Regions and Departments: France is split into Regions and then subdivided into 100
French Departments and then further divided into arrondissements, which in turn, are divided into cantons. Each canton consists of a small number of communes.
So you want to learn to speak French? Languages, unfortunately, take awhile to learn. The best way to learn is to experiment, make mistakes, and talk French as frequently as possible. Being completely immersed in French and speaking/hearing it all day will make learning French easier.
Watching movies in French should help. Get friends to speak to you in French on a regular basis, you will learn faster.
Of course, the best way would be to visit France for several months and immerse yourself in the culture. However, that’s not always possible. You need to find someone who speaks french fluently that you can converse with. Simply reading literature and memorizing words won’t cut it when learning another language. I know from experience, because I tried it myself. It may be annoying to those around you, but start speaking french out loud for every little thing you do or see.
If you want your kids to learn to speak and write French, it is advisable to look for some interesting and interactive ways to teach French. Hiring French language tutors or sending kids to French language schools is not fruitful in most cases. Kids get bored with the structured language lessons or tutorials that aim to teach language rules, grammar, and phonics without making them enjoyable.
Learning French Resources There are plenty of DVDs, CDs or tapes to help. I have used the Linguaphone course Learn to Speak French. There are others - such as Pimsleur Conversational French - Audio CD 8CDs 16 Lessons Audio CDs play on Car/Portable/Home CD player and the Berlitz Basic French 136 page fully illustrated course book and 6 Audio CDs Other Learn to Speak French.
Art In Limousin
Limousin is famed for its marvellous landscape, its castles and lakes, wildlife and wonderful traditional cuisine. You may have heard of Limousin cattle and Limoges porcelain, but Limousin’s links to the arts is much less well known.
The Tapestries of Aubusson In the 15th century Felletin and Aubusson in the Creuse, became the centre of the world for tapestry making using the work of some of the best know painters in the history of art for inspiration. Watteau, Picasso, Le Corbusier, Dom Robert, Picard le Doux, Riberzani, have all had their work transformed into tapestries.
Constable and the School of Crozant It was the English painter, John Constable, that inspired a return to landscape in France. At the beginning of the 19th century, the neoclassical tradition was in vogue, but following the exhibition of several of Constable’s paintings in 1824 at the Paris Salon, young artists began to look towards nature for inspiration.
The Barbizon painters, best known precursors to the Impressionists, worked in the forests of Fonainbleu, but what better place to see nature at her most raw and sublime than in the Creuse? In 1830 some of the Barbizon painters, together with other landscape artists, gathered together around the village of Crozant. By the turn of the 19th century more than 500 Impresionists worked in this area and the School of Crozant, as it was called, continued to be active until 1926. Their painting was inspired by the ruines of the Fortress of Crozant which dominated a rugged and magnificent valley at the confluence of the rivers Creuse and the Sédelle.
The Crozant artists included Theodore Rousseau, Allan Osterlind, Francis Picabia, Leon Detroy, Armand Guillaumin, and, perhaps the most famous of all, Claude Monet.
Claude Monet in Fresselines Monet (1840-1926), one of the leading and best known of the French School of Impressionist painting, stayed for three months in the village of Fresselines and, inspired by the rugged landscape and light in the Creuse, painted his very first series of 23 paintings there in 1889.
Corot at St Junien It was in the softer, greener landscape of the Haute-Vienne that Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot (1796-1875) chose to work. He painted on the verdant banks of the river Glane just outside Saint Junien, inspired by pretty trees and picturesque rocks. You can visite the area, which is well signed, and see this lovely landscape for yourself.
Auguste Renoir After Monet, perhaps the second most famous and well loved Impressionist painter was Auguste Renoir. He was born in the city of Limoges, capital of the Limousin, in 1841 and you can see his work in the Museum de l’Evéché, next to Limoges cathedral.
The Limousin, a Hub of Modern Art There are several outstanding centres of Modern art in Limousin. The Chateau of Rochechouart in the Haute-Vienne, now devoted to showing contemorary art, has several exhibitions a year, as well as a permanent exhibition of the work by Raoul Hausmann.
Each year during the summer the owners of the nearby Chateau of Saint-Auvent organises an interesting exhibition, often drawing on the work of young artists from abroad.
