Study abroad in France - Day 7: views from the Seine

by Allison Hussey, senior, business management

On an hour-long cruise in the heart of Paris, we enjoyed Paris’s most famous monuments and beautiful architecture. The Seine River is 483 miles long and flows entirely in France. The river is very navigable and supplies Paris with over 50 percent of its water. The best parts of Paris’s history can be seen from the Seine. The Grand and Petit Palais, the Louvre, and of course, the Eiffel Tower were my favorite parts of the cruise. Seeing these monuments from a boat on the river is breathtaking and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The architecture of the buildings in Paris and the hundred-year-old bridges we passed under were unforgettable. My favorite bridge was Point Neuf, and it’s the oldest standing bridge along the Seine River, dating back to 1578. It has beautiful archways and amazing detail work. Another beautiful bridge that was very popular among the students was the Pont Alexandre III. This bridge has beautiful gold detailing and is easy on the eyes.

The architecture of the buildings along the Seine captured our attention. Paris is the birthplace of the Gothic style and has important monuments of the French Renaissance. The Grand Palais is a great example of Paris’s finest architecture, with over one hundred pillars, thousands of small details, and hand-carved statues along the entrance. Even the buildings inhabited by residents of Paris are made with thought and detail to make sure everything in the city is pleasing to the eye. An interesting fact we found out on the cruise is while renovations are being done to buildings along the Seine, a drop sheet of what the building is supposed to look like is put up to preserve the look of the building.

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