Home » Archives for March 2007

Wednesday, March 21

Blogging - still, again and toujours!

This excellent analysis of a newspaper editor's weblog -- or blog, in which Didier Pillet, the Director of Information for France’s daily with the highest circulation, the regional paper Ouest France talks about how blogs fit into France’s most-circulated daily. In this Q&A with Editors Weblog, he talks about the paper’s 14-month-old ‘Newsroom blog,’ how he manages his work as a journalist alongside regular postings and interaction with readers, and how the blog fits into the paper’s strategy. Well worth a read if you are interesting in the phenomenon of blogging!

Which brings me to an article in the Sunday Times recently.


"Lost for words online as blog craze falters", reads the headline.

Blog craze faltering? They quote a typical entry on a million blogs out there which goes like this:
"hey guys, i'am sooooooooooo soooooooooooo sooooooooooo sorry i haven't written in a while!! i've been working non-stop..... I miss you all ----- but anyway -- just wanted to check in and say hi! and I'll try to get here more often! back again soon!!"

And how often we see that entry! But as for the blog craze in general faltering, I doubt that this is true.

As the example above of Didier Pillet's weblog shows, blogging is becoming more and more a force to be reckoned with in the media and in the dissemination of news and information.
As Tony Allen-Mills says in his article "To the embarrassment of millions of internet users" -- from celebrities who keep online diaries, to ordinary people, would-be writers and would-be poets, people who genuinely believe that the world is interested in their ramblings and ponderings, "the evidence of failed diary-keeping cannot be easily erased from search engines that continue to provide links to blogs that have lain dormant for years". And all too many of these, as they are called "ghost blogs" have as their last entry something similar to the soooooooooo sorry apology above.

Last October, it is claimed, the blog phenomenon reached its peak, when about 100,000 new blogs were created each and every day. With about 100 million people blogging worldwide one has to wonder that there are not more sooooooooooo sorry messages.

As my readers will have noticed, I joined the MyBlogLog Community. Here one meets up with fellow bloggers and swop notes, ideas and a passion for blogging. When one looks at how many new bloggers appear only on this site -- one of no doubt thousands such communities, the mind boggles! The thought that often comes to mind is "What do these people do for a living?" How can they maintain their blogs -- often more than one, very often up to six or seven or eight blogs? Do they have a life outside of their blogs? --- and having asked that last question, those that obviously do have a life outside of the blogs -- because they write in their blogs about those lives, they are even more amazing, because having all those interests or running those successful businesses, or practising those fascinating hobbies, can surely not leave them enough time to still maintain the blog?

And when one also sees the intensity of emotions often expressed on blogs, it is no wonder that there are people who feel that when you let a blog die -- and become a ghost blog, you are committing virtual suicide. When I first heard this expression, my reaction was "oh what rubbish!........... surely??" but then, upon closer inspection of some of these blogs, I realised that this thought is not far-fetched after all.

Whichever way you look at blogging, it is a phenomenon of our times -- and one which I, for one, am willing to bet on staying for a good while longer.



Previous Articles on Blogging

Power of Blogging
Blogs: The unedited voice of the people
Blooker Prize: Literary prizes for blogs
Chateau Lalinde Blog
Blogs for Expats in France
Tourism in France
All-time favourite: The Ten Coolest Blogs 2007
Blogging - still, again and toujours!


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    Posted by Unknown

    Sunday, March 18

    Tourism and Property in France, Perigord - or the Dordogne: Blogs and websites I recommend

    Amongst hundreds of thousands of blogs out there, one has to be pretty outrageous or original or exceptional to stand out. Thus, it is always a pleasure discovering a blog, quite by chance, that attracts the eye -- for no other reason than it seems to be written by a kindred spirit.


    I have no idea whether Linda is a kindred spirit, but her blog speaks to me. She too seems to love France as much as I do -- (according to her tag line, "she lives in Paris and in Provence. Follow her adventures as she learns her way around France"> ), she shares a name with my own Lalinde, or La Linda (as a reader, Víctor Michelón, from his Lamagahoy blog recently pointed out - "pretty", "source of joy"), and as I said to her, it feels as if she looks at life through the same camera lens as I do. Go have a look -- it is a beautiful blog, called Frenchless in France.

