A detail from this year's poster

Grenoble Life editor James Dalrymple met with Grenoble’s foremost English theatre group, Upstage, to find out about their 20th anniversary plans. Here is what he has to report.

Just before Christmas I had the pleasure of meeting David Simpson, Claude Deladoeuille and Katherine Upjohn of Upstage, all buzzing with excitement about this year’s production, which coincides with the theatre group’s 20^th anniversary.

For the 2012 anniversary production the Upstage team have chosen Patrick Barlow’s farcical stage adaptation of The 39 Steps, based on John Buchan’s 1915 novel and the 1935 film of the same name by Alfred Hitchcock. As always, the choice of play depends on the possibility of featuring an ensemble cast comprising a balance between male-female roles and major-minor parts, while providing a contrast to the year before (Upstage 2011 was a production of Arthur Miller’s comparatively laugh-free The Crucible). Although Patrick Barlow’s script requires four actors to share a multitude of roles, Upstage have reworked it for a cast of 11 in what promises to be a “heady mixture of suspense, romance and espionage,” and, of course, laughs.

The other news is that Upstage is now an association which, while continuing to draw its cast and crew and from pupils of the International Lycée at Cité Internationale Scolaire, is now also officially independent from it. While this change of status will change little ostensibly for the time being, in the future Upstage looks set to become more open to individuals and organisations outside the framework of CSI.

Now that Upstage’s structure has changed, so too has the scale of its ambition. With previous alumni returning to offer their support, the team emphasizes the transformative “blossoming” effect Upstage has on its participants, some of whom have gone on to study at renowned film and theatre schools. One such former Upstage actor, Matias Gaggiotti, will be returning to direct two new Upstage productions in collaboration with Le Créarc (Centre de Création de Recherche et des Cultures) for the annual festival in Grenoble, Les Rencontres du Jeune Théâtre Européen, 5–14 July 2012. Watch this space for news on that.

Casting is already in place and members of the public are welcome at rehearsals, which are well under way. The team are, however, thus far holding their cards close to their chest as concerns how they plan render for the stage – among other spectacular things – a plane crash, a fight on a moving train, Scotch mist, and scenes that take place on a mile-long bridge. As always, Upstage promises imaginative solutions to these demands, with lighting and sound to be provided by a technical crew which is also drawn from the English section at CSI. While this year’s participants have sworn not to watch the Hitchcock film and to interpret the Patrick Barlow script their own way, the team will be hoping to better the movie’s authentic 1930s costume aesthetic.

Watch this space, or the Petit Bulletin, for news on performances; tickets will be made available at the usual outlets (FNAC, Carrefour, Géant, U).

As you read these lines, the collège students of the English section of the Cité Scolaire Internationale are busy, busy, busy, fine-tuning their seventh pantomime production, “Snow White.”

Rehearsals have been going on since September, and the young cast are absolutely bubbling over with excitement and anticipation. For many, this will be the first time that they appear on the school stage, in this exciting landmark event in the Grenoble anglophone calendar.

With a hand-knitted script full of local flavour, this year’s show looks set to be another success. The show is only a fortnight away, and the actors, dancers and singers are already starting to feel just a little bit of pressure …

We spoke to three members of the cast about their Panto experience: Melissa, who is in troisième, and who comes from a family with a long involvement in the C.S.I. Panto, Clara, also in troisième, who is performing for the first time this year, and Daniel, quatrième, the resident joker.

So, we asked them what made them want to get involved with the Panto.

Clara: I’d seen last year’s Pantomime, “Robin Hood”, and I thought it was awesome! And since I try to never turn an opportunity down, and I love singing, acting and dancing, I thought it would be fun to try it. I also love meeting new people, having fun and getting involved in the school’s activities.

Daniel: I’d been to see the school Panto lots of times and this year I wanted to take part because I thought it looked like really good fun.

Melissa: I joined this year’s Panto because I wanted to re-experience the fun that I had for these past two years in “Peter Pan” and “Robin Hood.” I also wanted to act and be on stage again as it is something I enjoy doing very much.

Grenoble Life: Which roles do you play in this year’s show?

Daniel: I play the part of Herman the Henchman, who is supposed to kill Snow White in the forest … but I’m a good guy, really!

Melissa: I play the part of Lord Montague (also known as Monty). He is the Prince’s trusted best friend and travelling companion. I am one of the members of the Panto’s double act.

Clara: I play the prince, Prince Caspian.

GL: How are rehearsals organised, and how much work does it take to put on a show like this?

Melissa: Rehearsals take place twice a week from 5pm until 6pm. We also rehearse some Saturday mornings from 8am until 12pm. Rehearsals are organised so that only the actors who are needed in the scenes that will be worked on need to come. That means that the Pantomime doesn’t take up too much of our week. Lots of work needs to be put in for the Pantomime but the key to it is dedication and we’re having fun at the same time so it doesn’t really feel like we are working.

Daniel: We rehearse two evenings a week after school and also sometimes on Saturday mornings from 8 till 12. It does take a lot of your spare time to rehearse for the show but it is great fun. We even get chocolate treats during the rehearsals on Saturdays.

GL: How were you chosen for your part?

Clara: I auditioned! I think I was chosen because of my acting and singing; the dancing part of the audition was terrible because I didn’t know the moves very well … At least I tried to be positive during the whole audition because I know that being optimistic was what the crew was looking for.

Daniel: There were auditions where we had to sing, dance and act out one scene. I think I was chosen because there were not many boys at the audition!

GL: Have you ever seen a “real” Panto? If so, how do your school productions compare?

Melissa: Yes I have seen many real pantomimes before in England. The school Pantomime is fairly similar to professional pantomimes. The biggest difference would be the stage/lighting/special effects. But our acting and talent are very similar!

Daniel: Lots of times. My English grandparents take me to see one every Christmas. I think the school productions are quite close to the real thing because they have all the ingredients of a good Panto, for example we throw out sweets to the audience, we sing and dance and make lots of jokes about school and Grenoble.

Clara: I have only seen last’s year’s Panto, but if I happen to come across a “real” Panto, I’ll definitely go and see it!

GL: How do you think the Panto is received in Grenoble? Does the French public “get” Panto? How do they react to the “audience participation” part of the show?

Melissa: The Panto is well received in Grenoble, most of the audience is part English and the Panto feeling is easily adopted. As for the audience participation adults are fine some small children are sometimes a bit slow to catch on but by the end of our show the audience is engulfed in Panto spirit (I hope!!)

Daniel: I think most of the audience are British!

Clara: I think that people from Grenoble are quite excited to experience something different from traditional French plays, because they can explore a different culture.

I’m French, and personally, when I went to see last year’s Panto, I thought the “audience participation” was a bit strange at first, but I quickly got into it. So that proves that the French public really does get Panto!

GL: What is your favourite aspect of the show, and Panto in general? The dodgy jokes? Is it the singing and dancing? The team experience with the whole cast and stage crew?

Melissa: I don’t have a favourite aspect really as I love all of it! The experience of putting on a show with a group of people you sometimes know very little who then become great friends is amazing, but I think that my favourite part must be when the audience claps at the end of the show. It is a great reward for all the hard work that has been put into place.

Clara: I really love everything about the Panto, but my favourite part is the singing and acting. To be performing in front of an audience is all new for me, and I’m normally a bit shy so it helps me get over that. I was also getting sick of singing to myself!

The team experience is also pretty cool, because I have made new friends and spoken to people that I would’ve never met if I hadn’t done the Panto.

Daniel: I really enjoy acting my role as Herman and I also enjoy the dance routines.

GL: What have you got out of your experience of the Panto so far?

Clara: So far, the Panto has been everything I had hoped it would be, and more! I have had the chance to discover what it feels like to “be in the spotlight”, to meet new and fantastic people and to just have tons of fun.

Daniel: At first I thought I would never be able to learn all my lines!! But now I realize that it’s not so difficult. I have also enjoyed making new friends.

Melissa: Lots and lots of fun really! A new fantastic bunch of friends and lots of lines to learn!

The Panto is a collège activity, but also involves a swarm of busy Lycée bees backstage, many of whom are previous Panto performers who just can’t get enough, and come back year after year to give a hand and relive the Panto experience, which is a delightful testimony of the bond that this kind of school activity can create within the school and amongst its pupils.

Here’s what one die-hard, backstage busy bee, Alba Besson, had to say about her Panto experience:

“I have loved being involved in the production of costumes, props and scenery for the school Pantos at every stage of the process: from the design, to the sourcing of materials to the construction and final preparation for performance. The vision of the ‘bigger picture’ needed to successfully bring together all these elements is such an exciting challenge. These moments are memories in the making.”

With a hefty sprinkling of full cast dance & song numbers, dozens of fantastic costumes, great scenery produced by the cast, and plenty of jokes, sparkle and glitter, this Panto is sure to entertain and delight. A show for all the family, and something quite unique in the Grenoble area.

The show is written, directed and produced by a group of volunteer parents, aided and abetted by two members of the school staff. If you are interested in getting involved in future productions you can contact the team at panto2012@orange.fr

The show runs from 25^th January till 28^th January, and tickets can be obtained from panto2012@orange.fr Hurry, though, as it is almost a sell-out!

Dr. Bazot during his non-profit work in Tunisia

New resident Elise Hahn talks about how she found chiropractic care in Grenoble in the form of Dr. Fabrice Bazot, whom she interviews here.

If you’re the planner in your household, preparing to move can be ridiculous. The sorting, the packing and the cleaning are time-consuming enough, not to mention all the necessary administrative tasks like actually giving notice, canceling water and electricity and transferring those very-important-but-somehow-still-forgettable contracts like tenant’s insurance. Add to this changing not just cities but continents and languages, and your move just got a whole lot more complicated.

Needless to say, when my husband and I decided to make the move from our small town in western Canada, to Grenoble, France, the last thing on my mind was how I was going to find a new chiropractor.  No big deal, right?  After all, I’m a relatively active and healthy, twenty-something-year-old university student who loves cycling, yoga, and walking until the soles of my feet hurt. I know what you’re thinking – my stressing about finding the right chiropractor is like worrying about finding a capable dentist.

Personally, I beg to differ.

I’ve been seeing a chiropractor for longer than I can remember. Since I was a small child, in fact. Not every week or even every month, but frequently enough to get an update on my chiropractor’s grandchildren when I pay him a visit. However this changed last year, when aching-wrists and tingling-toes resulted in visit after visit to my doctor, followed by blood tests, arm braces and terrifying talk of an autoimmune disorder.

Thankfully, this article isn’t about my struggle with fibromyalgia (which I did not have), but how corrective chiropractic care gave me my body back.

As it turned out, my neck was out – and had been for a very long time. I was only beginning to feel the symptoms because misaligned vertebrae were putting pressure on a nerve running from my brain stem down my right arm, not to mention wreaking havoc with the rest of my nervous system.  X-rays confirmed this intense misalignment of my neck vertebrae.

I began seeing a new chiropractor three times a week who focused on proactive, corrective treatment.  Within a month, the pain in my wrist was gone, and so was the tingling in my feet, the headaches and sore shoulders.

If you don’t come from a city like mine in Canada where there are easily as many chiropractic offices as walk-in medical clinics, my story might sound a bit colourful.  But hopefully at the very least, you’ll see why finding a good chiropractor in Grenoble quickly became one of my top priorities.

Naturally, I began my search online. I quickly came across Dr. Fabrice Bazot’s chiropractic website, www.lechiro.fr. Five months later, I’m still seeing Dr. Bazot on a regular basis to keep up with the treatment I started in Canada.  I am so thankful to have found his Centre Chiropractique Bien-Être et Santé in Grenoble’s centre-ville, and a chiropractor who believes in holistic, preventive healthcare (not to mention, he speaks English!).

All this said, I’m pleased to share that on Wednesday, November 23rd, Dr. Bazot will be holding a Chiropractic Info-Session in English at his office in downtown Grenoble. To better describe the work he does, I interviewed Dr. Bazot about chiropractic care and his personal philosophy towards health.

Elise: For those who aren’t familiar with this type of treatment, how would you define chiropractic care?

Dr. Fabrice Bazot: The purpose of chiropractic care is to restore harmony to the body.  The often painful physical symptoms and discomfort which initially prompt most people to visit a chiropractor are due to physical imbalance within the body. This imbalance is typically the result of exposure to one of three main stresses: physical, chemical or emotional.

When your body is exposed to more stress than it can handle, you can experience a “subluxation”. A subluxation occurs when a bone is out of alignment and begins to interfere with the brain’s communication in the body.  In this state, the body is no longer at ease – and if not corrected, is prone to illness or disease.

The role of the chiropractor is to restore body functionality to normal by correcting any subluxations, permitting the body to begin its normal self-healing processes.

Elise: What is the difference between chiropractic and other types of alternative medical care, such as osteopathy or massage therapy?

Dr. Bazot: Chiropractic is unique because it is the only discipline that focuses not on suppressing symptoms, but actually improving overall body functionality. Chiropractors do not treat pain, musculoskeletal problems or other diseases; however, many of their patients may be experiencing these types of symptoms as a result of a greater imbalance their chiropractor is seeking to correct.

To me, though there are many important aspects to the maintenance of good health, chiropractic is the fastest, most complete and effective way to care for your body.

Elise: Would you characterize chiropractic as retroactive or proactive care? If I don’t have any back or neck pain, should I still see a chiropractor?

Dr. Bazot: I would definitely describe chiropractic as proactive care, even if this is not the way most patients use chiropractic because of their limited knowledge of its purpose.  Many patients finally see a chiropractor only once their symptoms have become very severe. At this stage, due to numerous uncorrected subluxations, spinal degeneration may have already begun. So generally the first goal of corrective care is to restore the body’s integrity, successfully halting any further degeneration. Only after a patient has successfully overcome this first step in their treatment does my work really begin.

Dr. Bazot giving a chiropractic treatment during his recent trip to Tunisia

Elise: When were you first introduced to chiropractic care?

Dr. Bazot: I was first introduced to chiropractic care when I was just 22, after the tension between my shoulders became too much to bear. At the time, I was very skeptical. I had never heard of it before, and I wanted to become a medical doctor. But after just one visit to my chiropractor, my body felt completely different. For the first time in years, I stood up with no effort. My experience at the chiropractor literally blew my mind; it completely changed my philosophy on life. Ultimately, this led to a decision to become a Doctor of Chiropractic myself.

Elise: How would you describe your personal philosophy as a chiropractor?

Dr. Bazot: My philosophy is very simple.  To me, chiropractic is an art, science and philosophy. And in my mind, this is both unique and important. Nine out of ten people need chiropractic care – even if they don’t have any symptoms. It can improve the life force of not just your body, but also benefit your emotional and mental well-being. Some of my patients have affirmed this view by telling me that following their treatment, they feel more connected to themselves, have more inspiration as an artist, etc.

Again, to me, this is what makes chiropractic care so beautiful and unique. Chiropractic provides a way to reconnect people with themselves. That’s why it is so important, especially in our world today.

Elise: What is the difference between “corrective” treatment and more common types of chiropractic care?

Dr. Bazot: As I’ve mentioned, corrective care is usually the first part of treatment.  It allows the body to return to a place of equilibrium and begin functioning normally.

“Treating pain”, as many chiropractors do, involves working with patients who only see a chiropractor when they have symptoms. Sadly, these patients are not experiencing all that chiropractic care has to offer. In my mind, this can be dangerous, because pain is simply a signal that something else is going wrong in our bodies.  If we shut off the alarm but don’t put out the fire, we’re not doing ourselves a lot of good. This is precisely how many doctors and other individuals use medication, and not how we should be using chiropractic.

“Wellness care” is the ultimate goal in my mind, for every person. This is the best way to keep your body at its highest functionality.

Elise: On the side, you have also recently founded a non-profit organization, Terre Chiro. What is the purpose of this association?

Dr. Bazot: The purpose of Terre Chiro is simply to reach people who wouldn’t otherwise benefit from chiropractic care. We went on our first trip in October, to Djerba in Tunisia.  It was an incredible experience – I had the chance to work with so many people in such a short time. From our estimates, I treated nearly 700 people!

Everywhere we went, I was welcomed in – I was invited into a high school to treat students, the teachers and the principal, and I had the opportunity to visit many families in the intimacy of their own homes.  It was definitely a fantastic experience, and I was so moved by the people I encountered.

I am also a member of “Life Force 1000”, a group of chiropractors whose mission is to give every person on the planet the opportunity to become a student or patient of chiropractic.

So if you are interested in health and want to help people, we are looking for students to study chiropractic. In my experience, the domain of chiropractic provides many great opportunities and a career that is rewarding, fun and challenging.

Elise: How would you convey the relevance of chiropractic care today?

Dr. Bazot: More than ever, people need chiropractic care to stay connected to themselves and to change the world. Actually, chiropractic is also environmental in its stance on medication. We often see patients come off of their medication after under-going chiropractic care for some time.  Since medication ultimately ends up in our water systems, this is very important in my mind.

My vision for the future is crystal clear. I envision a world where people take greater care of themselves, using ways that are safe, natural and effective.  This is chiropractic care.

Dr. Bazot will be hosting a Chiropractic Info-Session in English at 7:00pm on Wednesday, Nov. 23rd.  To RSVP, please call 04 76 51 16 09 or email centrechiropractique@lechiro.fr

Centre Chiropractique Bien-Être & Santé
1 rue Paul Bert – 38000 Grenoble

waterfall༄wellness

Grenoble Life talks to Amy Cannata of waterfall༄wellness, a new Anglophone association supporting natural health and well-being.

Grenoble Life: What is Waterfall Wellness?

Amy Cannata: waterfall༄wellness is an association whose purpose is to support natural health and wellness in the Anglophone community of the Grenoble-area through massage and aromatherapy.

GL: Who set it up and why?

Amy: I created waterfall༄wellness  in order to fill the gap which exists here between the work a kiné (physical therapist) does and the modelage that you get from an aesthetician at a spa in France. Since I trained in London as an aromatherapist and massage therapist, and have always been familiar with massage therapy in the US (often called Swedish massage), I was really missing that in France and wanted to offer it to the Anglophones here. Since I am passionate about natural health and wellness, I also love to share with others how they can use natural products like essential oils to replace synthetic products for skincare, in the home, etc. It’s eco-friendly and usually cheaper, and most importantly, what we inhale and put on our skin impact our health, not to mention the health of our planet!

GL: What services do you provide?

Amy: I offer two main services:

• Holistic aromatherapy massage (Swedish-style massage therapy, acupressure and deep tissue). Holistic means that I take the whole person into consideration: mind, body, spirit. At each consultation, the essential oil blend and massage is different because each individual is unique and has different needs; therefore, I tailor the treatment to address each client’s particular needs every time I see them. The basis of a good massage is focus and sensitivity combined with technical competency: touch with intention and attention results in an effective massage integrating mind, body and spirit.

• Aromatherapy consultations and workshops. People can book an individual consultation or join us for a group workshop to learn how to use essential oils and other natural aromatic products to support health and wellness. Example consultation or workshop topics include, but aren’t limited to: creating custom natural skincare products (body oils, lip balm, etc.), essential oils for winter wellness (to boost immunity and avoid getting sick), creating your own natural custom perfume, summer skin protection, natural first aid kit … our imagination is the only limit!

GL: What is next for Waterfall Wellness?

Amy: I regularly develop my professional skills though continuing education and training courses, attending professional conferences, etc., as part of the requirements to belong to the professional organization (International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists), and because I find bodywork and essential oils so fascinating – there is so much to learn! I am considering doing a course in pregnancy massage and also one for chair massage to work in businesses, and I will be attending the Botanica 2012 conference (an international celebration of plant therapeutics and clinical aromatherapy) in Dublin next September which I am really looking forward to!

I am also interested in volunteering opportunities to provide massage and aromatherapy services to the French community, perhaps in a retirement community or hospital setting. If anyone has a lead for that, please get in touch!

GL: How can we get more information and get involved?

Amy: People can visit the waterfall༄wellness website for more information.

Also, we will be publishing a seasonal newsletter with lots of interesting natural health and wellness information and details on upcoming workshops. Please email us at waterfallwellness@me.com to request to be on our newsletter email list.

If you join the email list, or ‘Like’ us on our Facebook page, we will email you a gift certificate for 1/2 off your next aromatherapy massage, consultation or workshop!

We look forward to seeing you soon for some aromatic adventures in natural health and wellness!

What archives used to look like before the digital revolution. Photo by dolescum

Grenoble Life editor James Dalrymple delves into the archives to relive some of the highs and lows of the past few years online in the Capital of the Alps.

A great many articles have been published on Grenoble Life since we started in October 2008, contributed by a wide range of contributors from Britain, the USA and Australia, to India and France itself (or should that be herself?). It occurs to me that a number of them deserve revisiting, if only because I can’t make them all instantly present on the front page at the same time. Moreover,  some my personal favourites – perhaps owing to the dark arts of Google – seem to have fallen off the radar. In any case, here is a little sum-up of what you may have missed from the Grenoble Life archives.

It may be unfashionably erudite for a website built upon social media, but Grenoble Life has hosted a number of well-informed and beautifully written pieces about the city’s rich past. For a potted history of the Capital of the Alps, you won’t do better than this splendid two-parter, while one of the Dauphiné’s more colourful historical characters is dissected, literally, here.

The history of any region of France must also necessarily be the story of its food and drink, and Grenoble is no different. These posts on the popular local green stuff, Chartreuse, and the humble walnut, also known as noix de Grenoble, provide a nice entry point into two regional specialties. Meanwhile the city’s contemporary food culture – from high to low – has been celebrated here in a number of ways, from this ode to Grenoble’s foremost covered market Les Halles Sainte Claire, to advice on where to find “decent hot chillis here and stuff like lemongrass, galangal, and other Southeast Asian vegetables and spices,” or where an “impoverished young person” can get cheap eats “served with customary indifference and a bad attitude.” By contrast, the cities bars and cafés have been received with greater warmth here and here.

With Grenoble being surrounded by mountains, the site has not neglected to mention skiing, particularly the bargain basement variety, while the city itself has been treated as both a travel destination in itself (for once) and the starting point for epic journeys on “The world’s least user-fixable vehicle.” Skiing asides, the imposing massifs have also provided inspiration to budding climbers and photographers alike, proving there is more to the Alps than the snow, while Grenoble Life’s armchair mountain enthusiasts have been able to “take a walk on the wild side.”

If that convinced you that Grenoble only catered for les sportifs, I would like to think – from its thriving music and cinema scene (covered here and here) to its brocantes – the cultural side of the city has not been entirely neglected. Add to that the opportunities for young people to participate in English-speaking theatre and musical events for a charitable cause, the city has something to offer for those, like myself, with “gym commitment issues.”

Grenoble Life hasn’t always been about consensus, however. The French education system has proved a passionate subject among English-speaking residents past and present, both for its detractors and supporters.  The exigencies of French administration have also come under scrutiny, whether it be for starting your own business or simply getting a valid visa.

A critical eye has also been cast upon Grenoble’s public conveniences, albeit with a wink, while the greatest controversy was sparked by Grenoble Life’s Daily Deconstructionalist, sadly inactive of late, whose acerbic takes on French road safety campaigns and the City of Grenoble Magazine drew a colourful response. While there is no harm in vigorous debate, perhaps it was the gathering clouds of acrimony that inspired me to write this well-attended general Grenoble love-in.

And all this barely scratches the surface, given that I have not mentioned the many illuminating interviews and practical posts that have graced these pages over the years. I hope that Grenoble Life will continue to be a source of information, discussion and amusement to English-speaking residents for some time to come. That said, I should mention that none of this would have been possible without the goodwill of aforementioned contributors, and that I still very much welcome your blogging suggestions, no matter how subjective they are, or how new to the city you may be. Your participation is, and has always been, the life-blood of the site.

Join the Accessibility Movement at jaccede.com

On Saturday October 8th Jaccede.com is organising an Accessibility Day in Grenoble to raise awareness for people with limited mobility and promote accessible locations in the city.

Desipite being surrounded by mountains, Grenoble is a highly accessible city, and one of the few to have an innovative official project underway to make three areas of the city completely accessible by 2015.

