Michigan Wolverines in Paris: Day 1-Plus
4/27/2018 4:29:00 PM | Football, Features
The University of Michigan football team boarded two flights on Thursday (April 26) for the eight-hour trip to Paris, France. The players were able to decompress after finals by listening to music, watching movies or sleeping during the overseas flights.
Michigan touched down in Paris late morning and everyone's first order of business was to check to see what happened during the first round of the NFL Draft, which everyone missed due to the flight times. After going through customs and collecting their luggage, the Wolverines headed for a light breakfast and the opportunity to freshen up before a bus tour around the city.
Paris, here come the Wolverines! #BonjourBlue pic.twitter.com/XrrXxcddiL
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) April 27, 2018
The buses made two stops along in its path from to the team hotel, stopping first at the Trocadero with amazing views of the Eiffel Tower from 1:35-2:15 p.m.
ESPN's Marty Smith and crew met up with the Wolverines and conducted interviews with players and coaches Jim and Jack Harbaugh about the expectations they had for the experience around France. Jack talked to Marty about Jim's desire to have these team trips: "Jim wants to put the college back in college football and felt that trips like Rome and Paris were educational opportunities where you get the opportunity to learn in that culture. Not all learning isn't done in a classroom."
After leaving Trocadero, the buses headed to the Arc de Triomphe at the end of the Champs Elysees for site seeing and photos. The Wolverines walked the streets for about 45 minutes until 3:15 p.m. before heading to the hotel. Both groups checked into the hotel and had some downtime in their rooms prior to a travel party meeting and an introduction to the Anthony Travel Group that assisted with the Paris plans.
The Wolverines headed to dinner at Café de la Paix, a restaurant across from the Pace de l'Opera in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Everyone enjoyed a traditional French meal before turning in after the first day in Paris.
#BonjourBlue
Michigan's Marty Party has hit Paris.
— ESPN CollegeFootball (@ESPNCFB) April 27, 2018
All bets are off. pic.twitter.com/FlFkJm7keS