    And then there is a new website about the Dordogne Perigord. I am not sure whether it is in fact 'new', but if not, then I am surprised that I have not discovered it before. It is beautifully presented, very comprehensive, up to date (!) and contains just about everything you need to know if you are intending to visit this area, looking for a good restaurant, wanting to rent a chateau, holiday in the Dordogne or in South West France. This is definitely a site to bookmark!

    And a little gem I happen to find the other day: it is the Virtual Yellow Pages of France.
    Type in any address in any of the bigger centres of France and voila! a photograph comes up of that building! You can pick a street in Paris or Bordeaux, Nantes, Rennes, Strasbourg, Marseilles -- and many more, and wander up and down the street, looking at the buildings, the little restaurants or the shops in that street --- in fact, on both sides of the street!

    If you happen to be looking at buying a property and wish to see what the building looks like, or what the street is like where it is, the environment or the neighbourhood, or you are planning a holiday and you want to see what the area of a hotel looks like, or whether there are lots of traffic in the street, or what the view would be like out of your window, then this is the answer!
    BUT BE WARNED: If you are anything like me, you will find that once you start, time will fly and before you know it, you will have been wandering around the streets of a beautiful French city for hours, without even realising how long!


    Recommended Blogs and Websites:

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    Posted by Unknown

    Thursday, March 15

    More French speakers worldwide

    On the eve of the French Day of Poetry (16 March) and the International Francophonie Day on March 20, this little article in Agence France Press caught my eye:

    The number of French speakers worldwide has increased to 200 million due to a rise in the number of language students and a population boom in francophone Africa, a report said Tuesday.
    Of the 200 million, 128 million are fluent in French and use it regularly, according to the report by the Paris-based International Organisation for the Francophonie, which groups 68 French-speaking countries.
    The number of students learning French or studying in the language has increased to 118 million, up from 90 million in 2002.
    A previous report issued in 2005 put the number of French speakers at 175 million but the figure has been reviewed to take into account population increases in Africa, notably in Chad and Togo.



    Copyright AFP



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    Words...

    You can say anything you want, but it's the words that sing, they soar and descend...I bow to them...I love them, I cling to them, I run them down, I bite into them, I melt them down...I love words so much...The unexpected ones...The ones I wait for greedily or stalk until, suddenly, they drop...




    ---Pablo Neruda
    born July 12 1904, Parral, Chile
    died September 23 1973, Santiago
    Posted by Unknown

    Learning French: Learn One Word or One Phrase a day!




    Your New French Word/Phrase for the Day:

    nul n'y reste :
    nothing is left of it









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    Posted by Unknown

    The Elections: Political Parties in France

    With the French elections around the corner, you may want to read this excellent summary of all the Political parties in play.




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    Posted by Unknown

    Seven Good Reasons to Spend your Holidays in the Dordogne, France, this Summer....

    .....and in particular, in Lalinde!

    If you are interested in booking the Chateau Lalinde for you and your friends or family for a couple of days during any of these periods, make sure you make your bookings now, as the calendar is already starting to fill up quickly!
    Special rates are on offer, and a discount is available if you make your booking citing this blog post


    May 2007

    Tuesday 1 May : Marché aux fleurs, -- Flower market at the water basin. More than 40 professional florists and nurseries display their plants and flowers, and Lalinde is turned into a scene of beauty and wonder -- spectacular enough to vie with the Chelsea Flower Show!
    Food and drink available all day.

    Saturday 5 May: Boules/Petanque Competition!. The level is regional. Entrance free. Starting time 14h00. Meal available at €12. Now is the time to come see how the game should be played and the champions in action!

    July 2007

    Sunday 22 July: Hikers' Festival. The 6th year when all the walkers and hikers get together for a fun walk through the forests and hills around Lalinde. It starts at 17h00. Horse riders are welcome as well.
    At 19h00 you return to the Lalinde square for a Night Market and delicious meal. Bring your own crockery and cutlery. Wine on sale.