However, finding an accessible school, university or company, going shopping or travelling around … all of these normally simple activities can easily become a nightmare for people with li­mited mobility. Jaccede.com’s objective is to promote equal opportunities for such people by:

• Making information that will improve the daily lives for people with limited mobility (PLM) readily accessible
• Inspiring people with limited mobility to participate in a mass movement and encourage them to come out of isolation
• Increasing public awareness of accessibility issues and of the French law of February 11, 2005
• Promoting accessible locations
• Creating a movement and civic consciousness promoting accessibility for everyone

Jaccede.com’s Accessibility Days aim to:

• Identify accessible locations and register them on www.jaccede.com to make them available to everyone
• Raise awareness among local businesses, public officials and the public regarding the advantages of accessibility

October 8th Grenoble Accessibility Day:

• Meeting point: La Maison des Associations – 6 Rue Berthe de Boissieux
• 10–11.30am: welcome and training
• 11.30–3pm: collection of information on accessible locations using the Jaccede kit – lunch break
• 3.30–5pm: uploading of info and addresses on www.jaccede.com
• 5pm: feedback on the day and closing drinks (back at Maison des Associations)

Jaccede.com is still scouting for plucky volunteers for the big day, both to roam the streets for accessible locations, and also to help the organizers with the practicalities such as handing out maps, welcoming volunteers etc.

Sign up at www.jaccede.com and join the Accessibility Movement or call 01 43 71 98 10 to find out more. The site is soon going multilingual, and plans to branch out its operations in the UK and abroad.

Sunday school

Vickie Allen shares her experiences of a rentrée of a different kind at St Marc’s English Speaking Church, Grenoble.

Last week children donned their cartables as the mass rentrée began. Schools and universities across France once again filled with students of all ages, embarking on the new academic year. Some approached the gates with a little anticipation, I’m sure, but all the students crossed the threshold with the knowledge that ahead of them lay new skills, new insights, new friends and a new, increased understanding of how the world works. But it wasn’t just full-time students who were digging out their cahiers and stylos.

Sunday morning marked a return to the classroom of the Adult Sunday School at St Marc’s English Speaking Church, Grenoble. I joined the class last spring, keen to gain a more in-depth understanding of the Bible, a more intellectual understanding of my faith. A small class of just four, we found the discussions of the Gospels inspiring and informative.

Lead by the pastor, Stephen Coffin, classes centred on a reading from the Gospels, putting them in their the socio-historical context as well as exploring the descriptions of Jesus and his life from our basis of faith. As last term came to an end, we prayed for a larger class that could enjoy the teaching as much as we did, and would enable some more lively and varied discussions. Our prayers were answered and on Sunday morning we were a group of nine.

The first day of school is often spent easing students back into study and it was no different for us at the Adult Sunday School. The new term’s theme is the letters of the New Testament, many (but not all, as we learned) written by Paul. We looked at the social history of the time, the way letters were written, how they were carried and the language used. I was fascinated to learn that Paul wrote his letters in an everyday, colloquial Greek rather than the formal Greek more often used by those educated enough to be able to write. This simple language was more effective in reaching the audience and reminded me of the first published translation of the Bible from Latin by Martin Luther in the 16th century. We also discussed Paul’s travels in and around the Mediterranean, looking at maps of the familiar landmasses, marked with the ancient cities of Thessalonica, Antioch and Corinth.

As the lesson came to a close we were given our homework; to read Thessalonians I and II. With the historical and social context fresh in our minds, these letters will spring to life for us as we start to delve into Paul’s message to Christians throughout time. We’re still a small group and would love you to join us and gain a greater understanding of the Bible.

The Adult Sunday School at St Marc’s English Speaking Church meets at 9.30am every Sunday morning and is conducted in English. Services (which follow the Anglican format) start at 10.45am during which there is also Sunday School for children aged 2-11 and a youth group. The congregation typically swells at this time of year as families return from their summer holidays and students arrive. For more information, visit St Marc’s.

Destination Oisans: Photos, films and thoughts on the reality of life in the mountains.

September. Photo by rosemary

April Buchanan explains the concept of la rentrée for the uninitiated, and tells us all about France Etats-Unis Grenoble‘s activities coming up from September.

Bonjour Grenoble! It’s April here, back again with more news about what’s happening at France Etats-Unis Grenoble, your local chapter of the national franco-american association in France! And now that’s it’s officially the “rentrée,” it’s time to start marking your calendars, because we’ve got lots of great stuff coming up very soon — parties, music, brunch, apéros, and more! I’ll give you all the details in a minute, but first, I thought you might like to know … what exactly IS this “rentrée” everyone keeps mentioning?

Well, whether you’ve been in Grenoble for years, or are just getting your bearings, you have surely noticed people saying, “C’est la rentrée!” This phrase, loosely translated to “It’s the return,” is getting its fair share of use right now, and especially in the first two weeks of September — it’s almost as popular as “Bonne Année” during the month of January! That’s because, more so than just any old back-to-school time, here in France it means new beginnings in many things in our lives, and a fresh look or change to the old daily routine. Okay, you say … but why is it such a big deal?

I remember when I was a kid, I asked my parents if they got the summer off work like I got the summer off of school. They of course looked at me like I was crazy, and painfully informed me that no, adults must work all summer long! I remember feeling a little sad for them, and dreaded the day when I too would have no more summer vacation. So, needless to say, I am very grateful to be living and working in France, where most people take all or part of their 5-7 weeks of vacation during the months of July and August!

This means that some regions of France literally shut down, pack their bags, and go! If you were in Grenoble during the month of August, you may have felt like you were in a ghost town! That’s because a large part of the population left town for other, more touristy regions (like the Southern and Western coasts, as well as Paris) which host the masses of holiday-goers every year and enjoy the profits they bring in. And when it’s all over, everyone heads back home well-rested and gets ready for La Rentrée! And this entails much more than just back-to-school time for children and university students — it also means that everyone gets back to work after a much appreciated long break. It’s a time to get back together with co-workers and friends and compare holiday photos, tan lines, and catch up on each other’s news. It’s a time to re-evaluate personal and professional goals, or breathe fresh life into an ongoing project. It’s amazing how a little vacation time can really energize and motivate a person, which means they do a better job at work! But the implications of La Rentrée don’t stop there…

La Rentrée also means that the government gets back to business, and politicians start making appearances on talk shows, putting the wheels in motion for new campaigns or policies they are pushing. It’s also the time when new television programming starts, with new seasons of series: new movies also come out at the cinema. September is also the start of the much-anticipated literary season, or La Rentrée Littéraire, with thousands of new book titles released during the Autumn months, and book fairs popping up all over the place, in anticipation of the literary awards to be announced at the end of the season. Clothing shops put the new collections in the shop windows, and all the restaurants, bars, cafés and other shops that were closed for August (while the owners took their holiday, to the great annoyance of those who did not!) finally reopen their doors, often with a new item on the menu or a fresh coat of paint.

And while everyone is making a fresh start and buzzing with motivation, La Rentrée is also the prime time to start a new hobby, sign up for a sport, or (DRUMROLL PLEASE……) join a club or association!

Here in Grenoble, there are all kinds of activities for people with all kinds of interests, everything from African dancing to Manga drawing. And for us anglophones, there are more than a couple of English-speaking groups that meet up regularly and organize a variety of fun events all year long, including ours — France Etats-Unis! Clubs and associations like ours are a great way to meet lots of interesting people and discover a wide variety of fun things to do around Grenoble. What kinds of things? Well I’m glad you asked!

To start off, the first Wednesday of every month (except August, of course!), France Etats-Unis has a little get-together we call the ‘Hotspot.’ This is a casual come-as-you-are social event, to have a drink if you wish, and have a laugh with new and old friends. This is a great after-work, pre-dinner break that takes the edge off of mid-week stress. But in addition to the monthly Hotspot, we organize all kinds of events, all year long!

Here’s what we’ve got coming up this Fall:

• Our next Hotspot, kicking off the “rentrée” of course, will be: Wednesday, September 7th, 6:30 p.m. at the Maison de l’Internationale. It is located in the Jardin de Ville, just in front of the grassy lawn of the old L’Hôtel de Lesdiguières.
• The first of many France Etats-Unis events this year is a Jazz Brunch on September 25th in Montbonnot. Come have a traditional Sunday morning brunch while grooving on some excellent music from local favorites, The Harlem Rhythm Band!
• Then of course in October we’re looking forward to everyone’s favorite party excuse: Halloween! October 29th at La Ferme Heurard in Seyssins. It just wouldn’t be right to miss out on the crazy costumes and goofy shenanigans that a Halloween party is known for, something that is starting to become more mainstream in France.
• In November, a traditional Autumnal Thanksgiving dinner will make you feel right at home in Grenoble, whether you’re American or not!

These fun happenings are just the beginning of a great year of fantastic things to do, including nature outings and cultural events for a start. And of course, since our goal is to promote friendship and understanding between cultures, you don’t have to be strictly American or French to enjoy these events or to become a member of France Etats-Unis! Everyone is welcome!

To sign up for our email newsletter and receive reminders of upcoming events, just click the link on our website (under construction): www.france-etatsunis-grenoble.com. You can also find us on Facebook as ‘France Etats-Unis Grenoble,’ and stay up to date with all the details for upcoming events, Hotspots, and even share photos of an event that you’ve participated in! For more details or any other questions, please email me at: communications@france-etatsunis-grenoble.com.

So now you’re all set for La Rentrée in Grenoble: back to school, back to work, and back to a busy social life and event calendar! Bon courage à tous et “Bonne Rentrée!”

The shape of things to come!

In the third and final part of her blog about being an expecting mother in France, Shonah Wraith describes the last three months of her pregnancy.

Before you leave your house this trimester you might want to read this article! There is an ever increasing need to use facilities, rest and organise at this stage of the process.

This trimester follows on very closely to the second, in terms of what you have to do at the doctors and the laboratoire d’analyses médicales. You continue on your monthly visits to the doctor and they basically follow the same template:

Doc: “Hello. How are you feeling?”
Me: “Good thank you, all seems well”
Doc: “Good, Please go behind that screen…”
Doc: “OK, all looks good, blood pressure fine, weight OK”
Me: “OK”
Doc: “See you next month, thank you”

By the time my last appointment came and went within a matter of five very small units of time I was really upset that that was all. I had been reading many books from the UK saying that in the last month you see a midwife every week, they hold your hand and walk you through every step of this nerve-racking time. Because, even though for the last six months you have known you are pregnant, it is not really until you are doing ante-natal classes, practising breathing, visualising the work that is in front of you that you really realise you are pregnant and you have to get this “little” bundle out into the world, somehow!

Perhaps France is pregnancy for the fearless! No hand-holding. No floaties. Just jump in at the deep end and swim and here are some cold hard medical facts to help you keep afloat! Speaking of the medical side of the third trimester, there are some prescriptive activities you need to undertake within these three months.

You will continue to have your monthly blood tests, plus some. At about 28 weeks you will have to have your blood glucose measured – allow time for this. You have to go to the laboratoire d’analyses médicales in the morning, have blood taken, drink an extremely sweet drink, sit in the waiting room for an hour and then have more blood taken. Take a good book! Apparently it is a good idea not to indulge in delicious sugary goodies in the 24 hours preceding this. Unfortunately I read this the morning of my test, so I could not take back the scones, cappuccino and caramel slice I had eaten the evening before! But, to put your minds at rest, I passed.

Somewhere closer to the end of the pregnancy you have to have a swab taken – and just a heads up, this is not a mouth, ear or nose swab. This is also done at the laboratoire d’analyses médicales, no book necessary!

The French are very pro-epidural – péridurale – therefore it is necessary to have a visit with an anaesthetist before giving birth. He or she will ensure you are physically able to have the procedure done, then you will have a big green tick on your file to say YES you are able. Then they can wait outside the salle de travail for you to give them the nod of approval, which allows them to come and relieve your discomfort with a really huge needle! You may want to check with you doctor where this appointment takes place – mine was at the clinic I was going to give birth in – then any number of the 20 anaesthetists that worked there would be the one to administer the epidural.

It is also a good idea – if where you are going to give birth offers it – to do a tour of the facility. As each clinic/ hospital is different it is good to see what you need to do in terms of checking in (I went to the clinique Belledonne and I did not check in until about two months prior to giving birth. However, as mentioned before, each clinic and hospital have their own regulations. It is worth checking with your doctor what the process involves. From speaking to other Mums to be, some had to check in within the first three months!), where to arrive, do you need to call before-hand, who is allowed in the salle de travail and what happens in the cases of unexpected emergencies. This process helps you to feel more in control over a situation you really have no control over!

And, of course this trimester you have the final look at your baby before you meet them in person, in the third of three ultrasounds. If you have made the decision not to find out the sex of your little one, I would be tempted not to look at the screen during this process. I only say this as the only thing we saw – and could definitely decipher – of our son’s anatomy during this scan was two rather large appendages directed squarely at the transducer (on two separate occasions mind you!), and he wasn’t waving with both hands or “hanging ten”! So, if we didn’t know before that moment we were having a boy, we would have had NO DOUBTS after this ultrasound.

One last piece of paperwork that you may need to deal with. Fully paid maternity leave in France is 16 weeks in total. It is mandatory to have six weeks leave prior to giving birth. This leaves you with 10 weeks post birth (and they take into account delivering late or early). But, if you would like to have more time post birth, you can get a doctor’s certificate – from your gynaecologist – to say you are fit and healthy and able to work longer. Be aware if you do get this letter, you MUST give it to your social security office immediately, otherwise they will dispute your “extra” time off post natal. Also when considering this remember, by the end of the third trimester you will more than likely want some time to rest, the baby could come early, and if there is such a thing as a “rest bank” now is the time to make mammoth deposits as post birth the withdrawal rate is phenomenal!

Now relax, enjoy and prepare to close the covers on one story in preparation to commence another – of epic proportions.

Bonne chance!

Please note this is purely a subjective account of this situation in France

The A-WA-KEN, South African Faction logo

Carol, Sky and XiaXiahn of AWAKEN South African Faction

GL: Why “A-WA-KEN”?

XiaXiahn: A-WA-KEN is derived from the word Awaken. We chose the name in representation of very many things beginning with the simple act of ‘waking’. Waking from our dreams, waking up to our selves. Waking up to the moment and the inevitable awakening of new and shared experiences.

We are awake and open to the art of possibility within each day…

GL: What sort of activities are you offering?

XiaXiahn: A-WA-KEN is an in-depth South African experience of artistic expression incorporating dance, music and art. We also host various fun-filled English activities available under our A-WA-KEN Papillon umbrella. We are open Mondays to Saturdays 07h30–18h00. For the summer holidays we will be hosting exciting English craft workshops for children throughout the month of August and we re-open officially as of the 12th of September 2011.

Currently our general sessions for children are filled with fairy tales, artistic crafts and creative movement. We incorporate natural elements into our arts and crafts activities whilst adhering to the principle of Anglais en s’amusant. Our program is designed to be flexible and these lessons are adapted to suit the relevant age-groups of the children in question. We also offer Soutien Scolaire, family playcare and babysitting services.

Our adult members explore the dynamics of language through conversation and creative writing. We host ‘Survival English’ meetings for travellers and English conversation sessions.

We offer natural, organic meals and snacks on request as well as an opportunity to sample authentic South African foods one evening a month at our A-WA-KEN dinner.

 

Handcrafted books created at A-WA-KEN

GL: How can people find out more information and/or get involved?

XiaXiahn: For more information please contact us directly by telephone or via e-mail as we prefer a personal approach. Our contact details are as follows:

Meylan

Please contact Carol (landline: 04 76 59 31 95; mobile: 06 12 65 64 14)

Grenoble (12 bis Quai Mounier, 2ème étage, St Laurent, 38000, Grenoble)

Please contact XiaXiahn (pronunciation similar to Josiane) and Sky (landline: 04 76 03 12 74; mobile: 06 38 48 70 84)

awaken@orange.fr

skype me ° waken.awaken

Our website is under construction and will be ‘live’ on the 15th August 2011. Our ‘A-WA-KEN Online Store’ will offer a unique opportunity to order personalized items directly from our website as well as handcrafted items. Keep an eye out for our Facebook group. Follow us on twitter and subscribe to our newsletter.

GL: What are A-Wa-Ken’s plans for the future?

XiaXiahn: In light of our Ubuntu culture we are in the process of expanding our enterprise into a multicultural centre where English and the Arts come together to create a platform for creativity and diversity, expanding individuality in a space which caters for children and adults alike. We hope to inspire a ‘community-based’ youth project for teenagers focused on ‘Ubuntu in action. We are currently operating from a small and lively venue in Grenoble in addition to a small space in Meylan while we explore our options for an independent location.

We will be incorporating the following new and exciting avenues for creative exploration into our program in the near future: Social dancing – our group or individual classes will become a vehicle for practicing the art of English conversation whilst learning to dance. Gumboot fusion – incorporating an eclectic mix of tribal, urban and contemporary movements accompanied by drumming will offer us an insider view of South African culture at its best.

We will at long last be launching ‘eYe’ – a unique form of transcendental movement experienced through ambient and digital sound which takes us on a journey deep within ourselves. We look forward to crafting and making use of African musical instruments to explore rhythm and sound. We will host the A-WA-KEN Festival once a year for our members to showcase their talents.

We can’t wait to welcome you into our South African home …

The BAM shelves

Patricia Andreoli-Jones of the Bibliothèque Anglophone de Meylan (BAM) tells Grenoble Life of events planned for the library’s fifth birthday.

The English Library of Meylan is celebrating it’s fifth anniversary this month. Tea, cold drinks and British goodies will be served in the smallest library of the region with the vastest collection of English-language books: science-fiction, novels, albums, biographies, magazines for all ages.

Created in July 2006, the library opened with 300 books in October of the same year. Many donations came in from English-speaking families going back home, or French families wanting more shelf space. Today the library has almost 3000 books. Thanks to members’ subscriptions (10 euros per family per year) and a steady flow of donations the collection is renewed on a regular basis. The library’s website has an online catalogue, a home page with opening hours, special events and links to Grenoble Life, Grenoble URL and the Bookworm Café, a recipe section (including Golden Rice Crispies, the library’s specialty), press articles and a photo gallery showing some of the best moments of the library’s life including a didgeridoo concert and an Irish player of Scottish bagpipes.

Looking forward to seeing you with family and friends! BAM is open til 13 July, opens again on 22 August.

Bibliothèque Anglophone de Meylan
dans l’école Aries
8 Ch. des Clos, Inovallée
http://ba-meylan.fr

Monday: 10.30 – 12.30
Wednesday: 10.00 – 11.00
Thursday: 11.45 – 14.00

The façade of Cité Scolaire Internationale, host to the American School of Grenoble

ASG headmistress Carol Margaret Bitner

The ASG logo

Photo: Vickie Allen

Vickie Allen tries rock climbing the ‘iron way’ (aka via ferrata) at Alpe d’Huez. She took her camera too. Don’t look down!

I rarely hear my own heart beating in my ears. But I hear it now; loudly. My legs tremble, my hands burn. I try not to look down to the river running 100m below me but I can hear it gushing over rocks between heartbeats. A bird flies past my head and above me the clouds are gathering. I ask myself – not for the first time – why I’m doing this.

And then my breath kicks-in. And I realise that via ferrata isn’t just great for the body, it’s a mental sport too, requiring focus, strength and a kind, supportive, inner voice. A great lesson for life as well as for the rock face …

Via ferrata – for those who aren’t familiar with the term – can be directly translated from Italian to mean ‘iron way’. For those who are familiar, the term conjures up images of iron rungs bolted into the mountainside and a cord of metal that criss-crosses the cliff face. This is your iron way, your route up the mountain.

Photo: Vickie Allen

There are lots of via ferrata in the Oisans region and for our first attempt for the year we thought we’d keep it simple, opting for the découverte route in Alpe d’Huez, from the base of the Sarenne gorge. découverte simply means discovery, and differs from sportif in that the routes tend to be more like a scramble up the rocks via narrow paths, rather than comprising of long sections of rungs (which is what you’ll find on the sportif routes). At the bottom of the Sarenne gorge you have the option of either type of route and they cross mid-way, allowing you to try both disciplines in one hit.

Did I mention that the routes take you hundreds of metres off the ground? This means safety equipment is essential. You’ll need a climbing harness, a specialised via ferrata attachment (which comprises of two spring-lock carabiners on a short length of rope and a third which acts as a braking device), a helmet, comfortable clothing and trainers or other suitable outdoor shoes. You’ll also need a lot of guts, especially if you’re afraid of heights.

Photo: Vickie Allen

Via ferrata is a great way to combat fear and conquer your adrenaline. I’ve done a few via ferrata now, and a bit of climbing, but the first of the season is always terrifying. It took me a good hour regain confidence, not just in the safety equipment but also in my body. Trusting my hands not to simply let go of the rung at an inopportune moment took a lot of energy. And this is why my hands are burning now … I literally gripped and hauled my way up the rock face. Not great technique but for the first ascent of the season I’m just glad I made it. And this is why I persevere with the sport: it’s literally the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.

When you’re on the face you’re part of a team and the team are there to support you and talk you through, when necessary. But essentially you’re on your own, in your head. And the way to talk to yourself when you’re coaxing yourself up and up and up is maybe the way we should coax ourselves through life. “Come on Vixie, [that's what I call myself in my head!] you can do this. Here’s another crossover. One carabiner to the next section of line. Done. The second. Done. Nice work. Check you’re secure. Now, get your right foot onto that rung and lean for the hand-hold. Secure? Edge the left foot along the rock and squeeze it onto the rung. Good. Secure. You’re doing well. You can do this. Breathe. Remember to breathe”.

Photo: Vickie Allen

The other beauty of the sport is that you can only deal with one section at a time and quite often you can’t see what’s ahead or below, so your only option is to focus on the job in hand. The strange peace that ascends as you move up section by section, staying solidly in the present is another lesson I think we can apply to our own lives. What’s the point in worrying about what’s to come or what’s behind us? Let’s just deal with what’s in front of us right now.

And then, before you know it, all your coaxing and inching up the rock face brings you to the top … that triumphant final haul over the last edge and you’re done. Hopefully with a big smile on your face as you realise what you’ve achieved and how – with all that focussing on the present moment – you’ve left all your other worries at the bottom of the route.

Photo: Vickie Allen

How to reach the Alpe d’Huez via ferrata: the route starts at the bottom of the Sarenne gorge, just upstream of the chairlifts. You can walk into the gorge via the footpath from Huez or down from Alpe d’Huez on the steep path that descends next to the second car park on the way to the Col de Sarenne. You’ll finish just below the same car park and the walk back into Alpe d’Huez takes about 30 minutes. We completed the route in around 90 minutes, but the speed at which you go depends on your fitness, experience and whether you want to stop to take photos to scare your friends and family…

Photo: Vickie Allen

For more  on Alpe d’Huez in the summer and climbing in the Oisans region, go to Destination Oisans: Photos, films and thoughts on the reality of life in the mountains.

Time to break the piggy bank?

In the wake of street protests against government reforms, Steven Grover demystifies the state pension system in France and the changes to retirement age.

Millions have taken to the streets to protest against the French government’s proposed overhaul of the state pensions system and the progressive raising of the retirement age from 60 to 62 and the full pensionable age from 65 to 67 between now and 2018. Both houses of parliament have adopted the key clauses of the pension reform bill with the Senate due to follow suit imminently. A final vote is expected in late October to fully pass the bill.

Under the current rules, both men and women in France can retire at 60, providing they have paid social security contributions, although they might not be entitled to a full pension until they are 65. If the new rules are adopted this will rise the retirement age to 62 by 2018, and the pension age to 67, which the government says will save €70 billion.

So how does the state pension system work?

The amount of pension received will not change, and even if the changes to the retirement age and required years of contributions are adopted, it will still be one of the most attractive state pension schemes in Europe.

Retraite De Base

Currently for a salaried person (and auto-entrepreneurs) to receive a full basic pension they must have contributed for at least 164 trimestres - so 41 years, this is slightly dependant on age but is the case for those born after 1952. The Retraite De Base is managed by the Caisse Nationale d’Assurance Vieillesse (CNAV).

A full pension is calculated as follows:

• Take the average of the 25 highest paid years in your career (linked to inflation).

• Your pension is then 50% of this amount, though it is capped by using the social security annual ceiling (€34,620 in 2010). So the maximum pension would be 50% of this – i.e. €17,310 per annum.

