Scavenger Hunt at the Louvre

The beginning of the adventure.
In front of the Pont-Neuf, opposite Samaritaine, there are many participants as well as the five guides. A little more than about twenty people are present and the guides (Elodie, Vanessa, Orphée, Elodie and Brice) which are all students in Tourism, each transform into the head coach of a team. Everyone is in a good mood despite the cold, and Michele, arriving already cold from Quebec, says: "Usually I am not good at this kind of game!” She exclaims while laughing, “but today this allows me to really benefit from the district.” The teams are formed, coach by coach, with a head of the team and a French-speaking person who also joins to ensure good comprehension of everything. Once the small groups are formed, the presentations begin. A questionnaire with about 23 steps and questions is distributed and the competitors flip through it in order to answer the questions as quickly as possible.

The teams are formed at the exit of the métro.

The joy of solving a riddle...

For Darya, a young American student, "winning is not the most important thing. I also came here to discover!" As the groups disperse according to their progression, some have already arrived at the church of St Germain l'Auxerrois, an architectural wonder of Gothic style, in particular you can find a typtic marial of the 16th century which is also the object of one of the questions. Paola, a 24 year old Italian student, is very motivated, just like Yasmine, a 22 year old Palestinian student who is in the same group. For Yasmine, who studies French literature, this game is not simply for entertainment: "I prefer to learn the History that is more alive,” she explains.

"Your mission, if you accept it..."

"Welcome to the district of the Louvre!", announces the first page of the questionnaire, which also states the rules of the game: certain questions are worth one point, others two, but if a coach helps, then no point will be allotted for the question! It is a little after 2:30 and we have until 4:30 to answer all the questions. Ania is motivated to participate : "I wanted to go,” explains the 22 year old young Polish student. “I already visited other places like Notre-Dame and I wanted to see the Louvre district today." The first riddle relates to the Pont-Neuf; it is a question of identifying a famous French king whose statue is posed at the end of the bridge. The groups then rush out to do the research which could help them. Some of the team members are concentrating very hard and trying to go as quick as possible, others appreciate the beauty of the city while trying to help their partners.

Searching with the least amount of clues.

At the Pyramid...

The questions unravel and eventually come to the center part of the scavenger hunt: the Palace of the Louvre. The first point of obliged passage is the Square Court, in which King Louis XIV attended the stage performances, including those of Molière. Christophe, a French volunteer with the Club, gives many precise historic details. Other French students, like Yasmine (19 years old) is not in the same case: "I am Parisienne, but I do not know Paris" she jokes! The court which follows the Square Court is most symbolic: it is there that the famous Pyramid of glass stands. Constructed under François Mitterand and completed by the Chinese architect Ieoh Ming Pei, the pyramid was a subject of great controversy. It is a place which requires much reflection for the participants; they must find the exact number of rhombuses and triangles which make up the Pyramid. The legend tells us that it is a very symbolic number of 666... Sitting in front of the building to rest and reserve energy for the continuation of the rally, Hanno, a 22 year old German student, seems to appreciate the day: "It is very interesting,” he says, “and the coach is nice."

The good mood of the winners at Concorde.

...passing by the Tuileries...

In the face of the precision necessary for answering the questions and while seeing the numerous tourists provided with guides and folders, Rahnia, an old intern of the Club, declares with humor: "I would like to have the documents on the Louvre!" His reaction is normal, because the groups feel that they are all in over their heads trying to go as quickly as possible. But to win, it is not enough to arrive first, it is also necessary to answer the questions. The "triumphal door" of the Garden of Tuileries (or "Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel) seems to pose problems for some of the participants. Once the difficulty has passed, the splendor of the Garden of Tuileries is offered to the groups. This large corner of greenery in the center of Paris is registered on the list of heritages of the world of UNESCO and brings a little calmness to the Parisian life and gives a magnificent view to visitors. Indeed, they see Concorde; the meeting point for the end of the game. Some start to run, while others seek to answer the questions precisely. In spite of this friendly race, Paola remains under the charm: "I already made the course several times but it is always splendid."

...until the Obelisk.

Once upon a time in front of the Orangerie, the participants cross the bust of Le Notre, the landscape artist of the garden. They then found on the Place de la Concorde, well known for its Obelisk, directly imported from Egypt. Good moods are always there and the groups finish by exchanging their ideas and impressions. Michele is charmed: "It was very pleasant, I learned many things." Yfang, one of the Canadian compatriots of Michele, who however does not come from an area known for its extreme heat, complains while laughing: " France is not romantic because of the cold!" Zsofi, a 20 year old Hungarian woman, liked the concept of the scavenger hunt: "It is organized in a different manner than the visits.” It is now necessary to count the points to determine the winning team, and the groups decide to go into a small restaurant close to the Pompidou Center in order to drink a hot coffee and eat a tart. The coaches analyze meticulously the questionnaires and announce their verdict: it is Elodie’s team who has won! It’s however the same team who arrived last at the Place de la Concorde. The happy winners leave with a ticket to France’s Stadium, and everyone leaves happy after having spent a wonderful afternoon in good company.

The winning team smiles while showing off their prize