In the early months of 1968, France was faced with unrest and demonstrations that brought the country to its knees. Both students and workers took to the streets in protest of the outdated socio-economic policies that governed France. President Charles de Gaulle described it stating that "our country is on the edge of paralysis. Facing ourselves and facing the world […] Otherwise we will drift through civil war to the most odious and ruinous adventures and usurpations." These demonstrations reached their climax in May with the most violent outbursts from students and workers which were followed by the calling of an election and the settling of the country.

This walking tour examines the events that transpired in Paris through May 1968. The primary focus of the tour will be the demonstrations and violence regarding mainly the students of Paris but mentioning the involvement of other Frenchmen. Throughout the tour, participants will be able to follow the path that many students and others took throughout their protests, riots and demonstrations. As participants travel through the city they will gain an understanding of the perspective of the students as they gathered, protested and rioted through the streets of Paris, as well as the opinions of counter-protesters who were in support of the government. Due to the locations of some prominent universities such as Sorbonne and the École des Beaux Arts (or the National School of Fine Art) the majority of the tour takes place in the Latin Quarter of Paris.

This tour will begin at the Lion of Belfort statue in Place Denfert-Rochereau. It is at this statue that students gathered before marching and rioting through the Latin Quarter on May 10th, also known as the 'Night of Barricades'. Tourists will travel a similar route from the Lion of Belfort to the University of Sorbonne in the Latin Quarter of the city. It was at the University of Sorbonne that students from Sorbonne and Nanterre occupied the university and held meetings. From Sorbonne, participants will explore the surrounding streets of the Latin Quarter where the riots of the 'Night of Barricades', one of the most famous and most violent demonstrations took place on the night of May 10-11. From here, tourists will travel to the National School of Fine Art where students produced posters that merged art with propaganda. Next tourists will journey to L'Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile where both students and workers gathered on May 24 and violently protested as a response to de Gaulle's broadcast earlier that day. Finally participants will wander down the Av. des Champs-Élysées where on May 30th thousands of Parisians gathered to demonstrate support for President de Gaulle.

On this tour, we will visit the following sites:

Lion de Belfort: http://www.guidetags.com/mindmaps/explore/hist-3p55/3669-lion-de-belfort

Sorbonne University: http://www.guidetags.com/mindmaps/explore/hist-3p55/3602-sorbonne-university

Latin Quarter: http://www.guidetags.com/mindmaps/explore/hist-3p55/3661-latin-quarter

Ecole des Beaux-Arts: http://www.guidetags.com/mindmaps/explore/hist-3p55/3671-ecole-des-beaux-arts

Arc de Triomphe: http://www.guidetags.com/mindmaps/explore/hist-3p55/3673-arc-de-triomphe-etoile

Champs-Elsyees; http://www.guidetags.com/mindmaps/explore/hist-3p55/3674-avenue-de-champs-elysees

The Goals of this Tour:

• Understand the grievances and reasons behind the student uprising
• See and examine the inability of the government to quell the events of May 1968 and the overreaction and brutality of the police forces.
• Explore how students and workers brought France to an economic halt and the effect it had on the people of France.