    Saturday 28 July: Les Tradigourdines. You will remember what a wonderful event this was last year. Traditional Perigordine music and dancing. The Perfect family outing. From 10h00 on Saturday 28 July, right through to 02h00 Sunday morning. Activities for children and adults alike. Learn about the traditional instruments and costumes, learn the dances, join in the fun! Not to be missed! And all is free! (Food and drink on sale)

    August 2007

    Friday 10 August:
    Soirée BODEGA From 19h00, under the trees in the square, a wine festival of excellent quality. Stands from wine estates and vinyards from Bordeaux, Bergerac and even further afield, where wines may be tasted and purchased. A live band, aptly named, 'In Vino Veritas' will provide music on the evening -- to enjoy -- or to dance by, should you like to join in the fun! Home cured ham and chips and sangria available (bring own crockery and cutlery), and there will even be a fashion show put on by local boutiques. Free entry.

    Saturday 11 August to Sunday 12 August:
    Another Wine and Local Produce Fair put on next to the basin under the trees. Here the Lions Club of Périgord invite you to come taste any of the 50 "appellations" -- estate wines of the Périgord. A wonderful opportunity to discover the excellent wines of this region.

    Sunday 19 August: Medieval Feast. Lalinde -- the village and its inhabitants, will dress up in medieval finery, and turn the clock back to 1267 when the bastide was built. There will be professional groups acting out scenes of sword fights, street theatre, hunters on horseback, soldiers marching through, ancient games and music. Note 19 August in your diary now and make sure you are here on this weekend!



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    Posted by Unknown

    Wednesday, March 14

    Learning French: Learn One Word or One Phrase a day!




    Your New French Word/Phrase for the Day:

    Qui que ce soit/Quoi que ce soit :
    Whoever it is/whatever it is









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    Tuesday, March 13

    Chateau Lalinde links up with Expatica.com




    The first article from Chateau Lalinde in the Dordogne, can now be read on the Expatica.com website.
    The article tells the story of Fermes Auberges, warm hospitality, fine dining and good food.

    More will follow, so keep your eye on this great site.






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    Posted by Unknown

    Ordering coffee in France

    Last year I posted this article by my friend, Antony Mair, about ordering coffee in France -- because yesterday, before my lecture at the University, I had 30 minutes spare and quickly popped into a little café and ordered un grand crême, and suddenly stood there wondering whether it was 'the done thing' at 9 am in the morning. Well -- first of all I was amazed at myself for even wondering such a thing, let alone caring about such a thing -- I wanted un grand crême because I felt like un grand crême -- but I nevertheless thought I would quickly go see what Antony had written about the subject -- and share it with you again.
    One never knows when you are on holiday in France, or want to SO NOT look like a tourist, and you have learned and polished your French to sound exactly like a local, and then, when you order coffee you make this huge faux pas in the eyes of the French by ordering the wrong kind of coffee at the wrong kind of occasion at the wrong time of day -- better safe than red faced and exiled for all time from your local list of coolest people!



    There's your café terrace in the sun, just inviting you to sit down. But how do you order the coffee you want?
    Now that every English high street sports a coffee bar or two, we're used to ordering a latte or a "Large Capp". Starbucks has not, thank goodness! exactly made inroads into rural France. If you order a skinny latte in the Dordogne you'll get more than a bewildered look. Here is Antony Mair's guide to the local terminology:

    Un café means a small black coffee – often described as "un petit café" or "un express".
    As that suggests, it's the equivalent of an expresso, although not with the kick you'll get from its Italian cousins.
    If you want something stronger, you should ask for "un serré", which is the equivalent of the Italian "ristretto" – a small black coffee of double strength.
    "Un grand café" or "un double express" means a large black coffee, or a double expresso.
    "Un crême" or even "un petit crême" means a small white coffee, that will come in an expresso-sized cup.

    Conversely, "un grand crême" means a large white coffee. Both "un crême" and "un grand crême" are used in preference to "un café au lait". However, if you are staying in a hotel, where coffee is served in a jug at your breakfast table, it is correct to ask for "café au lait chaud".

