The young candidates’ fiery faith, their thirst to surpass themselves, their dreams of conquest and their discipline as Seminarists, were enlivened by a humoristic spirit ot good-companionship, which helped them fight off any moments of fear or hesitation, and the sadness of having left their families behind for good.

They practiced Theater, played various pranks, organized sports events in the Meudon Park and « pétanque  bowling » contests in the Seminary garden, before learning how to smoke the pipe or letting their beards grow. Later, they were nicknamed « the Rue du Bac tramps », because they did not tie their belts as well-behaved clerics would and because, above all, under their short soutanes, the bottom of their trousers were visible. The very wise and serious Seminarist from Poitiers, Augustin Bourry, who was later assassinated in Tibet in 1854, described the surprise but also the adaptative facility of our young recrutes in this quite unique environment:

« Whoever would want to come there and not do anything, nothing could be easier; he will be able to complete his year’s studies without arousing any suspicion, provided he does not disturb anyone around him, because noone meddles with your studies anymore than if you never had to undertake any. Classes are given without any concern as to whether you attend them or not. All that is supervised is your outer behavior, which is usually the best you could wish for. Sadness is forever banned from this place. If one day you allow any sign of sadness to appear on your face, and a director notices it, he will go towards you immediately, and you will return from your meeting as glad as if all you had ever experienced in life was happiness and joy.
As far as house ceremonies and religious services are concerned, everyone carries them out without distinction, from the priest all the way to those who have not been tonsured yet, each according to his power. Everyone here is free to walk wherever they may wish, to chat, to go and visit their neighbors, etc. in a nutshell only one thing is required, i.e. to follow the general exercises; and yet it is still possible to miss one or two, without any difficulty.

As far as practical life is concerned, since something must also be said about this, nowhere could you be better fed; everything is freely available; and often our meals are even luxurious, at least on Sundays and Holidays. Looking at our table, you would definitely not believe that here are Missionaries who are preparing to undergo privations of all kinds and endless in number. But what can you do, the intention here is to fatten the victims, to send them off to butchery. Ah! So we are not picky, we get used to it still rather easily » (Augustin Bourry to Mr. Ménard, July 28, 1851).