Alsace: Bilingualism a thing of the past

Alsace: Bilingualism a thing of the past on European Journal, Deutsche Welle

Bonté

 

Earlier this morning, after going to the US Consulate to have an interview for my Visa, I went in to Smith & Caughey's for a browse. Their specialty food section is amazing; I want everything! I bought a tin of Bonté candies; little and gemstone shaped, they are naturally flavoured with raspberry, cherry, and blueberry. I can't seem to find much information about the company on the internet, in English at least, but the confectionery company began in 1860, in Nantes, France. Cute and pink, they are the perfect hit of sugar for an early morning start. There are heaps of other flavours available like violet, hibiscus, rose, strawberry basil, cherry blossom, poppy, citrus segments, and sea salt caramel.

Miniature Food

French designer Stéfanie Kilgast's miniature food featured on Euromaxx, Deutsche Welle

L'illusionniste

L'illusionniste is a beautifully enchanting French animation directed by Sylvain Chomet. The film is based on an unproduced script that was written in 1956 by Jacques Tati,  a French mime, director, and actor. The story is about an illusionist who is struggling to make a living in Paris, who moves to Scotland and while there, meets a young lady who is convinced he is a real magician, and to whom he becomes a father figure. It is believed that Tati's script was written as a love letter to his estranged daughter. The animation is delicate and atmospheric, setting the soft, sad tone of the film; enhanced by little dialogue but a perfect score. A wonderful film for a rainy evening.

Traditional Bouillabaisse

Traditional Bouillabaisse featured on Euromaxx a la carte on Deutsche Welle

'We scoured Cannes on the French Riviera for a restaurant specializing in authentic Provencal cuisine, and found it near the old harbour, at Le Caveau 30.'

Le ballon rouge

Le ballon rouge (The Red Balloon) is a French short-film directed by Albert Lamorisse in 1956, starring his son, Pascal Lamorisse. It tells the beautiful and sweet tale of a red balloon that has a life of its own, following a little boy around the streets of Paris.

In 1956 it won the Prix Louis Delluc, Best Short Film at the Cannes Film Festival, and in 1957; an Academy Award for Best Writing/Original Screenplay and the BAFTA Special Award.

Marie Antoinette's last letter

Marie Antoinette’s last letter, to her sister-in-law Madame Elisabeth in the early hours of 16 October 1793. It never reached Elisabeth, rather Robespierre kept it.

Following is the French, and then an English translation:

Ce 16 octobre, à quatre heures et demie du matin.

C’est à vous, ma soeur, que j’écris pour la dernière fois. Je viens d’être condamnée, non pas à une mort honteuse – elle ne l’est que pour les criminels, mais à aller rejoindre votre frère. Comme lui innocente j’espère montrer la même fermeté que lui dans ses derniers moments. Je suis calme comme on l’est quand la conscience ne reproche rien. J’ai un profond regret d’abandonner mes pauvres enfants. Vous savez que je n’existais que pour eux et vous, ma bonne et tendre soeur, vous qui avez par votre amitié tout sacrifié pour être avec nous, dans quelle position je vous laisse ! J’ai appris par le plaidoyer même du procès que ma fille était séparée de vous. Hélas ! la pauvre enfant, je n’ose pas lui écrire, elle ne recevrait pas ma lettre, je ne sais pas même si celle-ci vous parviendra. Recevez pour eux deux ici ma bénédiction ; j’espère qu’un jour, lorsqu’ils seront plus grands, ils pourront se réunir avec vous et jouir en entier de vos tendres soins. Qu’ils pensent tous deux à ce que je n’ai cessé de leur inspirer : que les principes et l’exécution exacte de ses devoirs sont la première base de la vie, que leur amitié et leur confiance mutuelle en fera le bonheur. Que ma fille sente qu’à l’âge qu’elle a, elle doit toujours aider son frère par les conseils que l’expérience qu’elle aura de plus que lui et son amitié pourront lui inspirer ; que mon fils, à son tour, rende à sa soeur tous les soins, les services que l’amitié peuvent inspirer ; qu’ils sentent enfin tous deux que dans quelque position où ils pourront se trouver ils ne seront vraiment heureux que par leur union ; qu’ils prennent exemple de nous. Combien, dans nos malheurs, notre amitié nous a donné de consolation ! Et dans le bonheur on jouit doublement quand on peut le partager avec un ami, et où en trouver de plus tendre, de plus uni que dans sa propre famille ? Que mon fils n’oublie jamais les derniers mots de son père que je lui répète expressément : qu’il ne cherche jamais à venger notre mort.