    "Un café noisette" means a black coffee with just a drop of milk in it – the equivalent of the Italian "macchiato" or the Portuguese "pingado".

    "Un cappuccino" will not necessarily deliver the frothy concoction you're used to. It may produce a black coffee with a large dollop of whipped cream in. This is, technically, a "café viennois".

    If you want your froth, you should specify "un cappuccino avec de la mousse au lait". It's not yet so popular as in the UK.

    "Un café américain" means a very weak black coffee. It is despised by the local French.

    If you want to follow French convention, you should not drink white coffee after eleven in the morning – and particularly not after mealtimes.

    A small black coffee is drunk after lunch. The French consider that white coffee after a meal is particularly bad for your digestion, and you may get a scandalised look from waiters.

    After dinner, many French will not touch coffee, to the point where it may not even be offered to you if you are dining out.

    If you want a cinnamon-flavoured skinny latte with a double shot - sorry, you'll have to wait until you get back to Starbucks in the UK!

    P.S. In case you still wonder, 9am in the morning was a perfectly acceptable hour to order un grand crême -- it is only after 10am that 'it is not done', I breathe again!




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    Posted by Unknown

    Learning a little French each Day




    Your New French Word/Phrase for the Day:

    mettre du temps + pour + infinitif :
    Je mets 5 minutes pour faire le trajet     :
    It takes me 5 minutes to 'get here/there'











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    Posted by Unknown

    Monday, March 12

    Good Food in the Dordogne

    I know-- one does eat a lot of duck in the Dordogne Perigord, but one can also find restaurants where no-duck menus are available. In fact, it would probably be a good idea to start making a little list of no-duck Dordogne restaurant menus. So let us start today---

    with a lovely restaurant I discovered this weekend. I had visitors to the chateau, and to make the most of the first day of spring, we were enjoying the spring air, the fact that the swans are returning from their winter holidays, the first of the summer brocante markets (with prices still "pre-tourist season reasonably reasonable"), buying our fresh food for the week at the lovely Issigeac market, and then found ourselves feeling quite peckish.

    But, and nothing personal, my dear Anglo friends, but we looked for a little French restaurant either in or near Issigeac which was not completely filled to the rafters with English families and groups of friends drinking Guinness and eating chips and smoking and enjoying themselves in the very abandoned and loud and noisy manner of people who speak a different language to those of the locals.

    I even had the gall to ask the long-suffering French man who poured me a delicious glass of ice cold kir whether he could recommend a restaurant in the area which was not filled with English people. His eyes nearly popped out. He stopped in his tracks. If we were playing a scene in a movie, it would have been one of those surreal moments when the wine which was being poured, stopped midway between the bottle and the glass for a fleeting second.

    "QUOI?? Ca exciste?" he exclaimed!

    "I know, I know", I said. "But surely there has to be somewhere in the area where the French people would go for a Sunday family meal?"

    He shook his head and started to collect dirty glasses and full ash trays (what happened to new law of no smoking in restaurants?).

    When we were ready to pay for our drinks and set on our merry way -- probably back to the chateau for a simple meal of bread and cheese and wine on the chateau terrace, the man appreared again from the smoke cloud hanging suspended in the bar and, with a big smile, revealed a whispered secret: "There is a lovely restaurant on the edge of the village," he confided in us. "It is not strictly French, as the chef, Nicolas De Visch, is Belgian (with hotel experience in the Philipines, Dubai, Scotland...) and his delightful wife, Maffe is from the Philipines, but the food is excellent, and because it is slightly more expensive, the people who go to eat there, are not so noisy......."