On lake Vassivière Island there is an impressive Centre for Contemporary Art, and the island itself is a showpiece of modern sculptures based on the theme of integrating nature into the landscape.
Other interesting exhibition spaces can be found in Limoges, Eymoutiers and Meymac in the Correzze.
It is this commitment to showing the best of modern art, to guarding its rich artistic history, the romance of its ancient monuments, the quality of light and the wildness of the landscape that make the Limousin an ideal destination for artists and art lovers today. Those looking for art and painting holidays will be sure to find a course ideally suited to their needs and they will be able to experience this unspoilt landscape much as Corot and Monet did over a century ago.
Barbara Walton Les Trois Chênes
Cours de Peinture Chambre d'hôtes Gîte
Painting Courses B&B Holiday Cottage
Le Bourg, 87600 Videix, FRANCE
TEL : +33 (0)5 55 48 29 84
info@lestroischenes.com
www.lestroischenes.com
Free France wifi and other wifi resources
What is France wifi and how does it works?
France Wifi is a method of acessing the Internet wirelessly in France. In order to acess wifi, you have to have a router hooked up to your internet connection. If you have a built in card on your pc or mac, then the computer will automatically find the signal that is being transmitted from the router. If you don't have a built in card, most french wifi carriers sell cards or you can get a USB dongle.
How to connect to wifi?
Connection to wifi en France while on the go enables you to access the internet from anywhere that has wifi hot spots available. You can usually find them at places like airports, hotels, coffee shops, or other areas having access to a LAN connection.
The first thing you need to do in order to connect to Wifi hot spots is to locate a hot spot access point. Public areas offering Wifi will normally have signs pointing you in the right direction. If you aren't sure, just ask somebody. Although just booting up your laptop will detect any available hotspots.
Once you're in wifi hot spots your laptop may come up with a box that says "Wireless networks are available" and then give you the option to connect. Wireless networks are identified by their SSID (Service Set Identifier) and each wireless network will have their own unique SSID.
You can connect with the Connection Manager through an "Automatic" connection or a "Manual" connection. When you select "Automatic"; the ConnectionManager will automatically connect with the connection that is on top of the list under the Connections tab, when you press the "Connect" button. The button will change into "Disconnect" once clicked. When "Disconnect" is pressed the connection will terminate. It is possible to change the order of connections, how to do this can be found in the help file that is present in the ConnectionManager or the User Manual.
When you want to connect with the "Manual" option, you need to select the connection you want to use and click "Connect".
How Do I Get Wireless Internet?
Wireless Internet access, sometimes referred to as a “hot spot,” is a local area network (LAN) run by radio waves rather than wires. Wireless Internet access is broadcast from the central hub which is a hard-wired device that actually brings in the Internet connection. The hub, located at the main computer system or server, broadcasts Internet connectivity to clients, which is basically anyone within "listening" range who is equipped with a wireless LAN card.
In the home, a desktop system setup for wireless Internet access will broadcast connectivity throughout the immediate area. Any family member with a laptop or desktop in another room can connect wirelessly to the Internet to share the main connection. Neighbors may also be able to access your wireless connection, which is why most wireless LANs are configured with password security. In this case, any machine that wishes to get wireless Internet access must first complete a “handshake” with the LAN, in which the password is requested. If the proper password is not supplied, access is denied. While initial security technologies were weak, security protocols for wireless Internet access have vastly improved with Wi Fi Protected Access (WPA) and Wi Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) options.
Some resources for free wifi France:
Free.fr have lots of free wifi hotspots in France - details: http://www.free.fr/adsl/pages/internet/connexion/acces-hotspot-wifiFree.html Tutorial : http://www.freenews.fr/spip.php?article6783
Its history begins in the XVIIIth century when the custom of drinking coffee and coffee with milk served with toast, spread into the cities. The French term petit déjeuner was coined at the end of the nineteenth century when the current three meals pattern was set up.
As a whole, breakfasts are not a huge affair in France. Traditionally french breakfast is called as Le petit déjeuner - it means the petit (small) breakfast. So breakfast is generally very small. For most people that consists of something sweet:
pain au chocolat
pain au raisin with jam
brioche
a regular croissant
fresh baguette with jam
pain au lait (slightly sweet light bread)
biscuits
Often in cafes a small side portion of eggs or ham usually compliments the meal.