J’ai à vous parler d’une chose bien pénible à mon coeur. Je sais combien cet enfant doit vous avoir fait de la peine. Pardonnez-lui, ma chère soeur, pensez à l’âge qu’il a et combien il est facile de faire dire à un enfant ce qu’on veut et même ce qu’il ne comprend pas. Un jour viendra, j’espère, où il ne sentira que mieux le prix de vos bontés et de votre tendresse pour tous deux. Il me reste à vous confier encore mes dernières pensées. J’aurais voulu les écrire dès le commencement du procès, mais, outre qu’on ne me laissait pas écrire, la marche a été si rapide que je n’en aurais réellement pas eu le temps.

Je meurs dans la religion catholique, apostolique et romaine, dans celle de mes pères, dans celle où j’ai été élevée et que j’ai toujours professée, n’ayant aucune consolation spirituelle à attendre, ne sachant pas s’il existe encore ici des prêtres de cette religion, et même le lieu où je suis les exposerait trop s’ils y entraient une fois. Je demande sincèrement pardon à Dieu de toutes les fautes que j’ai pu commettre depuis que j’existe ; j’espère que, dans sa bonté, il voudra bien recevoir mes derniers voeux, ainsi que ceux que je fais depuis longtemps pour qu’il veuille bien recevoir mon âme dans sa miséricorde et sa bonté. Je demande pardon à tous ceux que je connais et à vous, ma soeur, en particulier, de toutes les peines que, sans le vouloir, j’aurais pu leur causer. Je pardonne à tous mes ennemis le mal qu’ils m’ont fait. Je dis ici adieu à mes tantes et à tous mes frères et soeurs. J’avais des amis, l’idée d’en être séparée pour jamais et leurs peines sont un des plus grands regrets que j’emporte en mourant ; qu’ils sachent du moins que, jusqu’à mon dernier moment, j’ai pensé à eux.

Adieu, ma bonne et tendre soeur ; puisse cette lettre vous arriver. Pensez toujours à moi ; je vous embrasse de tout mon coeur ainsi que ces pauvres et chers enfants. Mon Dieu, qu’il est déchirant de les quitter pour toujours ! Adieu, adieu ! je ne vais plus m’occuper que de mes devoirs spirituels. Comme je ne suis pas libre dans mes actions, on m’amènera peut-être un prêtre ; mais je proteste ici que je ne lui dirai pas un mot etque je le traiterai comme un être absolument étranger.

_______________________________________________

16th October, 4.30 A.M.

It is to you, my sister, that I write for the last time. I have just been condemned, not to a shameful death, for such is only for criminals, but to go and rejoin your brother. Innocent like him, I hope to show the same firmness in my last moments. I am calm, as one is when one’s conscience reproaches one with nothing. I feel profound sorrow in leaving my poor children: you know that I only lived for them and for you, my good and tender sister. You who out of love have sacrificed everything to be with us, in what a position do I leave you! I have learned from the proceedings at my trial that my daughter was separated from you. Alas! poor child; I do not venture to write to her; she would not receive my letter. I do not even know whether this will reach you. Do you receive my blessing for both of them. I hope that one day when they are older they may be able to rejoin you, and to enjoy to the full your tender care. Let them both think of the lesson which I have never ceased to impress upon them, that the principles and the exact performance of their duties are the chief foundation of life; and then mutual affection and confidence in one another will constitute its happiness. Let my daughter feel that at her age she ought always to aid her brother by the advice which her greater experience and her affection may inspire her to give him. And let my son in his turn render to his sister all the care and all the services which affection can inspire. Let them, in short, both feel that, in whatever positions they may be placed, they will never be truly happy but through their union. Let them follow our example. In our own misfortunes how much comfort has our affection for one another afforded us! And, in times of happiness, we have enjoyed that doubly from being able to share it with a friend; and where can one find friends more tender and more united than in one’s own family? Let my son never forget the last words of his father, which I repeat emphatically; let him never seek to avenge our deaths.

I have to speak to you of one thing which is very painful to my heart, I know how much pain the child must have caused you. Forgive him, my dear sister; think of his age, and how easy it is to make a child say whatever one wishes, especially when he does not understand it. It will come to pass one day, I hope, that he will better feel the value of your kindness and of your tender affection for both of them. It remains to confide to you my last thoughts. I should have wished to write them at the beginning of my trial; but, besides that they did not leave me any means of writing, events have passed so rapidly that I really have not had time.

I die in the Catholic Apostolic and Roman religion, that of my fathers, that in which I was brought up, and which I have always professed. Having no spiritual consolation to look for, not even knowing whether there are still in this place any priests of that religion (and indeed the place where I am would expose them to too much danger if they were to enter it but once), I sincerely implore pardon of God for all the faults which I may have committed during my life. I trust that, in His goodness, He will mercifully accept my last prayers, as well as those which I have for a long time addressed to Him, to receive my soul into His mercy. I beg pardon of all whom I know, and especially of you, my sister, for all the vexations which, without intending it, I may have caused you. I pardon all my enemies the evils that they have done me. I bid farewell to my aunts and to all my brothers and sisters. I had friends. The idea of being forever separated from them and from all their troubles is one of the greatest sorrows that I suffer in dying. Let them at least know that to my latest moment I thought of them.

