Today, the class awoke at the crack of dawn to visit the Rungis International Marche. Rungis Marche is located in Paris of the southern suburbs and is currently the largest wholesale food market in the world. Our tour guide was an in informative and inviting woman named Natalie. Before venturing out on our tour she gave us a few outstanding fun facts on Rungis. Each year Rungis Marche receives over three billion euros a year in revenue. Incredible business! There are five different types of categories of the market including Fish, Meats, Dairy, Florals and Fruits/Vegetables which is the most lucrative and largest in space having eight warehouses dedicated to their category alone.

What I found especially interesting is how early and quick the buying and selling happens between purveyors and customers. For the fish warehouse activity begins in the middle of the night at 2am and ends 6am way before most of us wake up in the morning for our day. In many businesses the early bird gets the worm and here at Rungis Marche the motto is no different. Buyers coming from all over France whether from restaurants, bakeries, supermarkets trying their best to be the first ones at the door to get the freshest ingredients, best deals and widest selections.

In my experience I enjoyed the visit. I was able to see all the action and work that goes into food before it is served on a plate in front of me.  I will open a restaurant or catering service of some sort in the future and this information is great to have. In the market, my senses were alive. For the first time I was smelling truly ripe, fragrant raspberries and seeing super shiny, completely clear eyed catches of the day. It was a positive, insightful, experience. Who knows, one day I will come back buying produce, meats and cheeses for my very own eatery and I can use all the cool tips and knowledge I gained today.

Today was our second Monday at Paris and the first time we had a weekend here. For our first weekend off I think everybody was on time and ready to start the week off with positive energy. Our first tour was at Mamie Burger. It was so much more than what everybody expected it to look like. The places is beautiful and is decorated in a way that makes you feel at home. Mamie Burger has 5 restaurants in Paris and the owner is very young. What impressed me the most was how young the owner was and how ambitious he is. It feels great to see how young people in Paris can be very successful if they work for it. our tour in Mamie Burger was very welcoming and descriptive. Some also had lunch at the restaurant afterwards. I hope the owner continues to strive and reach his goals.

The second tour we had today was to a restaurant called Chartier. Chartier is one of the oldest restaurants in Paris. It was made by two brothers and is a family business. Chartier has a lot of clientele and is fairly priced. In my opinion Mamie Burger was better looking and If I had to go to any of them I would choose Mamie Burger.

Today is June 7th, the fifth day in Paris. We took the RER to Chantilly-Gouvieux and walked to Hotel Auberge Du Jeu De Paume. We took a tour of the hotel; we went to visit the classic rooms, deluxe rooms, and presidential rooms. The rooms were surprisingly expensive, ranging from 650 Euros to 6000 Euros per night.  At the end of the tour, the staff provided us with juice, Chantilly and puff pastries. The hotel was built for people who come to Chantilly for the Chateau. The Chateau was full of original painting and other antiques; it was preserved very well. We also visited the Musee Du Cheval and saw some horses and ponies. This year will be the last year of the horse race in Hippodrome de Chantilly since the racecourse in Paris will be reopening. The race will take place during early October, and it will be attracting a lot of people.

Group Picture at Auberge Du Jeu Paume.

Enjoying the long walk to the hotel.

Chantilly at Chantilly 😉

The beautiful Chateau & Musee du Cheval.

Lunch with Prof. Warner, Michelle, Nagisa, Angela & carol.

June 8, Thursday
Unlike the norm, today was slightly different because our tour started later than the usual. Our first tour was a visit at Marriott Paris Opera Ambassador Hotel. It is located on 16 Boulevard Haussmann as we learned why. Baron Haussmann had a lot of influence to the changes and the beautification of Paris and as well as the avenue de l’Opera was created by him. We also learned that before the hotel were under construction it was once a total of 600 rooms, but now it has 298. There are 11 meeting rooms and the biggest one is called Le Lindbergh. Ambassador is a hotel that targets both the business groups and leisure travelers evenly. The hotel is a representation of modern and class. One of the most interesting information shared today was that the Marriott Brand hosts a network program from many other hotels worldwide.
Tour number two was about the group whom presented the Sacre Coeur. It is one of the most religious churches in Paris and the second tallest after the Eiffel Tower.The journey was fascinating because it was village completely different to what we’ve seen thus far, in my opinion. There is a huge amount of souvenir shops and small restaurants. I haven’t seen that many stores and restaurants in one place in all the previous tours, and the view at the top was nothing short of spectacular and surreal.