• If you don’t qualify for a full pension then you have the option to either purchase additional trimestres, which can be expensive, or you can take a reduced pension which is proportional to the number of trimestres you have contributed for, i.e. if you had 123 trimestres your pension would be 75% of what your full pension entitlement would have been.

The biggest drawback with the Retaite De Base is that it is based on the principle that people currently working are funding the pensions for those who are already retired. This is being compounded by the number of pensioners rising due to the post-war baby boom and unemployment levels continuing to increase month on month. As a consequence the number of people funding pensions is decreasing so it has become harder to maintain this model. According to government sources France’s pensioner population is forecast to rise to 18 million by 2020 and 23 million in 2050. Therefore if nothing is done the existing pension deficit of €32 billion could rise to some €50 billion a year by 2020 and to €100 billion by 2050.

Retraite Complémentaire

All employees also benefit from a retraite complémentaire for which contributions are compulsory. Arrco (Association pour le régime de retraite complémentaire des salariés) covers all employees in the private sector. Management staff (cadres) also must contribute to the Agirc (Association générale des institutions de retraite des cadres) supplementary pension.

In return for the contributions paid, employees obtain pension points on a monthly basis. These points give the right to a supplementary pension income at the legal retirement age. The pension will be financed by the contributions of those who are still working, and payment of the pension is guaranteed because the contribution by those working is compulsory.

The amount of points received is calculated as follows:

• Divide the value of contributions by the purchase price of a point (€14.4047 per point for Arrco, and €5.0249 per point for Agirc for 2010).

• At retirement the accumulated points are converted into euros by multiplying them by the value of each point. (€1.1884 per point for Arrco, and €0.4216 per point for Agirc in 2010). This calculates the annual pension entitlement.

Self Employed

For professions libérales it is a lot more complicated as the régime de base is managed by the CNAVPL (Caisse nationale d’assurance vieillesse des professions libérales) and is based on points system like the Arrco/Agric instead of taking an average salary.

Artisans and commerçants still come under the same régime de base as employees, but this is overseen by the Régime Social des Indépendants (RSI).

For the retraite complémentaire it is again complicated as there are 11 different organisations who manage it for this sector, based on profession. Most people will probably be attached to the Caisse Interprofessionnelle de Prévoyance et d’Assurance Vieillesse (CIPAV), this includes auto-entrepreneurs and again functions on a points system like the Arrco/Agric.

What private schemes are available?

PERP

The main private, personal pension is the Plan d’Epargne Retraite Populaire (PERP) which was only introduced in 2003. Anyone can save from as little as €50 per month into a PERP. The investor then receives an income tax credit for payments made into it, up to 10% of their revenues from professional activity the year before (after deducting 10% for professional fees). This is however limited to eight times the annual amount of the sécurité sociale ceiling, so a maximum deduction of €27,696 for 2010, and the minimum deduction is 10% of this ceiling (i.e. €3,462).

With most contracts it is possible to stop making payments for a time or to increase or reduce the payments as the situation demands. The payments made into the PERP are locked until retirement when the investment ‘pot’ is used to buy a type of annuity which, according to the terms of the contract, can be fully passed on to the surviving spouse on death.

The only circumstances under which money can be taken out of the PERP before retirement is if the investor’s business activity is ceased due to a liquidation judgment or if they contract an illness/disability that makes it impossible to exercise their profession. In some cases it is possible to recover some or all of the PERP in the case of divorce, or the death or incapacity of a spouse.

Assurance Vie

An assurance vie contract may be a more appropriate place to save on a monthly basis, as the withdrawals from such a contract are not required to buy an annuity and do not have to be held until retirement age. The premiums invested do not receive income tax credit or rebate but withdrawals are taxed at very low rates, especially after the contract has been in place for more than eight years.

In addition, and especially if portability of pension income is a concern, many “offshore” assurance vie providers offer tax compliant investment and savings products in other European jurisdictions. So for example if the policyholder was to move back to the UK from France, then the French assurance vie policy could be converted to a locally tax compliant UK ‘version’ with no cost and would still offer favourable taxation on withdrawals.

Over 22 million individuals or couples have either invested lump sums or save regularly into assurance vie contracts, and neither French capital gains tax nor income tax applies whilst the funds remain inside the policy. Even when an amount is withdrawn only the growth element is taxable. Any gains are liable to ‘social charges’ of 12.1% when they are drawn down, plus taxation on a sliding scale depending on how long the policy has been in force:

35% for a policy less than four years old,
15% for policies between four and eight years old and
7.5% for all policies over eight years old.
After eight years there is also an annual tax-free allowance of €4,600 (single person) or €9,200 (married couple) of gains.

QROPS

For those French resident British expatriates who intend to retire permanently in France and who have pension funds left in the UK, it is a very good idea to investigate whether transferring and consolidating their UK pension funds using a Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes (QROPS) or Qualifying Non-UK Pension Schemes (QNUPS) would help their situation in France and offer more control over taking non French pension benefits.

The information provided in this article was obtained from public sources including the AGRIC, ARRCO & CNAV websites, and is only provided as a guide based on our understanding of current legislation. If you need assistance in this area you are strongly advised to seek the help of a specialist in this field as each individual case is different.

Steven Grover is a partner with the Spectrum IFA Group in Paris:
steven.grover@spectrum-ifa.com
www.spectrum-ifa.com

GGSB Management Consulting students

Students in the MSc Management Consulting program at Grenoble Graduate School of Business need your help. Khom Klanman explains.

The conference Mobile Devices: Is your social life in hand? which was held on February 24, 2011 at Grenoble Graduate School of Business received impressive feedback from stakeholders. The audience gained from the conference practical takeaways on leveraging the use of mobile social networks while being aware of potential impacts and concerns arising from this new technological and social trend. The students of the MSc in Management Consulting program were happy to inform society about the challenges posed by this development.

Presently, the students are working on a new challenging consulting project for a global enterprise in the mining industry. We have divided ourselves into four teams responsible for different functions – namely, client facing, engineering, marketing, and business development.

The client-facing and engineering teams are currently working on that project while the business development team has been working on strengthening and maintaining relationships with potential clients and consulting partners for further collaboration on consulting projects.

Along with the consulting project and business development initiative, the marketing team has been carrying out market research on the consulting industry in Grenoble area. The objective of this exercise is to gain insights into of the local consulting industry and to see where the goals of consultancies and client companies can meet.

To this end, we have formulated a survey, which will serve as a data source for our research. We hope to receive as many replies as possible from the online survey in order to gain a comprehensive view on the consulting business in the Grenoble area.

We would appreciate it if you could help us in this research. To do so, please complete the following online survey, which should take no more than five minutes of your time.

Consulting firms, please Click here

Client companies, please Click here

We will be glad to share the report with you this summer. If you are interested please contact Khom Klanman (Khom.klanman@grenoble-em.com)

The many flags of the Open House logo

English-speaking voyager Maureen Walsh describes the soft landing in Grenoble provided by the local expat association Open House.

Our sojourn from the United States this past July and our settlement in Grenoble for my husband’s one year sabbatical at the Grenoble Ecole de Management was sometimes fraught with both expected and unanticipated difficulties and inconveniences. Getting our OFII (l’Office Français de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration) stamps, cellphone, TV and Internet service, bank accounts and apartment in our adopted city took time, energy and patience. Now that that is behind us, it struck me how those trials were often softened by all the hospitable people who put out the “welcome mat” for us here in Grenoble.

Before we had left Raleigh, North Carolina for Grenoble, I had done a cursory Internet search for possible groups we might join to integrate ourselves more easily into French culture. At that time I came across Grenoble Life’s March 2010 piece, Anglophone Grenoble, a rough guide, and its reference to Open House Grenoble, a group that has been around helping English-speaking voyagers just like us since 1987. I tucked the link into my computer favorites list thinking that it just might be what we were looking for once we had finally touched down in Grenoble.

After settling into Grenoble, I bee-lined to the Open House Grenoble website to find some particulars about upcoming events we might be able to enjoy. I saw that they held a weekly Tuesday morning informal get-together called Coffee Chat at a local café where the conversational language was English. It sounded like the perfect introduction to the organization without having to broadcast our beginning French language ineptitude. We met at that time in the centre ville at Pain et Cie, but have since moved to Take-Away at La Caserne de Bonne. We were delighted to find a mixture of amicable French and English speaking people who seemed eager to befriend us.

Soon after, those of us who were regulars at Coffee Chat questioned why a similar morning meet-up couldn’t be created for speaking solely in French. (Yikes!) Café Français was born this January and slowly built a following on Thursday mornings coming together at our old stomping grounds, Pain et Cie café. This became a great opportunity to share a coffee, stumble over our French words and have native French speakers patiently help us with the practical issues we have negotiating life here in Grenoble.

When my husband, Steven, and I formally became card-carrying OHG members in September, we discovered the French-English Exchange group that meets two Friday mornings a month at CLEF (Association des Centres de loisirs Enfance et Famille). This group converses on impromptu topics and plays often humorous games aimed at language learning, dividing the time together between French and English conversations.

Getting our feet wet with the language groups led us to check out other OHG interest groups. No one organization can be all things to all people, but Steve and I have found that we can dabble in many groups that appeal to us. We have sometimes found our way on Thursday evenings to local Grenoble pubs including Le Family Pub for Chill-Out Evenings, stopping to share a drink and some conversation. And for me, the former English major, the Open House Book Group has filled a special spot. Our circle of between 10-12 bookworms gathers at the café, Le 5, at the Musée de Grenoble once a month where lively, stimulating and intelligent conversation ensues about the books we read in English. In the same location, once a month the Creative Writers Alliance meets to support both fledgling and veteran writers alike allowing them to share their trials and triumphs.

There are some OHG groups that we won’t be joining. Since we don’t have young children here in Grenoble, we don’t fit into the Baby & Toddler Activities group nor will we be participating in the holiday-related activities suited for older children. But as we still have some time ahead of our departure and with Spring on the horizon, we hope to join some of the outdoor groups that participate in Mountain & Outdoors activities and Cycling. Of interest, as well, is the fitness-oriented Wellness group that comes together at CLEF on Tuesday evenings with Hula dancing or occasional workshops featuring activities such as yoga, shiatsu, reflexology or aromatherapy.

Last, but definitely not least, OHG also provides opportunities to delve into the gustatory world. We already drink BEAUCOUP de café et de thé during language exchanges, but there is also an active Wine Tasting group which explores regional wines in members’ homes. With the planned monthly Lunch Out opportunities we can sample different Grenoble restaurants in the company of other adventuresome souls. Recently, we lunched at the Hôtel Lesdiguières, the lycée for hotel and restaurant management here in Grenoble, but with the myriad of restaurants in Grenoble we have an eclectic list from which to choose. Open House has also in past years hosted a Christmas Apéro and a Summer Picnic where members and their families have gathered together for good food and fun times in the spirit of the seasons.

Our life in Grenoble has undoubtedly been filled with one-of-a-kind opportunities and welcoming people. We have been fortunate to be able to partake of the Open House Grenoble activities, and we’re going to truly miss all these good friends when we must return to the U.S. So the next time a friend from home asks me how I spend my time here, I’ll just have to point them to this article or to our blog, A Year in Grenoble, and let them envy all the convivial opportunities we’re going to very reluctantly leave behind with our Open House friends.

Getting past no! Photo: Hey Tiffany!

Rebecca Skillman talks to Ellen François-Jacobs, facilitator of the Working Women’s Network of Grenoble workshop ‘Essentials of Successful Negotiation’, 28 May.

Rebecca Skillman: Why do you think the word “negotiation” strikes a note of fear in so many of us?

Ellen François-Jacobs: I believe it’s the classic “fear of the unknown”. In the United States, where I come from, we don’t get any formal negotiation training in school, and rarely even in college, unless we’re business majors. Yet it’s undeniably one of the most important skills we need throughout our personal and professional lives. Think about it … we negotiate for cars, apartments and houses, salaries and benefit packages, raises and promotions … but the majority of people have never acquired the basic skills to get the best possible outcomes for themselves. Instead, they end up “shooting from the hip” and just hoping for the best.

Rebecca: So, we have to formally learn how to negotiate in order to do it successfully?

Ellen: Well, not exactly! [laughs] Children are INCREDIBLE negotiators! Think back to when you were a child… didn’t you negotiate all the time with your parents? Bedtime, extra snacks, and later on it was curfews and car keys. A lot of it comes instinctively, I think. As kids, we even knew which parent to ask for which favors!

Rebecca: Well, then, why do we need to take a class if so much of it comes instinctively?

Ellen: Because, as adults, the stakes are often much higher. The location and size of our home, how much money we’re able to earn, the quality of education we can provide to our children, the vacations we’ll take … all of these are a direct result of our ability to negotiate. So it’s very important to put some structure into the process, and learn some basic strategies to help you get the best possible outcome when you negotiate. It’s also important to learn about situations where you may be able to negotiate, even when you don’t think you can. A few Euros here, a few Euros there … it all adds up!

Rebecca: Many of the members of WWNG are self-employed, independent contractors. How can this workshop help them in particular?

Ellen: As an independent contractor myself, I can definitely attest to the power of good negotiation skills in working with clients. I’m a firm believer in the “win-win” philosophy of negotiation, and that’s the method I’ll be teaching during the workshop. When you’re negotiating the scope of a project, the time frame, the price, the payment terms … It’s extremely important to be able to identify the interests and objectives of your client, and how they can dovetail with your own. When both of you come away feeling good about the outcome of your initial negotiation, it can form the foundation for a successful long-term relationship with the customer.

In order to do that, I’ll be covering some basic concepts in negotiating: you’ll learn how to identify positions, interests and objectives. You’ll learn why you can’t negotiate without a BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement). And you’ll see how having a target point and a reservation point can actually give you more confidence during a negotiation.

Rebecca: Will the attendees actually be negotiating?

Ellen: Yes indeed! We’ll spend the morning going through some basic negotiation theory, and learning how to prepare for a negotiation. As with so many other things, 80% of the success of your negotiation will be the direct result of the quality of your preparation, so we’ll take time to do that right. During the afternoon, the attendees will partner up and do some actual negotiation simulations. Nothing tough … we’ll work on buying a car, negotiating a job offer … you know, the basics. And then we’ll debrief after everyone has negotiated to share outcomes and see who got the best deals … and how they did it. It’ll be lots of fun, and very ludique, as the French say.

Rebecca: And finally, what do you hope that the attendees will come away with?

Ellen: Confidence … absolutely. The understanding that negotiation isn’t some mystical, magical process reserved for used car salesmen or high level business executives — but rather, a skill that can be learned and mastered, and then used each and every day, in all kinds of personal and professional situations.

Ellen François-Jacobs is a freelance corporate trainer, and a visiting instructor of Intercultural Studies at the Grenoble Graduate School of Business and the London School of Business and Finance. She has taught workshops on Business Communication Skills and Relationship Selling since 1980 in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe.

‘Essentials of Successful Negotiation’, a one-day, active-participation workshop, will be offered by the Working Women’s Network of Grenoble on Saturday 28 May from 9h to 17h, at the Grenoble Ecole de Management. This workshop is targeted to professionals who have never attended a professional negotiation course, but who wish to acquire basic skills which can be put into practice immediately. It will cost €30–45 for WWNG members and €85 for non-members. This includes the full-day seminar, lunch with the group, and two coffee breaks. You can register and pay online here.

The London Pub. Photo: Guillaume Cattiaux

In the second part of her blog Footprints in Grenoble, American student Aleigha Page talks about French mealtime etiquette and her favourite establishments for desserts, coffee and people-watching.

Studying abroad in Grenoble is by far one of the best life choices I have made. I have been able to learn about and live in a new city that prior to the study abroad process, I had never heard of. In my opinion, Grenoble is the perfect size city for study abroad. It is large enough to offer variety, but yet it is small enough so that it is not overwhelming. The centre ville (city center) is where most of the stores, restaurants, cafés, pubs, and nightlife are. I live in the centre ville and therefore I am within walking distance of everything I need: places to shop, cafés, and nightlife.

In French fashion, Grenoble is replete with cafés, offering in and out door sitting. One of my personal goals for studying abroad was to establish a regular café. I shopped around for my café during my early weeks, and I found it. Pain & Cie is my favorite café in Grenoble because it is large and spacious, offering a warm atmosphere. The interior has hardwood floors, stone walls, and an unfinished wooden ceiling. The tables are made of thick wood with metal chairs. The coffee they serve here is organic, and on every table is a glass filled with white and brown sugar cubes. I generally order an espresso but, once a week, I treat myself to a café au lait, which is coffee and steamed milk, and it is served in a bowl here. I throw in a couple of sugar cubes and stir them around the foam. The desserts at Pain & Cie are delicious. I do not know the exact name of my favorite dessert here, but it is a multiple layered chocolate creation. Three of the layers are cake, two are a chocolate mousse, a few thin layers of caramel, and then, the bottom layer is a textured, nutty tasting layer. I have made speculations that it is either a praline mousse, or a hazelnut spread. For chocolate lovers, this cake is a must on your to-do list. Not a big chocolate fan? No worries, because they have cheese cake that is absolutely divine, but I am sure any of their wide selections are equally delicious.

As for nightlife, Grenoble is full of places to find a pint of beer or a glass of wine. One of my favorite pubs is The Subway Bar, which attracts a hip, sporty crowd of French students. The drinks are very inexpensive here – I can get a pint for three euros, and they have a “cocktail of the week” for two euros, which are excellent choices for a student budget. London Pub is another I enjoy because of their atmosphere. It is London-themed, and covered in British memorabilia – Beatles posters, pictures of Big Ben, football tournaments, etc. There is always a huge crowd here, which makes for a fun night. My final favorite place is Tord Bayeaux, literally ‘twisted guts’ or ‘rotgut’. This bar has a wall filled with little barrels of strange wine flavors. My favorite flavor is a green, apple kiwi wine, which tastes like hard candy. They also play fun music here, such as the Lion King song “Hakuna Ma Tata”.

I enjoy promenading around the centre ville, without any particular direction, weaving in and out of stores to see what they have on display. On warm, sunny days, there are always lots of people sitting outside cafés, on benches, or walking around. I think it is very interesting to pick a park bench and people watch. I am continuously fascinated to see what people are wearing, how they wear it, and their interaction with others. One observation I have made is that I see fewer people walking around with a cell phone attached to their ear than I do in the US. Granted, I do see the phones out quite a bit, but not as frequently compared to where I live. There is always a vendor nearby to purchase a gauffre (waffle) or crêpe to munch on while people-watching.

Long before settling on Grenoble for my study abroad destination, I always knew that I wanted to live with a host family, because they can offer aspects of French culture far better than I could pick up living on my own. Dinner time is when I spend the most time with my host parents, and it usually lasts an hour. I have been able to learn French mealtime etiquette, and several traditional dishes. Etiquette is very important to the French – even at the campus cafeteria and an elementary school I visited they use all three eating utensils and eat in three courses. The French typically have wine or water with their dinners, and bread on the side. The hostess serves the wine, and will ask if you would like more. Never ask, and never, ever, touch the wine bottle. For bread, leave it to the side of the plate on the table, and tear off small bits. Do not eat it whole. A salad is served as the first course, or the entrée. Le plat principal (main dish) generally consists of a meat and vegetable, or quiche with my host family. Dessert can range from a cup of pudding to fruit to a homemade dish. I love that the French treat their food so respectfully and make meal time feel special.

My time here in Grenoble is quickly winding down, but the experience has been amazing. I have made friends that I am sure will last a lifetime because there are no other people who will ever 100% understand my stories about studying here other than those with whom I made these memories. Aside from learning French and about France, I have learned quite a bit about myself. Being outside of the bubble that is my life, I have had the time to reflect on what I want out of my life, who matters in my life, and what I want to accomplish. Studying abroad has not only opened my eyes to a new culture, but also to a new aspect of me.

Read part one of Footprints in Grenoble

iTU Espace Design interior

We talk to Charlotte Felix-Faure of iTU Espace Design, a new fair-trade boutique in Grenoble showcasing the creations of Southern African artists and artisans.

Grenoble Life: What and where is iTU Espace Design and when did it open?

Charlotte Felix-Faure: iTU Espace Design presents a unique collection of creations resulting from the rich artistic traditions and cultures of Southern Africa (South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique …). The creations have been designed and handcrafted by artisans and artists working within non-profit organisations and by artists employing people from the townships and rural areas.

We opened our doors on the 1st of December 2009.We are situated at 5, rue Aubert Dubayet 38000 Grenoble, in the very artistic neighbourhood (and village within the city) of rue lakanal/place championnet (www.ruelakanal.com).

GL: What inspired you to open this boutique?

Charlotte: I studied sciences and business in South Africa and then went on to study for a Master in International Business at Grenoble Ecole de Management in Grenoble, completed in 2007. After a stint in the corporate environment, I decided to embark on a project that has been very close to my heart, opening a faire-trade art and design boutique working with Southern African artisans and artists. What inspires me most is the creativity that is blooming in Southern Africa these last couple of years, notably in South Africa. And I’m not talking about your typical roadside souvenirs or cheesy wildlife art, I mean Design! Originality! Hipness! Every time I go down there I get swept away by new amazing creations and their originality! I think to myself this really deserves to be shown to the world. I also love the fact that there is so much recycled material used in many of the products and there’s already a “green” culture that is growing within the society.

GL: How important is fair trade to you?

Charlotte: Fair trade is very important and very necessary. It actually has to be the normal way of conducting business. People should be paid according to what they judge their effort, skill and time are worth. By trading fairly with the producers we allow them to live a decent life and to be able to provide for their families. Then they’ll have no need to go far away in search of employment, leaving their loved ones behind and risking their own lives in the process.

GL: Where do you come from originally and why did you first come to France?

Charlotte: I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and I have been living in France since 2003. You’ll be amazed at things one is capable of doing for love [laughs]!

GL: How did you create your network of artists and artisans and where are they from?

Charlotte: My network of artists is from Southern Africa. I knew some of them and had heard of most of them before setting up my store. Because I’ve always liked these kinds of products and have bought them for my home, I already knew a couple of the artists and designers from before. I have a good network in South Africa as well, so I was able to be referred to some of them by friends.

Charlotte Felix-Faure

GL: Do you have to travel to Africa often?

Charlotte: Yes, I just love that because in that way I can always stay in touch with new developments in the art and design scene in that region of the world. I have just returned from a trip in Cape Town. I attended the yearly design expo called the Design Indaba which was breathtaking … I really love what I do!

GL: What were some of the challenges setting up a boutique in Grenoble?

Charlotte: My main challenge was to figure out who my customers were going to be in this mountain and ski town! Are people really interested in new and different things that come from a place that they don’t know much about? Especially products that are not your typical commercial stuff! Then I put my trust in the quality of the products offered and I was able to position my business accordingly.

GL: What organisations did you find helpful in setting up your business?

Charlotte: I first presented my business plan to my bank (thank goodness for business school education!) then, I went to the Grenoble Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie for advice on different legal stuff about setting up a business. I also went to see MCAE and they were really helpful because they provide advice from experts in business and entrepreneurship. After finding a suitable location I just went for it. The whole process took six months, from decision to opening!

GL: What has the reaction been from the Grenoble public?

Charlotte: Fantastic! I had vernissages for four days for the opening, from Tuesday to Friday, and each night there was a good crowd. People were pleasantly surprised even in my entourage; they did not expect to see the kind of things I’m selling. The neighbours are quite proud to have a beautiful boutique in their street. There has been very positive feedback and encouragement from a lot of people.

GL: What’s next for iTU Espace Design?

Charlotte: I would like to go further and organise for the young artists that I work with to come over and exchange with artists in Grenoble and vice versa. I would like to encourage cultural exchange, events and workshops between the French and Southern Africans. But I will have to see if there is interest on the French side first.

You can contact Charlotte Felix-Faure at:
iTU Espace Design
5 Rue Aubert Dubayet
38000 Grenoble
FRANCE
T. +33476472822
M. +33662701522
www.itu-designartisanal.com

A detail from the cover of Thora van Male's book, 'Liaisons généreuses'

Grenoble Life talks to Thora van Male, author of Les liaisons généreuses – l’apport de français à la langue anglaise, ahead of a talk she is giving organised by Alliance Grenoble-Oxford on April 7.

Grenoble Life: What is the topic of the talk you have organised with Alliance Grenoble-Oxford?

