Paris is a city adorned with grand architectural marvels and opulence. The city's dazzling charm is enhanced by the romantic ambiance of cobblestone streets, scenic bridges, and enchanting neighborhoods. As you saunter through the Parisian streets, you breathe in the delightful, tantalizing scent of fresh pastries permeating the air and you think to yourself, “Wow, isn’t Paris lovely.”

You obviously can’t go to Paris without visiting the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Arc de Triomphe (just to name a few). I have loved being a tourist in this marvelous city but being a bookpacker has unlocked an entirely different experience of Paris in my eyes.

We have been mapping our way through Paris, walking in the footsteps of the characters in Les Misérables and unpacking their complex narratives. But today we would not be venturing above ground and instead descending below the surface to the Musée des Égouts de Paris: The Paris Museum of Sewers.

The sewers serve as a powerful backdrop for the climax of Les Misérables when Jean Valjean heroically rescues wounded Marius from the barricades and enters the sewers in order to flee from the authorities. The sewers contrast sharply with the city's more prominent and opulent areas and serve to represent the stark realities of poverty and inequality. Hugo metaphorically utilizes the sewers as a space for characters like Jean Valjean to undergo this personal journey of transformation and emerge from darkness to light.

But before continuing to describe Jean Valjean’s valiant story, Hugo goes on a tangent (like he always does) diving into the history of the Paris sewer system. In about 20 pages, Hugo provides details of the construction and layout of the Paris sewers, and how they have evolved over the years. Reading this fascinating chapter provided me a rough understanding of the treacherous journey Jean Valjean had to take, but going down and walking through the various tunnels and channels helped me empathize with Jean Valjean and recognize his true determination and resilience.

As all 16 of us plunged down into the sewers to trace Jean Valjean’s expedition, I tried activating my five senses to fully immerse myself in the experience. When you first walk into the Musée des Égouts de Paris, you are presented with a captivating timelapse of the evolution of the Paris sewers. Watching the sewers advance over time combined with the history Hugo provides in the novel helped me discern how utterly fascinating and complex these sewers really are.

The further I ventured through the sewers the stronger the smell got: it was truly nauseating. There were a couple of times where I gagged and had to hold my jacket over my nose to mask the pungent smell.

But then I thought back to Jean Valjean.

He not only had to navigate these odorous smells, but had to walk waist-deep through these filthy waters while carrying a heavy body over his shoulders. In complete darkness, he ventured into the sewers knowing there was a possibility of drowning or getting trapped in the “belly of the monster” (1147).

I could envision Jean Valjean dripping with sweat, trudging along in his boots with his clothes sopping wet. I tried stepping inside the mind of Jean Valjean and contemplating what I would do if I were him. My mind would be racing with anxious thoughts, and I would feel so lost and hopeless in the dark, cold sewers. However, I think the power of love would drive me to do everything I can to save a person I deeply care about, just like Jean Valjean did.

Jean Valjean’s love for Cosette enables him to navigate the complex sewer system and find a way out of the darkness to save Cosette’s husband Marius. While reading Les Misérables, I knew Jean Valjean loved Cosette greatly, however being down in the sewers to witness first-hand how challenging and extreme the conditions were showed me the extent of his love and determination. My admiration for Jean Valjean’s selflessness and resilience grew tremendously after this experience.

Seeing the Paris sewers was one of the most memorable and unique moments during my bookpacking journey. What I have loved about bookpacking is that it has allowed me to be at the forefront of the story and understand what my characters are seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling and tasting. Physically being down in the sewers to experience a small chunk of what Jean Valjean experienced allowed me to empathize with him more deeply. There is something so incredible about immersing oneself in the place a character inhibits compared to just reading about their experience!