After the Sacre Coeur group presented, everyone decided to continue their journey of exploration and mine was amazing. I was able to grab a bite at a cafe called Le Cemi’s right at Monmarte. It was a steal because there were choices of a 16€ and 19 € prix fixe menu, and not to mention the food was good too. Soon after a delicious meal myself and other colleagues decided to tour the inside of the Sacre Coeur church, but on the way there we stumbled upon mesmerizing and soothing music played by men using the “hang”. While roaming the inside of the Sacre Coeur I was a bit emotional and highly appreciative  of the level of craftsmanship. It was a beauty to watch and also a blessing to physically experience every bit of it.

Below are some images taken…

Group picture in one of the meeting rooms at Marriott Paris Opera Ambassador Hotel

1. 

   A very cute hat boutique shop on our way to the Sacre- Coeur

   

   The outside of the Sacre-Coeur

2. 

   Ran into our Liaisons on St. Montmarte at Le Cami’s Cafe, so we joined them for lunch

3. 

   Never thought I would discover an instrument similar to my national instrument ” the steel pan “. It was very relaxing and soothing. It is called the “hung”

On this warm Saturday,

Everyone went there own ways to enjoy the warmth because the weather has been very unpredictable. Most days were either cold and/or rainy so you must carry your umbrella.

Some of my classmates enjoyed the day at Versailles.

While some others went to the Aquarium to pet the koi fish.

Colorful Koi fish.

More Koi fish.

On the other hand I decided to stay inside and get some work done. First thing I did was write all of my post cards and mail them out because they were due today. I also did my laundry, tried to be extra productive.

Mailbox in Paris.
Left side for local out going mail and right side for international outgoing mail.

Beautiful postcards I had bought when I went to visit the Sacre- Coeur for my walking tour. They were 12 for 2 Euros.

Then I went to the Intermarche to get some groceries to make some lunch and to have some things to eat breakfast during the week. I also took some time to familiarize myself with the neighborhood and made m personal itinerary for next week.

Even though I didn’t go out today my classmates sent me pictures and videos of their day and I felt lime I was there with them. I’m having a great time and I cant see what the next week has in store for us.

Today, on this lovely Friday of June 9th, the Thomas Ahrens International Study Program of 2017 has had the  amazing opportunity to travel to the region of Champagne to taste several Champagnes provided by Moet & Chandon located in and Champagne Geoffroy located in Epernay, France. The tours provided gave us students on how the fermentation process is made between old and new generations, the history and creators of the champagnes we drink today, the three grapes used to make the many types of Champagne and their importance to the beverage and the tastes and notes between the champagnes made within the brand.

The champagnes of Moet & Chandon

We also have been able to have a lovely view of all the Epernay from the roof of the Geoffroy winery. Being a student who personally has not had Wine & Beverage Management class yet, Having the firsthand opportunity to see the fermentation stages in Champagne and the importance of region, climate, and the types of vintage makes me very prepared as Hospitality Management major with knowledge, much like my other peers I have been able to experience this day with. Sante!

The view of Ay, France from the roof of the Champagne Geoffry Winery

The Rose and Expression Brut Champagne of Geoffroy Champagne

The turning crates during the fermentation process of Champagnes.

June 8, Thursday
Unlike the norm, today was slightly different because our tour started later than the usual. Our first tour was a visit at Marriott Paris Opera Ambassador Hotel. It is located on 16 Boulevard Haussmann as we learned why. Baron Haussmann had a lot of influence to the changes and the beautification of Paris and as well as the avenue de l’Opera was created by him. We also learned that before the hotel were under construction it was once a total of 600 rooms, but now it has 298. There are 11 meeting rooms and the biggest one is called Le Lindbergh. Ambassador is a hotel that targets both the business groups and leisure travelers evenly. The hotel is a representation of modern and class. One of the most interesting information shared today was that the Marriott Brand hosts a network program from many other hotels worldwide.
Tour number two was about the group whom presented the Sacre Coeur. It is one of the most religious churches in Paris and the second tallest after the Eiffel Tower.The journey was fascinating because it was village completely different to what we’ve seen thus far, in my opinion. There is a huge amount of souvenir shops and small restaurants. I haven’t seen that many stores and restaurants in one place in all the previous tours, and the view at the top was nothing short of spectacular and surreal.

