A Home away from Home in Auteuil

Vendredi, le 13 juin.

Thanks to AirBNB, I'm spending my first week in France not in a cheap hotel or sketchy hostel, but in a beautiful apartment in the 16th arrondissement. (Note: Paris, like many other French cities, is divided into 20 numbered "arrondissements" that divide the city in a spiral pattern. The Parisian neighborhoods that you hear so much about -- like Montmartre or Le Marais -- are often smaller, but usually follow the divisions of the arrondissements.)

The apartment is located on Rue de Rémusat, a tree-lined residential street across from the Pont Mirabeau, which crosses the Seine in the southwest corner of Paris. (A more precise location is marked on my Summer Research map, which you can find here.) I snapped these photos of the walk "home" the other day! The picture on the left is a block down the street. The picture on the right is the view, looking up from the entrance to the building.

The inside is just as beautiful as you would imagine: an old-fashioned Haussmann style building with parquet floors, crown molding, and big windows that open onto the street and an enclosed courtyard. My room has a bed, nightstand, and a place to keep my clothes ... all I could need for a short stay!

The family with whom I am staying has quite the real estate business: in addition to their two grown daughters, they constantly have between one and three guests staying in their fourth floor apartment! At the moment, however, I am the only guest. (I think. To be honest, I'm not really sure ... I keep to myself!) I have access to a kitchen and lovely bathroom and although the WiFi (pronounced "weefee" here) access is not great, I can't complain about the value.

My favorite part of the whole thing is the stairwell that leads from the entrance up to the apartment. The wrought iron banister couldn't be fancier and it feels like I've had a special red carpet rolled out just for me!

The apartment, which is in la seizième, is more specifically located in the neighborhood of Auteuil. Along with the surrounding neighborhoods of Neuilly and Passy, Auteuil is among the richest areas of Paris. As a result, it's highly residential: the metro station is packed with serious commuters, not excited tourists. It might not be a popular tourist destination, but it is a great place to stay: quiet, safe, and within reasonable distance of Paris' most important sights. Just the other night, I was able to walk to the Jardins de Trocadero to eat my dinner across from the Eiffel Tower! (See photos from that outing here.)

Scroll down for some more photos of this lovely Parisian neighborhood.

A Day of Why Nots

Jeudi, le 12 juin.

As I wrote in my journal this evening, today was a day full of "why not?"s. (Yes, I have a journal. And yes, I have remembered to write it in for the past three days now.) Why not do this? Why not do that? Why not go there or stop there or walk just a little further to get there? 

I was on my way this morning from the apartment I'm staying at to the seventh arrondissement ... so why not get off a few metro stops early and catch some sun on the Champ de Mars?

The last time I was there, Molly and I were rushed to take our obligatory tourist photos and didn't really get a chance to just sit around and enjoy all the other visitors. I loved watching the people that passed by: French schoolkids on class field trips, Parisians on their lunch breaks, and -- of course -- hordes of camera-clutching, sneaker-clad tourists. I sat on the grass, kicked off my shoes, and scribbled a little in my journal before surreptitiously snapping some photos.

On my way out of the Champ de Mars, I stopped to photograph a sign. There was a small group in front of it, carefully reading. As I waited behind them, my camera ready, the woman in charge approached me. "Pardon Madame, vous voulez un photo?" She let me go ahead and take my picture, explaining apologetically in French that she was translating the sign for her class of anglophones. Why ruin the fun and tell her that I was an English speaker as well? I just nodded and went on my way.

My actual destination was another iconic Parisian landmark ... recognize that beautiful gold roof?!

That's right, the Hôtel des Invalides. Built by Louis XIV in the 17th century to house wounded and aged soldiers (and to prove that France could build a church with a dome as fancy as St. Peter's Basilica), it is still home to the Institution Nationale des Invalides, which provides services for disabled war veterans.

The complex consists of several buildings, all surrounding a central courtyard -- the cour d'honneur. The covered archways lining the courtyard are peppered with souvenirs of France's military past, including old tanks and cannons.

In addition to the souvenirs on display, the building also houses France's Musée de l'Armée. I peeked around a few of the exhibits, which included lots of swords, paintings, and Napeoleon's favorite horse (stuffed since the 1800s ... yuck!), but spent most of my time in the contemporary department, which focuses on the development of the French army from 1871 to to 1945. You can read more about the Musée des Deux Guerres Mondiales here (link coming soon).

 

 

Despite its many other roles, les Invalides has become most famous as the emperor Napoleon's final resting place. He was entombed under its huge baroque dome in 1870, several decades after his death in exile. The tombeau de Napoleon is but one of several tombs located in the vaults; several centuries of French military leaders (including Marshal Leclerc and the guy who penned the French national anthem) are also entombed there. And if already visiting the other museums at les Invalides, why not stop by and say hello to Napoleon himself?
 

 

I didn't have any particular plans after my adventures at les Invalides, so I decided to head back to the apartment I'm staying at and recharge. But when the weather is THIS beautiful and grass is THIS comfortable ... why not stop and have a picnic?