Thora van Male: I’m going to be talking about my latest book, Liaisons généreuses. It deals with the huge debt that English owes to the French language. We English speakers (I’m from British Columbia, in Canada) are more aware of this than the French are. My impression is that in France, people are so obsessed with the supposed invasion of English into French, that they don’t realize that, a) English would not be much at all without French, and that, b) a lot of the words that are coming from English to French are just returning home, so to speak.

When you see the many many areas where words from French predominate in English, it really makes you think; such subjects as law, religion, cooking, life in society, politics. There are very few areas of life in English whose vocabulary is not affected by – French.

GL: Who should come to the talk?

Thora: Well, I will be speaking in English, which means the talk is aimed at people who are interested in and speak some English. All the AGO people speak French, though, as do I, and the question session after the talk will be bilingual and bicultural, so to speak.

In terms of the content of my talk, it will probably be more of an eye-opener for French people than for the Anglo-Saxophones, as I call us. However, I intend to make the talk interesting and accessible to everyone. And I hope to provide a few chuckles, if not guffaws.

GL: How has the French relationship to the English language changed since you arrived in France?

Thora: Well, you know about the Loi Toubon that was voted in 1994; its objective was to prohibit the use of languages other than French (Read my lips: Eng-lish!) in official French documents, in business, in advertising, etc. This law also established quota rules about how much English-language music could be played on the radio, etc.

Just to put that into perspective, remember that the provincial government of Quebec had voted its Charter of the French language in 1977; this put legislative authority behind the enforcement of French as the language of government and law, as well as that of work, instruction, communication and commerce.

That being said — and people recognize this — English exercises a certain attraction to French speakers in France; dropping an English word here and there is considered to confer a touch of class. Conversely, as you know, the prestige of French exercises a huge influence on English speakers, to this day. Of course, English no longer borrows what I might call “meat and potato” words from French, words that English doesn’t have a name for — this is something I’ll be talking about — but there are still French words coming into English. I found this really noticeable in the latest issue of The Economist’s Intelligent Life. But also in a book of Woody Allen’s witticisms…

GL: As someone who has taught English at the University here in Grenoble and published books for learners of English, what changes have you witnessed in the way the language is taught in the French educational system?

Thora: There has been a continuing move towards getting learners to work with English in a “real world” environment. The conjugation tables and the translations that I grew up with gave way to audio language laboratories, but still with a lot of rote work. The Internet has totally changed that, and the focus is moving more towards experiencing English as it is spoken in environments that are meaningful to each learner. As I see it, that is a general trend.

GL: What needs to be improved?

Thora: Have you got a couple of hours? Judging from my students, I would say that in secondary education they need to hear more authentic English and to be dragged away from translation. They also need real-life experiences with English (Wouldn’t it be nice if English language films were shown on TV with English subtitles …). They also need to shed some inhibitions.

You remember the passage in My Fair Lady when Henry Higgins says “In France, every Frenchman knows his language from A to Z; they never care what they do, actually, as long as they pronounce it properly.” Well there is a grain of truth in this. Students just don’t want to pronounce a word unless they can spell it, and once they have the spelling they tend to “spell-pronounce” — you know, pronounce the L in ‘could’, etc. — in fact, pronounce every word as if it were French. The insecurity involved in jumping in and pronouncing a word that they might not know, or might not know the spelling of, just petrifies them!

But I should get off my hobby-horse: I love my job, and am quite willing, year in, year out, to put my heart and soul into teaching English to my students.

GL: Where do you teach?

Thora: Now, I teach only at the Institute of Political Science on the campus. But like so many expats (though I now have dual nationality) I taught English all over the place in Grenoble before I managed to get a post in the French university system.

GL: When did you originally come to Grenoble and why?

Thora: I came in 1970, with a scholarship from the French government. And I just never went back to Canada! I had always loved French … I think it was my mother who got me going when I was a child, when she taught me that silly song about “La plume de ma tante”. Had I stayed in Canada, I would no doubt have become a French teacher.

GL: You are a published expert on French dictionary illustrations.

Thora: Yes, I am, but my expertise is limited to those little ABC primer type compositions that represent several objects whose name starts with a certain letter. Though this is common in children’s’ alphabet books, France is the only country I know of that has them in dictionaries for adults as well. So when you look at the alphabet illustrations in a dictionary dated, say, in the 1850s, you have a sort of snapshot of French culture and society at that time. It is fascinating. To my amazement, this is a field that had never been researched until I got involved in it. It has been a lot of fun. Since there was no existing research on the subject, I really had to start at zero, and create the tools to analyse all these pictures. I even coined a word for them, since French didn’t really have one; and that involved a meeting Alain Rey, the author of the Petit Robert, a very interesting experience. I love the “treasure hunt” side of this work: you’ve got all these pictures, and you have to figure out what they represent. Plus, I’m always on the lookout for some dictionary that I haven’t yet come across.

GL: What sparked off this particular passion?

Thora: Well, I often jokingly answer this question by saying the answer is contained in an alphabetical list of things I love: A as in alphabet, B as in brocante, C as in calligraphy, D as in dictionary, E as in aesthetics, F as in France, G as in Grenoble, H as in hedonism … The dictionaries I work on are up to 150 years old, and their alphabetical illustrations really combine these elements. In fact I love the alphabet so much that one of my recent books is subtitled La Vie secrète de l’alphabet.

GL: You have also curated a touring exhibition about dictionary ornaments. Tell us about that and where we can see it.

Thora: Shortly after I published Art Dico, I was invited by the Lyons printing museum to curate an exhibition there. It was a lot of fun choosing among the many old illustrations, having huge blow-ups made of them, and showing the general public how rich this apparently naïve form of illustration can be. Another fun aspect was rounding up dozens of artefacts, finding the actual objects that appear in the illustrations. I presented two groups of 26 items, one for children and one for adults, and the game for the visitors was simply to find the names of all the objects. Many of these artefacts were things that people just don’t see today. What I loved about that part of the exhibition was that it showed how the world reflects the dictionary, as opposed to how the dictionary reflects the world. But I could go on about that for hours, too …

Chance being what it is, once the exhibition was over in Lyons, I met a man whose surname is almost identical to mine and who is both a calligrapher and an alphabet-exhibition manager. What serendipity! Bernard Vanmalle has now taken the ART DICO exhibition under his wing. It has circulated widely in France (mostly in public libraries and médiathèques). Unfortunately, it was in Grenoble three years ago for several months, so I do not think it will be here again in the near future …

GL: This wasn’t your first exhibition, though. You exhibited photographs of rue Brocherie at the Grenoble Maison de la Culture in 1981.

Thora: That was another really interesting project. I asked all the merchants on the street I live on to stand on their doorstep for a picture, and to tell me about the past history of their shop. Then I produced a set of panels that combined my photographs and some fabulous line drawings done by a man who worked at the Maison de la Culture at the time; I wrote a text about the history of each shop, and calligraphed it onto each panel.

This exhibition doesn’t circulate any more, and I hope that it will at some point join the Musée Dauphinois collection.

GL: Tell us about your charitable work and how our readers can get involved.

Thora: For several years, now, I have been volunteering in a soup kitchen in the centre of the old town. The association provides breakfast every morning, hot lunch twice a week in the winter months, clothing, food hampers and a variety of other services. The people who come are not all homeless, but they are all in fairly distressing situations (this can include being a refugee, having mental health issues, drug or alcohol problems, or just plain poverty). We have between 40 and 100 people every morning.

If your readers want to help us, one thing we are always in need of is men’s shoes. They can be dropped off at 4 bis rue du Vieux Temple, any week day between 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. The association also accepts monetary donations; I myself am very interested in donations in kind, however, and can promise you that any shoes that are given will find a pair of needy feet!

Thora van Male will be talking about her new book at Maison des Langues on campus on Thursday April 7 at 6.30pm. Contact Alliance Grenoble-Oxford for more information.

An ultrasound scan. Photo: j.dopf

In the second part of a blog about her experience as an expecting mother in France, Grenoble Life’s Shonah Wraith describes her second trimester.

Now comes the very exciting and somewhat invigorating part of this process. The wonderful second trimester. Somewhere around the 13th or so week there is a renewed sense of vigor. There is no need to put your head down on the nearest solid surface and close your eyes for the uncountable time that hour! Amazing!

Holding onto this feeling – and a very full bladder – you are able to walk into the darkened ultrasound room and see what was last a peanut and now resembles something larger than a peanut and perhaps for the first time your partner gets to see this phenomena too!

There are lots of measurements taken and not a lot of them will make sense. However the very reassuring aspect about having a baby in France is that, medically speaking, you and your growing foetus are well taken care of. If the doctor* notices anything out of the ordinary he/ she will tell you and give you instructions accordingly. And adversely when things are OK, they will let you know.

From my experience after this ultrasound the doctor gives you (yet another) prescription to have (yet more) blood tests done and very specifically a blood test to check for the possibility of downs syndrome. Now, before you go to the laboratoire d’analyses médicales to fill this script, you have to wait until you receive a very specific letter from your doctor and go between the dates he/she gives. Armed with these bits you can go and have your blood tests done. Alternatively, you can do what I did and not listen to the doctors’ instructions (or I put it down to being totally overwhelmed by experiencing the ultrasound – and I am standing by this!) then have the lovely secretary at the laboratoire try to explain in her slowest French that you have done it all wrong! As a side note, the laboratoire will become very familiar to you and everyone is more than happy to help. My only piece of advice is to get the little container for your “sample” at the visit before you need it, as the “sample” needs to be fresh from the morning of your visit.

This ultrasound was the marker for my husband and I to tell people. We asked more than once, during the ultrasound, if the doctor thought everything was OK, and given his countless reassurances we felt confident we could tell our most treasured secret to the world! This was at week 14, so not only did we have to tell the world, but the French authorities in the form of the CAF and the CPAM.

At your ultrasound the doctor will also give you the appropriate paperwork to give to these authorities, which by law you have to do by week 14. But be aware of all the other information you will need – passport, titre de séjour, husband’s taxable income for the previous year, your taxable income for the previous year if applicable, social security numbers, work contracts, bank codes and what you ate for breakfast for the last 10 consecutive days.

Now, do not fear if you forget something they will surely let you know, but this will delay the process of you being “on the books”. All of this running around (see full training in process!) will be well worth it, as: 1) you won’t have to do it in the foggy haze of the post-partum period; and 2) If it is all done on time the government gives you a financial reward in the seventh month to assist with the baby (I believe it is more a prize for passing the French bureaucracy test!) … but do not fear if you have not done it correctly or on time, you will still receive this reward, with a delay.

AND now ENJOY! You should be “glowing” and showing. SO instead of just feeling a little bloated, your pregnancy body should be well visible. On this subject you may need pregnancy clothes, underwear, oils and potions. There may be some fabulous shops in Grenoble – and if there are I would like to know for future reference – but I was not able to find any for clothes or underwear and outsourced all of mine from the UK and Australia.

Mothercare is great, but sadly do not deliver internationally anymore – time to reconnect with long lost friends and relatives in the UK! Also bio-oil is one of the nicest things I have ever applied to my body. Sadly, it is not available in France (it supposedly helps prevent the dreaded stretch marks) and would well be worth getting it from somewhere/someone!

Another activity that is wonderful to add to your training regime is yoga and, posssibly at the end of the trimester, starting ante-natal classes. A compassionate sage-femme who conducts all of this (and more for the post-partum period) is Catherine Muguet. She will even do your ante-natal classes in English (fully refundable on social security)!

Toward the end of the semester your old friend fatigue may come knocking on your door. Welcome him in and put your feet up – remember you are growing a person in there!

You then enter the tapering off stage of the training and preparing for “the event”. Where the line seems but a hazy memory and your expanding mid-section reminds that you are closer to the end of this process and nearer to the start of another.

*My doctor did three out four of the ultrasounds. The 4th was done by a partner doctor in the practice. I understand from speaking to other people, it really depends on where you go as to the process you must undertake to have your ultrasounds done. Also when I say four ultrasounds I am also counting the internal ultrasound you have at six weeks, mentioned in the previous post.

Please note this is purely a subjective account of this situation in France

Wing It Productions logo

Grenoble Life talks to Hélène Perrin-Gouron, Vicki Bernard and Katie Coakley – aka Wing It Productions – a new English theatre group for secondary school pupils in and around Grenoble.

Grenoble Life: Who is Wing It Productions?

Hélène Perrin-Gouron: Three passionate women who have always loved and done some theater; one French having lived in the US, one English, and one Irish.

Vicki Bernard: Sounds like the beginning of a joke…

Katie Coakley: Oh thanks, ladies. I’m the Irish one (‘wanting desperately’ to change the subject)! We’re part of the abc anglais association, which aims at helping people ‘learn, improve or maintain their level of English in the most natural manner’. Our goal is to open this theatre activity to the entire secondary school community in and around Grenoble.

Hélène: That is… for this first year. I have the High School population (15-18/19) in mind too, the college students, etc.

GL: What is the philosophy of the group?

Vicki: Having worked so often with young people, we have really been able to see how much the theatre can bring them in terms of self-confidence, team-work (relying on others), their creativity and imagination.

Katie: The fact that we use English purely as a vehicle means that they improve their English without even realising it.

Hélène: I would add to this that one of the most positive things to come out of the work with young ones is the bonding that they experience. The show becomes bigger than every single one of them, and us.

Katie: Very much so! It also eradicates the age differences.

GL: What ideas do you have for your first productions?

Katie: Although we’re going to keep that secret, we can say that we’re going down the comedy road.

Vicki: Our lips are sealed.

GL: What have some of the major challenges been getting started and how have you overcome them?

Katie: To start with, we had a real dilemma. Do we create our own association or do we become part of an existing one?

Vicki: We were very fortunate to come across abc anglais (through Helen McEwan who worked on the Cité Scolaire Internationale pantomime with us.) They took us under their wing.

After that, our main challenge was sorting out a lot of things all at the same time: reading umpteen scripts to find a story, organizing and advertizing the auditions…

Katie: And making sure that all this gets done behind the scenes without a hitch. That in itself is quite a challenge!

Hélène: I, personally, was happy to have help with all that work that no one ever imagines exits. How to overcome the constant challenges? With ‘your head in the stars and your feet on the ground’ (i.e. persistence, patience, with zest, and more persistence, more patience, etc.)

GL: What kind of people are you looking for and how can they audition?

Katie: Anyone of any nationality between 11 and 15 with a good knowledge of English and an excess of enthusiasm.

Hélène: You can be French, British, American, or whatever; but you must know that the whole activity is going to be run entirely in English.

Vicki: In other words, you can come from Mars …

Hélène: Or Venus …

Vicki: As long as you can get along in English and are prepared to improve through taking part.

Hélène: If you wish to join us for this thrilling adventure, go to www.abcanglais.org, section ‘collège’. All the information you need is there!

GL: Tell us a bit about your theatrical backgrounds

Hélène: I started doing theater at university, in the US. Then I was asked to keep going with the county community theater. I thoroughly enjoyed working eight months solid on the ‘Man of La Mancha’ musical. I was there six days a week and I can’t think of any moment not being sparkling! Then these past few years, I was general director of the C.S.I. panto where every single cast has been my favorite!

‘Out of hours’, I’m a scriptwriter and have worked on long features such as Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, or Pearl Harbor; and if you’re dying for more names, you can go to my LinkedIn profile.

Vicki:  I was involved in acting in a semi-professional theatre in England. I did drama all through school, acting and directing as house and drama captain. I acted during my university days too and put on a couple of plays in the English Department at U.3 in Grenoble. Finally, I was part of the panto direction team at the C.S.I. for two years.

Katie: I’ve done theatre with small children in Ireland. Here in Grenoble, I’ve worked on the C.S.I. panto for two years.

GL: What is the potential of Grenoble in particular for this type of theatre group in terms of audiences and participants?

Hélène, Vicki, and Katie: (with one voice) Massive!

GL: Thanks ladies. Watch this space for updates and news about Wing It Productions.

Les timbres!

US newcomer Maureen Walsh reports on obtaining long-stay and student visas through the Office Français de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration for a year in Grenoble.

Arriving as newcomers to Grenoble from a small town in North Carolina in July 2010, my husband, Steve, and I were trying to carefully follow the letter of the French law regarding completing the steps necessary for our stay in France. He had recently been accepted into the AQ Bridge Program at the Grenoble Ecole de Management. This was an opportunity to spend a sabbatical year away from his position as the NC State University Director of the Engineering Entrepreneurs Program and explore new possibilities in a foreign country. So it would have surprised many of our friends to know that in our initial 2 ½ months stay in France, we hadn’t actually perfected all of the legalities. This was not malice aforethought, mind you, but only due to the timing of our arrival. Not until the middle of September 2010 did we get things settled! That was when our little yellow OFII (Office Français de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration) cards were pasted inside our American passports. We breathed a sigh of relief. We were now “bona fide”!

The process began in North Carolina. Since we hoped to stay in Grenoble for a full year, Steve applied for a student visa, and I needed a long-term stay visa in order to live in France. That involved a LOT of paperwork – there was the NC State Bureau of Investigation report, an FBI report, fingerprinting, certifications from our bank as to our financial worth, proof of health insurance, proof of purchase of airline tickets, certified birth certificates, marriage certificate, proof of acceptance into a French school, statements from me regarding the reason I was applying for entry into France along with a promise that I would not work while in France, and proof of a commitment to a residence in France (rental contract). It seemed like the list would never end.

We needed three copies of each item for both of our folders and this all had to be translated into French. In addition, there was the Long Stay Visa application form (Demande Pour Un Visa De Long Séjour) and the OFII form (Visa de Long Sejour-Demande D’Attestation OFII) with the top part filled out. A lot of trees sacrificed their lives for our trip to, and our stay in, France.

Once we had assembled all that, we made an appointment to go to our regional French Consulate in Atlanta, Georgia – a “mere” seven hour drive away. We made this appointment on-line and traveled there on an overnight trip in April. The meeting was not what we expected. I thought we would be invited into a cozy room to meet with a consulate representative to present our paperwork and be interviewed – perhaps accompanied by a glass of French wine, too? On the contrary, we arrived and soon discovered that the official Long Stay Visa application form posted on the website of the French Consulate in Atlanta that we had printed and completed, in “impeccable French” I might add, had just been completely changed the previous week. The new questions didn’t match the previous form. A sense of impending doom followed by a mild feeling of panic began to spread within the confines of my head. We stood at a narrow counter and worked to fill out the new form on the fly sans dictionnaire!

When the interview process took place, we were standing at another counter with the consulate employee sitting behind glass with a tiny slot through which we passed our massive paper pile in 8 to 10 pages stages. Time stood still. The employee would ask us questions (in French) and forget to turn on the microphone. We had to continually ask the him to repeat his questions and to turn on the sound – I thought I was living the drive-up window scene in the movie, Wayne’s World. He swiftly shuffled our papers, picked up the phone a few times to call France and kept looking at Steve suspiciously because he was applying for a Student Visa. This was the first line of defense those in America encounter in their quest for a visa to France! (Does the word perspiration mean anything to you?)

We left the office exhausted and made the return drive home. And waited … Our passports with our visas pasted in were returned to us about a month later in the prepaid FedEx envelopes that we had provided. Another hurdle passed. We were on our way to France!

Once we entered France via Switzerland, the next step for us was to find a permanent residence. We had arranged to stay in an extended-stay apartment for our first month in Grenoble, but we would need a more permanent address for the duration of our stay. In addition, we needed fixed and mobile phone numbers to put on the OFII form. Would it ever end? After the arduous work to acquire those, we sent off the paperwork by registered mail on August 4th. Timing for that was not, shall we say, optimum. We soon learned that most of France is not working in August because ils sont en vacances! Finally, we received letters telling us that our OFII forms had been received. We still had to wait to be contacted for our appointments to complete the process. A week and a half later, a letter arrived outlining what we needed to do for our appointments that were scheduled for the 16th of September for Steve and the 17th for me.

We were nearing the finish line! We needed to have a un examen radiographique, un photo tête nue, un examen clinique général and beaucoup d’argent. For the money part, we visited the Préfecture for taxe perçue à l’occasion de la délivrance du premier titre de séjour. This meant we had to buy des timbres á la caisse de préfecture in advance to cover the fee for the OFII validation. The timbres look like postage stamps and are similar to the stamps paid for when you complete a purchase on a house. For Steve that amounted to 55€ ($71.75) and for me, 340€ ($443.57) (exchange rate: 17/09/2010). We understand that in the U.S. the amount can be closer to $1,000.00 per person, so we think we got a bargain.

As a student, Steve had to first go to the Centre de Santé which is located near the train station in Grenoble and have a basic physical. Then, two days later, he needed to board tram C and head off to the Domain Université Centre de Santé to get a chest x-ray at one of those mobile units set up in a parking lot. A week later he returned to the first Centre de Santé to pick up his certified medical certificate. Finally, he was instructed to go to the OFII office with all his paperwork to complete the process. He was told they take a limited number of applicants each day. Since they don’t make specific appointments, show up early and try to get in the door – at 6’2″ and 90 kgs he was ready for action. He arrived an hour before the opening and was the first one in line. He presented all his pieces to the puzzle, and they pasted a card in the passport and covered it with a film cover. One down, one to go.

My requirements were a little different. As I am not a student, I was instructed to report to the OFII office at 13h 30 for my x-ray, and my medical exam would be at 14 h. I was pleased. It seemed that I had an appointment and would escape the running around that Steve had had; it would be “one-stop shopping”. Wrong. I arrived at 13h25 (the bureau is closed from 12h until 13h30 for lunch) and found a long line of people waiting for the opening. I joined the line, and I glanced at the paper the person in front of me held. It looked just like mine. Exactly! We ALL had the SAME appointment time.

The overworked employee at the desk dealt with people speaking many different languages. Some were anxious (like me), and some became belligerent when they were told their dossier was incomplete and that they would have to return with some other required paperwork. After sitting in the too-small waiting room for a half-hour, I was called back for the exams. The x-ray tech showed me to a dressing room and told me to disrobe to the waist. I looked around for the usual jacket I always get to put on when I have any upper body pictures taken. Nothing. Leave your modesty at the door. That done, I moved on to the nurse. She weighed me, stuck me for, as she said, “le sucre” (diabetes test), took my blood pressure, and then we proceeded to the height and eye charts.

If you know the French alphabet pronunciation, you remember that vowels and some consonants are pronounced differently from their English look-a likes. (i is “e”, e is “ai”, g is “jay”, j is “gee.”) We had to remind ourselves of that when responding. As a side story, we have an Australian friend who told us of her experience at OFII. She didn’t know any French when she arrived, and when she read the eye chart, she answered using the English (Australian) pronunciation of the letters. The medical people all thought that she was legally blind!

Getting our OFII stamps has given us the freedom we need to fully enjoy our experience here in Europe. Until we got that, if we had left France, we were told, we would not have been allowed to re-enter through the borders without returning to the U.S. and reapplying for a new visa. With our OFII stamps and our American passports, we can pursue our wanderlust. It didn’t take us long to pull out the map and start eyeing all the possibilities that became open to us with just that “little yellow card.”

To see our further adventures, please visit our blog: walshesingrenoble.wordpress.com

examen radiographique: xray
un photo tête nue: photo of a head without a covering
un examen clinique général: medical exam
le taxe perçue à l’occasion de la délivrance du premier titre de séjour: the charge collected at the issue of the first residence permit
le caisse de prefecture: prefecture cashier
centre de santé: health center

A detail from The Crucible poster

Camille Bromley reviews the Upstage production of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, running at Ste-Marie-d’en-Bas until Saturday March 19.

In an ambitious choice, this year’s Upstage production is The Crucible, Arthur Miller’s dramatization of the Salem Witch Trials and allegory of 1950s McCarthyism. Upstage, Grenoble’s finest English-language theater group, and made up of high school students from the Cité Internationale, never fails to put its best foot forward and this year I was quite looking forward to seeing how the young actors would treat such a sober and violent subject.