After the Sacre Coeur group presented, everyone decided to continue their journey of exploration and mine was amazing. I was able to grab a bite at a cafe called Le Cemi’s right at Monmarte. It was a steal because there were choices of a 16€ and 19 € prix fixe menu, and not to mention the food was good too. Soon after a delicious meal myself and other colleagues decided to tour the inside of the Sacre Coeur church, but on the way there we stumbled upon mesmerizing and soothing music played by men using the “hang”. While roaming the inside of the Sacre Coeur I was a bit emotional and highly appreciative  of the level of craftsmanship. It was a beauty to watch and also a blessing to physically experience every bit of it.

Today is June 7th, the fifth day in Paris. We took the RER to Chantilly-Gouvieux and walked to Hotel Auberge Du Jeu De Paume. We took a tour of the hotel; we went to visit the classic rooms, deluxe rooms, and presidential rooms. The rooms were surprisingly expensive, ranging from 650 Euros to 6000 Euros per night.  At the end of the tour, the staff provided us with juice, Chantilly and puff pastries. The hotel was built for people who come to Chantilly for the Chateau. The Chateau was full of original painting and other antiques; it was preserved very well. We also visited the Musee Du Cheval and saw some horses and ponies. This year will be the last year of the horse race in Hippodrome de Chantilly since the racecourse in Paris will be reopening. The race will take place during early October, and it will be attracting a lot of people.

Group Pic at Auberge DuJeu De Paume

Chantilly

Bonjour à tous,

We have made it to our first weekday of our memorable three-week Paris experience. It is amazing to see how quickly everyone is adjusting to the customs and traditions of the French lifestyle. From walking through the city and seeing all of the notable landmarks and locations to interacting with local city residents, we are absorbing everything that this great city has to offer. However, the best thing to mention about this experience is that this is only our third day here. Our Parisian journey has only just begun and the events that we experienced today are prime examples of the rest of the unforgettable events that are yet to come.

This morning, we began our first set of walking tours that were conducted by our fellow classmates. The first destination that we visited was Le Musée d’Orsay. The team of Gabrielle, Tiffany, and Ambar did a fantastic job in describing the history and the exhibits of Le Musée d’Orsay. The brochures that the team provided were also very helpful in understanding the history and the exhibits even more. Even though we didn’t have the opportunity to go inside the museum, it was a worthwhile experience to see the amazing architecture of the building and the immaculate sculptures that were next to the building.

The second walking tour that was scheduled for today was at Le Cimetière du Père Lachaise. The team that conducted the tour of Le Cimetière du Père Lachaise consisted of Aya, Victoria, Hope, and me. It was an amazing experience guiding the group through this majestic location filled with immaculate tombstones and a peaceful ambience. Also, describing some of the notable people that are buried in the cemetery to the rest of the group, such as Edith Piaf and Oscar Wilde, was an educational and interesting experience for all of us. This memorable walking tour made us feel like professional tour guides.

To conclude this fantastic day in Paris, some of us decided to traverse the stairs of the famous Notre Dame Cathedral to take a glance of the view from above. After trekking the 400-stair climb, we were rewarded with a beautiful view of the entire city of Paris. From seeing the glistening water of the Seine to the tall Eiffel Tower, we knew that this was an amazing reward for our hard work. Finally, as a second reward for our efforts, we shared a fantastic meal at Le Petit Châtelet. The Suprême de Poulet au Jus that I ordered introduced an incredible savory flavor to my palate. This day was filled with new experiences that I thought was impossible to experience. I hope that tomorrow and the rest of our days here in Paris are filled with memories similar to this one. À bientôt!

The Eiffel Tower at Sunrise

Le Musée d’Orsay

Oscar Wilde’s grave

Notre Dame Cathedral and the Amazing View

The Suprême de Poulet au Jus