I grabbed some snacks and sat for a while on the Esplanade des Invalides, watching the increasingly heavy traffic pass by as afternoon turned to evening. It was kind of funny to think of what a rush these people were in, hurrying to get home or to the airport, while the sunbathers and picnickers on the esplanade seemed to have all the time in the world.
 

 

Unfortunately, I couldn't stay on the esplanade forever ... so I packed up my bags and headed back to the apartment. Well, sort of. I passed one metro stop and then another, eventually ending up at the Passerelle de Solférino, a pedestrian bridge just across from the Musée d'Orsay.

 

 

On the way, I was asked for help by exactly three different people: an American couple looking for a metro stop, an Australian woman whose husband was comically relieved to hear that the museum they were looking for had probably already closed, and a Spanish-speaking man who just wanted to get on the next train to the Eiffel Tower. Although it was my first time in the area and I had next to no idea where I was going, it just so happened that I knew juuust enough to answer all of their questions. And. It. Was. Glorious.

I got back to my apartment, ready to never walk again after my afternoon full of adventures. But all the tourists floating around Invalides and the banks of the Seine had put me in the mood to explore, so I decided to pack up my dinner and go visit the Eiffel Tower. (Again.) Luckily, it's semi-close to the apartment I'm staying in ... and when you've already walked so far in one day, pourquoi pas add a couple more miles to the daily total? Besides, two miles is a small price to pay when it means eating dinner with this view!
 

 

Now I am in bed. Can't quite feel my toes, but I think it was worth it. Quelle belle journee!

Museum Tour: le Mémorial du maréchal Leclerc de Hauteclocque et de la Libération de Paris AND le Musée Jean Moulin

Today I visited the smallest museum with the longest name -- le Mémorial du maréchal Leclerc de Hauteclocque et de la Libération de Paris AND le Musée Jean Moulin.

The two museums, though located in the same building, are technically separate entitities because of the differing origins of the money used to build them. According to the official website, "These two museums explain and relate the history of the French Resistance and of the Liberation of Paris through the destinies of two exceptional men : Marshal Leclerc and Jean Moulin." Both museums were opened in 1994 in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the liberation of France and the end of World War II. (It's interesting -- but unsurprising -- to note that 1994 was a big peak year in the construction of WWII museums and memorials.) 

Mémorial du maréchal Leclerc de Hauteclocque et de la Libération de Paris

Located on the left, the Mémorial du maréchal Leclerc de Hauteclocque et de la Libération de Paris focuses primarily on the life of one of France's most celebrated military heroes, Marshal Leclerc, as well as his role in the 1944 liberation of Paris.

So who is this Leclerc fellow after all? Although he's a household name in France to this day, I found that I didn't know much about this famous war general. For example, HIS NAME. That's right. HIS NAME IS NOT LECLERC. Rather, he was born Philippe de Hauteclocque, the son of a French aristocrat. It was only until he left for England to fight with the Free French Forces that he adopted the nom de guerre of Leclerc, in an effort to protect his family. Leclerc quickly rose through the ranks, commanding soldiers in Africa before coming back to France to participate in the liberations of Paris and Strasbourg. He died in a plane crash in 1947 and posthumously received the title of Maréchal de France.

You can read more about Marshal Leclerc on the museum's official website ... if you read French. If you don't, you might do well to check out his Wikipedia page!

 

Musée Jean Moulin

Located on the other side of the building, the Musée Jean Moulin provides visitors with information about the French Resistance as well as its most famous wartime hero. If you've been to any French town, you've seen the name "Jean Moulin" -- most likely in the form of a street sign. In Montpellier, it is Grande-Rue Jean Moulin. In Paris, it is Avenue Jean Moulin. In Lyon, it is a school -- the Université Jean Moulin. So, in the words of the guy sitting next to me in the train station, "... mais c'est qui, Jean Moulin?"

Jean Moulin was born in Beziers, a small city just outside of Montpellier, to a family that had no idea their son was about to become the most b.a. of resistants. A member of the French civil service, Moulin famously attempted to commit suicide, preferring to slit his own throat with a shard of glass than to sign a false document and cooperate with the Nazis. In 1941, he joined the French Resistance, travelling first to London to meet with Charles de Gaulle and returning later to France. (Via parachute. In the mountains. In the middle of January.) While in Lyon in 1943, he was captured and tortured by the Gestapo. He later died while in transit to Germany.

Si vous cherchez plus d'information sur Jean Moulin, regardez le site-web officiel du musée ici. Otherwise, check out this BBC History article!

The photo above was taken in the permanent exhibit. On one side is Jean Moulin's military uniform; on the other, the street clothes he would have worn in clandestine work. I found this clear association of the Resistance with military service to be interesting.

Also noteworthy? The museum organization itself. A chronological exhibit running around the entire room traced the actions of the French Resistance alongside those of the Germans and the French collaborators. I found this decision to be an interesting one. On one hand, the constant association of resistants and collabos prevents visitors from focusing solely on the romantic idea of the Resistance. Alongside anti-German articles from underground newspapers, visitors find images of collaboration and propoganda. (The examples in the photo below encourage French citizens to "come work in Germany" and cooperate with the Occupation.)