For a drink they usually choose from freshly squeezed orange juice, an americano or an expresso. Kids prefer hot chocolate instead of coffee. A typical domestic breakfast in France consists of bowls rather than cups or mugs of coffee, often hot chocolate with tartines - slices of baguette spread with jam - sometimes dunked.
More about the wonderful varieties of bread
The French favour a light, white, crusty bread, which goes stale in only a few hours. The cure for this is to make the loaves thicker; this changes the ratio of crust to crumb, surface area to interior volume; it is the bread near the surface that goes stale first, and in doing so helps to preserve the interior. It follows that people who live a long way from a bakery buy, once a week, loaves up to a foot thick; while Parisians, for example, who are seldom more than 200 yards from a bakery, can buy fresh bread for each meal, and very thin, crispy loaves.
Bed & Breakfast or chambre d'hôte The concept of bed and breakfast was invented by the British who welcomed travellers into their homes and offered them a hearty breakfast the next morning to send them off on their travels again. Whilst the concept may be British, the French have certainly adopted it wholeheartedly and you will find a bed and breakfast in France just as welcoming as in the UK, only in France it is called a chambre d'hôte (literally "host's bedroom").
French Diet The French eat rich foods, drink lots of wine and smoke. So why are they so thin and fit? Recent news reports have touted the wonders of the so-called French diet. Just what is the secret to the paradox of
french meals?
Popular Driving Trips in France
With up to eighty million tourists a year, France is officially the world’s most visited country - and by a wide margin. The country offers an enormous number of cultural opportunities and historic attractions, combined with the high quality of life enjoyed by its citizens and by those who frequent it. It’s no wonder that France is said to be one of the most pleasurable countries to drive in, with advanced road networks and magnificent scenery. The topography of this country is highly varied: ranging from the low lying valleys of the north and west - where the straight Roman roads provide idyllic driving, to the rugged and mountainous gorges of the south and southeast - where the high country roads provide more challenging drives.
Popular routes include the drive from Paris to Orleans, taking the A10 (motorway/highway). Here, after you have marvelled the delights of the French capital, you can take a break in the Loire Valley where there are plenty of exciting tourist attractions, such as the world-famous Château de Chenonceau and the Château de Chambord.
Another popular drive is from Menton, a beautiful resort near the Franco-Italian border, to Cannes, the host of the famous international film festival. Although a relatively short (40 mile) drive on the A80 (motorway/highway), you will find an endless number of places to explore here. The route takes you near famed coastal resorts such as Nice and Antibes, easily some of the most beautiful on the Mediterranean Riviera. Slightly inland you can find sleepy ancient villages such as Peillon and Tourrettes-sur-Loup, high up in the nearby mountains, virtually untouched by modern civilisation.
However, while the views are stunning, the roads getting to them are not. The only way of reaching these villages is through twisty narrow country lanes with hairpin bends – at the very best a tolerable drive! However, it is the isolation of these medieval sites which is what keeps them so authentic and non-commercialised.
In terms of general advice with regards to driving in France, it is important to be vigilant of your speed. French police are very strict with regards to drivers who exceed the local speed limit and in regards to speeding fines; they do not generally treat tourists any more leniently than the locals. The minimum age in which a licensed UK driver can temporarily drive an imported car is 18. This also applies to motorcycles.
Drinking and Driving
Substantial penalties, including the possibility of imprisonment, are to be given if a driver’s alcohol reading has reached 0.05 percent of the bloodstream (this is 0.02% for a coach or bus driver). As in other countries such as the UK, saliva tests will be carried out to detect drivers suspected of being under the influence of any drugs and undoubtedly these can carry severe penalties.
Overall, driving in France can prove to be a generally enjoyable experience and car hire is easily available at many of the airports, cheap car hire Limoges airport for your travelling needs.
Property investment
Investing
in property can be a hard job even in your own country, not to talk
about abroad. Real estate business is growing each day, offering
properties all over the world, helping you get the dream house, the
office for your business or even the factory for your manufacturer
business. Some of us only want to buy a house to live one, the one we
can afford, we can maintain and manage. But not everyone is the same.
More and more are thinking about investing in properties abroad. Some
European countries as Italy, Britain, Spain or the magical France are
sparkling diamonds for investors, having everything they need:
attractive sight, wealth, beauty, magic, exotics and of course, profit.