    We went, and we found the place -- me having to admit that I had never even noticed the restaurant, as, from the outside, it does not immediately appeal. But once inside, the large windows and glass doors going out onto the back garden, allow the spring sunshine to stream in, warming the room as well as the bright and light decor of crisp linen and a couple of pieces of beautiful, richly polished antique furniture.
    The menu featured an interesting a la carte variety as well as two set menus. The food is "La tradition de la gastronomie perigourdine vue sous l'angle des produits de la mer", i.e. traditional food but with the emphasis on sea food. Yet, after a mouthwatering little complimentary 'amuse bouche' of frommage blanc and herring, we had a carré d'agneau on a bed of ratatouille and a lobster and crevette Fricassée -- both of exceptional quality. The presentation was stunning, and the service, by Maffe De Visch impeccable, friendly and fast. The one table near us of a party of six, seemed to have chosen one or the other of the set menus, and with the arrival of each course, there were "ooh's" and "ah's" from all of them, followed by the appreciative silence of people who are thoroughly enjoying their meal.

    I am almost reluctant to let the secret out -- I enjoyed eating excellent food, getting excellent service and spending a few hours in a very pleasant atmosphere without the rush and noise that will surely be very hard to avoid once the summer visitors start streaming in again.

    But spring is in the air and I feel generous -- so treat yourself and go enjoy a memorable eating experience at:

    La Bruceliere
    Place de la Capelle
    24560 Issigeac
    Tel: 0553 738961
    email: bruceliere@wanadoo.fr




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    Posted by Unknown

    Learning a little French each Day




    Your New French Word/Phrase for the Day:

    Passer du bon temps, passer un bon moment : To enjoy oneself, to have a good time








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    The First Spring Sunday out in the Countryside of the Dordogne




    Spring is in the air! And what can be more pleasureable than enjoying the French countryside -- before all the tourists arrive! The most special time of the year -- welcoming the first swans that are back from their winter sojourn in warmer climes, having our first meal -- a feast of oysters fresh from the coast, out on the terrace of the chateau, watching the Dordogne River still in full flood -- a molten gold torrent of water; driving through the countryside of the Dordogne Perigord, browsing around Brocante markets (such as the first one in Mausac, enjoying the blossoms that are out and the first bright sunshine, doing your week's grocery shopping at the fresh produce market in Issigeac, saying hello to everyone who has been hiding away behind their shutters........






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    Friday, March 9

    Learning French: Learn One Word or One Phrase a day!


    I thought it may be fun if you learned French with me! If we learn one new French word or phrase each day, we could possibly string a sentence together by the end of each week, have 52 sentences in one year -- and voila! That is already a whole conversation! ---- well......... so the theory goes! But why not give it a try? Let's see what we can achieve!




    Your New French Word/Phrase for the Day:

    La bruit court que.... : The rumour is that....








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    Monday, March 5

    Printemps des Poètes : Coming Event at Chateau Lalinde



    From 5 to 18 March, we celebrate the 9th Printemps des Poètes -- a poetry festival at the Chateau Lalinde.

    This festival was started in 1999 by Jack Lang, the then Minister of Culture and Communication as a hommage to all poetry. Every year a different theme is chosen. Some themes from previous years were "Passeurs de memoire", "La Poesie c'est autre chose" and "L'Espoir", and the theme this year will be "Lettera amorosa", le poème d'amour -- Love poetry.

    During this time, there are literally hundreds of events in France, as well as worldwide, organised in honour of poetry. In the Dordogne alone there are dozens to choose from, but the most special event will without a doubt be an evening of good food, excellent wine and poetry at the Chateau Lalinde -- an evening carefully planned and choreographed by Albert Croce, from the language school, Aquitaine Langues. He will pay hommage to René Char, on this, the 100th anniversary of this great poet's birth.

    ******************************************


    The Chateau Lalinde evening:
    Printemps des Poètes
    Célébration du Centenaire de la naissance de René Char

    Vendredi 16 mars 19h Château Lalinde, 1 rue de Verdun, Lalinde

    Le Centre Aquitaine Langues est heureux d’organiser une soirée dédiée au Printemps des Poètes avec une conférence sur René Char suivie d’un dîner. Au cours du dîner chacun pourra lire un poème de son choix et dira quelques mots sur le poète choisi.

    Hommage à la Poésie de René Char, conférence d’Albert Croce
    Participation 7€
    Soirée « Poème que j’aime’ »

    Conférence & Dîner 30€ Vin compris Coupon de réservation

    Prière de remplir le coupon et de le renvoyer avec votre paiement
    Chèque à l’ordre de Aquitaine Langues.

