Honors
3990, Directed Study (1-3 credits), is open
to students by permission of the Humanities Program
Director. All students will complete pre-departure orientation
materials as well as a series of assignments and journal
entries while in Paris. Students who register for two
or three credits will select a topic, submit it for
approval, and do research both before and during the
trip. They will write a paper (length depends upon the
number of credits) upon their return.
Regardless of the number of credits for which a student
is enrolled, everyone participating in the Paris trip
will visit all the sites on the group’s itinerary.
Special arrangements can be made with the directors
of the trip, for the purpose of visiting sites more
relevant to topics for research papers.
Before the trip, you will complete orientation modules
on Blackboard: You will take a brief Knowledge Survey,
design a chronological chart that shows an overview
of French history, write a short essay related to the
chronological chart, fill out answers to two projects
to be done at the Detroit Institute of Arts, and complete
a checkup of architectural terms.
Depending upon how familiar you are with painting, sculpture,
and architecture, the orientation modules should take
a minimum of eight hours to complete. However, you should
do one or two a week, in order to allow yourself to
reflect upon and absorb the information.
As we leave Detroit, you will be given a journal to
be filled in during the trip. Some of it will be as
specific as following floor plans while you walk through
a church; some of it will be as open-ended as describing
what you personally observe about night life in Paris.
Also you will be issued a single-use camera and a list
of places (and types of places) to have yourself photographed
while in Paris. Both will be turned in on the return
flight.
If you are taking the course for two or three credits,
you will hand in an outline and bibliograpy before the
trip. You will work on your paper while we are in Paris,
as well as after our return., Directed Study (1-3 credits),
is open to students by permission of the Humanities
Program Director. All students will complete pre-departure
orientation materials as well as a series of assignments
and journal entries while in Paris. Students who register
for two or three credits will select a topic, submit
it for approval, and do research both before and during
the trip. They will write a paper (length depends upon
the number of credits) upon their return.
Regardless of the number of credits for which a student
is enrolled, everyone participating in the Paris trip
will visit all the sites on the group’s itinerary.
Special arrangements can be made with the directors
of the trip, for the purpose of visiting sites more
relevant to topics for research papers.
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Thursday,
March 6
Meet your class at the Detroit airport in the early
evening. Board your transatlantic flight bound for the
city of lights!
Friday, March 7
After checking into your hotel and grabbing a bite to
eat, hop onto the Métro for a trip to “where
it all began” — the Gothic style of architecture,
that is, at the dazzling Basilica of St. Denis, on the
outskirts of Paris. Study the architecture, and view
the tombs of centuries of kings of France (their final
resting place until Revolutionaries dumped their bodies
into nearby pits). After taking the Métro back
to the hotel for a brief rest, the group will have dinner
together at a nearby restaurant. Bon appétit!
Saturday, March 8
Begin this morning with a stunning view of Paris’
most famous structure, the Eiffel Tower, built for the
1889 World’s Fair. After taking pictures, board
a bateau for a cruise down the Seine River. You’ll
get a great overview of the city and catch a glimpse
of almost all of Paris’ famous sites. You’ll
make your way to the center of Paris for a tour of
the area, including the famed “Latin Quarter,”
the Cathedral of Notre Dame and the Sainte Chapelle,
by one of Paris’ best guides. From lunchtime on,
the time is yours. You can climb the steps of Notre
Dame for a gargoyle’s-eye view of Paris, visit
numerous medieval churches and museums, or the cell
in the prison where Marie Antoinette was held. You may
do some shopping in the posh Ile St.Louis or in the
trendy Latin Quarter. Visit Père Lachaise cemetery,
the final resting places of authors, poets, artists,
and musicians from Chopin to Jim Morrison. The possibilities
are endless.
Sunday, March 9
Wake up early and join a group of classmates on a tour
to Versailles, the hunting lodge-turned-palace by the
Sun King, Louis XIV. Enjoy lavishly decorated rooms,
exquisite gardens, and the little village built for
Marie Antoinette so that she could escape palace life
by pretending to be a milkmaid. Or, if you prefer, spend
a leisurely morning at your hotel or attend mass at
Notre Dame, and then visit Versailles in the afternoon.
Monday, March 10
This morning, visit the Louvre, a palace-turned-museum
that houses over 30,000 pieces of classical art from
all over the world. After viewing the Louvre’s
most famous piece, the Mona Lisa, and scores of other
Renaissance treasures, you may find yourself face to
face with Egyptian mummies or ancient Iraqi palace guards
carved in stone. Your class will view some pieces together,
and then you will have the rest of the day and evening
to get lost in the Louvre, to visit the World War II
Exhibit at Napoleon’s Tomb (required, but on your
own time), and to escape to one of Paris’ many
other attractions such as the Champs-Elysées,
the Arc de Triomphe, or Les Invalides. Come face-to-face
with hundreds of bones of Paris’ past nameless
residents by visiting the Catacombs. Or, if you’d
like a break from the norm, rent bikes in the Bois de
Boulogne and bike through ancient forests and past picturesque
lakes.
Tuesday, March 11
Today’s focus will be on Impressionist art. Begin
the day strolling along the narrow, cobblestone streets
of the Montmartre area. You’ll see many of the
Impressionists’ houses and old haunts. Spend
some time checking out the cheap souvenirs. After a
quick visit to the Dali museum or a leisurely lunch
in a local café, travel with the class to
the Musée d’Orsay, which picks up where
the Louvre leaves off. Enjoy the architecture of this
fantastic museum, which was once a train station, along
with treasures by Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas, van Gogh,
Cézanne, Gaugin, and others. The rest of
the day is yours to enjoy on your own, at the museum
or elsewhere.
Wednesday, March 12
Begin the day viewing the sites in the Marais district,
a swamp transformed into the most coveted residential
area for 17th-century Parisian aristocrats. See Victor
Hugo’s home, and enjoy a pastry (or two!) from
one of the many local bakeries. Walk through time as
you visit the Hotel Carnavalet, each room representing
a different period in French History. Spend the early
afternoon surrounded by Europe’s greatest collection
of Modern art in the Pompidou Center. Finish the time
together with a trip to La Défense, where you
can view ultra-modern architecture. The rest of the
afternoon is yours—you may choose to visit another
museum, such as the Picasso Museum or the Rodin Museum,
or work on your individual project.
Thursday, March 13
Today is yours. You may wish to join an optional excursion
to Normandy to see World War II memorials,or the famous
Bayeux Tapestry. You may want to take train to Auvers-sur-Oise
to visit Van Gogh’s haunts, which were inspirations
for some of his paintings, or you may simply choose
to relax and work on your project.
Friday, March 14
Travel via train to Chartres, a picturesque French village
overshadowed by Chartres Cathdral, arguably Europe’s
best example of Gothic architecture. After an enlightening
tour, have lunch in one of the local restaurants before
catching your train back to Paris. The remainder of
the day is yours to visit your favorite places one last
time, and to say your goodbyes to one of the world’s
most enchanting cities.
Saturday, March 15
After breakfast, travel to the airport and catch your
flight back to Detroit.
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