But before investing in foreign property, like a property in France, you need to know all French property laws, insurances, and mortgage and currency exchange, contracts and buying process. You cannot do all the research by yourself, especially when you know nothing about real estate businesses and property investments. That is why; you can get
specialized, professional help even on the internet, where are investment and real estate guides giving you the professional need you are willing to get.
There
are cases, when all that you have decided is the place where you would
like to invest into a property. if you want to invest in a property in
France, you can get help from 1st-for-french-property.co.uk,
a company, which during the many years’ experience has developed strong
connections with large networks of estate agencies, French property
agents, French insurance companies;
so no matter if you want to invest in a property at the French Riviera
or in the French Alps, you will get the needed expert advice, help and
information connected to certain properties that might fulfill your
needs and ideas.
You
can not only buy French houses or properties, you can also sell them
from Paris to Cannes with the help of online agencies. So as you can
see, no matter where you live, what desires you might have or where you
want to invest in a property, you can easily find help; you just have
to search for the best real estate guides and property Investment
Company reviews.
The Effects of Financial Crisis in France
There is a common misconception
when it comes to the economic stability of every developed country.
For many, they believe that developed or the so-called First World nations
such as France, which is more popular because of it being a member of
the European Union, are not affected by the global financial crisis.
The effects of the financial crisis are very stark in the Third World
and Second World countries, but in the more advanced nations, is there
an economic crisis?
Since it is a “global”
financial crisis, it means that even France as an advanced nation undergoes
an economic lowdown. This is because economies of countries all around
the globe are connected to each other, especially to imperialists who
are dominating the economic activities are smaller nations. Now, what
are the effects of the financial crisis in France when it comes to loans
and debts?
Since the country is in an
economic crisis, its citizens are concretely experiencing the ills of
the lowdown. For one, just like in the United States where they had
a “housing bubble” where US citizens are having a hard time paying
for their houses, the French have been experiencing difficulties in
paying for their loans and debts. Since the financial crisis
offers no job opportunities for them, and therefore they do not have
enough to spend for their basic needs, they tend to rely on securing
loans and credit/debit cards. Since many financial institutions are
offering different kinds of loans with a number of benefits, people
tend to be tempted to have them as they are instant cash. But, yes,
they are under specific terms and conditions provided by these lending institutions. And so, there is a specific period
of time wherein the borrowers must complete the payment.
In the case of France under
the global financial crisis, more and more citizens are clinging to
securing loans and debt to help them with their finances. However, they
are now getting in to too many debts because they cannot find money
to pay these transactions because of this crisis. On the other hand,
more and more financial institutions are also closing down these days
because they are also experiencing the crisis. Foreign lending institutions
in France are now shutting down and transferring to other countries
which are, at least, better off with their economies. Indeed, the global
financial crisis has devastated even the advanced nations such as France.
Coupe du monde de la Patisserie: the World Pastry Cup Festival
If you've ever had an authentic
French pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant), you can appreciate the
skill and craftsmanship it takes to create the world's most delicious
pastries, every day! Freshness, flavor and texture are incredibly important
in this art and tradition. It’s a known fact that the French are masters
at the art of pastry making and therefore only fitting that the Pastry
Cup is held in Lyon, France.
Celebrating its 20th
anniversary this year (2009), the World Pastry Cup, is one of the most
anticipated festivals of its kind. Considered to be the Oscars of the
pastry world (and with almost as much press coverage), this prestigious
event brings together the world's most inspired dessert experts and
tests their skills in a demanding head to head competition. Le Coupe
de Monde de la Patisserie was established by Gabriel Paillasson in 1989.
Since its inaugural year, the number of participating countries has
doubled, with 22 being presented in 2009.
Each country is represented
by three experts in their field; a pastry chef, chocolate maker and
an ice specialist. Technical, artistic and performance skills are put
to the test. At the end of a rigorous 9 hour live challenge, teams are
required to complete a set number of fruit, ice and chocolate desserts.
The International Organizing
Committee, which organizes and judges the event, is made up of 21 pastry
chefs, most holding the title of Best Craftsmen of France. Past winners
have included Belgium, Italy, the United States and Japan. France took
first prize on five separate occasions. The stakes are high for this
prestigious and internationally recognized prize. Other affiliated competitions
include Copa Azteca, held every two-year in Mexico and Asian Pastry
Cup in Singapore.
