A Night at Versailles I Will Never Forget

There are trips one remembers because of where they went. There are others one remembers because of who was there, what was said, what was seen, and how it all seemed to gather itself into a single unforgettable moment. In 1984, I was fortunate to be part of a group of approximately 600 supporters of Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards who traveled to Paris for what can only be described as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

It was not simply a political trip. It was not merely a sightseeing excursion. It was Louisiana crossing the Atlantic and being welcomed into France with a sense of ceremony, history, hospitality, and grandeur that felt almost impossible to fully absorb in the moment. We were traveling with a governor who, whatever one’s political opinions, had a remarkable capacity to fill a room, command attention, and make those around him feel they were part of something larger than themselves. Alongside him were Louisiana officials, Frenc...