But I was wrong in thinking that the Upstage group would rise up to the mature themes presented in the play; in fact, I found that the themes treated in the play spoke very well to adolescence, and as such the teenage actors did a wonderful job of bringing this out to the audience. After all, the accused-cum-accusers that fuel the drama are the young girls found to be “dancing” in the woods—girls much the same age as the actors playing them. And a large part of the horror felt by the puritan townspeople of Salem and subsequent finger-pointing comes from a disbelief that these “children,” who are actually young women, could be capable of lying, vengeance, deception, and sexual acts. Not to mention the fuss raised in our day and age over peer pressure — from Act I we see the influence of the group working on each individual girl, until one by one they crack from the pressure and join the ranks of the accusers, condemning others to save their own skin.

The Crucible’s cast includes a healthy representation of female actors, but the male actors held their own, occupying no less challenging, if less terrifying, roles. John Proctor, conflicted and confounded by the women in his life, is the victim in Act IV of a nail-baiting interrogation of circuitous logic administered by the very severe Deputy Governor Danforth, in which he realizes hopelessly that to be accused is already a condemnation, and a dishonest confession may be better than a righteous death.

Passionate performances (screams, shrieks, tears, thundering accusations, uncontrollable trembling and general hysteria) were given by most of the cast, notably the character of Mary at the climax of the play, and there were several standout character performances, especially Giles Corey complete with cane and fabulous accent. And Upstage didn’t forget their signature interjections of humor (“We saw our gym teacher with the devil!”), as difficult as it is to inject humor into such a play.

The simplicity of the set design and the subtle lighting cast a barren, chilled atmosphere as background to the action, and left the attention on the performances. As always in the Theater Ste-Marie-d’en-Bas, the intimacy of the room and conviviality of the bar made for a pleasant evening.

Kudos to directors Dave Simpson, Julie Valade, Claude Deladoeuille, and Therese Zanone for another impressive performance by Upstage. But I have to admit, after witnessing such a “world gone mad,” I sure was glad leaving the theater, feeling secure in being a little less mad than them.

Daniel Mathieu at Cavavin Grenoble St-Martin D’Heres

Grenoble Life talks to entrepreneur-sommelier Daniel Mathieu of Cavavin Grenoble St-Martin d’Hères about wine, setting up his business and tasting sessions in English.

Grenoble Life: Tell us about Cavavin Grenoble St-Martin D’Heres. When did you open and what can we find inside?

Daniel Mathieu: I opened the shop five months ago, in September. My goal was to build a special place, nice-looking (with wood, color, lights), where you can discover the world of wine in a friendly atmosphere. I have music all day, jazz every evening, and organize a free tasting every Friday and Saturday; my so-called “happy apéro”.

I offer 1,500 types of wine, Champagne, whisky: I have a lot of affordable vins de copains, starting at €3, and I am a specialist of Italian and organic wines (BIO). Most mportantly, I also organize wine tasting courses every Thursday evening, when we take the time to taste wines, talk about each winery, and try wine and food pairing.

GL: Tell us about your wine-tasting courses for English speakers. What made you decide to organize them?

Daniel: There are lots of foreign people who come to Grenoble for a few weeks/months and are not comfortable enough in French to attend a French speaking course. They are students, scientists, or often the wife or husband of somebody coming to Grenoble. I invite them to discover an important part of the French way of life: wine, and wine and food pairing!  By the way, the next “Wine tasting basics” evening is on Thursday March 10.

I also organize private wine tasting evenings in English, for companies that want to have a fun and “French” event for their international seminars, sales meetings, supplier congresses etc.

GL: Where/how did you learn the wine trade?

Daniel: I had been a wine enthusiast for years, and decided to go further and learn the job of sommelier, which I did in 2010, graduating from the wine university of Suze la Rousse, near Orange.

GL: You have changed your profession. Why?

Daniel: My first motivation was to become independent and create my own business, locally. Then I felt I would learn more, and have more fun by doing something completely different – I had been working in the car, IT and consumer electronics for 25 years – in an area I really enjoyed. That’s what drove my decision.

GL: Tell us about wine from this region – any good? Give us some recommendations.

Daniel: I really like wines from Vallée du Rhone and Savoie. Some of my preferred ones?  Montez for St Joseph/Condrieu/Côte Rôtie, Dupasquier for Roussette/Mondeuse; or Quenard for Chignin Bergeron from Savoie.

I discovered local-local wines (I mean wines from Grésivaudan) only a few months ago in a wine tasting event at the Millesime festival in Grenoble. I was particularly impressed – and decided to sell this wine in my shop – by the Mas du Bruchet in Meylan: it’s a fruity, tasty white wine, made from a local grape called Verdesse and vinified like a Bourgogne: perfect match with a white meat dish or a strong cheese. THE Grenoble wine to try!

GL: What do you think of New World wines: Californian, Australian etc? How do they compare to French wines in your opinion? (I’m British, so I’m neutral here!)

Daniel: Even though we have great wines in France – maybe some of the best ones – I have always been curious to discover wines from other countries when I was travelling a lot. There are some really nice wines from California, Australia, South Africa and Chile: they are often tastier than French wines; definitely worth trying. Talking about foreign wines, I am a real fan of Italian wines: they have unique local grapes, a perfect climate and some great wine-makers.

GL: What are some useful contacts and addresses for people wishing to set up a new business in Grenoble?

Daniel: I found the Chambre de Commerce is a very good source of contacts and training. Then your personal and professional network is key get additional contacts and free advice … and they are often your very important first customers!

See you soon for a wine tasting!
www.cavavin-grenoble-smh.fr

Breakfast at Le Valombré

Vickie Allen swaps the pistes of Alpe D’Huez for a weekend getaway at the chambre d’hôtes ‘Le Valombré’ in the Chartreuse. 

Squelching through the mud to avoid the frozen snow that last fell at Christmas, I was glad we hadn’t bothered to pack our ski stuff.  We watched over-dressed school children judder down the slushy nursery slope served by a single, antique drag-lift, their mittens dangling on cords from their wrists, googles perched on their helmets, zips undone. At our backs a southerly wind, disturbingly warm, swept through the trees and cooled as it hit the height of the Col de Porte, but not enough to reassure us that the promised snowfall was on its way, not at this height anyway. 

Situated at 1,326m there was still snow on the ground but as we descended into Chartreuse we drove back in time to find fallen leaves, bare trees and grassy clearings on the edge of the dense forest. It was autumn once again. 

Bare trees and clouds above Grenoble

We chose Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse for a quick mid-winter getaway as it’s so close to Grenoble (just 30-40 minutes by car) and we’d been enchanted by the forest when we visited for the day in the summer. 

As Brits who work in tourism, we’ve always been fascinated by the concept of a chambre d’hôtes. Having worked in a number of chalets and hotels, as well as running Mountain Experience, we weren’t sure if the idea of staying in someone’s house and being a guest at their table was tempting or not.  So we decided to check-in and see … 

Despite our English reserve our host Jean-Pierre was warm and accommodating from the moment we arrived at his home, Le Valombré. A barn conversion, the building is stunning with the self-contained guest quarters, that sleep up to ten people, on the first floor. The Boyfriend had chosen the Jade Room when booking from the photos of each colour-themed room on the website. We found it to be just as it looked online; light and comfortable with a huge bed and comfy armchair. Perfect for relaxation and privacy, but how would we find eating with a stranger? 

The Jade Room

Jean-Pierre shared the starter with us, but refrained from the main course and dessert. Leaving the table every now and then to refill the water and check the oven, his presence was comfortable and leisurely. He grasped his way through our faltering French, phrasing his questions to fill our awkward English silences with the utmost grace and ease. He chatted happily about his previous life in Paris, the conversion of the building and local visitor attractions. His recommendation to visit the church of St-Hugues-de-Chartruese to experience the modern art piqued our interest, and after a tasty four-course meal (with the obligatory local cheese-board) we made our way to bed.

We had agreed on a late breakfast at 9.30am and awoke to find the table laden with homemade preserves and yogurt. The mint and melon jam reminded me of sweet Moroccan tea and was a surprisingly refreshing accompaniment to warm croissants. The Boyfriend’s sweet tooth preferred Jean-Pierre’s strawberry and pineapple jam, while we both salivated over the oven-fresh brioche cake nestling under the lid of its red oven dish.  

Whistling his way through the morning routine of breakfast and cleaning, Jean-Pierre directed us to the church, whose art he described as incroyable.  

I have to admit a soft-spot for churches, especially those decorated with religious iconography. In France you’ll find many Catholic churches dripping in gold and ancient carvings so the modern strength of the abstract art at  St-Hugues took us by surprise. Red and gold dominates the wall hangings, contrasted by the blue stained glass windows of the transept. The artist Arcabas merges familiar biblical symbolism and stories with dark, passionate interpretations. The result is emotional and interactive; you can’t help but slip into the world of demons and angels. 

Inside St-Hugues

Slipping into Arcabas' world

The cooler colours of St-Hugues' transept

We wandered the rural village of St-Hughes and drove to the more commercial, resort of St-Pierre-de-Chartreuse. With the ski lifts closed, no snow and ESF instructors wandering the town in their uniform, it was easy to forget that this was mid-February. Most of the hotels, restaurants and shops were closed. Tourists were very thin on the ground and I wouldn’t have been surprised to see the odd tumbleweed blowing through the deserted grey carparks.  

The view from St-Pierre-de-Chartreuse

October conditions in mid-February...

Without the softening effect of snow, the scenery was raw, with mountains jutting out above the trees and narrow roads lining the winding base of the deep gorge. We spent the afternoon admiring the skeletal trees and vertical cliff faces, contrasted with gently sloping hills and forest clearings dotted with traditional houses and converted barns. As the rain started we returned to Le Valombré, anticipating another lovely meal, gentle conversation and a cosy sofa. 

For our first experience of a chambre d’hôtes, we could have asked nothing more of  Le Valombré. As the only guests, we were eased gently into sharing our meals and felt much more comfortable and relaxed than if we had stayed at a hotel. It was the perfect combination of privacy and relaxation, with the added benefit of our personal chef and knowledgeable host. And the lack of snow actually gave the break a slower pace, with no need to zoom around the slopes.  

So as we wandered into the forest at Trois Sommets, picking our way along the edge of the frozen path, I was happy to leave the kids to their ancient drag-lift and slush; breathing in the warm wind, pine needles and mulch … an autumn break in mid-February and a Valentine’s Day to remember. 

Vickie Allen shares her photos, films and thoughts on the reality of life in the mountains at Destination Oisans.

Breastfeeding baby. Photo by fikirbaz

Grenoble Life talks to Kelly Rigotti of Les Marraines de Lait – an Isère based association offering breasfeeding support – ahead of their meeting this Thursday. 

Grenoble Life: What is Les Marraines de Lait and what is your involvement in the association?

Kelly Rigotti: The Marraines de Lait (Big Sisters of Breastfeeding) is a local, non-profit association dedicated to supporting new mothers in creating the breastfeeding experience that works for them. Unlike other local associations, like the La Leche League or the Voie Lactée, we don’t have regular monthly meetings, although we do meet several times a year. Instead, we match new and experienced moms to create a breastfeeding support pair; to give the new mother an experienced person she can call on when she has questions, problems … or just needs to talk. Our role is not to offer medical advice, but instead lend a friendly, supportive ear to our filleules, or Little Sisters.

I have been a filleule in the association, a marraine (big sister) many times over, as well as past president. I’ve enjoyed each and every one of these roles, although I like being a marraine the best! 

GL: How, when and why was the association founded?

Kelly: The association was founded in 2003 with the goal of recreating formally the informal bonds that used to exist when we lived in smaller communities. Little girls used to grow up seeing their moms, aunts, neighbors, sisters and friends breastfeeding and there was always somebody to turn to for advice. As we’ve moved away from our villages and into a more modern community, and especially with the dominance of bottle-feeding over the past few generations, it has become more and more common for a new mother to be the first in her circle of family and friends to want to breastfeed. After her stay in the hospital, she might not have any one to turn to with her questions, and if she does ask a friend or older relative, more often than not the advice will be to give the baby a bottle.

Associations like the La Leche League and the Voie Lactée use hotlines and monthly meetings to reach and support new moms, but the Marraines de Lait feel that it’s important for each new mom to have one (extra) person she can rely on. 

GL: What are some of the health benefits of breastfeeding for mother and baby?

There are innumerable health benefits for both moms and babies, from a decreased risk of allergies for the baby to a lower risk of breast cancer for the moms. That said, we don’t believe that formula feeding is evil – sometimes it’s necessary for a number of reasons. Our goal is not to push what some might call a Radical Breastfeeding Agenda. We believe in supporting moms and babies to find a breastfeeding relationship that works for them: from exclusive, long-term nursing, to pumping and bottle feeding, and everything in between.

GL:  In what ways do traditional views of breastfeeding in France differ to those in Anglophone countries?

France has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the European Union, although Isère is on par with the UK and the US with about 75% of new mothers choosing to breastfeed. Once women go home from the hospital after giving birth however, the percentage continuing to breastfeed at home drops to about 50% and there are very few women who continue to nurse their babies after about four months, when the average mom returns to work.

France also has, in my experience as an American, a very faithful membership in what I call the Cult of the Physician. I’ve found that French people (and I’m generalizing wildly here) tend to think that scientific things must be better than something that hasn’t passed through a laboratory, which to my mind explains why so many women here believe that Bottle is Best.

Women in the United States tend to breastfeed longer than in France; although the percentage of mothers who are still breastfeeding at six months (the minimum recommended by the American Medical Association) is higher than in France, the percentage of women in most developed countries who are still breastfeeding at two years (the minimum recommended by the World Health Organization) is still very, very low. I myself breastfed my three children for a combined length of time that was longer than the amount of time I spent in higher education.

GL: What support does the association receive from the medical establishment?

We have a list of doctors who support breastfeeding and to whom we refer people for any suspected medical question and we work with several certified lactation consultants. While our role is not to provide medical advice, we do have several nurses, midwives and doctors in our midst and we also organize and attend several trainings a year. We have set up a program for premature babies at the Hôpital Nord as well.

GL:  Can new mothers and fathers get support in English if needed?

There are a few native English speakers in the association (myself included) and several other people who speak English fluently. We also have German and Spanish speakers in the group.

GL:  How can people find out more and/or get involved?

Check out our website! You can also call the hotline at 04 76 33 30 81; leave a message sand somebody will get back to you. For help in English, feel free to call me: 06 67 33 74 91.

Our next meeting will be on Thursday, 24 February, 2011, beginning at 10 am (and continuing till we get tired of chatting!). It will be held at the Café des Zébulons, 2 rue Sergent Bobilot, in Grenoble.

'Raquette nocturne' with Association France Etats-Unis

April Buchanan of Association France Etats-Uni talks to Grenoble Life about getting together with the “internationally-minded” for picnics, museum visits and full-moon raquette nocturne.

Grenoble Life: What is Association France Etats-Unis?

April Buchanan: Well, France-Etats Unis is many things to many people. It’s actually a national association, with almost 30 chapters in all different regions and cities all over France. It’s a social organization that is open to anyone who is interested in either American culture, or anyone interested in promoting friendship and understanding between France and the United States.

You don’t necessarily have to be American or French, and you don’t even have to speak English! We have members of all nationalities and ages, students and professionals. A lot of members are either American ex-pats and their families, or French people who have either lived or vacationed in the States and loved it! It’s also a great social setting for international couples or people new to France who are looking for a place to feel less like a stranger in a strange land.

GL: Tell us about the history of the Grenoble chapter – why here?

April: A lot of people are surprised to learn that the first France Etats-Unis was first started in Paris just after World War II, under the name ‘France USA’ back in September 1945. Ten years later the name was changed to the current one, and the association began to grow across the country.

The Grenoble chapter has a unique story, in that it began in the early 1950s, but it kind of lapsed in the 80s and 90s. It was in 2005 that Pierre Hermant relaunched the association in Grenoble, and it has been growing ever since. In 2010 we had 65 official members, but it seems like more since we often have a lot of friends and visitors who participate in the fun as well!

Grenoble is the perfect place to have a really dynamic and vibrant association since it is such an international city! With so many multi-national companies bringing employees from abroad, the University of Grenoble having exchange programs with many American universities, and the Grenoble Graduate School of Business with their many international masters study programs, there are a huge number of Americans and other ‘internationally-minded’ people living here either permanently or temporarily. France Etats-Unis is the perfect platform for these people to meet casually and feel welcome in a positive and friendly environment.

GL: The moto of the association is “For a better mutual acquaintance and understanding.” Can you elaborate on that?

April: I think one of the best quotes I’ve read about the association sums it up nicely. The second elected president of the association, André Maurois said in 1955, “… there is nothing more important for these two countries than to maintain a total and trusting friendship between them.” He goes on to say that the historical factual links between France and the United States, specifically each country helping the other in gaining its independence, is simply not enough to maintain this friendship … that it is a living reality, founded on mutual respect, constant collaboration, and a common culture of supporting peace and freedom.

While remaining independent and completely apolitical, the role of France Etats-Unis is to support this idea, and we can do that through cultural and social events, national holiday celebrations, and fun social exchanges between people of many nationalities and backgrounds, including but not limited to French and American.

GL: What sort of events do you organise?

April: We have quite a few events all year long, including the major national celebrations of both countries, as well as activities to explore the heritage and nature around the Isére region, so there’s always something to look forward to. And we always have a regular monthly “Hot Spot,” which is a casual get together held on the first Wednesday evening of each month. For the past year or so we’ve been having it upstairs at Café de la Table Ronde at 6:30, and anyone is welcome to come and hang out with us for an hour or two.

But this is in addition to our bigger planned events, which have become quite popular! With everything from Thanksgiving Dinner to nature hikes, from the traditional French Galette des Rois to museum visits and the Fourth of July picnic, there is always quite a variety of things happening in every season, and we are also open to new ideas for anything fun and interesting!

GL: What is your role and how you did you get involved?

April: Well, this is my first year being on the board of the association, and I’m really inspired and excited to help make the association grow and to spread the word to those who may not know about it!

I had lived in Grenoble for about five years when I became friends with two other American women, Jesse Bernstein and Emily Huschen, who were members and also on the board of FEU. They immediately convinced me to come to a Hot Spot on a Wednesday night, and there I met lots of interesting people, including other Americans living here that I had never met before, Franco-American couples, former French ex-pats who had lived and worked in the States, and even a retired French couple who spend half of the year in Florida! It was refreshing and reassuring to be among people who appreciated American culture and who wanted to share stories about their own experiences between the two countries.

GL: Tell us a bit about your background

April: I’m American, originally from Valparaiso, Indiana. After finishing my studies at Purdue University and working for some time in Chicago and in Austin, Texas, I came to Grenoble on holiday in 2003 to visit a friend who was working here. It was then that I realized I wanted to live abroad! Without speaking a word of French, I moved to Grenoble permanently in 2004, and it has been an incredible journey of self-discovery and world education ever since! I am currently teaching English in companies around Grenoble.

GL: Asides from events, what other advantages come from being a member of the association?

April: The events we organize in the association are always a lot of fun, but they are really a gateway to friendships and connections that can last a lifetime — I even know one person who met his wife at the Toulouse chapter of France Etats-Unis over 20 years ago! But aside from events, we have strong relationships with other associations in the area, such as Open House (an English-speaking association in Grenoble) and the American Club of Lyon to name two, but also organizations like the American Chamber of Commerce in Lyon, and the various ‘Sister City’ programs, which partner French cities and American cities to promote travel and exchange between the two.

We also have strong support from the American Consulate in Lyon, and the Mairie of Grenoble. All of these outlets, as well as the other chapters of France Etats-Unis, provide a vast network of people and places for everyone involved. This can lead to all kinds of partnerships and opportunities, which all stem from the commonly held interest in promoting multi-cultural friendship and understanding.

GL: What’s next on the calendar?

April: Our next big event is the full moon snowshoeing hike, or raquette nocturne! For those who have never gone snowshoeing, it is a great alternative to skiing to enjoy the natural beauty of the mountains here. And doing this at night under a full moon that lights up the white snow all around is a truly magical and unforgettable experience! And of course, no Alpine adventure would be complete without a traditional French Montagnard meal in a warm chalet-style restaurant to finish off the evening. It is one of our most popular annual events that we look forward to all year long!

Test de grossesse

In the first part of a blog about her experience as an expecting mother in France, Grenoble Life’s Shonah Wraith (née Kennedy) talks about finding out she was pregnant.

Even though discussions had been had, plans had been made and action put into place, it was a big shock when suddenly I found myself at the chemist asking for a test de grossesse.  The pharmacist was very kind explaining the best time to do this test for the best results – and as I am a stickler for rules I then had to wait until first thing the next morning to do the business on the stick. So it happened that at 5am I was attempting to re-read instructions, aim onto a very narrow stick to do what seemed to be the most difficult test I had ever sat – one that I couldn’t ever have studied for. It did not take long to realise what I had suspected for a few days.  All I can say about this moment is – savour it. This is the time you can breath and realise that what you have wanted has become a reality.  Take time before the other reality of doctors appointments, blood tests, getting a mutuelle and possible incomprehensions take over.

Ahhhhh! Breathe in, breathe out…

Once you have done this as many times as is necessary you have to get une ordonnance from your médecin traitant for a blood test to confirm the heart palpitations of excitement the little purple/ blue/coloured line gave you. I merely rang my doctor and asked for the prescription, rather than making an appointment with him.  He had the prescription waiting for me in his surgery, I picked it up and went to the local laboratoire d’analyses médicales for the blood test.  The following afternoon I had the positive confirmation.

Then you have to ring – who now seems like your best friend – your doctor and see him/her. The doctor will read the results and reiterate to you that you are indeed pregnant! They will then give you an estimated date of arrival, another ordonnance for a blood test to determine your blood type (you will then be given a carte de groupe sanguine – you will need to keep this for the whole process), toxoplasmosis and rubella and also suggest a gynécologue/obstétrician. Of course you could choose your own, if you had a preference of where to go. It seems to me, the place you give birth is determined by where your gynaecologist is located. Next mission* is to call this doctor, make an appointment and wait.

And waiting seems to be the word for the first trimester.  You know you have crossed the line, but there are so many potential obstacles that you don’t feel like you are truly training for the race properly. Your daily life is meant to continue, but somewhere in the background (more often than not in the foreground if you suffer from morning sickness, tiredness and uncountable trips to amenities!) of everything you do there is “that thing” that no one else knows. You go to the gynaecologist’s office and feel like an imposter amongst all the big-bellied women!

Oh!  And while you are waiting you might want to look into a mutuelle if you don’t already have one.  Especially if you want to go down the clinique route and have a private room when the time comes. As I previously said this whole process happened a lot quicker than we had anticipated, so I was looking for an appropriate mutuelle before crossing the line, however had not made a decision before the result. I was nervous that I would then not be able to have a mutuelle. However, in France, with the company I decided to go with, pregnancy is not classed as a pre-existing “condition” and I was covered instantly.

Next to the first appointment, which in a word is amazing.  Once again the doctor will confirm to you what the stick, laboratory and your first doctor told you, but this appointment is like watching your favourite movie – that you have seen countless times – in technicolour WITH surround sound … you see this tiny peanut shape and hear “the” heartbeat.

Now, it is such a personal choice whether or not you tell people within the first trimester that you are pregnant.  My husband and I decided to wait to tell anyone, so wait we did for another agonisingly long six weeks.  During this time, though, there are many places to visit virtually.  You can follow what your creation is up to, while you can’t physically see what is going on.  Some sites I found really useful during this time were

• Baby Centre (where you can choose UK or US)
• Huggies (where you can choose the country of your choice)
• Having a baby in France practical information

And if you are impatient to buy books the bookworm café has a great selection.  However, if you are trying to be discreet you can buy books from Amazon.fr and the book depository, both of which have free delivery.

You then enter into the declaration and echographie stage!  When the line is well and truly behind you and the training moves into full swing!

*My doctor also gave me un’ordonnance for an echographie.  However, when I visited my gynaecologist he did the echographie in his office, and there was no need for me to go to a seperate place for this.  This may depend on your gynaecologist.

Please note this is purely a subjective account of this situation in France

Grenoble depuis "la montée de Chalemont". Photo: FrenchHope

In the first part of her blog Footprints in Grenoble, American student Aleigha Page shares her first impressions of studying abroad in the Capital of the Alps. 

My name is Aleigha; I am an American student studying here in Grenoble for the spring semester. I began my study-abroad research fall of my freshman year, and I was immediately drawn to the catalogue featuring Grenoble. The mountains, the globes which take one up to the Bastille, and pictures of wild flowers growing on the mountainside all convinced me that Grenoble was the city for me.