    Nom ……………………………………......................
    Prénom ……………………………......................

    Adresse ……………………………………………………………………………….................

    ………………………………………………………………………………………….....................

    Ville……………………Code postal………………….
    Courriel (email)……………………………………………….

    Tél……………………………………

    Je voudrais réserver : ……place(s)@€7 =…………… ;pour la conférence «Hommage à René Char»
    Je voudrais réserver :…… place(s)@ €30 = ……….pour la soirée & conférence

    Nombre de places…………………….. Total…………………

    Signature …………………………………..........
    Date ………………………………............................

    Chèque à l’ordre de ‘Aquitaine Langues’ Domaine de la Tour, 769 Route de Sainte Alvère, Bergerac Tél. : 0553741785
    Prière de réserver le plus tôt possible, places limitées


    Allégeance


    Dans les rues de la ville il y a mon amour. Peu importe où il va dans le temps divisé. Il n'est plus mon amour, chacun peut lui parler. Il ne se souvient plus; qui au juste l'aima?
    Il cherche son pareil dans le voeu des regards. L'espace qu'il parcourt est ma fidélité. Il dessine l'espoir et léger l'éconduit. Il est prépondérant sans qu'il y prenne part.
    Je vis au fond de lui comme une épave heureuse. A son insu, ma solitude est son trésor. Dans le grand méridien où s'inscrit son essor, ma liberté le creuse.
    Dans les rues de la ville il y a mon amour. Peu importe où il va dans le temps divisé. Il n'est plus mon amour, chacun peut lui parler. Il ne se souvient plus; qui au juste l'aima et l'éclaire de loin pour qu'il ne tombe pas?
    --René Char



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    Posted by Unknown

    Sunday, March 4

    Bordeaux : Renaissance of a City




    I have long had a desire to go discover Bordeaux. It is so close to Lalinde, either by road or by train, and would be a good place to recommend to visitors who stay at the chateau -- for good food and excellent wine -- and yet the only reason most people I talk to go there, is to go to Ikea! - and even then it is there and back as fast as a trip to Ikea is possible, because they 'hate the drive there, hate the Rocade (ring road around Bordeaux), hate the city - never go into the city! hate the squalor and dirt, the people, the cars.....'Whenever people speak like that, I cannot help myself! I have to -- simply have to go look for myself and see if it can really be possible for a city to be such a bad experience!
    I am pleased I did go. I loved Bordeaux!



    Beautiful, intelligent and brilliant. This is how Bordeaux is described. The city that has found its second youth by redesigning itself, using the talent and the self-confidence of its own inhabitants, into a prestigious social, tourist, cultural and economic city that is at the same time also the world wine capitol and one of the most prominent research centres of the scientific world.


    Originally called Budigala when still a Gallic-Roman city in the 3rd century, it has seen many changes in its colourful history, and like Madonna it seems to be able to recreate itself and its own image at will.

    The city revolves around its 12 quartiers, or neighbourhoods, and wandering through the narrow little cobblestone streets one can see remnants of its history dating back hundreds of years, the architecture a living example of past eras, influences, fashions.

