Introduction
I spent 4th of July weekend traveling to our friend’s wedding in the French countryside. Along the way, we passed through Paris the week before the Olympic torch was lit, and it was striking to see the modern marketing plastered overtop buildings dating back to the 17th century.
Naturally, I had my camera with me. So I’ve compiled a handful of my favorite images from both Paris and the Marne region, where we spent a couple champagne-filled days.
Pre-Olympic Paris
A women enjoys one of France’s most beloved pastimes in Paris the week before the Olympics.
I always appreciate the Olympics. As a former amateur athlete, I can’t help but be inspired. It goes beyond the athletic feats, though.
There aren’t many forums where you can exude nationalistic pride while also existing in peace alongside other nations in their quest for the same shiny goals. I love watching the camaraderie between athletes. I cry and laugh alongside them when they win and lose. I associate the emotions of this event because I’m aware that I am witnessing the physical manifestation of a lifelong commitment to their craft.
A glimpse inside Paris Gare du Nord (North train station).
Paris was covered in signs like these ones outside Gare de l’Est (East train station).
At the time of publishing, the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games are drawing to a close. With that, we have another 2 years until the Winter Olympics and another 4 years until some of our summer athletes return to the global stage. As us mere mortals tune back in to our regular TV and movies, the athletes we have watched and dissected and ridiculed and celebrated will return to their strict regiments.
For as briefly as I was in Paris, a curiosity was embedded in me. I look forward to visiting again, and hopefully for at least a week because there is just so much to do!
Marne, France
The Champagne Route spans 700 km through the Marne, Aube, and Aisne departments of France. Along eight scenic trails, you'll witness stunning views, charming “communes”, historic monasteries/churches, and grand châteaux.
From Paris Gare de l’Est (East train station), we journeyed to Reims where we rented a car and headed to Marne. Marne, France, is named after the river that flows through it. As you’ll see, this region is stunning.
Part of our drive took us along the Champagne Route, which spans 700 km through the Marne, Aube, and Aisne departments. Since the Champagne Region is a popular vacation spot, I braced for a bunch of tourism and traffic. But I was pleasantly surprised…
A scene from rural Marne, France.
In reality, Dave and I experienced long stretches of windy country roads punctuated by little towns. We saw a handful of bikers and fewer cars during the long stretches, while the “city” sections were 1-2 minutes of tight cornering around tiny “communes.” Communes are comparable to civil townships here in the United States.
I found this road trip pacing to be ideal. By the time I started to zone out amid the redundant countryside, we would hit a town that jolted us back to being alert. It was the perfect combination of relaxing and exciting.
Givry-lès-Loisy is a commune in the Marne department of north-eastern France. The 2021 census reported 72 residents.
Starting in Reims, which was the closest town with a train station, it took about an hour to reach our friend’s hometown of Givry-lès-Loisy. We all stayed in an AirBnB up the road from her mother’s house.
This commune was tiny, and I mean tiny. For the 2021 census, the reported population was 72 people. TOTAL! The population density was reported as 14 people per square kilometer.
After a restful afternoon of lounging about, we shared a dinner of quiches with her family, which her grandmother made for us by hand. Then we settled in for the night because we needed a proper rest before our first French wedding celebration.
French Wedding Traditions
This was my first French wedding and, boy, was it a night I’ll never forget. The celebration started around 5 pm and we finally fell into bed at 4 am. The couple comprised an American man and a French woman, and it was interesting to see how they blended traditions from both their cultures to create something uniquely their own.
The day started off with a civil ceremony at the local town hall (called a “mairie” in French). We then mingled at a small cocktail reception (called a “vin d'honneur”), which lasted a couple hours. After that, we caravanned through the region honking our horns the whole way. This tradition is called “La Noce” and symbolizes the journey the bride makes from her single life at her family’s home to her new life as a married woman. All the townspeople ran outside to cheer us on. We saw locals waving from their balconies and little kids running alongside the caravan. I couldn’t contain my joyful laughter.
During “La Noce” we caravanned from the ceremony to the reception, honking our horns the whole way.
Once we got to the reception hall, we were served a four- or five-course meal (I genuinely can’t remember) with dancing breaks between each of the courses. The family and waitstaff made sure everyone’s champagne glasses stayed full. Each guest must’ve had at least two bottles of champagne each by the end of the night.
At around 3 am, we drove back to the bride’s commune to cap off the night with onion soup made by her grandmother. This tradition, called “La Soupe a l’Oignon (Onion Soup),“ takes place towards the end of the night/early hours of the morning after a wedding. It’s meant to help you regain some energy after an emotional day filled with hours of dancing. Apparently, it can aid in preventing a hangover, too.
Notably, before we got the soup we had to drink a concotion of champagne, chocolate, and I don’t know what else from a communal cup shaped like - and I’m sorry to say this - a woman’s bottom. I’ve read that in some regions of France the communal cup is shaped like a toilet bowl. Either way, the point of this tradition (called “La Soupe”) is to represent the importance of maintaining humor, resilience, and unity in the face of the unpredictable moments that no married couple can avoid.
Dave and I partook in both La Soupe and La Soupe a l’Oignon. So there we were at 4 am, sitting in a kitchen in a tiny French commune, sharing a bowl of warm soup with cheese and croutons after drinking from an unsavory-looking cup.
My stomach was bursting from all the food and laughs.
Dave and I said goodnight at 4 am, with the sun rising as we walked back to our AirBnB.
Conclusion
Safe to say that my first French wedding was a success! This day was truly joyful and exhausting in the best of ways. I’m so happy for my friends, especially the bride who no longer lives in France. It was wonderful to see her reconnect and mingle with her loved ones.
Plus, as a wedding photographer, I’ve attended my fair share of weddings. It was refreshing and exciting to experience one that was different in almost ever way to what I’m used to. There were moments where I was confused and, I’ll admit, hesitant.
However, I appreciated the humbling experience of being thrust into the unknown. After submitting to my total lack of control, I came out grateful. And I promise you, embracing moments like these is always worth it in the end.