Off the beaten path

I like that it is a little off the beaten path of European study abroad destinations, but that certainly does not mean life in Grenoble is boring! Grenoble offers a happy medium of big city and country nearby. The centre-ville is fabulous, and offers every store one could ever imagine! There are restaurants, cafés, brasseries, pubs, bakeries, and so much more. 

Just because Grenoble is in the mountains, does not mean it is removed from culture. But I also love the fact that the mountains are in easy reach of the city. I have hiked up the Bastille twice, and both times offered the best view of the city. The Bastille is a very old fortress built into the side of the mountain, which served as a prison and has now been converted into a hiking trail. When the weather warms up a tad, I intend to make many more hiking expeditions. 

Arrival

My first day in Grenoble began after a three hour long train ride from Paris, after three days of sightseeing the City of Lights. Needless to say, I was exhausted by the time I made it to Grenoble. I walked into the Grenoble train station, trying to wrap my head around the fact that this new city was about to become home for the next four months. I gingerly stood with the other students in my group as we observed the group of host families.

When my name was called, my host mother and I shyly made our way toward each other. I was thrilled to finally meet the person whose home I would be staying in! But all in approximately two seconds, it occurred to me that she knew absolutely nothing about me, other than the obvious statistics: American female student here to study French. And I knew little about her other than she was an artist who worked from home, enjoyed cooking, and lived in Grenoble.

I was not exactly sure how to kick off our conversation for various reasons: a) I was tired and still getting my body acclimated to the new time zone; b) I was trying to be sensitive to French etiquette and customs, and I was not sure how to converse without accidently saying or asking something offensive; c) Even in my native land, I am very shy the first little bit I meet someone. Combine all three of those, and I was at a loss for words. However, we made our way to the train, and we made small talk as she pointed out important landmarks, and told me our tram stop.

Old town

On the tram, I marveled at the buildings we whizzed by. Grenoble is an old town, and the buildings have that old European, stucco style walls with orange tile roofs. The buildings are different colors – some of them pastel orange and yellow, others brown or shades of beige.  

Of all things in life, I know that I will never forget my first impression of my host home. It is a charming house built onto the side of another building. We go through an apartment hallway, complete with a spiral staircase, to an outdoor entrance. Go through the door, and enter into a charming courtyard which leads into the house. The house is old, and certainly has the charm and character of an old home. I am a sap for old buildings and especially homes; I could spend days marveling at the old homes, whether at home or in France. 

The next couple of days were spent getting unpacked and settling into my new home. My first full day in Grenoble, we were taken on a tour of the city. In the Place Notre Dame, there is a café which is especially for philosophers; however anyone is welcome, along with at least four other cafes. In another town square, there is a café which is the second oldest café in all of France, the oldest being in Paris! There really are cafés on every street, and just about every corner in France. I always thought that maybe the café was an overdone French cliché, much like berets, but no. I can safely conclude that there will never be a shortage of cafés in la France.

Goals

I have officially been in Grenoble for two weeks, and I honestly find something new or interesting every time I leave home. There are so many winding streets filled with shops and little restaurants throughout city. Prior to my study abroad departure, I made a list of goals, and one of those goals is to see something new every day. I can easily put a check next to that box. I recently discovered the most adorable salon de thé I could ever imagine –chandelier hanging, mismatched antique furniture which had been reupholstered in various fabrics of pretty prints, tablecloths, and white tables. I did not have the chance to stop by, but having tea in one of the salon de thés is certainly on my to do list. 

My introduction to Grenoble could not have been better. I cannot wait to explore more and get to know the city, not only through the eyes of a visitor, but as a member of this city. I want to have a relationship with Grenoble, not only to be a passerby. I know that Grenoble will leave a significant footprint on my heart and in my life, and I certainly intend on leaving a few of my own footprints for Grenoble.

Photo: Vickie Allen

Vickie Allen takes a break from the slopes of Alpe d’Huez and heads off walking in Bourg d’Oisans.

It may not have snowed since 11.01.11, but you’d never guess by looking at the pistes …

Alpe d’Huez has over 900 snow cannons, more than any other resort in France. And really it’s just as well, as so many of the pistes here are south-facing. So the fact that it’s not snowed for nearly a month doesn’t matter too much; the cannons are blasting water into the air each night, creating piles of new snow that’s being spread around the resort to keep the pistes topped-up. This technique is all well and good when the weather’s cold enough for the cannons, but if it starts warming-up at night we could be in trouble…

For the moment though, Alpe d’Huez boasts some of the best snow in France. Only the lowest, sunniest runs are closed (which includes the Sarenne) but new arrivals do get quite a shock when their first view of the resort is this:

Photo: Vickie Allen

The skiing may be good but I’m just not feeling it right now. With mid-season rapidly approaching I needed to get out of resort, so was far more enthusiastic than usual when The Boyfriend suggested a trip to the supermarket and a walk in Bourg d’Oisans.

Bourg is a hive of cycling activity in the summer months, but it’s a bit of a ghost town during the winter. Its location at the base of the steep-sided Oisans valley means it spends a chunk of the winter months either in the shadow of the mountains or under a blanket of cloud. Today however, it was sunny and toasty, with temperatures hitting 25ºC in the sun.

After a rather dull and chilly whiz round Casino we drove out to the fields that surround the town. There’s a lot of housing development going on in Bourg, but once you get past the Happy Valley projects you find fallow fields bisected by manmade mini canals.

Photo: Vickie Allen

Despite the warm weather, spring is yet to arrive in Bourg but there are a few signs that it’s not far away.

The trees remain bare but as the snows melt and the streams start to run once again, green life is appearing in the water. Weeds and water plants strongly rooted, reflect the sun’s warmth as they cling on against the flow that comes from the mountains. We heard the distant rumble of rock falls as the temperature change and melting snow loosens cracks on the mountainside.

Photo: Vickie Allen

Rustles in the dry leaves covering the mulch betrayed the field mice and squirrels out foraging, and we spotted a heron working its powerful way along one tree-lined canals, looking for prey. Squelching through the mud and remnants of frozen snow, protected by the shade of the trees, we made our way to the bank of the largest canal, Bourg’s protection from the heavy meltwater that gushes down into the valley at the end of each winter.

Photo: Vickie Allen

The level of the river is low at the moment and may stay that way unless we get a significant snowfall before the end of the season.

The forecasts remain hesitant to predict anything other than sun, so maybe we now need to accept that it simply won’t snow this much this winter: Mother Nature’s way of rebalancing after last year’s epic snowfall. Or maybe she’s playing her cards close to her chest and – as the older generation of local mountain folk believe – she’s going to test the mettle of the half-term tourists with a huge dump just in time for the first weekend of the holidays …

We’ll just have to wait and see.

Photo: Vickie Allen

Click on the links for more information about Bourg d’Oisans and riding this winter in Alpe d’Huez.

Destination Oisans: Photos, films and thoughts on the reality of life in the mountains.

Alliance Grenoble-Oxford

Grenoble Life talks to David Bailey of Alliance Grenoble-Oxford about the association’s history and events ahead of a debate in English it is hosting on campus, February 16.

Grenoble Life: What is Alliance Grenoble-Oxford?

David Bailey: AGO is the association that takes care of the twinning between Grenoble and Oxford in the UK.

GL: When was it founded and why?

David: Grenoble and Oxford were unofficially twinned in 1988 but the official ‘Friendship Agreement’ was actually signed in Oxford on 27 April 1989 by Alain Carignon, then mayor of Grenoble, and Queenie Whorley, mayor of Oxford. After a couple of short-lived attempts at forming a twinning committee, the AGO was founded in March 1993.

GL: What kinds of events do you organise?

David: There are two aspects to the AGO’s activity. The first is to foster exchanges between the two cities in all spheres (professional, educational, economic, artistic, sporting, social, linguistic, etc.) and to promote personal contacts between their residents. This we do with the support of Grenoble city council’s international relations department.

The second aspect of our activity is to promote Oxford and British culture in general here in Grenoble through an annual programme of events. These include play and poetry readings in English, lectures on a variety of topics, social events and outings, car rallies, debates and an annual Christmas Carols evening.

GL: What other kinds of services do you provide?

David: In the context of the actual twinning, we facilitate contacts between associations and individuals in liaison with the Oxford-Grenoble Association in Oxford, and we organise a trip to Oxford every other year, usually in the late spring. In years when we do not go to Oxford, we host a group from over there here in Grenoble.

We have in the past offered conversation classes and would be willing to do so if there is any demand. We publish a newsletter several times a year.

GL: Tell us a little about the organisers

David: Both the AGO and OGA in Oxford are entirely self-supporting, non-profit organisations run by volunteers. We have a mix of French and British people from a variety of backgrounds and professions on the committee. Our meetings are held once a month, in French.

GL: What events are coming up?

David: Our next event is a debate the traditional Oxford University style, which we are organising in conjunction with several departments of the University of Grenoble. This is the second of its kind and we hope it will become a regular event. We then have a talk in March by Thora van Male from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques on her latest book Liaisons généreuses. And over Easter we shall be welcoming the East Oxford Community Choir, which is twinned with Grenoble’s “Interlude” choir. They will be giving two performances of Mendelssohn’s oratorio “Saint Paul” with an orchestra consisting of musicians from both cities.

GL: How can people get more information and/or get involved?

David: We are always on the lookout for new members, and especially for people to help with the twinning. As our website is temporarily on hold, they should contact me (David Bailey : 04 76 40 31 34 or davidbailey@sfr.fr). Our brochure is usually available at the Maison de l’International, Parvis des Droits de l’Homme, Jardin de Ville, 1 rue Hector Berlioz, 38000 Grenoble.

Employment Opportunities. Photo: The Cleveland Kid

Rebecca Skillman talks to Nathalie Reynaud, career transitions consultant and guest speaker for the Working Women’s Network of Grenoble on February 17th.

Rebecca Skillman: What is “career sustainability”?

Nathalie Reynaud: For me it’s about keeping ourselves employable over a whole career – and not relying on one employer to look after us. Everyone’s different, of course, and it depends on our personality, constraints and environment. But we can all develop a sense of responsibility. So, rather than being the victim in a hire-and-fire culture, we are in control of our destiny, working when and how we want to.

Rebecca: Is career sustainability a recent, crisis-related trend?

Nathalie: Not for me! Right from when I left school I chose broad-based studies which allowed me to have a lot of opportunities. I had a scientific background in research – image processing – and enjoyed the work in that field. But I realized the job didn’t take account of what I needed in terms of people contact. I was behind a computer too much and it began to have an effect on my health. So I said ok, time to stop. Having a dual nationality I decided to go to Canada, to experience a different cultural perspective. I found that I really enjoyed tutoring and training – seeing the sparkle in people’s eyes when they understand how to move forward and get what they want.

From Canada I went to Mexico for two years, then returned to France as I wanted to work again in a francophone country. From there I decided to go for an MBA in change management, using previous skills and at the same time moving forward. But what really interests me is seeing where people are at, where they want to go, what their needs are and how to get there. Initially, I found a role in information systems consulting. But I felt I was losing sight of my target – people – so I changed tack and took a role in HR consulting in India.

Rebecca: You’ve worked in a huge range of contexts and countries. What’s the lesson from that?

That if you want something enough, you can have it. In each country I found the job I wanted, in my chosen environment, the way I wanted it. Even in India – where I was an ex-pat wife and everyone told me I’d never find a job, I was the only wife who had a job!

Rebecca: What would you say to someone who is having difficulty finding their own route through life?

Nathalie: You need to start from yourself. Think about what you want, what your needs and priorities are, and your skills – especially the transferable ones. Rather than sending CVs at random and focusing on what your needs are – a job – try to be pro-active, thinking about what companies need and matching this need to what you can offer. It’s a mutual process. And the global recession makes it even more important – because it can otherwise be so easy to get into a depressed “I just need a job” state.

Rebecca: What can people expect to get from your presentation to the WWNG?

Nathalie: We will share experiences – whether it’s about being unemployed, or adapting to a changing work environment, or adapting to the shifting work pattern of a husband. In all cases I want people to leave with hope of finding what they want and a better idea of themselves: where they’re at, where they want to go and how to get there.

We will talk about our personal and professional projects, and whether we are aware of the relevant values, skills, behaviour, environment and benefits. I will give some hints about how to always develop our competencies, even if we are unemployed; and how to find/create our own job, if necessary. We’ll consider possible marketing tools, how to make sure we have the right people around us, and a strategy/action plan in place. I like the metaphor of a sportsman who has to plan … one competition after the other. Which competition are you targeting? Which will be the one that will carry glory for you? The target? In the long and short term? Planning a career is no different. We have to prepare, physically and mentally, and have the right equipment to win those competitions that life throws our way.

Nathalie Reynaud of Reynaud Consulting will be speaking to the WWNG on 17 February 2011. For more information on attending this program, contact the association at www.wwng.net.

Nathalie Reynaud

"Danse" by Daniel Champhanet at Ristretto Café

Françoise Lerond talks to artist Daniel Champhanet – currently exhibiting at the Ristretto Café in Grenoble – about painting expresso-style … with coffee. 

As a lover of innovation, I was really amazed at Daniel Champhanet’s beautiful scenes, made just by playing with coffee. I decided to talk to him to know more … 

Françoise Lerond: Daniel, could you tell us how the idea of painting with coffee came to your mind? 

Daniel Champhanet: The story starts at the meal time with friends, a coffee drop leaving a stain on the white colored paper tablecloth … What a beautiful color and great transparency! My imagination immediately started to wander around, connecting very old and somehow hidden ideas. I got it! I could catch hold of any moment with minimum material; a unique medium available anywhere in the world … The solution was obvious: Coffee! 

I fully agree with Lisa Yuskavage when she says that painting is not an aesthetic orthodoxy, and that creative freedom relies on one’s will to give things a try. 

Painting expresso, just for a short coffee break! 

Françoise: What does coffee recall for you?  

Daniel: Well, after being a medicine for a long time, it became the Devil’s drink (Qahwa), and then the first foodstuff used for the purposes of speculation. Nowadays, it is one of the most widespread drinks; but I now see it as an amazing artistic medium. It’s a simple but unique material, carrying a long and vibrant history. 

I also associate it with rich imagery, from its provenance to its roasting to the way millions of people share it every day, at breakfast, or simply at a social occasion. I could also talk about smell, recalling travels, lazing around at a coffee store or just reminiscing of childhood when I was first allowed to taste this magical beverage. I think coffee reminds each of us of something different and very personal! 

Françoise: What does it allow you to do more or better than other techniques? 

Daniel: It allows me to seize the moment of an emotion, of a face, of an object. It also gives an emotional transparency, most particularly when painting eyes. When mixing it with markers or pastels, I can obtain a fantastic intensity. 

Françoise: How do you manage to get such different nuances of colors with only one substance? 

Daniel: Everything lies in transparency, a bit like watercolor. Diluted with more or less water, you obtain various nuances. Results can also be different depending on the paper you’re using. 

Françoise: That’s really great! What an amazing result! Anything else you would like to add for Grenoble Life readers? 

Daniel: Yes, I’ve been exhibiting at the Ristretto Café  in Grenoble almost since its opening. Jocelyn Glorieux has nicely welcomed my painting in his shop, allowing a great alchemy between the location, coffee and the art. 

If you want to see the exhibition, you can visit the Ristretto Café: 23, Rue de la Poste – 38000 Grenoble. I will also be there to welcome you on Saturday, February the 5^th from 1 to 3pm. 

Françoise: Thank you Daniel. We hope to see some of our Grenoble Life readers there! If any of you would like to encourage Daniel in his work or simply know more, feel free to send him an e-mail: daniel.art.fr@gmail.com. You can also see some of his coffee artwork on Youtube.

Mobile Devices: Is your social life in hand? (detail from conference poster)

Students in the MSc Management Consulting program at Grenoble Graduate School of Business invite you to a conference they have organized on the mobile phone industry and social media. Andrea Becke explains.

February the 24th is coming closer and closer. This date might not mean a lot for most of the people here in Grenoble but for the students in the MSc Management Consulting program it means a lot. February 24th will be the date for our first conference on Mobile Devices: Is your social life in hand?

But let’s start from the beginning and introduce ourselves. We are 15 students studying MSc Management Consulting at Grenoble Graduate School of Business. What makes us special is our unique multicultural team. We are 15 students coming from 13 different countries, with an age range from 22 till 38. Working in this group is not always that simple, yet we form a great team whose diversity is what enables us to achieve great potential.

Planning such a conference is quite challenging. First we have a very limited budget; we depend on sponsors and on GGSB to support us with the logistics. Additionally since our conference will be held in English, this limits the potential audience for our event. We hope to go beyond the student and faculty body and wish to include everyone interested in this topic wishing to gain more knowledge about the mobile industry.

With our Professor Pat Brans, who is an expert in this industry, we are organizing a conference on Mobile Devices. The mobile industry is already a part of our everyday life and its influence is becoming increasingly significant. We wonder if people are really aware of what they are using? Do people actually know how far the reach of Social Media actually is? Not to mention the ever-present question arising in this context: is it safe to use? Is our privacy protected? These key issues and more will be discussed in our conference. We hope to address the big dilemmas – and answer some of questions – arising from this new trend.

We have invited experts in the area of mobile technology, social media, ethics and location based services to participate. With short, but precise presentations, those experts will bring the subject closer to everyone and give us the chance to ask specific questions during the round table discussion.

Among the speakers present: Kelly Rigotti, a Marketing and Communications Consultant and an expert in online branding and web 2.0 ergonomics. Kelly will discuss how social networks are becoming mobile social networks. Sharon Crost, an expert in reputation management and online commerce and a Marketing and Social Media Consultant, will bring us closer to a set of guidelines for handling the risks behind social interactions going mobile. Marie-Paule Odini is the Chief Technologist at Hewlett-Packard’s Communications & Media and an expert in the area of online branding, innovation and security programs. At the conference, she will talk specifically about social media used on mobile phones and the technology behind it.

We are all using mobile devices. Isn’t each of us wondering a little about just how much our social life is in our hands? Join us to find out!

The conference and round-table will take place on the 24th of February 2011 from 6 to 8 pm at Grenoble Graduate School of Business. The conference will be followed by a cocktail reception.

We are looking forward to surprising you!

Françoise Lerond (left) and Anne Dénaire-Jégard

Françoise Lerond, founder of Confluences Consulting and member of the Working Women’s Network Grenoble (WWNG), talked recently with several members about the WWNG Professional Enrichment Program (PEP).

Françoise Lerond: Why did the WWNG create this program?

Kelly Rigotti, KR Consulting: When we started the PEP in 2007, we were looking for a way to help our members receive more support and guidance – either because they were new to the WWNG and wanted to become more comfortable with American style networking, or because they wanted help in figuring out goals or objectives. We wanted to create a short but complete program that would help them get started on the path of successful networking.

Sara Freitas-Maltaverne, SFM Traduction: Five years ago, three of us – Mickey Farrance (President of the WWNG), Kelly and I – wanted to have a special welcome for our new members. We wanted them to acquire skills to get the most out of networking, help them present themselves, and share their needs with others. To be able to do that, they have to have a clear idea of what they want to do, and what their professional goals are. The PEP was born as a series of three modules:  Know Yourself, Develop Your Goals, and Present Yourself Effectively.

Françoise: Who facilitates these PEP modules?

Kelly: We have had many different talented people leading the modules, all of the WWNG members. I myself have facilitated a number of times and learned something new from each experience.

Françoise: And things change. Often, we have to reassess what we want to do, set new goals and present ourselves differently, right?

Sara: Yes, and because we change facilitators regularly, who offer different perspectives and methodologies, people can attend PEP several times and get something new each time.

I had the chance to facilitate the “present yourself effectively” module last year and it was a great experience. I was able to share my experience with my fellow WWNG members. It was also for me an opportunity to refine the training modules I offer through my company.

Véronique Rostas, Polaris Consulting:  I fully agree. When I facilitated the “know yourself” module last year, I validated new tools I was planning to use with my clients. At the same time, participants got some methodology to start their change process. PEP participants are generally very open-minded. They know they want to change something but don’t necessarily have a crystal-clear idea of who they want to be later. My purpose is to give them a structure, so that they can go from their comfort zone to a learning zone, with a safety net. That’s a first step. Françoise, you “graduated” from the PEP last year and will facilitate this year, so you can give us your feedback too.

Françoise:  Sure! That’s the beauty of networking, what you give out, you get back, and it’s win-win! I joined the WWNG last year just in time to sign up for the PEP.  It’s definitely a good start to build the future we desire, set new goals and position ourselves. I was in the process of creating Confluences Consulting, and so acquiring skills for networking and for presenting myself effectively was of great help. And since then, I’m enjoying networking “American style”!

This year I will present the “develop your goals” module, and it is really great for me to have the opportunity to give back to the network. I will share my business and project management knowledge to help participants set goals, follow up and achieve them, with a structured approach, hands-on tools and of course networking in mind.

Anne and Barbara, you participated in last year’s PEP too.  How was your experience?

Anne Denarié-Jégard, ComCBizArt:  The PEP exercises were really helpful.  We worked both individually and in small groups, and the energy you get from other like-minded people is very motivating.  PEP and the people in it really helped me structure my objectives.

Barbara Barrett, Repérages Vélo:  When I enrolled in the PEP, I was in the process of “reinventing myself.” For me the program was a transforming experience and I’m quite grateful that I’ve been able to make positive changes in my life as a result. The sessions were well planned, and the presenters were very professional and knowledgeable. I am looking forward to the 2011 PEP, and highly recommend it!

Françoise: Thank you all for sharing your experience with WWNG and the PEP program. Mickey, as President of the Working Women’s Networking Group, you may want to add something?

Mickey Farrance, WWNG President: The PEP program has built on success since its beginnings five years ago. I’m delighted that it has provided such a positive experience for so many of our members, who have become enthusiastic and productive networkers. We collectively invite other professional women who want to refine and apply their networking skills to join the WWNG, and register for the PEP – it’s free to members.  Don’t delay – the 2011 PEP will be held on Feb 5 and we need to approve new membership applications before then.  Membership application forms are available from our website at http://www.wwng.net/become-a-member.

Françoise:   Each year, WWNG members – middle managers, executives, academics, consultants or entrepreneurs – hone their professional skills through the PEP and build valuable professional relationships.  I hope to see some of our Grenoble Life readers join us there.

The Upstage 2011 cast and crew

The cast and crew of Upstage – an English theatre group comprising students at Cité Internationale Europole in Grenoble – share their experiences as rehearsals gather pace for this year’s production: Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, Ste-Marie-d’en-Bas, March 15–19. 

Francesco Amadori 

This is my first year in upstage productions and I am so pleased to be part of it. From day one, everyone was really friendly and made me feel at ease in the rehearsals. We work in a great atmosphere and I love the way the directors take their time to pay attention to every detail in the scene which we are practising. 

I play a well-to-do, hard-handed land-owner named Thomas Putnam. He is a participant in the trials of Salem and “helps” the prosecution of Giles Corey. This part, seeing as it is not one of the major ones, allows me to participate backstage during the play, as well as being on stage. 

Alba Besson 

Girls found dancing in the forest; women accused of witchcraft; a mighty judge brought to Salem to sort it all out and to hang the guilty… Sounds like a pretty good play don’t you think? 

I’m Alba and I play the part of Samuel Parris, Salem’s egocentric reverend, and so far I’m really enjoying being one of the baddies! The cast this year is really fun: we all get on great and function well as a theatre troupe. The rehearsals, with a little nudge from cakes and the soundtrack to “The Boat That Rocked”, are progressing slowly but surely and through them is emerging an exciting adaptation of Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”. 

Hopefully, Parris’s selfish, sly and self-righteous personality won’t rub off on me too much! 

Mariam El Boudi 

Hi everybody! I’m Mariam, a 17-year-old girl who plays Mary Warren, a naïve young woman, and Rebecca Nurse, a conventional 72-year-old woman. Exploring The Crucible through Mary Warren’s character is a powerful and overwhelming experience, especially since this will be the first time I’ll be playing in Upstage. The balance stems from Rebecca Nurse’s character who is, according to me, of a much lighter tone. As Mr Simpson [David Simpson] said “the emotional levels and the acting challenges are very demanding”; therefore, we are experiencing a break away from Loot which was performed the previous year and was much more hilarious. 