    The last major renovation programme was initiated by Alain Juppé when he became mayor in 1995 to 2004 and then was re-elected in 2006. Many great architects were called in to design the ‘new Bordeaux’, but Juppé could well be seen as the best architect of all. He applied a vision and a drive for the renaissance of Bordeaux that may have been lacking in his short term as Prime Minister, but has known no bounds in his mayoral office. One only has to walk through the streets to see the changes – old, black, rotting buildings beautifully restored to their former glory. Streets closed for traffic by a simple and efficient permit system, and the people of the city are given free rein to wander the streets and enjoy their own city, a super-efficient electrical tram system readily available to transport you to every corner and ample parking garages never far away. Wonderful little restaurants or grand eating establishments, small intimate wine shops or large imposing wine distributors, impressive art galleries, museums, theatres and emporiums and tiny exclusive boutiques and fashion outlets, tapas bars and cafes.
    The first Sunday of every month there are no cars in the city. Families may walk about with their young children, bicycle riders, skate boarders and roller skaters can discover the beauty of Bordeaux, the good weather and the street entertainment offered to them.
    The bold and visionary renovation programme of the city was initiated unanimously by the city council on 8 July 2002, and already the changes are so noticeable, the air so much cleaner, the general quality of life so much improved, that the Bordelaises have fallen in love with their own city all over again—for the first time in 40 years, the population of Bordeaux has stopped its annual decrease!
    The goal is to have finished the current programme by 2010, when more than 2000 buildings will have been restored, over 5000 commercial spaces and parks created and 330 parking garages built.
    How, in a country where there is so little – or no – economic growth, has it been possible to achieve this miracle? The programme (L’OPAH : Opération Programmée d’Amélioration de l’Habitat et de Renouvellement Urbain) has set aside €13 million to assist property owners to restore and renovate their properties, with the added assistance of expertise and other incentives. And no doubt, having the people of the city do the work themselves has added to the pride and the reward generated by the programme.
    Bordeaux is so easily accessible by train or by air, or even by road, that it is a perfect destination for a weekend of enjoyment, shopping, good food, opera, theatre, culture, history – and of course – excellent wine! And if you are a lover of architecture and historical renovations, treat yourself and visit this beautiful city!



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    The Joys and Thrills of living in a chateau on the Dordogne River



    One of the most enjoyable and fascinating things about living in a chateau on the Dordogne River, is to watch the Dordogne River change from one season to the next -- even from one week to the next. Only a short while ago I reported on the river being at an all time low, and last night I woke up to a sound I had never heard before from my chateau window-- crashing waves against the walls of the chateau!

    According to the news there is a concern about the rivers flooding, especially as we still have some way to go before the period when the snows melt on the mountains and when the rivers usually reach their highest levels. Continuous rains have caused many rivers to flow well beyond their normal levels.

    And it was only two weeks ago when I was in the Anjou, attending a French total immersion course there and staying in the delightful Chanzé Chateau, I marvelled at the quick rise and fall of the Layon River which meandered past the foot of the chateau. Then, driving back through the country side, I was amazed at the amount of water lying in the fields and in low-lying areas, often far aweay from a river or stream. So much water everywhere!







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    Friday, March 2

    Learning the language: French by Total Immersion is the Answer



    I have spoken often before about learning the language of your adopted country. Without speaking the language of the people in your community, you cannot be part of the community. In order to integrate, understand and contribute, you need the means to communicate -- to listen and understand, to speak and be understood.


    Since my arrival in France 18 months ago, I have been attending an excellent language school right here in Bergerac on a regular basis. It is without a doubt the best 'general' language school I know of and offers a selection of courses for students at every level.

    But when looking for other places where I could go often to speak and listen and learn and improve and polish and hone my French, I have found little more than small groups led by every person who speaks the language and has some free time on their hands and saw an easy and pleasant way to make a few extra euros.

    The problem

    And of these there are many to choose from. Every Mairie, every library, every second local's house is turned into a class room. I could, if I wished, go to a different, reasonably priced 'class/lesson' every morning and every afternoon of the week. But I yet have to find one that is worth the money or, more importantly worth my time. Almost all of those I have tried and tested are badly planned, with no long term curriculum, consisting of groups of every level, where, if you are slightly ahead of the rest of the group, you have to sit and twiddle your thumbs while they struggle through basic grammar and a mish-mash of attempts at anglicised vocabulary.

    If I sound harsh in my criticism, I am afraid that I must plead guilty.
    Teaching a language is a highly skilled art. There are just too many people around who see an opportunity to milk the ready market of 450 000 English speakers to the area, who think that offering lessons at low prices will make up for the fact that they are in no way qualified to teach; and then there are just too many non-French speakers around who are desperate to learn the language but who are not willing to spend money to do so. One will hear them sitting in the square on market day, and over a cup of coffee, complain about how nothing is working because of the unreliable French plumbers and French electricians and French builders, and then - hear them try to place a simple order for a second cup of coffee in the most appalling French whilst singing the praises of the most wonderful French teacher they had found who is ever so cheap!
    Do I need to say more?