Farewell, my good and tender sister. May this letter reach you. Think always of me; I embrace you with all my heart, as I do my poor dear children. My God, how heart-rending it is to leave them forever! Farewell! farewell! I must now occupy myself with my spiritual duties, as I am not free in my actions. Perhaps they will bring me a priest; but I here protest that I will not say a word to him, but that I will treat him as a total stranger.

La Marinière - The Breton Shirt

Audrey Hepburn

La Marinière, also known as the Breton Shirt, is a must-have for any wardrobe. It is simple yet elegant and sophisticated, gracing both fashion runways and the racks of generic clothing stores, but the French icon had very modest beginnings. The contrasting blue and white striped design was first worn as cotton sweaters by the fishermen of the Breton coastline, hence the name. Not only woven tightly to combat the weather conditions out at sea, it was believed that the contrast of the colours made it easier to spot overboard men at sea. On the 27th of March 1858, the Breton Shirt was officiated as the uniform requirement of the French navy. The original design featured twenty-one stripes, one for each of Napoleon's victories.

However, it would be many years before the stripes would enter the fashion world. When walking along the beach in Deauville, Normandy, Coco Chanel saw many local sailors and fisherman wearing the Breton Shirt. Inspired by its purity of style, she adapted the shirt in her own designs of 1917, introducing carefree clothing that was inspired by menswear but tailored for women, freeing them from corsets and excessive decoration. Soon, la Marinière became very popular for both women and men. Synonymous with French chic, the design continues to be a staple look to this very day.

French sailors

Coco Chanel

Audrey Hepburn

Brigitte Bardot

Andy Warhol

James Dean

Kate Middleton

Miranda Kerr

Repetto

Repetto come in many variations of style and in numerous shades of colour

One can never go wrong with ballet flats. They have an ability to be worn with day-wear or evening-wear, dresses and skirts, pants and shorts, they can be casual or formal, dressed-up and dressed-down. 

It is believed that the ballet flat style has been in existence since at least the 16th Century, when it seems men had similar shoes named pompes. Ballet flats were popular with both men and women during the medieval times, but during the 17th and 18th Centuries, the fashion of the ballet flats were overshadowed by the high-heeled shoes; brought into vogue by the two inch heels of Catherine de' Medici's wedding shoes. However, for a time, heels also left the high-fashion scene when Marie Antoinette walked to the guillotine in high-heeled shoes. The appearance of both ballet flats and high-heels were somewhat quiet during the 19th Century; it wasn't until the 1950's that actresses like Audrey Hepburn and Brigitte Bardot popularised the ballet-flat style again.

Perhaps the most famous brand of ballet flats is the French brand Repetto. Rose Repetto founded the company in 1947 after her son Roland Petit, a dancer and choreographer, mentioned the difficulty he had in finding the perfect ballet shoes. Repetto developed their line in 1956, at the request of Brigitte Bardot, to also include la ballerine cendrillon; ballet-slipper styled shoes for street-wear.

The simplicity and the elegance of the ballet flat enhances and suits every figure and every height. Out of any shoe style, it is the ballet flat which I could never do without.

Rose Repetto

Rose Repetto with her son Roland Petit

Brigitte Bardot

Audrey Hepburn

Jusqu'à toi

Jusqu'à toi, released in English as Every Jack has a Jill, directed by Jennifer Devoldère, has got to be one of the worst foreign films I've seen yet. Starring American actor Justin Bartha and French actress Mélanie Laurent, the film moves excruciatingly slowly and barely shows any scenes of Paris, let alone enough to make it worth the time. From the blurb on the back of the DVD I thought I would be able to settle down to do some etching while watching a predictable but cute story; little did I know that the narrative would be so stilted and the acting insipid - Justin Bartha is especially irritating. I watched until the very end in constant hope that it would get better but it was not to be. To be fair there were a few cinematographically nice scenes and Billy Boyd's Scottish accent was quite cute, but the lead actors were dull and uninspiring.

'26-year-old Chloe lives alone in Paris between an invasive neighbour, a petty-minded colleague and a bossy DVD rental store manager. It is a life that doesn't live up to her expectations.

30-year-old Jack, an American who's been dumped by his girlfriend, wins a trip to Paris. By a fortunate stroke of luck, Chloe gets her hands on Jack's suitcase, a gift from his father that he cherishes deeply. Chloe falls in love with the suitcase's contents. Chloe loves Jack, even though she's never seen him and knows nothing about him. She convinces herself that he's the man of her dreams, that they're made for one another, and she does everything she can to find him.'