Aero: Brent Roberts – France 2018 – History and Culture

Posted by LEAF Architect on Friday, September 14, 2018 · Leave a Comment

Aero: Brent Roberts – France 2018 – History and Culture

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Brent Roberts

History and culture go hand in hand in France. The history is in their artistic style and vice-versa. It’s prominently displayed in their architecture, ranging from medieval castles to gothic cathedrals and Roman ruins. Their architecture and landmarks display a culture rich with royalty and strife. We got to see much of it in our visit. I visited the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, The Louvre, Mont St. Michel, Chateau Fougeres, the Pantheon, and even Omaha Beach. All these destinations portrayed France’s history as well as its culture.

France goes far to maintain their historically-significant landmarks. They’re constantly restoring their structures of their time-worn damage. Their cultural preference seems to be repurposing old and ancient ones over building newer more modern structures for day-to-day use. Paris is around 2,000 years old, and they’ve kept most of the buildings for basic housing and business use. Whereas, in America it’s not uncommon for buildings to be demolished or refurbished for the purpose of maintaining a more modern design.

My visit to Notre-Dame was incredible. It was a massive church with astounding gothic architecture. The frontal exterior consisted of two giant bell towers, a large and intricate rose window, statues which represented the kings of Judah lining the façade, and intricate carvings all around. around the sides and back were large gothic half arches, and there was a large spire jutting out of the center of the top. I really appreciated the interior. The gothic ceiling, stained glass, large pillars, moody lighting, and sheer scale of it creates an awesome atmosphere. As a person who loves dark medieval fantasy themed stuff, this resonated well with me.

We spent an entire day in Normandy. While there, we visited the D-Day beaches and Mont St. Michel. My only complaint was that we weren’t able to stay longer. Standing on the beaches where hundreds of soldiers lost their lives so that the Allied forces could gain a footing against the Nazi regiment, there was really a deep feeling of significance. There were craters from Allied bombardment everywhere and battle-scarred bunkers lining the sea wall. The Normandy American Cemetery was vast and gave a hint of the scale and difficulty of Operation Overlord.

Mont St. Michel, a large castle-city situated on an island mountain, was spectacular. We walked through narrow medieval streets which were lined with shops and restaurants. We climbed countless steps to reach the cathedral at the top. From the cathedral courtyard we were presented with a gorgeous vista. You could see for miles in every direction. Our tour through the cathedral was fairly linear; however, it was very in-depth and scenic. I would’ve like to visit all the different medieval shops and maybe pick up dinner here; however, we ran short on time and had to leave long before I was satisfied.

Most of my experience in France was with history. However, I think that their culture is not only defined, but also portrayed by this history. Millenniums of war and monumental architecture are the core what France is today. They have maintained their home and flourished through all of the hardships that have come their way. Their gorgeous landmarks and structures stand tall and proud amidst the settling clouds of strife. They have a sense of beauty, persistence, and pride in their history that is unrivaled.

Brent Roberts
Study Abroad – France 2018 @ FLCC

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