Imagine three full days of
handcrafted pastry, glorious chocolate and mouthwatering desserts in
beautiful Lyon in the Rhone-Alpes,France. You'll have to taste it to believe it. For the
majority of us who likely won't have the opportunity to attend this
event, make sure to travel to France sometime soon. There, you'll find
no shortage of delicious pastries at every turn. Chocolate croissants
the world over just don't compare to an authentic French pain au chocolat.
Paris
shuttle vans provide comfort and convenience for travel from
the airport to Paris and beyond.
French Property Market
How is the recession affecting the French Property Market?
With the current economic crisis emerging into something bigger than anyone could have expected, it is becoming evident that the recession is global, and bound to touch every nation involved in the free market economy including the French Property Market. In the UK we have seen more houses being repossessed, property prices fall considerably, and well known and long established companies go out of business. As the number of people out of work constantly rises from week to week, people are becoming wary of parting with their money or taking out loans and mortgages.
Analysts say that France has not experienced the recession yet and may pull out of the downturn by the end of 2009, the reason being that it did not experience the property bubble as much as other countries and hence did not have as much household debt either. As mortgage lending is based on the borrower`s ability to pay the value of a property, house prices have not depreciated on such a large scale as in the UK. However, sales in the French property market is slowing down, as people are not investing so eagerly of late. The majority of property investments by Brits are as second homes and in these economically difficult and unpredictable times people are being cautious. However, it is still a good time to buy in France, as French banks are still lending and buyers can negotiate a good deal in house prices. Negotiations should take place prior to the buyer signing a compromis de vente, once they are sure that they are happy with the property. Sellers have embraced the fact that the exchange rate between sterling and euro has fluctuated daily, and British owners of French property have grabbed the opportunity to take advantage of the weak pound by selling their French homes, despite the likelihood of having to pay capital gains tax in the UK. However, a word of warning here is that when contemplating buying a French property it is always a good idea to consult a currency house on transactions.
The buying process in France is quite straight forward although it is inevitably conducted usually in French. It is advisable to buy your new French property through a property agent, of which there are many available online. This way, you will be helped through the process. It is also recommended that you find your own independent legal advisor or solicitor to deal with all the legalities, ensuring as smooth a transaction as possible. Although property sales in France have slowed down, it has been at a lesser extent than in the UK. Mortgages are still available from French banks who have not been affected by the recession as much as those in the UK. As British owners of French property are cashing in on the weak sterling, more desirable houses are coming onto the market and prices are definitely lower than they were a year ago. Invest in the French property market with cashback opportunities
Celebrate Bastille Day in Paris
Nothing is more thrilling than experiencing the fun and excitement of a foreign country’s national holiday. You really get to feel the uniqueness of a place by participating in its special celebrations. One of the most exciting celebrations is Bastille Day in Paris.
Every year, on July 14, France commemorates the start of the French revolution in 1789. Though it occurred more than 200 years ago, the energy that you can feel from the day’s celebration is as if the revolution occurred just a few years ago. That revolution gave the people of France power over the existing monarchy, which affected rule in France from that point onward. No longer was France ruled by a monarchy, but by a new democratic republic.
Throughout France, you’ll find just about every city commemorating Bastille Day in one manner or another, from the small villages up north to the southern towns lining the French Riviera. The country practically closes down to honor this day. Though you’ll find a memorable way to experience Bastille Day wherever you’re traveling in France, perhaps the biggest celebration takes place in Paris, on the famous Champs-Elysees. It is on this renowned boulevard that military bands march their way through thousands and thousands of bystanders, all trying to catch a glimpse of the excitement. The procession passes the famous Arch de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde.
If you’re in the mood for a picnic on Bastille Day, join thousands of others in Paris in one of the largest picnic outings in the world, the Incredible Picnic. It’s a great way to meet the locals and experience France like the French do.
The fun continues through the night as you can experience the fireworks like none other at the Champ de Mars where you can get a front row seat at the Trocadero. It certainly beats seeing the fireworks on one of those many Paris postcards. If fireworks are not your cup of tea, then visit one of the many pubs, clubs, or restaurants throughout the city that have Bastille Day celebrations all through the night. It’s a great way to see France from the perspective of a French person celebrating one of the most important French holidays.
One of the most convenient ways to get from the airport to a Paris hotel is by a Paris shuttle
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