I’m looking forward to be performing with the rest of the team!!! 

Jaicy Elliot 

This is my third and last year in upstage and I am proud to say that I play the splendid Elizabeth Proctor. 

This is a great change as I have been accustomed to playing men. Elizabeth is a very strong lady dealing with deep emotional conflict within her marriage as well as playing an extremely important role in the witch trial. 

The play is definitely more serious and grave than the past few upstage has put on but I’m glad to say that the very new actors’ enthusiasm and good humour still fits in what we call the upstage family and style. 

Matias Gaggiotti 

Hey, I’m Matias and in The Crucible I play Deputy-Governor Danforth, a pretentious and selfish judge, who is extremely loyal to the rules and regulations of his position. He constantly changes tone and mood and so I am sometimes pushed to act calmly and then erupt into an explosion of anger. He is a challenging character to portray but it’s also fun to immerse in this selfish, “just” character. The team this year is convivial and we all feel comfortable acting in front of each other. The production team is doing a brilliant job and the play is evolving swiftly and surely. The actors help the production team from time to time in making the tickets and other technicalities. Overall everyone is having fun and enjoying their role. Although the play is a challenge (due to its sometimes complicated language and strong themes) the team faces the challenge and overcomes the difficulties to produce a first class performance. Of course there is place for improvement but we will all be there coming March to preform the play in all its splendour. And I’m sure you’ll be there too. 

Andrew Hanlon 

Ladies and gentlemen of the court, I have come here to refer you to the facts. Every year for the past 18 years there has been an Upstage production, and every year there are a talented few, selected to perform and be part of the Upstage Experience. Ladies and gentlemen of the court, ladies and gentlemen of Salem, I am no lawyer, I am but an old farmer with 600 acres with timber in addition but I challenge you now, find one of that chosen band who will testify here, before God and the good people of Salem, find one who claims that their time could have been better spent. Find one who says that the few hours a week were not worth the feeling of success. Find one, I challenge you, find one who would not have become one of the select few, chosen to join the Upstage family. Just one. Ladies and gentlemen of the court, I rest my case. 

Anthony du Hecquet de Rauville 

Hello there assembly! I’m John Hale. Reverend John Hale that is. 

Now for today’s opening sermon, I have chosen to read to you from the Book of Upstage, Chapter The Crucible, Verse 2011. 

You see, this verse details how Anthony de Rauville joined Upstage and what he thought of it. 

Everyone knows that when in trouble, Upstage is the best reference when it comes to chilling. After all, it is THE place to be. What more could a young man such as Anthony want? He decided that he wanted to not only enjoy himself, but entertain others. After a long audition, he was finally admitted into the book of Upstage. Many a cold winter afternoon, you could see Anthony and his friends practising away, repeating line after line, movement after movement, and so, after many hours of hard work and perseverance, he was finally admitted into the Chapter of The Crucible. Do you see what an interesting life he and the other members led? Wouldn’t it be a waste not to enjoy this chapter? Well then why don’t you head on over to Théâtre Ste-Marie-d’en-Bas and enjoy a wonderful show. 

Yannick Jamey 

I’m very happy to say I’m playing in upstage for a third year. This time, I’ll perform as a minor role: Judge Hathorne, a very unfair and sadistic Salem judge, which sets quite a contrast in character for me, compared to my previous roles as a thug and wanted criminal. Hathorne is very intense, as is the actual play, which is somewhat much less of a comedy than what upstage usually produces. I think “the Crucible” is magnificent and wholly remarkable, and with an impressively big crew to bring it to Ste-Marie-d’en-Bas, I look forward to a thrilling performance. I would like to thank Mr. Simpson and other upstage members for exceptionally having given me the pleasure and opportunity to perform once again with the big family… 

Astrid Lund 

This is my first year at Upstage, but I still felt welcomed from the start, and as time goes on my confidence on stage has grown. There is a real feeling of belonging to a group, and it’s great seeing the play coming together, thanks to a wonderful cast and crew. 

I play Abigail Williams. She is 17 years old during the trials. She is manipulative and dramatic, as well as darkly charismatic, with constant shifts of mood and behaviour. At first she seems to be modest and proper, but soon it is obvious that she is far from that… 

Colleen Massé 

Upstage. Since the moment I saw the play last year, I just knew I wanted to be part of it. And I’m not disappointed. It is better than anything I had expected!!!! I’m Tituba, Parris’ crazy servant on my good days, and Mercy Lewis – as Arthur Miller said “A sly merciless girl of 18″ – on my bad days … These two small parts seem just perfect for me to get used to acting, and to how Upstage works … Why now, what more could I say? Apart from buy your tickets, and expect a night you won’t forget! Because there shall be no trickin’ with no Devil as long as Tituba’s around, and no terrible secrets with Mercy Lewis. Of course not…! 

Mairwen Perenon 

I wanted to act in Upstage since seeing The Ladykillers. I am very happy to have been included in the Upstage team this year. My characters are very challenging for me as I have never acted before. I hope I will satisfy the audience with my work on them. Ann Putnam is an old woman who is deeply affected by the loss of seven children in childbirth, whereas Francis Nurse is a landholding farmer whose wife is accused of killing Ann Putnam’s babies! 

Fred Shahani 

Hi, Fred here. This is my first year at Upstage, I arrived a little late but I felt welcomed from my first day. I am part of the production team and I mostly do the odd jobs such as fetching Mr Simpson and Julie’s coffee, scrubbing the floors and filling in for the actors who couldn’t be bothered to come… The main reason I wanted to come to Upstage is for the cheap coffee and free food but I’m also interested in how a play evolves and what happens behind the scenes. The Crucible is a great play to start off with as it has a lot of themes that are still valid today. The play is rapidly improving and I look forward to the future. 

Lewis Smith 

Hi, I’m Lewis. This year will be my second in Upstage, working with the magnificent Production team! I’m mainly responsible for any sound effects or music you hear in the theatre, as well as the Upstage website. Why did I join Upstage you might ask? Because I love working backstage in theatre productions and contributing to them, having tons of fun, and of course watching lowly actors rehearse for hours on end! (Cue evil laugh) Upstage really is great fun, whether you be an actor or techie, whether the play be a comedy or not; there will always be great people, great music, and of course free food. 

On top of all that, on top of the teamwork and stress management skills you develop, the feeling of accomplishment and success after the final production is wonderful, and is definitely worth the effort! 

As Nietzsche once said, “What is good? – Whatever augments the feeling of happiness.” Upstage is thereby the highest form of good. 

Nicholas Smith 

Hi, I’m Nick and this year I decided to join Upstage, the Europole theatre troop. So far I’m not regretting my decision at all! Since the beginning of the year I’ve been having bucket loads of fun at rehearsals. The atmosphere amongst the cast and crew is great, everyone gets on really well, and when you’ve had a stressful week and are rundown with exhaustion, Upstage is a real pick-me-up. It helps to swallow the proverbial medicine that is the French lycée system. 

I play John Proctor, an honest and faithful farmer, pillar of the community and model to all … kind of … 

Camille Tabary 

Aye love! 

I am Cheever, the prison guard. 

I am a minor character in our play The Crucible who likes to get tipsy, or even drunk … My real name is Camille Tabary and I am a terminale. A small part was perfect for me this year because it really enabled me to participate in the upstage experience and have fun, but also continue working at school. Upstage is a lot of hard work but also great fun because we all have the same goal: perform the best Crucible possible. It will be an amazing play that you won’t forget, because we put our heart into it. So come and see us. Maybe I will share with you some of my cider. 

Teo Taylor 

Lights On! 

Hi. My name’s Teo Taylor, and I play the role of, well, Teo Taylor. I have to admit, it’s a role I particularly enjoy, because it is that of a psychorigid, boring, terribly bad looking “computer genius” (that’s what a history teacher once said, so for all you know it might just be that I know how to turn on the printer.) In short, I’m the closest you’ll get to the Upstage geek – shirt in trousers, glasses, terrible taste for shoes, and never eats at midday. 

As you might have expected, I’m one of the four techies. More specifically, I’m the one who does the stuff like the poster or the lights. So, if you like the poster, knowing I’m responsible for it, I hope you’ll trust me when I say that what the actors are producing is way worth seeing, to come and see for yourself in March (I’ll be sad if you don’t…) 

See poster below for ticket and performance information 

The Crucible poster

“How much further?” A map to Café Mari

Grenoble Life’s Shonah Kennedy talks to British restaurateur Steffan Edwards about setting up Café Mari, changing dining habits and serving machin anglais to the French.

Clip clopping down to the end of the small Rue d’Alembert on a cold Friday night, on the way to our office Christmas party, I couldn’t help but think “what restaurant could possibly be here?” and more importantly, “how much further?”! But then I saw the beacon of light emanating from Café Mari, which was the pre-arranged venue for the aforementioned event. Then I entered and began to drink in the cosy place, and THEN I commenced eating! What a gastronomical delight this little place has – it just needed to be shared!

Shonah: When did you come to France/ Grenoble?

Steffan Edwards: I arrived in France in 2003 just in time for the heat wave in Aix-en-Provence. I stayed there for almost two years. When my ex-girlfriend fell pregnant for the second time we decided that it would be wiser to be closer to her family (she was born here in Grenoble), so more than five years ago we arrived in Grenoble.

Shonah: What is your history in the food industry?

Steffan: My first job was when I was 14 washing up in a pub on Sundays when they had a carvery. The chef was the stereotypically fat and jovial who loved to cook almost as much as he liked to eat! From him I learnt the most important thing about cooking – you have to love to cook or you will end up hating your job and as a result your food will suffer. While I was still at school I had many summer jobs in London hotels and also an internship at the Hilton in New Orleans. At the age of 18 I knew that I was going to cook professionally.

After dropping out of university – because of foolishly taking a management course rather than a cooking course – I found my first full time job as a commis in a restaurant called Le Petit Max which, while I was there, won the Eros award from the London Evening Standard as one of the top 10 restaurants in London.

After leaving there I chose to change jobs frequently – sometimes as much as four times a year – to try to learn as much as possible about all aspects of cooking. I did stints in high class restaurants – 3 star Michelin – and also in local family restaurants. Each chosen because I thought I would benefit from them. When I thought I could learn more elsewhere I left and started looking for the next challenge.

After six years of working like this I decided to settle down and stick at a job, so I started working for Mark Hix at Le Caprice in central London. I stayed in the company for nearly three years working my way up to sous chef and also working in the two other restaurants in the group – The Ivy and J. Sheekies.

After leaving Le Caprice I was approached by a friend to help him in his new bakery – Flour Power City – to make the pastries, help with the baking and also to sell the produce at the now thriving Borough Market. After one and a half years of baking I was keen to get back into a kitchen, so I worked at the Drapers Arms – a gastro pub in Islington which was voted gastro pub of the year by the Evening Standard in 2003. That was when I arrived in France and to Antoine Cote Cours in Aix-en-Provence.

Leaving Aix in 2005 I took some time off to take care of my new born son and at the same time I started looking for a restaurant to buy.  After being let down two times for the sale of two different restaurants I went back to full time work at Le Flagrant Delice in Grenoble. While working there I heard about the sale of a small café which would become Café Mari where I have now been for more than two years!

Shonah: Since you have been working here have you noticed any changes in trends/ palates/ peoples habits in relation to eating out?

Steffan: Some of the restaurants I have worked in have really suffered because of the recession, however in the café I have not really noticed the change, mainly because my prices are reasonable and people still like to enjoy a good lunch.

There has, however been a change in people’s palates with people starting to think more about their health – looking for the healthy option which is reflected in the menus we now see.

The consumption of alcohol has also dramatically reduced in the seven years since I have lived here. Gone are the days of two hour lunches with lots of wine to help wash down the food!

Shonah: Did you find it difficult to break into the “exclusive” French café market as a foreigner?

Steffan: It has always been a bit difficult to be accepted as a chef in France. There is still the stereotype that the British cannot cook and to convince the French otherwise is not easy. A typical example of this was when I put sticky toffee pudding on the menu. I had to bargain with my clients just for them to try it, but now when the same customers come to the café the first thing they say is: is the “machin anglais” still on the menu? It is my best selling dessert. (note from Shonah – and well worth the try – AMAZING dessert!)

Shonah: What is a “typical” meal at café Mari?

Steffan: There is no typical meal here. The plat du jour changes every day with dishes coming from France, Italy, the UK, India, China and even Thailand. There is a small menu – three starters, three mains and four desserts – which changes seasonally and has its foundations in classic bistro cooking with a slightly modern edge.

Shonah: Why did you open café Mari?

Steffan: I had always wanted to run my own restaurant even from my first time in a kitchen but I wanted something small to start with, which I could run by myself and have relatively small charges. Café Mari fitted the bill perfectly.

Shonah: How can people find you/ contact you?

Steffan: I am at 116 rue d’Alembert, 38000 Grenoble. Telephone: 04.76.96.29.55. Opening hours: Monday to Friday 7.30am to 3.00pm.

I also have a facebook page for the café – Steff Cafemari. I will start updating this more frequently.

Shonah: Can people organise private parties to hold at the café?

Steffan: I cater private parties for 10 to 24 people. Normally I will meet with the host of the party beforehand and we will discuss the style of food they would like, the budget etc. Then I send off some propositions and they choose the menu that they want, at the price they want.

Shonah: Any future plans for the café or expansion?

For the moment I have no concrete plans, but I would love to introduce the French to the idea of gastro pubs. I think the French already like pubs, but I have yet to see a pub serving food here and I am convinced it would work. Watch this space!

photo: Vickie Allen

Vickie Allen reports on the snow – or lack of it – at Alpe d’Huez, and gives her tips for winter sports enthusiasts on how to predict the weather.

Sitting in our t-shirts looking across the green valley to the bare mountains behind, yesterday felt like April. In fact, last April the weather was far worse than it is now, with lots of snow falling late in the season.

Today as I look out of the window at the blue skies and the green trees it feels like Spring is already here. However, The Boyfriend has a different theory: winter hasn’t yet arrived.

photo: Vickie Allen

And he may be right. We’ve had a few big dumps of snow but nothing major and nothing really prolonged, which is what’s needed to provide a good strong base of snow. So maybe winter isn’t really here yet, maybe it’s on it’s way…

Our mountain weather is notoriously unpredictable and erratic. Last week we experienced all four seasons and after a week of sunshine the sort of temperatures we usually experience in May, the forecast is now predicting a week of clouds and snow.

photo: Vickie Allen

Just a few regular dustings really, around 10cm for the week, because the irony is that it’s going to be too cold to snow next week. The freeze level is due to drop from 3550m to 1850m today. By Thursday morning it will reach 0m and jiggle around up to 400m until Sunday.

photo: Vickie Allen

However, it’s not worth worrying about. Life here is lived determined by the weather and you have to be flexible to adapt to the whim of Mother Nature. This is one of the may reasons I love it, it stops me planning too far ahead! Forecasting here is supremely difficult and my interest in it has become purely theoretical. I’ve been closely watching the forecast for the past two years and love to watch the number but rarely do I base my life on them. They merely provide an idea of what may come to pass, but for life, I rely on these three methods for predicting the weather:

1: look to the south for storm clouds as this is where our weather originates
2: stick your head out of the window to test the temperatures and smell the air
3: layer-up no matter what the weather

photo: Vickie Allen

If you’re heading out on holiday soon then pack for all weathers, as you should no matter what time of year you visit the mountains. And if your trip is booked for later in the season then know that the weather might not be what you’re expecting, but you’ll have a great time anyway.

photo: Vickie Allen

PS: if you liked today’s photos, check out my Flickr page and entries into the Alpe Photo Contest.

Click on the link for more information about riding this winter in Alpe d’Huez or use the comments bow below to ask questions, I’d love to hear what you think!

Destination Oisans: Photos, films and thoughts on the reality of life in the mountains.

“5 min TOPS”, Marianne’s podcasts available on iTunes

Marianne Raynaud of Grenoble-based Quality Time ESL gives us an update on her new English as a foreign language resources for the teachers and students. 

I am currently producing three series of podcasts intended to help learners improve their speaking skills: “QualityTime-ESL Podcasts”, “Your English” and “5-Minute TOPs”. These podcasts are oral exercises that can be downloaded free of charge on the iTunes platform. My newest series “TOPs” (“Training with Oral Practice”) are based on quotes and well-known song lyrics. I am happy to report that these “5-Minute TOPs” have been cited on the iTunes platform in France in the category “nouveautés” under the heading “enseignement” and in the US in the category “What’s Hot” under “language courses”. All three series are currently ranked among the top one hundred foreign language audio podcasts in numerous countries. 

What is a podcast? 

I became interested in podcasts four years ago when I was looking for a way to brush up on my Spanish. I was amazed at all the wonderful resources available on the iTunes platform in a vast range of subjects. For readers unfamiliar with the term let me explain that the word “podcast” comes from pod, the acronym of “portable on demand”, and cast from “broadcast”. By downloading radio or television podcasts onto your computer and then transferring them to an iPod or a MP3 player, you can listen to or watch programs wherever you are and whenever you wish. You can be on the bus, in a train or standing in line at the supermarket and be listening to the “CBS Nightly News”, “2000 ans d’histoire” on France Inter or the language course “Notes in Spanish”, as was my case when I bought my first iPod. Today I am so enthusiastic about podcasts as an effective learning tool that I am conducting workshops on how to use podcasts in English language teaching. The positive emails I get from satisfied listeners who are progressing thanks to my podcasts encourage me to produce one or two new episodes every week. 

Go on a podcast spree 

If you are interested in this new way of accessing information just download the iTunes software, which is free, and then simply “browse” all the vast resources. You can scroll down from “podcasts” in the black toolbar on the top of the homepage and select the category you wish to sample. Or you can go to “advanced search” and define the type of podcast you are searching for. There are ranking lists in the right-hand column of many pages. Whenever you see “display all” (afficher tous), click on the button to get the complete list. Finally, at the very bottom of any page in small print you can find “explore” and get an alphabetical list of everything on iTunes including the podcasts. There is also a link “change country” in a column next to “explore” that lets see what music, films, and podcasts people are downloading in other countries. One important point: on iTunes music, films, TV series or programs and audiobooks require payment, whereas all podcasts can be downloaded free of charge. That is also the case in the section called iTunes U with audio and video recordings by well-known professors from different universities, institutes and academies across the world. 

The podcast system allows you to choose from a great diversity 

Personally, I recommend TED Talks for inspiring presentations by people who are really making a difference in the world and all the BBC programs. I subscribe to about ten series at a time including “CBS Nightly News” and “News in Slow Spanish”, which is excellent. I have just discovered “The History of Philosophy” with Peter Adamson from King’s College in London. Teachers often ask me which are the best podcasts for students. The fact is there are so many available that it is very difficult to choose “the best” ones. The advantage of the podcast system is that individuals can select the programs that suit them personally—what appeals to one person may not interest someone else. And a certain voice may be appealing to some and not to others. Using podcasts in teaching means students can choose what they wish to listen to and learn, which opens up totally new horizons. 

Sampling and subscribing 

When browsing you will see icons next to the titles and a button to subscribe (s’abonner). When you press on it, you will get the latest podcast of the series on your computer plus a list of all the other ones available in the series. You can then press on “get” to download certain episodes or on “get all” to have them all downloaded onto your computer. If you have subscribed, every time there is a new episode in the series it will be sent to you automatically. You can also just click on the title of the podcast or the icon and see the list of all the episodes. By clicking on any episode you can listen to it (or watch it) directly without downloading it—to get an idea of the content and the type of program. 

The theme of my own podcasts 

My own podcasts follow three different themes: “QualityTime-ESL Podcasts” for grammar training, “Your English” for vocabulary building and “5-Minute TOPs” for fun exercises with song lyrics and quotes. I use only English, as these exercises are intended for learners all over world. I would appreciate it if readers could recommend these podcasts to English teachers or to French people wishing to improve their speaking skills in English. They cost nothing—only the scripts require a minimal fee, but most listeners use only the audio files. Incidentally, when you stop listening to a series, the podcasts are no longer downloaded onto your computer, and you can delete them with a click of your mouse. 

To subscribe just type “Marianne Raynaud” 

To subscribe to my podcasts just type my name into the iTunes search box in the upper right-hand corner and then click on: “QualityTime-ESL Podcasts”, “Your English” and “5-Minute TOPs”. The more subscribers I get, the more motivated I feel to continue producing these podcasts. My goal is simply to get more people, young and old, up to a basic operational level in English. I have always believed you don’t need to know a great deal to be able to converse in a foreign language. What you do need is motivation and training like when practicing a sport. And we all know that communicating with people from different countries is a real joy. 

A few words about my book on DVD 

Of course, I do have a second less altruistic goal. I hope teachers will go to my website, read about QualityTime-ESL: The Digital Resource Book and purchase this book on a DVD with over 1,500 modifiable files in MSWord, PDF, PPT and audio formats (€29). I have written about my experiences as a teacher/coordinator at Grenoble-INP (Grenoble Institute of Technology) for 24 years, and I have included all the materials I developed for the different courses. As the files are customizable, teachers can easily adapt all the exercises and activities to their specific needs. I have also made a fifty-minute film “Scenes from an ESL Classroom” where you can see students working and performing using the materials from the book. This year I will continue conducting workshops for TESOL France and naturally I plan to go on listening to podcasts and producing more of my own.

John Evans

Shonah Kennedy interviews the eponymous founder of John Evans Anglais, Grenoble’s long-standing language school.

Who is John Evans? This was the question chorused at a TESOL event my collegues and I attended when we had to announce where we worked. This questioning of a company with such a positive reputation and which has been in the area for over 30 years surprised me, and prompted me to ask John to do an interview for Grenoble Life. It only took six months, but I am very happy that he finally said “yes”!  So, I’m extremely pleased to present the below interview with John Evans, of John Evans Anglais.

Shonah: How and when did John Evans get started?

John Evans: Everything got started in 1981 when I decided to resign from the school where I’d been working for four years  and simply set up in business as an independent, freelance teacher. It was only in 1991 that I hired my first full time teacher – who is still with me – and new teachers have been steadily joining us ever since and we now have a team of ten teachers.

Shonah: Why did you decide to go into business for yourself, rather than work for one of the other numerous schools in the area?

John: As I’d been working in a school for four years, I just felt that I’d gone as far as I could go and that the time was right for a change. I don’t remember having had a burning desire to be an entrepreneur but I did like the idea of being independent, choosing  the way I worked and the teaching methods I used and not having to be answerable to anybody – apart from my customers. On top of that, running a small business has given an extra dimension to my professional life and – as much as I enjoy teaching – I like the business side involving managing a team of teachers, maintaining our relationships with our customers and even the administrative side.

Shonah: Over the years you have been in business, what major changes have you seen in the industry?

John: In my opinion, the biggest change of all has been in the shift from working with private individuals to working more and more with professionals and companies. No language school today can survive if they don’t have a solid customer base among local industry and if they don’t provide the solutions that the professionals need.

Teaching English 30 years ago was very general and language based whereas today most courses have to be customized and adapted to the specific needs of each trainee or group of trainees. The result for the teacher is that they also need to understand how companies work.  However, it does provide for greater job interest when you find yourself working with people from all fields of industry and in different company departments.

The other major change on the teaching side has obviously been the arrival of new ways of language learning thanks to new or improved technology – telephone lessons, e-learning, computer based exercises and all the possibilities offered by the internet with podcasts etc.

On the purely business side of things, there has been a shift in power within companies themselves and we now find ourselves dealing more and more with purchasing departments rather than training departments. Purchasers are looking to find one language provider for their nationwide needs and that is why I’m now a member of Canspeak – a nationwide association of independent language schools. As a result we can provide our customers with a global solution while, at the same time, retaining our own identity.

Shonah: Who are your main clients?

John: We have very different clients ranging from large, international customers such as Becton Dickinson, Soitec, Avery Dennison, Rolls Royce and Alcan to medium-sized companies like Petzl and EFD or scientific research Institutes and also small companies or start ups like Spartoo.

Shonah: How can somebody contact you?

John: First of all, it’s easy enough to find out about us by looking at our website and anybody can get straight through to me at the office 04 76 48 22 35.  Whether they’re looking for training courses or a teaching post.

Shonah: What are the future plans for John Evans?

