Paris: Academia

Our trip to Paris wasn't just about visiting museums and monuments, eating great food, and taking in the sights and sounds of the city, but was also meant to be an opportunity for Joe to further develop his French (via daily, three hour classes). But, with Paris having a long history in academia, including the study of theology, there were several areas that offered a nice juxtoposition of these dual purposes for our visit.


The Latin Quarter, nearby to the Institut Catholique (where Joe was studying), is home to many institutions of higher education. At the heart of this district is the Sorbonne. Originially, this was the heart of the University of Paris argued to have been the first university in the world having been established in the 1100s. In 1970, however, the University of Paris came to an end and 13 separate universities were established (each centred on a particular field of study).


Today, the Sorbonne holds offices of some notable people, including Jean-Luc Marion. While you have likely not heard of Monsieur Marion, he is renowned in our household as Joe has studied him extensively and is a big fan. So, you can imagine his surprise when, as we were walking in front of the Sorbonne one afternoon, Professor Marion happened to also be out strolling. Had you seen Joe, you would have thought Brad Pitt was walking down the street--after debating a few moments, Joe approached him and they spoke briefly. It was truly a highlight of the day, if not the trip (at least for Joe). I, sadly, didn't get a picture (I thought that might be weird) but it's definitely an image I'll have in my head forever.


The Sorbonne is a beautiful building, though you apparently cannot tour inside. We did, however, enjoy several hours walking around visitng bookstores and finding fun little streets. Among Joe's favorite streets were:

Another favorite philosopher

Another common name in our home

We found a great philosophy book store, just at the bottom of the steps of the Sorbonne. The books were in English and French and provided Joe with a prime place to peruse and dream!

Ian and Joe outside the Philosophy Bookstore

We also visited a great English (as in the language) bookshop, just off the Seine, near the Latin Quarter: Shakespeare and Company. This is a fabulous bookshop, if not for their selection for the really unique atmosphere. It's a small shop piled floor to ceiling with new and used books (all mixed together). On the second floor, there are a couple of beds, workspaces and even a piano randomly scattered. Apparently, if you are an aspiring writer working on a piece, you can live here free in exchange for a few hours labor each day. Loved it! There was also a great terrace out front where you could sit and read (and eat, and talk, and smoke, and drink and play music, and listen).

Shakespeare and Company