The Deportation Memorial

November 2: Well-hidden near the southeast tip of the island containing Notre Dame, was the Memorial to the Martyrs of the Deportation. Created in 1962, this modern monument remembers the 200,000 Jews who were deported from France to the Nazi death camps in World War II. The descent into pits of concrete, occasionally propped up with bars and sculptures of black iron effectively evoked the horror of becoming a prisoner, while 200,000 lighted crystals represent the souls that once lit up the world.

They only allow a few people in at one time, so visitors receive the full impact of the event. Avoid coming from 12 to 2 P.M. when the memorial closes for lunch. Look for makeshift pieces of paper with English translations near some of the French sayings, such as "Forgive but never forget."