Posted by Chanda
While I was studying in Paris, I went home with a friend for a weekend to Montpellier and it was really a beautiful city. Montpellier is located in the south of France on the Mediterranean coast and is the capital of Languedoc-Roussillon. Its name refers to the fact that it sits up on hilly ground. The hills make for beautiful pictures of the city from different altitudes. It is not a huge city (approx. 300,000 residents), but that’s probably part of what makes it so appealing. It is a popular destination for language programs and exchange students perhaps because of the openness of the locals, the fact that one out of every two residents are under 35 and also because its University is one of the oldest in the world.
When I visited, the city was undergoing several infrastructure projects including the tramway, which is now in full operation and makes it much easier to get around. There are many things to do in and around Montpellier besides enjoying the beautiful beaches. You can tour the University, Saint-Pierre Cathedral, huge centuries-old private mansions that were built by noblemen, the Arc de Triomphe (which is quite similar to the one in Paris), a 13th century Jewish bath, the Montpellier follies (castles) and violin workshops as it is the violin-making capital of the world. My two favorites are the squares - the Peyrou royal square and la Place de la Comédie which is the city’s egg-shaped main square featuring a magnificent Opera house and one of the largest pedestrian areas in Europe. The official website of the Montpellier Tourist Office can be found here in English and French. There you can get more information on what the city has to offer and book hotels and vacation stays.
Right now and until July 4th, it is hosting the International Dance Festival during which over 300 dance troupes from around the world put on 3-10 shows daily. Later in July, it will host the Radio France and Montpellier Languedoc-Roussillon Festival when it will be the site of over a hundred concerts featuring all genres of music. There are more than a dozen museums to take in around the city and around the same number of large parks, including the Botanical Garden, which is one of the oldest in Europe. The city’s restaurants offer excellent food and wines. Montpellier can also be your base for touring several World Heritage sites including le Canal du Midi, the Roman aqueduct Pont du Gard and the medieval city of Carcassonne.
Finally, it is interesting to note that many cities around the world have been named after Montpellier, including the capital city of Vermont in honor of the French, who were very highly regarded in the United States after the American Revolutionary War because of their assistance in the struggle against the British for independence.
Posted by Chanda
Here are the answers to the match-up activity I proposed in my recent article on International Workers’ Day:
1. La crise, c’est eux; la solution c’est nous! (They are the crisis, we are the solution!)
2. Sarko nous l’a promis, Sarko nous a menti! (Sarkozy promised us, Sarkozy lied to us!)
3. On ne paiera pas pour les banquiers! (We will not pay for the bankers!)
4. Sarko, rappelle-toi de 1789! (Sarkozy, remember 1789!)
5. Liberté, Egalité, Révolte! (Freedom, Equality, Revolt!)
Posted by Chanda
Today is International Workers’ Day in many countries around the world including France. Originally created as an international strikers’ day as part of the labor movement in commemoration of the fight for the eight-hour work day, it is a legal working holiday or day off for most people in the countries that celebrate it. In Paris alone, there were over 65,000 strikers in the streets today according to police. The French labor unions, however, estimate that the figure was around 160,000. These are the highest figures for May 1st demonstrations in recent history. They shouted out against French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s handling of the economic crisis, the crisis itself and management. The path was very long as it stretched all the way from southern Paris at Denfert Rochereau to Bastille. Ségolène Royal, the former candidate for the French Presidency, declared that the 1st of May is the time to “se battre pour que tout le monde ait du travail” (”to fight so that everyone has a job”).
Here are some slogans that were seen today on the signs being carried. See if you can match them up with their English translations.
1. La crise, c’est eux; la solution c’est nous!
2. Sarko nous l’a promis, Sarko nous a menti!
3. On ne paiera pas pour les banquiers!
4. Sarko, rappelle-toi de 1789!
5. Liberté, Egalité, Révolte!
A. Sarkozy, remember 1789!
B. Freedom, Equality, Revolt!
C. They are the crisis, we are the solution!
D. Sarkozy promised us, Sarkozy lied to us!
E. We will not pay for the bankers!
You can see photos of the strikes by clicking here.
Posted by Chanda
Okay, so I’m a bit late with my greeting….
The second Islamic New Year to fall in 2008 on the Gregorian calendar (it also fell on the 10th of January) was yesterday the 29th of December although it actually began at sunset on the 28th and the entire New Year month will last for 29 days. Since Muslims make up a very large percentage of la Francophonie (the French-speaking world) as there are approximately 5 million Muslims living in France, over 150,000 in Switzerland and around 400,000 in Belgium and French is either an official or administrative language along with Arabic and other languages in many countries of Africa, the Carribean and the Middle East, I thought it was fitting to wish all my best to the Islamic world from this blog.
“Al-Hijra” as it’s called in Arabic is celebrated on the first day of the month of Muharram (the first month) on the Islamic calendar. It marks the beginning of Hijra which occurred in 622CE when the Prophet Muhammad emigrated from Mecca to Medina and created the first real Islamic community with social, political and economic independence. It is more of a cultural event as it is a time of meditation rather than a huge celebration, but it is acknowledged and honored throughout the Muslim world. It is a quiet time when Muslims gather in mosques for special prayers and readings and reflect upon the passing of time and their own mortality. Muharram is one of the four months during which it is forbidden to wage war or fight. I think it is beautiful and admirable that peace is “officialized” in that way.
The next Islamic New Year will fall on the 18th of December on the Gregorian calendar as the Islamic calendar is lunar rather than solar-based.
Posted by Chanda
Today I came across this expression ‘conducteur du dimanche‘ which is the same in French as English…the ‘Sunday driver’ and I began thinking back to my time living in the outskirts of Paris and how I loved to take the car on Sunday or go with a friend on a Sunday on a drive to Versailles or Saint-Germain-en-Laye or another such history-filled place and just stroll around. One of my very favorites was Fountainebleau. I’m not sure if this is because the royal grounds are so very charming or because I was always on the lookout for Charlotte or Caroline of Monaco as supposedly that is where they reside most of the year (at least at the time) and where the children went to school. In any case, it always seemed as we had our coffee at a café in the town center or walked up to the gates of the residence that you could really feel the history there despite all the people walking about in their very modern and fashionable clothes.
For some, Fountainebleau, which is located about 34.5 miles to the southeast of Paris and is home to one of the largest royal châteaux (castles) in France, evokes the palace. Others quickly think of the dense woods and yet others, of the horse competitions. It is a remarkable place really and one where you can quickly become lost in thoughts of being invited to a great royal hunt or a glamorous royal ball.
The Castle was lived in by all French Queens, Kings, Emperors and Empresses from François I to Napoleon III. The state apartments are open daily to the public except on Tuesdays. On certain days, there are tours of the small apartments which house the Napoleon I museum. The five main courtyards, gardens and parks are open every day and I recommend taking a horse-drawn carriage ride around them. Despite the somewhat kitschy commentary, the feeling you get is quite majestic. Click here for some panoramic views of Fountainebleau.
