musée National Eugène Delacroix

Delacroix moved to Rue de Furstemberg in 1857 after giving up his previous studio on Rue Notre-Dame-de-Lorette. The reason for this change was the wish to be closer to his work and was happy to find a “bright and peaceful” apartment near the church he had been commissioned to decorate (Saint-Sulpice).

He often wrote in his journal about his home and once stated, “the view of my little garden and the cheerful appearance of my studio always make me happy” (Journal, December 28, 1857). Delacroix lived here until his death in 1864.

Delacroix’s former apartment was then turned into a museum called, L’Atelier Delacroix, in 1932. It was championed and supported by a group of painters, collectors, and curators who did not want Delacroix’s final place of creation being demolished. In 1971, his home and studio became a national museum and also was listed in the supplementary inventory of Historical Monuments in 1991.

The museum itself I thoroughly enjoyed because it was much smaller and more intimate than almost every other museum I’ve been to. You could definitely tell it had once been a home as there were personal elements such as original fireplaces that felt quite homey.

Visitors were able to meander freely throughout the small rooms and see his work such as sketches, paintings, and Delacroix’s original paint tables and palettes.

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Pere Lachaise Cemetery

Some people might think this macabre, but I think this cemetery might just be my favorite thing I have visited in all of Paris. I have grown up around cemeteries my whole life and have always found them to be a place of peace and comfort. This one, however, was so unbelievably beautiful and unique and I am thankful to have visited.

Pere Lachaise is an absolutely massive cemetery containing the tombs of celebrities, artists, and common folk alike. Some are almost shaped like steeples with a point and bear crosses and stained glass, others are plain and deteriorating on the ground barely visible. While some might find it sad to see so many broken and forgotten graves, I think there is a sort of strange beauty to the work time has done to them.

One tomb that I was particularly interested in finding, was the leader of The Doors, Jim Morrison’s. While the trek to his place of rest was not short, it was not hard to find as the closer I got, I was able to smell weed being smoked by some of his visitors. There was even a baggie thrown onto his grave in remembrance. I was immediately struck by just how small and unassuming his tomb was. Nothing big or fancy, no markers leading one to it, and common people buried all around him. However, visitors have still found a way to make it special by covering the surrounding gates in rock ‘n’ roll stickers, leaving pictures, flowers, and CDs, as well as covering a nearby tree in chewed up gum (not quite sure what that is about).

All in all, this was a beautiful visit and a place I would like to come back to as I know there is no way I saw everything I would like to see. I would recommend this cemetery for anyone and everyone as it was both gorgeous and strangely comforting. I hope to be back soon!

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Square of Saint-Jacques Tower

This square was created in 1856 by Jean Charles Alphand. It is located along the Rue de Rivoli and at the foot of Tour Saint-Jacques (or Saint-Jacques Tower). While the tower is absolutely stunning, the square has a bit of a dark past. In 1855, poet Gerard de Nerval (1808-1855), was found hanging from a railing. The square was then erected and completed with a bronze medallion in 1859 honoring the lost artist.

Today this square is visited by locals and tourists alike to relax, admire the tower, or to remember Gerard. There are lots of benches for rest, reading, and contemplation as well as it being a very short and pleasant walk.

I experienced this space on a rainy day which was actually quite pleasant as the trees protected me from a lot of the droplets. It was calming and a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of the city streets right outside its gates. The Tour Saint-Jacques was a breathtaking work of architecture and there were pigeon friends galore! All in all this was a lovely break from city madness and a beautiful space I would recommend to any nature, architecture, or pigeon lover.

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One of the most original and largest green spaces in Paris, Buttes-Chaumont was constructed atop a quarry which gives the park a hilly atmosphere with breathtaking views of the Capital and Montmartre district. This jardin is home to many caves, waterfalls, bridges, exotic trees, birds, and an artificial lake. It was opened in 1867 during the regime of Napoleon III, “it was built according to plans by Jean-Charles Adolphe Alphand, who created all the major parks demanded by the Emperor.”

Alphand decided this park was a necessary build as the site used to only be a bare hill due to the chemical composition of the soil named Chauve-mont. This park also used to display the bodies of those hanged for crimes, a refuse dump, a location used to cut up and dispose of horse carcasses, and a depository for sewage.

While Buttes-Chaumont had a less than beautiful past, Baron Hausseman chose it as the spot for, “the site of a new public park for the recreation and pleasure of the rapidly growing population of the new 19th and 20th arrondissements of Paris.”

The garden today serves Parisian locals as well as visitors like me. While there I experienced many couples, families, and individuals leisurely strolling, exercising, walking dogs, picnicking, or drinking at one of the cafes within the park. The atmosphere was very inviting and casual so I was not surprised to see so many people enjoying their evening there. It is definitely a place I would like to go back and explore more or maybe pack a picnic!

I experienced this garden on the most beautiful yet cool day (my favorite) with another classmate. We took the metro and got off about a block away so I didn’t see it at first. The neighborhood it is located in is gorgeous and when I was finally able to see the park itself I could not believe it. I could not stop talking about how lucky the locals are to have such a place so close by. It felt very open and I saw many people there of different ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds. I did not at all feel as though I wasn’t supposed to be there which made it an enjoyable public space for me. I was so surprised that it is in such an urban area yet as soon as you step through the gates you no longer feel you are in a big city. Buttes-Chaumont feels like it’s own little escape and the fact that we walked across the street to eat after and could still take it all in and people watch just made it that much cooler!