Lessons learned in Paris

Here's a link to a great article in the NY Times by an American correspondent who had lived in Paris for the last five years. He shares some of his ideas and lessons he's learned during those five years, including things like "Make Friends With a Good Butcher."



Take a look:
NY Times: A Guide to the French. Handle With Care.

French Studies Holiday Events

French Studies is putting on a few events in the next few weeks to celebrate the holidays. See details below and check the calender for other upcoming events.

French Studies Christmas Presentation
Thursday, December 6th
11:00 am
JFSB B002

French Choir Christmas Concert
Thursday, December 13th
6:00 pm
Varsity Theater (in the WILK)

So Many Activities

Looking for a cultural activity for your French course credit, or just looking for some extra French culture in your life? Check out the French Studies Calendar. There you will find a list of all scheduled French Studies activities including symposiums, club activities, and international cinema showings of French films.

To get to the French Studies Calendar simply click the "French Studies Calendar" link in the blog sidebar.

And remember to check this blog regularly for other activities!

Guest French Lecture: Jean-François Questin, Cultural Attaché

We will have the pleasure of hearing from Jean-François Questin, the Cultural Attaché to the French Embassy in San Francisco. He will be coming to talk to us about immigration in France. This is a great chance to hear from a foreign diplomat on a key issue in French culture today. The lecture will be in French and open to all those who want to come. Don't miss this rare opportunity!

Thursday, October 25
11:00 am B-002 JFSB

Nine Paris Museums to Test Free Entry in 2008

In an attempt to bring more visitors to the less frequented museums of Paris, and at the request of the President of the Republic, the Ministry of Culture and Communication is going to trial free entry to the following nine museums:

• le musée d'archéologie nationale à Saint-Germain-en-Laye
• le musée d'archéologie nationale à Cluny
• le Musée Guimet à Paris
• le Musée de la Renaissance à Ecouen
• les musées Adrien-Dubouché à Limoges
• Magnin à Dijon
• du palais du Tau à Reims
• le Musée Jacques-Cœur à Bourges
• le château d'Oiron

Read more about the museums:
La gratuité des musées sera expérimentée au premier semestre 2008

The European Capital of Culture 2013

The process of choosing the two European cities that will hold the title of European Capital of Culture in 2013 has begun.

Based on a predetermined rotation, each year two European nations are set from which that year's capitals will be chosen. The nations for each year are set several years in advance, and in 2013 France and Slovakia will be the nations from which the two cities will be chosen.

Even though the cities will not officially be named the Capitals of Culture until 2013, the process to choose which cities will bear the title has already begun. Seven French cities are being considered for the title: Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Saint-Etienne, Strasbourg and Toulouse.

Each city will submit a dossier promoting itself to the European Commission in November, and the commission will release a short-list of capital candidate cities in December. The final decision will be made by the Commission in summer of 2008.

Read more on the French cities up for the title below:
Le Monde: Sept villes françaises se disputent le titre de capitale européenne de la culture 2013