French for a While

Yes...

12 July 2009 by French for a While

...IT'S A NEW front page photo. Something different for a change.
CJS

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What Are You Doing Next Summer?

by French for a While

YOU SHOULD CHECK out what our friend Vic Haney is doing next summer. Not only is he planning to walk (yes, walk!) from the South of France to the North of England, he's planning to do it in 70 days -- in time to reach the house where he was born on his 70th birthday!

And now he's being sponsored by Columbia Sportswear and is raising money for charity at the same time.

Vic and his wife Gay were our neighbors last summer in Puivert, France.
CJS

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Harry Potter Fever

by French for a While

PATRICK FOUND THE complete collection of Harry Potter books at the house we're renting for the summer and now he's addicted. Plowing through the first one right now.
CJS

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Where Have You Gone, Bernard Hinault?

10 July 2009 by French for a While

AFTER THINKING ABOUT it for some time, I have to ask the question: what has happened to French cycling? After yesterday's win by Frenchman Brice Feillu and Thomas Voeckler's win a couple days ago, one may be tempted to think that French cycling is doing just fine. It's not.

The French have a great cycling tradition. It is no accident that the Tour de France is the most important bike race in the world and it isn't just a coincidence that there have been more French winners of the Tour (36) than any other country (Belgium is second with 18). But these numbers hide a reality that isn't talked about much in France: French cyclists don't win much anymore.

I began to look into the numbers and found they were more startling than I thought. Since great cyclists are usually measured by their performance in the so-called Grand Tours (France, Italy, and Spain -- Spain being a distant third in terms of prestige), I checked how long it has been since a Frenchman won one of these hallowed events. Here are the last indidividual French winners of the three Grand Tours:

Tour de France: Bernard Hinault (1985)
Giro d'Italia: Laurent Fignon (1989)
Vuelta a Espana: Laurent Jalabert (1995)

But that list only reflects individual winners. French teams haven't done much better. In the last 25 years French cycling teams have produced:

1 Tour de France winner (Hinault in 1985 for La Vie Claire)
3 Giro winners (Italian Gianni Bugno for Chateau d'Ax, Laurent Fignon for Super U-Raleigh-Fiat, and Hinault for La Vie Claire);
0 Vuelta a Espana winners.

That's 4 winners in a combined 75 Grand Tours. Add Laurent Jalabert's win in Spain in 1995(riding for Spanish team ONCE) and the total number of wins by Frenchmen or French teams equals 5. By way of comparison, in the last 75 Grand Tours, Spanish riders have won 22 times, Italian riders 15 times, and American riders 11 times. [Note: the French team Cofidis did win the team classification in the Tour de France in 1998 -- let by American Bobby Julich in 3rd place overall].

While the Grand Tours are the biggies in cycling, there are many other important races throughout the year, the most well known being the Spring Classics and the one-week Tours that dot the calendar between March and June of each year. Have French cyclists fared any better in these races? Since there isn't time to examine every race, I'll pick a few of the biggest: Milan-Sanremo, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Nice, and the Dauphiné Libéré. Here are the number of French winners of these races since since 1985:

Milan-San Remo - 3 winners (none since 1995)
Liège-Bastogne-Liège - 0 winners
Paris-Roubaix - 4 winners (none since 1994)
Paris-Nice - 4 winners (all riding for Spanish teams)
Dauphiné Libéré - 5 winners

So you could say the results are better, but the point of this entire post is to examine how French cycling has fallen in the past couple of decades. I purposely chose 1985 as my point of reference because that seems to be the year when French cycling began to decline rapidly. To illustrate the point, consider the following statistic: in the 25 years before 1985, a French cyclist won the Tour de France 14 times. The numbers are similar for other major Classics and one-week Tours.

Can French cycling rebound and produce winners again on a consistant basis? I hope so, but I'm not putting any money on it yet. There has been a lot of hope pinned on the shoulders of the likes of Chrisophe Moreau, Sandy Casar, and Sylvain Chavenel in recent years but none of them appear to be real GC contenders in the big races.

A new French champion will come someday and I hope that day comes soon. When I'm not rooting for American riders I'm pulling for the French. Allez les Bleus!

Oh, and for at least today, a French cycling team will hold the yellow jersey (AG2R).

CJS

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Getting Used to German?

09 July 2009 by French for a While

AFTER JUST THREE days in Strasbourg we have realized that we are going to love it here. A lot of that has to do with the fantasic house we're living in (big thank you to the homeowners) and a lot of it has to do with the beautiful area. We haven't even made it to the old section of town yet because we've been settling in, shopping across the border in Germany, riding our bikes around (especially little Henry), watching the Tour de France, and trying to get used to the area. One thing we are finding very difficult is the names of towns around here -- very German sounding, which is to be expected in the Alsace region of France I suppose. An example: the towns surrounding our little suburb have names like Bischheim, Shiltigheim, Oberhausebergen, Souffelweyersheim (seriously!), Niederhausbergan, Reichstett, and --saving the best for last -- Pfulgriesheim. We're not used to the names so we're getting very confused.

