Many people know that the Statue of Liberty, or Liberty Enlightening the World (her actual name FYI!), was a gift from the French to help the USA celebrate its Centennial. But not many people also know that the USA returned the favor a few years later with a gift to commemorate the French Centennial: a petite version of this famous statue.
During my years as a New York Tour1 guide, I visited the Statue of Liberty hundreds of times and I would ask my guests if they could figure out why Lady Liberty is facing away from the city. Of course we could say it was because she welcomed immigrants to the New World once upon a time in America. But there is another reason. She is facing her sister across the Atlantic Ocean. Her little French sister. And I would add that this little French sister is facing her and is waving back. Today, as a guide for Paris Tour1, I am super excited to tell this same story and to share that this petite Lady Liberty is calling out “Bonjour!” to her much bigger, and slightly older American sister.
Added Bonus: Here’s how you get a group photo with Lady Liberty in background.