    The Solution

    Is my French perfect? Absolutely not! After 18 months here, I found myself at an impasse. All of a sudden I realised that my spoken French was not improving – but rather regressing. Speaking French as often as I can, and trying to “just speak it!” without worrying first about getting the structure and grammar and syntax and vocabulary right and then finding the conversation has moved on into different realms, I have been picking up bad habits. Many bad habits. I found that I was using, more and more, my Scrabble trick – making up words, and I was making up words by turning English words into French words – they work and people understand me – well, most of the time they do! – but these words which have been creeping into my vocabulary do in fact not exist! (Probably the reason I could, for the life of me, not understand what the big fuss was about when Segolene Royale used the home-made word “bravitude”). I also started using the conditional and the subjunctive freely – I love using the conditional and subjunctive in any language I speak – but although the way in which I use them may be correct, the occasion seldom is!

    So – I saved up my pennies for a few months and enrolled in a Total Immersion French Course. The best thing I have done since arriving in France! One concentrated week of one-on-one language tuition. And I do mean concentrated. The name says what it is -- Face a Face -- one-on-one. It is a residential course, which means that you stay on the premises 24 hours a day -- and what beautiful premises are chosen for the students! Even in this, every detail has been thought of. The place I stayed at was a small chateau in the beautiful Anjou which is managed by the most charming couple - who are both interesting and interested, and who provided hospitality - and meals! that deserve at least three Michelin stars! In my case, my ‘class room’ was directly next to my bed room. Not that there was too much time wasted on sleep! We started at 8 am in the morning with breakfast with the teacher, worked the entire day, including lunch, and ended with dinner at 8 pm – which usually went on until 10 – 10:30 pm, after which I updated and sorted my notes, going to bed -- or rather, falling into bed at midnight.

    I would have loved to have been able to afford two or three weeks, but even if I could have, I would not have been able to stay the course. At that pace and intensity, one week was perfect. Had I stayed longer, there would have been a weekend programme that is more relaxed and when the student is taken out and about by the teacher, before returning again on Monday morning for the second week.

    The teaching programme is custom made for you -- planned specifically for the individual student. When one enrols, you send off a test which indicates to the teacher at which level you are, and the curriculum that was planned for me started exactly at my level and took me several notches up.

    It is also very, very cleverly devised to allow the student to speak about subjects that interest him or her, thus not only putting him at ease to speak freely – and becoming impassioned about that subject should the occasion require it!, but also enabling him to acquire the necessary vocabulary in the subjects that he is most likely to want to raise in general conversation.

    The teacher is gentle and patient and empathetic at all times – and it has to be said that she too has to have the stamina of a super hero for staying the course! Always ready with the answer, always ready with the explanation, always ready with just that little extra information to ensure that the knowledge not only is absorbed, but filed in a place where it will be readily available when needed. It should also be mentioned that she does not let you get away with mistakes. She corrects you when you are wrong. And I mention this because there are more and more people around who have come through an education system where the student is never wrong – and where, in my mind, it is impossible to learn and improve. (If you do not have your mistakes pointed out to you, how will you ever correct them and improve? – but that is another little thorn in my side -- for another time!)


    The cleverest of all was the way the teacher had examples and topics ready every day where words and phrases and grammar learned during the previous days would come naturally into the conversation, thus underlining, re-emphasizing and re-establishing those new words and phrases into ones everyday language. I have always found it quite easy to learn new phrases and expressions, but unless I use them regularly, they disappear only too quickly into the recesses of my brain. Not so with this method. I loved that by the end of the week, one of my most dreaded little exercises had become one of my most favourite little exercises --- finding synonyms for words and phrases with the same meaning. I still have a lifetime of learning vocabulary ahead of me, but I now have the confidence to open my mouth – and speak – of things other than the most basic day to day events.

    I cannot praise this course enough -- it is excellent. A language teaching method that is scientifically and meticulously planned to offer each individual every opportunity and every tool to learn and/or improve their language skills. If you are looking to learn French or improve your existing French, you need to look no further.







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