John: There are no predefined plans as such. We just try to keep on doing what we do best and to keep on giving our customers the best possible service. Until now, this has always proved to be a successful recipe.

Shonah: Do you have any advice for teachers starting out in the industry, or those that have been in the industry for some years, but need some inspiration?

John: I think the first thing I would tell any young teacher is to “be yourself”. Every teacher has a different personality and teaching style but I think it’s important to cultivate that rather than try to fit into a mould or do things that you are not comfortable with. Listen to your trainees and try to deliver what they want and expect and ask them for regular feedback so that you can constantly “fine-tune” your courses. Be interested in your trainees and try to motivate them as much as possible. You mustn’t forget that some trainees are not always happy to be having language lessons and the day somebody tells you that you are the one who has made language learning an enjoyable experience for them – it’s the best compliment anyone can pay you.

One final thing – don’t be afraid to make mistakes! We’ve all made them and we’ll all continue to make them but as long as we learn from them, that’s all that matters. It’s also important to remember that it’s impossible to make all of your customers happy all of the time and that your own teaching style will suit some people but not others.

Shonah: Any anecdotes to tell after so many years here and doing what you do?

John: When I look back on 30 years of teaching I think that the most rewarding part of it has been meeting people of all ages and from all walks of life. I’ve worked with people between 15 and 85, from every walk of life and with extremely diverse backgrounds. Many of the people I have worked with have become close, personal friends and it has meant that teaching is not just “a job” but a very rewarding and fulfilling experience.

A still from Garage, 2007, directed by Lenny Abrahamson

Camille Bromley reports back from the Celtic Connection’s third annual Irish film event and tells us a bit more about activities planned by the association over the year.

At the end of November Grenoble’s Irish cultural association, Celtic Connection, held a film event at Cinema les Melies, showing two Irish films: the animated children’s film Brendan and the Secret of the Kells, and Garage, winner of the 2008 Irish Film awards as well as the CICAE Art and Essai Cinema Prize at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.  

Asked about the choice of the film Garage, Celtic Connection explained, “We have shown films for three years now and wished to show the ‘maturity’ of Irish cinema with a provoking film about a social theme that was not too evident in the euphoria of the “Celtic tiger” era, and we seem to have been a bit prophetic in our choice.”

The film shows a lonely garage attendant’s tentative first steps towards friendship and human connection with a 15-year-old boy.  The story plays between comic and tragic, with a nuanced and delicate perfomance by Patt Short. Perhaps the most wonderful aspect of seeing the film on the big screen was the beautiful Irish country landscapes. The pace of the film being slow (like life in a rural town), it allows plenty of time to appreciate gorgeous shots of Irish countryside, which can only be described in the most typical way as green, lush, and foggy. The film was shot in Cloghan, County Offaly; Woodford, County Galway; and Rathcabbin, County Tipperary over a six week period in late summer 2006

This was the third annual Irish film event for Celtic Connection.  Previously they had shown Small Engine Repair with the Cinemathéque de Grenoble, and Once.  At every event Celtic Connection offers an apéritif beforehand and “a few drinks” afterwards in the Irish bars of Grenoble.

Don’t want to wait until November 2011 to see another Irish film? 

The Celtic Connection gives its recommendations:

For Adults: 

Breakfast on Pluto, 2006, Neil Jordan
The Wind that shakes the Barley, 2006, Ken Loach
Paveen Lackeen, 2005
Once, John Carney, 2007.
Bloody Sunday, Paul Grengrass, 2002
In America, Jim Sheridan
Omagh, Pete Travis, 2005
The Magdalene Sisters, Peter Mullan 

For Children:

Into the West, Mike Newell, 1992
The Ugly Duckling and Me, Michael Hegner and Karsten Kiilerich, 2007
The Secret of the Kells, Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey, 2009

 The Irish film institute website also has an archive of films

What else does Celtic Connection do?

A lot, as it turns out—Celtic Connection holds a variety of activities centered on Celtic identity throughout the year.  All the events are annual.

Upcoming is Christmas drinks at the Family pub on Friday December 17th.

Then they start off the new year with a restaurant meal for the ladies, in the tradition of Nollaig na Mna (Women’s Christmas). Traditionally, each year on January 6th men would take care of the housework for one day, offering women a chance to go out to relax with each other.

Later in January a night to celebrate the life and works of the national Bard Robert Burns: Celtic Connection’s Scottish contingent organized Burn’s night last January, complete with haggis, speeches, and music.

On March 17^th is, of course, St. Patrick’s Day.  Celtic Connection celebrates on a weekend around this date, organizing a meal at a farmhouse restaurant just outside Grenoble.  Last year, they say, “we had 70 people and a band and danced the evening away.”

On June 16th in Dublin and elsewhere is Bloomsday, to celebrate the life of Irish writer James Joyce and relive the events in his novel Ulysses, all of which took place on the same day in Dublin in 1904. Last year the Bookworm Café hosted a reading of Ulysses, with the enthusiastic David Simpson as a reader. On the agenda this year: Edwardian dress-up…? 

Around the 20th of June Celtic Connection holds their annual picnic in conjunction with the Irish association in Lyon, AFIL.  The picnic is held at a lake near Grenoble, and attendees sometimes reach 80 people, making for a great afternoon of fun, games and songs.

Celtic Connection isn’t about to miss a Halloween event on October 31st, seeing as the celebration of Halloween began in Ireland around 100AD.  There’s an event for the kiddies with traditional games, apples and fruit, and costumes, while the adults have mulled wine or the more traditional Irish coffee.  In 2010 the Halloween event was held at Café Mari and included a full Irish breakfast, which is “a brunch with sausages, rashers, eggs, black pudding, lashings of tea and brown bread” (being American, I have no idea what rashers or “lashings of tea” is supposed to indicate, so I leave this in quotations).

The Irish film showing, growing in popularity each year, takes place mid-November.

Finally, Celtic Connection winds up the calendar with Christmas drinks in an Irish bar.  It starts no later than happy hour and everyone brings food and music.  This is a social event and people are welcome to drift in and out all evening.  Celtic Connection does advise drinking in moderation, although they know that it won’t be a problem—at least on the Irish side—because “the French traditionally consume more alcohol than us!”

Don’t believe them?—According to the World Health Organization, Ireland’s per capita litre consumption increased from 7.0 in 1970 to 14.5 in 2001, and was 13.5 in 2004. This compares with 20.4 in France in 1970 down to 13.0 in 2004.  Ok, so the Irish do drink slightly more that the French . . . but it wasn’t always the case!

For more information:

Celtic Connection’s website

To be kept informed of Celtic Connection events sign up for the mailing list by emailing celtic.connection.grenoble@gmail.com

AFIL, Celtic Connection’s sister association in Lyon

The Irish Film Institute website

The 2011 official St. Patrick’s Day festival in Dublin

Burn’s Night

A detail from The Crucible poster

We talk to David Simpson, producer of Upstage – an English theatre group comprising students at Cité Internationale Europole – ahead of their 2011 production of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible.

Grenoble Life: Why did you choose Arthur Miller’s The Crucible for this year’s Upstage?

David Simpson: When you do one play a year, you want to do something good, something striking, something memorable. The Crucible is one of the most powerful and moving plays ever written, and is a very strong challenge for myself and my fellow directors, Therese Zanone and Claude Deladeuille, as well as the Upstage team as a whole.

GL: Arthur Miller’s work isn’t known for its comedy – does this mark a departure for Upstage? 

David: It’s true that we have a reputation for doing comedy, and there really is very little comic potential here. But very often, our comedies have had a serious thrust, and a couple of our plays could not really be classed as comedies at all. Top Girls, as one upstage girl said, ‘… made people laugh, and think, and cry.’ I had a lot of encouragement too, in choosing this play, from people who thought last year’s short Harold Pinter play Mountain Language was a brave and important performance, about the survival of human dignity in the face of totalitarian abuse, and the destruction of cultural identity.  

GL: What particular problems does The Crucible pose for cast and crew in terms of staging?

David: Of course, the emotional levels and the acting challenges involved are very demanding. But the intensity we’ve all been feeling already, in rehearsals, only seems to spur everyone on even more.

That’s the real area of difficulty, and everyone is coping well. Technically, in terms of the set or the lighting for example, this play is much easier to manage than many of those we’ve done in previous years. So the production team are able to focus on both subtlety and power of effect. The poster is a good example of this (see below).

GL: What makes The Crucible relevant today?

David: This year’s play is about collective hysteria and the persecution of individuals, people who could save themselves, save their lives, by confessing to something they haven’t done. As, such, it was relevant during the period of McCarthyism and witch-hunting when Miller wrote it. It’s just as relevant today.

The play is based on real events and real characters, settling their scores, their political, social or sexual rivalries in Salem, Massachusets in 1691. Who would say this doesn’t go on today? The Upstage team have taken to these issues and conflicts, and to the wide range of well-drawn and strongly contrasting characters, with great enthusiasm.

GL: How are rehearsals progressing?

David: There’s still lots to do, and two and a half months to go, but we all feel proud of what we’ve managed so far, and that this is a play that’s going places.

Watch this space for more info on performances and reflections from the cast

The Crucible poster

Dude, where's my car?

… or, don’t let the heavy stuff freeze … Vickie Allen of Destination Oisans shares some timely tips on unburying your car from the snow.

I’ve just cleared a whole heap of snow from my car. The snow storm that’s had me tucked away indoors for the past 24 hours deposited snow in Alpe d’Huez that swallowed my hand and forearm whole; a more scientifically-accurate depth of 43cm. (Thanks Mum for my new tape measure, must remember to keep it in my pocket …)

Of the many winter sports available in the Oisans region, none of the tourist bumpf includes snow clearing on it’s list of snowy sports. But it’s physically challenging, works up a sweat and is great for the soul. What better way to measure your achievement than taking a soft snowy lump (see photo above) and extracting the ice-encrusted car within?

Anyone who’s lived in the mountains will tell you that learning to love snow clearing is one of the best ways to cope with the long winter season. It’s an inevitability, and if you can embrace the idea then you can turn something painful and time consuming into something enjoyable. And surely that’s what we seek when we come to live in a climate that’s so inhospitable most of the local wildlife beds down and sleeps for half the year … and I’m not just talking about the marmottes!

Snow clearing is something best done while the snow is fresh. Leave it too long and it’ll freeze, solidifying and welding itself in thin layers to your car, path or anything else you happened to leave out in a snowstorm. And it’s not just the snow on top but the snow around. Those friendly snow plough drivers do their best to keep the roads clear but – in an effort not to scrape your car – they’ll happily block you in behind a thigh-high wall of solid snow. Tip: try not to park parallel to the curb in a snowy ski resort, it’s much easier to drive straight forwards or backwards out of a snowy space.

Over the past five years I’ve developed my snow clearing arsenal to a crack selection of efficient and necessary tools:

Essential – if unconventional – snow clearing equipment

Ortovox avalanche shovel: much more user-friendly than the typical metal snow shovel and packs down so can live in your car or your tiny resort hallway;
Bum board: essential for clearing the snow that’s actually fallen on your car without scratching the paintwork;
High boots and long trousers: believe me, when the snow’s up to your knees trainers or Timberland boots just won’t do;
Gloves: seems obvious but you’d be surprised how many people clear snow from their cars in their regular gloves. I keep an old ski pair on the back seat. I only use them for clearing the snow so it’s okay to get my hands filthy as I scrape the dirty, frozen scuzz from beneath the wheel arches and along the base of the car.

As I was clearing the snow, it occurred to me that there are so many things in life, events that we consider trials, that carry such negative connotations or feelings for us that we put them off indefinitely. And once we finally do face them head-on, how fantastic do we feel? Imagine how much more powerful and positive we’d be if we could just deal with these dreary or painful tasks as they came up, knowing that the longer we leave them, the worse they’ll become.

One winter I didn’t clear my car for about ten days. There was probably a metre of snow on top before I mustered the willpower to face the fact that no knight in shining armour was going to clear it for me. Neither would the freeze/thaw cycle of early spring do anything other than make the whole job much harder than it had to be. The whole task of clearing the car, which of course was completely necessary, was much more painful than it needed to be; partly because it was hard work but also partly because I spent the whole time beating myself up for leaving it so long.

Ah yes … that’s what my car looks like …

So I’m going to apply the ’snow clearing’ attitude to my procrastination list – which, of course, is separate to my ‘to do’ list. I’ve already been to the bank to open a savings account and taken photos of all the stuff I’ve been meaning to sell on e-Bay. What’s next on the list?

And how about you? What chore are you hoping someone else will do for you? What idea is ready to be realised but getting staler every day you put it off? What honest conversation do you need to have before the spring thaw arrives?

Get to work today and I promise you’ll feel a huge sense of achievement; just as I did when I finally unearthed the car.

Ayurveda massage

Grenoble Life talks to Karl Di Foggia about Ayurveda massage, his international background and getting started as a small business owner in Grenoble. 

Grenoble Life: What is Ayurveda and how does it differ from other kinds of massage? 

Karl Di Foggia: Ayurveda is a traditional Indian healing system. It comes from the sanskrit word ayu, meaning life and veda, meaning science. So ayurveda means the science of life. It is considered to be a holistic medical system, recognized as such by the World Health Organisation. We encounter ayurvedic clinics in countries such as India, the UK, the USA and Mexico. 

This system is based on prevention and takes into consideration the patient as a whole person at the level of body, mind and spirit. There are ayurveda textbooks that are over 5000 years old, and it is commonly admitted to be the world’s most ancient healing system. 

Ayurveda massages vary: full body massages with hot oils;  revigorating hand massages; head massages with warm oil, for flushing away stress; foot massages for improving sleep quality; pranic massage using breathing and the properties of crystals and minerals; deep massage using reflexology points all over the body … and many others to discover. 

GL: What are the health benefits of such massage? 

Karl: For prevention or in treatment for curative purposes, massages are commonly used in ayurveda. They are adapted to fit the patient’s ayurvedic profile and symptoms. They are specially designed to stimulate circulation of blood and lymph, give energy, enliven muscle tensions, detoxify the body, joints and organs, harmonize the five elements, as well as transmit the medicinal properties of plants cooked in sesame oil (tailam). It’s an efficient way of treating the body, making oneself feel united in body mind spirit, that is to say alive and happy. 

GL: Why do people come to you? 

Karl: Nowadays many people are starting to have ayurvedic treatment to discover an exotic form of relaxation through massage, and many get into it and come back regularly to embrace the full benefits. 

The motivation comes from different sources: stress at work, back pain, sciatica, poor digestion, depression, headeaches, need for relaxation or simply to discover. It can also be part of a personally designed programme following a session to determine your ayurvedic constitution and offer personalized health and dietary advice. 

GL: Who are your clients? 

Karl: My clients are local and international, depending on the sites I am working for. At the Spa at Chateau de la Commanderie, I have both business and private clients from both France and Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and England. 

For Hewlett Packard it’s about the same mix, with a broad spectrum of people. And at my offices in Eybens or Meylan, mostly locals from Grenoble and around. 

GL: Tell us about your background – when and why did you come to Grenoble? 

Karl: I was actually born and raised in Grenoble and the Alps. Although I lived in Alpe d’Huez for my first seven years, my family later moved to Seyssinet and we stayed there throughout my childhood. I moved away later on to finish my studies in England, and graduated with an MBA in engineering management. After two years missing the sun, I then settled down in Spain for a couple of years for my first job as an export salesman. After four years abroad, I needed to come back to my family and friends and I changed my career in order to work with people, as a psycho-corporal therapist. I’ve been back in Grenoble for 10 years now. 

My first experience with ayurveda was in 1997 after a trek in Kashmir, we had a rest in a beautiful place in the Himalayas with hot termal water and ayurvedic massages, lovely! 

I graduated as an ayurvedic therapist in 2004, and constantly refine my understanding of it through books, training, and sharing with other practitioners. I’ve also been doing yoga, which is another part of ayurveda. Since last year I have been sharing my passion for ayurvedic massage through training sessions. 

GL: What can people do to learn more about Ayurvedic massage or train in this method? 

Karl: To learn more about ayurvedic massage you can start with web research, texts, books and videos. You could visit my website and find the links page with selected videos on ayurvedic massages.

I am also giving training sessions in the ayurvedic massage ‘Abyangha’ in Meylan, a 3-hour session all year long on a forthnightly basis. Or over a set of seven weekends divided into themes such as back, neck and arms; legs and feet; head and face … from November to July. More info on my website.

GL: How did you set up your own business? Which organisations did you find useful in helping you set up? 

Karl: I chose to be independent under the auto-entrepreneur status. To choose the best legal status I got advice from Chambre de Commerce de l’Isere and personnal sessions with a specialist in company-creation through Pole Emploi. 

I’ve also heard that ADIE would be helpful for small businesses needing finance. 

GL: What do you love about Grenoble? 

Karl: Not the city as itself – although it still remains at a human level (the flattest city in France, people say), you cross the centre in a 15-minute walk – but the surroundings. I mean the fact that you can escape to a lovely place in the mountains in a short car drive.

Check out this teaser for the documentary ways2winter about life and snowsports in the local resort of Les 2 Alpes made by British filmmakers.

ways2winter is a feature-length documentary following two British seasonaires in the local resort of Les 2 Alpes through the winter season 09/10. It’s not your average snowsports film. Sure, there’s plenty of riding but there’s also hard work and strong personalities, showing the reality of seasonaire life.

The two subjects – Will & Heather – were chosen for their commitment to the resort, contrasting jobs and talent on the mountain. The film includes riding sections filmed in 2 Alpes’ celebrated Snow Park, the nearby freeride itineraries of Alpe d’Huez, St Christophe and La Grave, as well as the Derby de la Meije, the Sarenne Snow Bike event and the 2 Alpes Derby. But it’s not all riding. Video diaries and interviews bare Will and Heather’s souls as they overcome personal and work issues, struggling to find a balance between life on and off the mountain. It gets pretty intense at times, and their honesty gives viewers an insight into their feelings and contradictions.  

The film was made by Vickie Allen and Simon Parfitt, who have spent the past four years in Les 2 Alpes. Simon’s speciality is snowboarding and ski films, while Vickie comes from a background in journalism and short films, such as those at Destination Oisans. ways2winter is their first joint-project and their first documentary. Made without a budget, the filmmakers’ motivation was to create an authentic representation of winter seasons and promote the ski resorts of the Oisans region.

Robin Hood - a pantomime. A detail from this year's poster.

As the Junior High students at Cité Scolaire Internationale start rehearsals for the annual pantomime, Grenoble Life catches up with some of the cast.

Siobhan Coakley is playing ‘King Richard’, Jessica Vacheresse is playing ‘Lady Eleanor’, and is also Choir Director, and Matthew Lloyd is playing ‘Bobby, the Castle Guard’.

Grenoble Life: How old are you and what year are you in at the Cité Scolaire Internationale? 

Siobhan: I’m fourteen and I’m in troisième. 

Jessica: I’m fourteen and currently in troisième.

Matthew: I’m twelve and I am in cinqième. 

GL: Why did you decide to get involved with the school panto? 

Siobhan: I’ve seen previous pantomimes from the school when I first came to France. I love singing, dancing, acting and the idea of the audience taking part in the show so it was definitely something I wanted to be a part of. It’s also very different to the other types of theatre in France so it was also the excitement to be a part of something original to this country. 

Jessica: I decided to get involved in the school panto because I used to go and see it every year, and I always really enjoyed it. I also wanted to discover acting and making the public laugh. I’ve been acting in the panto for three years now. 

Matthew: I got involved in the panto because I thought it would be fun to take part.

GL: Have you ever performed on stage before? How do you feel about it – nervous, excited?  

Siobhan: Yes, when I lived in Ireland I was a part of a lot of dance, musical theatre and speech and drama clubs, so I had performed on stage before, I just wasn’t quite aware of all the people watching me at the time because I was a lot younger. However now I realize the “responsibility” of giving a good performance. Before going on stage I always feel anxious, excited and extremely nervous but once I get on stage (like many people performing in the pantomime) I don’t want to get off! 

Jessica: I’d performed on stage a couple of times before, in small singing concerts with the music school I went to. I think the memory of the fun I had on stage back then gave me confidence to walk on stage at panto. The feeling before the panto show is always tense, yet we can’t wait to start. It’s during the last couple of weeks before the show that the cast really gets close together and by the time we start the BIG week we feel like a giant family. 

Matthew: I’ve never performed on stage and I’m actually really looking forward to it.

GL: So you’ll be acting, singing and dancing? Which are you best at and which are the most difficult for you? Why? 

Siobhan: I’d say I’m probably best at dancing and acting, because they’re what I’m most experienced at. Although I’d say acting is harder because you really need to find a way to stay in character , especially during the embarrassing or intense parts. What embarrasses you usually doesn’t embarrass your character. 

Jessica: I, like most of the cast, act, dance and sing. To me singing and acting are the easiest. When I act I feel like myself (which is quite ironic as I’m not being myself!) I also love singing. Dancing isn’t my strongest point; some people feel like they’re flying when they dance. Personally I find it really difficult to coordinate my movements.

Matthew: I think I’m best at acting because I like it, whereas singing or dancing I don’t really like. 

GL: Did you all know about pantomimes before you got involved in this one? 

Siobhan: Yes, it was always a tradition when I lived in Ireland to go see a pantomime around Christmas time. So doing the pantomime at school brings back a lot of memories. 

Jessica: I don’t think many people in the cast knew much about pantomimes before watching our school panto or participating in it. One of the adults involved has sent us videos of pantomimes in the UK but most of us had never been to see one ‘live’, apart from our school panto!! 

Matthew: I’ve already been to a pantomime in England called ‘Peter Pan’. 

What interests you about the story of Robin Hood? 

Siobhan: What interests me about the story of Robin Hood is that it has never been done before as a pantomime. So the scriptwriters were able to create a completely new pantomime which we would be the first to put into production! 

Jessica: What I like about Robin Hood is that it’s not like the usual fairytales. It really might have happened! The prince has been replaced by an outlaw who wants to help, the princess has been replaced by a maid, and the “bad guy” rules the country! The roles have been exchanged and that’s what makes Robin Hood great. It also makes it an AMAZING panto! I can’t wait to see what people think about it when seeing it.

Matthew: The thing that interests me about the story of ‘Robin Hood’ is that he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. 

GL: When did you start rehearsing, and how many rehearsals do you have each week? 

Siobhan: We started rehearsing in the start of September and we have two hour rehearsals each Tuesday and Thursday, as well as occasional song and dance rehearsals at lunch time and on Saturday mornings. 

Jessica: We tried out for this year’s panto in May, just before the summer holidays. That’s when we were given our roles. But the actual rehearsals started at the beginning of our school year, in September. We have two permanent rehearsals: they take place every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 5 pm to 7 pm, at the Cité Scolaire Internationale. (Thanks to our direction team who do a great job of helping us!) We also occasionally have singing and dancing rehearsals on Tuesdays and Fridays from 12pm to 2pm. (Thanks to song director and dance director who are there every time to encouraging us!) Some of the cast also participates in the panto choir. Their rehearsals take place at the same time as general rehearsals. All of these hours make our timetable heavier but we are prepared to take that on board to participate in this year’s Pantomime, Robin Hood.

Can’t wait to see you at the show!! 

Matthew: We started rehearsing the panto in early September and we have two rehearsals per week (if you not dancing or singing in it). 

Shows will happen at the Cité Scolaire Internationale (Terminus Tram B), 4 place de Sfax, in Grenoble, on Wednesday January 26th (2.30pm), Thursday January 27th (7.30pm), Friday January 28th (7.30pm), Saturday January 29th (10am), and Saturday January 29th (7.30pm). 

We highly recommend that you reserve tickets (over 18: 6 euros, 4-18: 3 euros, under 4: free).   

Send name, address, email address, date and time, and number of tickets (adult/child/under 4s) required to gregg.west@ac-grenoble.fr.  

A check, payable to Umbrella Association, is to be sent within a week to Gregg West, c/o Cité Scolaire Internationale, BP 1570, 4 place de Sfax, 38012 Grenoble Cedex 01.  Tickets will be held at the door for you. You will be asked for an ID. 

Lastly, you may see our sparkling poster up (see below) in some English speaking place, or in an English speaking website. Look for it! 

Robin Hood Poster

Sarah Setton

Grenoble Life talks to Sarah Setton