Oh yes, then there's the town I cycled through last evening, La Wantzenau, which appears to be a village that added the article 'La' just to make sure people know it's actually in France. We have less than two months to get used to this.

CJS

Posted in: towns and villages | 5 Comments From Readers | |

Happy Birthday

by French for a While

WITH OUR MOVE, the Tour, work, swimming with the kids, etc., I forgot to say Happy Birthday to...the United States. For my money, there is no better place to celebrate the 4th of July than in our hometown of Washington, DC. Mainly because of scenes like this:

We'll be spending 14 Juillet watching the fireworks in Strasbourg. I've heard it's a good show. We'll see.

CJS

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Before More Updates...

08 July 2009 by French for a While

WE'RE IN STRASBOURG for the summer and there's lots of information forthcoming. But who can think about that when bac results were just published in the paper! In great French fashion, all students have their bac results published (with scores!!) in their local paper. Results were announced yesterday so results came out in print today! Results for our students can be found here. I realize the list won't mean anything to the casual observer, but just as a reference, the marks go something like this:

10-11 = no mark next to name (but passing)
12-13 = AB (assez bien)
14-15 = B (bien)
16+ = TB (tres bien)

All scores are, of course, out of a possible 20. I'm still checking on my students' marks...so far so good.

As another point of reference, imagine if US papers published all SAT results in the local paper. Can you say lawsuit?

CJS

Late Update: just received word from our section head that all students in the Section Americaine passed the bac this year. We had one close call, but he passed earlier today after something called a rattrapage (kind of a partial do-over).

Posted in: Teaching in France | 0 Comments From Readers | |

Stage 1: Lance, Levi, Christian, Alberto...

04 July 2009 by French for a While

IN THE END we just played the odds and took the car to Monaco for the first stage of the Tour this afternoon. We were stopped about 2km from the route and we quickly found an illegal parking space and walked the rest of the way. No problems.

We grabbed a great spot to watch the stage -- just after the first hairpin turn on the climb out of Monaco, about 3k into the 15 km time trial. It was terrific spot because we could see the riders below us as they made the turn, then they passed right in front of on a climb up to one of the tunnels that are common in this part of the Alpes-Maritimes.

The kids just wanted to see Lance and we got the chance a couple of times -- once during the time trial, and another when he practiced taking the hairpin turn a couple of times during his warmups. Of course, all I wanted to see was the TT gear and bikes. The were incredible. The sound that those disk wheels makes is like nothing I've heard before. Here are some photos from today.

Julian Dean of Garmin Chipotle

There he is: Lance Armstrong looking strong.

No idea who this is, but how sweet is the gear and the bike?

Another strong Astana rider: Levi Leipheimer

At one point we walked up a little path to get this view.

Again, no idea, but we spent most of the time about 50 meters above this hairpin turn.

Not a bad way to spend the 4th of July!

Tomorrow's second stage will come through our village of Le Rouret. On the profile map below, Le Rouret is just after the category 4 climb (Cote de Roquefort-les-Pins) near the peak of the climb. I ride from Nice up to our house from time to time and you can't imagine how devestating it was to find out that the climb up to our house that nearly kills me every time I do it is only rated a category 4 -- the lowest climbing category in cycling. Ouch.

CJS

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A Rare Southern Start

03 July 2009 by French for a While

IT'S BEEN QUITE a few years since the Tour de France has started in the South. Tomorrow it begins with a time trial in Monaco.

We'll be there. Not sure how we're going to get there yet, but we'll be there. (Suggestions? Train, I suppose).

Click on the Monaco route map for larger image.
CJS

Update: we've had a very nice offer from a friend to use one of their underground parking space at their apartment in Monaco, but I just don't see how driving will work. They are saying it could be worse than Grand Prix weekend. We're taking the train!

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Surprise

29 June 2009 by French for a While

PAID A SURPRISE visit to Cécile as she was working this evening at an ice cream shop in the 12th . I realize this post means little unless you know our family's history with Cecile, but that's OK. She was very surprised and it was so nice to chat over a little ice cream.

(Huge thanks to Emmanuelle for the 'where she works' tip! Thanks.)
CJS

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Apologies to Nat King Cole

28 June 2009 by French for a While

MY FAVORITE VERSION of 'I Love Paris in the Springtime' is by Nat King Cole. But for the past couple of days I've been changing the words a bit, singing instead: I Love Paris on Per Diem.

I mean really, is there anything better than eating well on someone else's dime? Since I'm working this week I have a food allowance that gives me generous, if not extravagant, food options. And what better place for good food options than Paris?