However, the decision also had the opposite effect of mitigating, if not entirely trivializing, the reality of French collaboration. I was struck by the heading in the photo below, which reads: "1940: Beginning of the collaboration, birth of the Resistance." The trend continued throughout the exhibit, always countering one negative point about the Vichy Government with a positive remark about the actions of the French Resistance.

 

I also really enjoyed the museum's current temporary exhibit, which provides a more in-depth look at the life of Jean Moulin through his artwork. I had no idea that this famous hero of the French Resistance was also a cartoonist ... and a pretty good one at that!

The museum contains artifacts collected and preserved by friends and family of Jean Moulin, including his false papers and personal sketches as well as documents produced by the Resistance under his command. (See the full explanation in French here.)

Je suis arrivée!

Mardi, le 10 juin.

I'm finally here: safe and sound and (most importantly) in Paris! I'm staying in an AirBNB in Autueil, a very nice residential neighborhood in the southwest section of the city, and only have to walk a few minutes for a wonderful view of le Tour Eiffel. Spirits are high, but energy (and wifi access) is low ... so you'll have to stay tuned for more in the days to come.

Additionally, if you're trying to contact me, please note that I can receive basically all communication (including texts, emails, Facebook messages, and carrier pigeons) but may not be able to respond right away. So if you're worried or wondering, the chances are that I got your message, but just haven't had a chance to reply!!

"So why are you going to France again?"

Monday, June 2.

In exactly one week, I'll be on my way to the airport to start the first leg in another six weeks of adventures in France. I know, I can't believe it either ... but I've been back in the United States for over five months now, so I figure it's time my passport got some use.

Throughout the past couple of months, I haven't had a lot of time to talk (or blog ... whoops) about my summer research. I obviously appreciate any and everyone who has shown even the slightest bit of interest in my upcoming travels, but the "So why are you going to France again?" question got old pretty quickly ... mostly because I didn't have an answer! I wrote proposal when I submitted my scholarship application back in October, but the entire project has been undergoing a massive transformation since last fall. The general themes of the project have stayed the same, but most of my ideas have evolved or changed. If you asked me even a month ago what exactly I was researching or where I'd be going to do it, I wouldn't have been able to tell you.

Of course, with my trip is less than 10 days away, I do have a couple more details. Keep reading to learn about what, why, and where I will be researching over the next two months!

Why I'm Going
When it comes to spending a summer travelling through Europe, "why?" is much more of a "why not?" (As in "Well Elisabeth, WHY NOT spend six weeks of your summer in France?") So when people ask me why I'm going back to France, I have a feeling what they really want to know is how. (As in "So Elisabeth, HOW are you paying for those six weeks in France?") As you can read here, my summer adventures are the happy result of two generous scholarships: the Upperclassman Monroe Project research grant and the McCormack-Reboussin Scholarship. In addition to covering my travel and research expenses, these scholarships will also contribute to tuition for my senior year! I know that this opportunity would have been unthinkable without the financial support of both of these resources, so I'm very grateful.

Short answer: Every year, William & Mary French Department sponsors one student to travel to a French-speaking country and conduct research for an honors thesis ... and this year, that student is me!

What I'm Researching
My honors thesis was always going to be about post-World War II France. I've been fascinated by the topic since middle school and my freshman Monroe Project only helped to further convince me that memory of the war was what I wanted to study. The project description that I submitted back in October proposed an analysis of WWII monuments in France, but during discussions with my project advisor, I realized the topic wasn't quite right. Instead of monuments, I decided to look at war museums. As it is currently planned, my research will examine the institution of the World War II museum in France. In my research, I hope to examine the complex mechanics of collective memory through a study of French museums dedicated to WWII. My research will be particularly focused on the role of the museum in the evolution of what has come to be known by many as the “Resistance Myth,” which posits that a romanticized idea of the French Resistance as a national movement was perpetuated by French leaders at the end of the war in an attempt to unify a nation in crisis. Through a study of collective memory and war museum, my research will examine the endurance, eventual discrediting, repositioning, and current status of this Resistance Myth. My working thesis is that there is a direct relationship between the breakdown of French collective memory relative to the Resistance Myth that occurred in the 1970s and the proliferation of French WWII museums erected in the 1980s. My research will endeavor to prove this and to uncover the exact nature of this connection.

If you didn't make it all the way through the entirety of my project proposal, here's the short answer: I'm studying the history of World War II museums in France and what they reveal about how the French people view the war itself.

Where I'm Going
I'll be in France for just under six weeks, the beginning and tail end of which will be spent in Paris. When I'm not in the capital, I'll be travelling: spending time in Lyon, Bordeaux, and La Rochelle and taking day trips to other cities like Grenoble and Caen. These cities were picked after a lot of research because they're all home to important WWII museums, like Le Musée de la Résistance et de la Déportation in Grenoble and Le Bunker de La Rochelle. The map below shows all the places I'm going to be; I'll update you soon with a more detailed itinerary!



I'm not certain how I feel about it (my primary emotions are excitement and total panic), but I do know that this trip has been a long time coming. In fact, it's been over a year since I first started thinking about going abroad to research an honors thesis. So why does it feel like it's all snuck up on me so quickly?!