Aero: Brent Roberts – France 2018 – City Life
Aero: Brent Roberts – France 2018 – City Life
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Brent Roberts
City life in France was fairly different than in the U.S. However, it shares many similarities. City life is generally faster-paced and more aggressive than life in rural areas. There are homeless people and beggars scattered everywhere and people usually don’t speak to one-another very often while getting around. Drivers constantly honk at each other. There is retail and food service around every corner vying for supremacy. However, there are differences to be noted.
The short amount of time I spent in Paris was fast-paced and intense. I hardly had time to process what I’d seen before we were moving onto the next attraction. Much of the city is like a work of art. The buildings are old-fashioned and very intricate in their architecture. Wherever there was construction, they used artistic coverings on the scaffolding which conveys a deep appreciation of the beauty of their city. The buildings are mostly smaller and more compact, and are much shorter than buildings in U.S. cities. Vendors lay scattered along the Seine and cafes are everywhere.
Their train system was efficient and convenient. We used it frequently; however, we relied mostly on walking as our form of transportation. Many of the locals rely on motorbikes as a convenient form of transportation. The beggars seemed much more determined. Some played music and sang to try to win your appreciation. Others used children or signs about their families to try to win your sympathy. Tourists were also very common, likely because most of the areas we visited were primary attractions.
I spent most of my time in Vitré. Vitré is a medieval city that still retains much of its original architecture. It has a large castle in the center which dominates the scenery. It is much smaller and calmer than Paris. The people were friendlier, and tourists and beggars were hardly common. The roads are small and there isn’t much traffic. The back-roads and alleyways were the true spectacle. They contain the oldest and most original structures, many of which are overgrown with ivy and look beautiful.
We also visited Rennes, a city located in north-western France. It falls somewhere between Paris and Vitré in terms of atmosphere. The structures are similar to those in Paris. Many of the roads are cobbled. Walking these roads while visiting the shops was really fun. There were also many bars and foreign-food services scattered everywhere.
Overall, I’d say that anywhere you go in the world your likely to find that cities share many similarities. However, there are differences to be found. These include architecture, transportation, and the people that inhabit them. The people of France seem to prefer beauty over efficiency unlike those in the U.S. This shows in the designs of their cities and the attitudes of the people in them.
Brent Roberts
Study Abroad – France 2018 @ FLCC
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(Click here to browse the entire FLCC @ France 2018 Gallery!)