Last evening a colleague and I ate at a nice bistro in the 1ere arronsissement near our hotel. I had the €29 menu: Salade 'Caesar' avec poulet, carpacio de saumon, bœuf grillé aux herbs, mousse au chocolate, et café. It was good enough that we'll probably go back tomorrow evening with some other colleagues.

Tonight I've just returned from a great Indian restaurant in the St. Germain. I told the waiter I wasn't French so make it spicey. It was spicey. Parts of my insides are still smoldering; you know, in the good way that means you're going to feel it later -- if you know what I mean.

CJS

Posted in: food | 1 Comments From Readers | |

Strasbourg for the Summer

by French for a While

I'VE JUST RETURNED from a quick overnight trip to Strasbourg (2 hours from Paris by train) where I met the family who own the house we will be staying in this summer. (This post from last year sort of explains why we go somewhere each summer). But in a nutshell: because of our current rental agreement we have to be out of our house each July and August so that the owners can use it. It's not a bad deal, really -- a bit hectic for sure, but not terrible. And since we are in France for a limited time we want to take full advantage of every moment -- so we go somewhere new each summer. And we can only do this because I'm in education (see, there are 1 or 2 advantages). This summer: Strasbourg!

Since we spent last summer in the Southwest part of France, we wanted to try something new this year so we choose Strasbourg -- or perhaps Strasbourg chose us since that's where we found a nice place to live. We were hoping for more of a city 'type' of atmosphere since we miss that in our current village. It doesn't hurt that Strasbourg is sort of the French gateway to Europe: on the German border, an hour from Switzerland, 2 hours from Luxumbourg, and only about 5 hours from Prague. We hope to do some exploring.

CJS

Posted in: towns and villages | 4 Comments From Readers | |

Look For Me on TV

26 June 2009 by French for a While

I'M IN PARIS for a few days and just saw on the news that there will be an hommage for Michael Jackson outside the Notre Dame at 7:00. It would take me 10 minutes to walk there from here and I have nothing to do from right now (6:25) until a dinner appointment at 8:00. So guess where I'm going to go in about 10 minutes?

Look for me.
CJS

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Trocadero Metro Stop

by French for a While

MY MEETINGS ARE at the International School of Paris and Metro stop I use is Trocadero. When I emerged from underground this morning I took this photo.

My favorite view of the Eiffel Tower has always been from Trocadero.

CJS

Note: I know! This is one of those annoying 'look where I am and where you're not' posts that are all over the blogosphere. Sorry. It won't happen (too) often. I just can't explain how great it is to come out of the Metro and see this...

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Goodbye to the King

by French for a While

WOKE UP TO the news that Michael Jackson has died. I loved his music, as did Kerri and the kids. Even by about age 5 or 6, A Michael Jackson's Greatest Hits album was one of the first that Patrick and Julia used to request when we got in the car. He was a musical genius, a cultural icon, and a sad, sad human being. He was robbed of his childhood and spent much of his adult life trying to get it back, sort of going off the tracks in the process. But if you were to make a short list of the music important musical figures of the last 100 years, Jackson's on it!

I'm watching the French news shows right and it's all Jackson all the time. I'm sure that is the case in virtually every country in the world this morning. I've also spent a few minutes this morning looking at clips like these.

Michael Jackson consistently made the best music video around and he almost single-handedly 'made' MTV. This was was always my favorite:

CJS

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F-You Very Much

23 June 2009 by French for a While

AS I'VE MENTIONED here before, from time to time I go sit in McDonald's with a coffee because it's one of the few places in France with free wireless internet access. We also eat at McDonald's on occassion because it's easy, the kids like it, and they are always open. But I'm now confronted with the following reality about the Golden Arches here in France: they are not too worried about being kid friendly -- at least not for kids who speak English.

I'll explain. McDonalds has contracted with French radio station NRJ (pronounced like 'energy') to provide music in their restaurants. The music (often annoyingly loud) is a mix of current pop hits from the US and Europe and I generally put on some earphones and try to get a few things done on the computer without focusing on the music in the background. But lately there have been some songs that have caused me to, shall we say, pay attention a bit more than I normally would.

Consider the song by English pop star Lily Allen. Allen has a popular hit right now called 'F**k You'. Now, as you might imagine, when this song is played in the UK or in the States it is cencored with an appropriately placed bleep. However, when the song plays in France -- and at McDonalds -- no such censorship takes place, meaning that the following lyrics are played (annoyingly loud, remember) for all to hear: 'F**k you. F**k you very much.' How am I going to explain that one to the kids as they are running around the play area?

I suppose I could tell them to focus on the catchy tune (because it really does have a catchy tune).
CJS

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Fête de la Musique

21 June 2009 by French for a While

ONE OF THE great traditions in France is the annual Fête de la Musique -- an all night music festival held every June 21 to coincide with the summer solstice -- the shortest night of the year. The 'World Music Day' only dates back to the mid 1970s and was originally the idea of an American musician employed by a French radio station. But the event quickly caught on and is now celebrated in virtually every village in the country. The idea is to get professional and amateur musicials to set up on street corners and make their music (the event is often promoted as faites de la musique -- make music -- a homophone of fête de la musique). What makes the event so popular is that you can experience every kind of music imaginable; if you're listening to provençal music you can usually walk about 100 meters and find something completly different. Last year I was in Paris on the 21st of June and the atmosphere was incerdible around my hotel near Les Halles and the Louvre. I spent most of the time listening to a big band group where none of the members looked to be under 70.

Last night the small village where we are living temporarily held their concerts one night early so I took a trip down to the main center at about 10:30 to watch a couple of the acts. Turns out it must have been Jr. High Band Night because all the groups that played were comprised of 15-17 year-olds singing bad 90s songs in incomprehesible English. I was going to call the evening a wash after the 4th Greenday song until one of the groups broke out with 'Jet City Woman' by Queensryche. It didn't take long before my arms were pulsing in the air with my index and pinky fingers extended upward. I looked around for others doing that same thing. But it was just me so I stopped toute de suite. Nobody else seemed to know the song.

Anyway, tonight's the big night and we haven't decided where to go. Nice will be great, but packed. The same goes for Cannes and Antibes. We my try a smaller village that's a bit easier to get to. We'll see.
CJS

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Revolutions Begin with Courage

19 June 2009 by French for a While

I'M NOT GOING to turn this into an Iranian politics blog (really), but I'm couped-up in a tiny apartment with little else to do this evening but float through some of my standard political sites on the internet and this item caught my attention over at the Daily Dish.

Read this post from an Iranian blogger about tomorrow's (Saturday's) planned protest march. Keep in mind that the government has forbidden it and warned of consequences. Meanwhile, those seeking freedom and justice in Iran do not seem deterred:

“I will participate in the demonstrations tomorrow. Maybe they will turn violent. Maybe I will be one of the people who is going to get killed. I’m listening to all my favorite music. I even want to dance to a few songs. I always wanted to have very narrow eyebrows. Yes, maybe I will go to the salon before I go tomorrow! There are a few great movie scenes that I also have to see. I should drop by the library, too. It’s worth to read the poems of Forough and Shamloo again. All family pictures have to be reviewed, too. I have to call my friends as well to say goodbye. All I have are two bookshelves which I told my family who should receive them. I’m two units away from getting my bachelors degree but who cares about that. My mind is very chaotic. I wrote these random sentences for the next generation so they know we were not just emotional and under peer pressure. So they know that we did everything we could to create a better future for them. So they know that our ancestors surrendered to Arabs and Mongols but did not surrender to despotism. This note is dedicated to tomorrow’s children…”

This is what courage looks like and this, as history tells us, is what Revolutions look like.
CJS

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40 Degrees

18 June 2009 by French for a While

THAT WAS THE temperature reading in my classroom this afternon. It's not surprising that I jumped right into the pool when I got home.
CJS

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40 Square Meters of Fun; And Some Clafoutis

by French for a While

THAT'S THE SIZE of the apartment we are living in temporarily. Many of you know that part of our arrangement at our 'regular' house is that we have to be out during the summer months because the owner rents it to summer vacationers at a substantial rate. Let's just put it this way: the summer guests pay more per week than we pay per month during the off-season.

This creates both opportunity and minor inconvenience. Let's start with inconvenince: because the summer season starts before school finishes we have about a three week period where we have to be out of our house, but not out of the area. So for those three weeks we need to find something very temporary and, by necessity, something quite financially reasonable -- which explains our 40 sq. meter apartment (yes, we are still a family of five!).

But this little apartment is absolutely perfect for us. Sure, and additional 4o sq. meters or so would go a long way, but the apartment is in the lower level of a beautiful villa owned by a si

ngle 70+ year old French woman who is absolutely adorable. This evening she brought down a pot of delicious vegetable soup for us and last night she knocked on our door with a freshly baked clafoutis aux cerises -- a typical french dessert where you bake fresh fruit into a custard-like batter (this time it was cherries -- pits and all) We all enjoyed it greatly.

The apartment is great because, though small, it has a large garden and a wonerful swimming pool that gets used all the time (even by dad most evenings). Since the kitchen is so small we have just chosen to eat every meal outside on the terrace table. It could be worse.

So, a little inconvenient? Yes. Managable? Definately.

And the upside of our living arrangement? Well, last year it led to two months in the Pyrenees. This year it will lead to two months...well, that's for another post.

CJS

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