A Guide to Education and Schooling in France
0 Comments Published by Frank on Sunday, May 15, 2011 at 9:58 AM.
How education in France is structured
Maternelle (Nursery) not compulsory
age 3 > 4 = Petite Section
age 4 > 5 = Moyenne Section
age 5 > 6 = Grande Section
Ecole Primaire (Primary) compulsory
age 6 > 7 = Cours Preparatoire or CP (11e)
age 7 > 8 = Cours Elementaire premiere annee CE1 (10e)
age 8 > 9 = Course Elementaire deuxieme annee CE2 (9e)
age 9 > 10 = Cours Moyenne premiere annee CM1 (8e)
age 10 > 11 = Course Moyenne deuxieme annee CM2 (7e)
College (Secondary)
age 11 > 12 = Sixieme 6e
age 12 > 13 = Cinquieme 5e
age 13 > 14 = Quatrieme 4e
age 14 > 15 = Troisieme 3e
Lycee (College)
age 15 > 16 = Seconde 2e
See note1
age 16 > 17 = Premiere 1e
age 17 > 18 = Terminale Term/Tle
1 Whilst education is compulsory from age 6 up to age 16, at age 15 the student can decide to either attend Lycee until the age of 18 (to gain the Baccalaureat), or choose a shorter vocational option at a different institution. Although education is compulsory from the age of 6 most children do attend from 2 1/2 or 3 years old either on a part time or full time basis as long as they are toilet trained.
Key Points to Note:
Registering your child -
The age of your child at the end of the calendar year will determine which class they enter, whilst the school year runs from Sept to July (ie children born in 2002 will be in the 2008/9 CP class).
Registering your child - For Maternalle and Primaire you can register your child at the local Mairie, and for secondary school you will need to contact the administrative head of the educational district (Rectorat).
To register you will need to take along the childs birth certificate, proof of parents identity (copy of passports), health records (children need to be vaccinated against tuberculosis (BCG), diptheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTP) and Polio), utility bill showing home address, and copy of insurance policy (assurance scolaire). Some schools may insist documents are translated into French.
The School Day -
Maternalle and Primaire schools follow a 4 day (24 hour) week, over Mon, Tue, Thu and Fri. An extra 2 hours per week is available to children with difficulties. Typically the hours are 9am to 4.30, with a leisurely 90mins for lunch.
At Maternalle and Primaire level, your child can either use the canteen, or be collected and taken home for lunch. There are usually no packed-lunches allowed.
For secondary schools, typical times are 8.30am to 5pm with 90mins for lunch, but this will vary. Also variable are the days of attendance, depending on the area. However, in most areas there is no school on a Wednesday afternoon, and children generally follow a hobby or sport, with many clubs geared up for Wednesday sessions.
Most schools operate a school bus service (details can be obtained from the Mairie).
At all levels Children are evaluated at the end of each term, and the teacher may recommend either advancing a year, where students are performing very well, whether they are on course to pass the year, or whether the year will need to be repeated (redoublement). The latter is quite common, and this is designed to help the child progress, and without any stigma attached.
There are two kinds of private education options available -
Sous Contrat is a private school with publicly funded teaching staff, following the national curriculum. Parents are asked to pay an annual fee as low as 400 euro.
Hors Contrat describes a private school not funded by the government, and who are free to set their own curriculum, but fees can start from around 8,000 euro per year.
Lycee -
Students who choose to complete their secondary education at Lycee, will go on to sit the Baccalaureate (which is the equivalent of A-Levels in England and Wales) in order to enter university. Other options are to take a shorter Brevet dEtudes Professionel (BEP), or a Certificate d'Aptitude Professionelle (CAP), both vocational options.
Higher Education
Higher education is split into two main categories:
Grandes Ecoles - These are considered prestigious institutions, and selection exercises are very competitive. These focus on single subject areas (such as engineering) and produce the elite of the various professions.
Universities - Traditional universities
Universities in Poitou Charentes
University of Poitiers - Founded originally in 1431 by Pope Eugene IV, this university is the beating heart of the Capital of Poitou Charentes. The institution covers most major fields through its network of departments, institutions and faculties.
University of La Rochelle - Founded in 1993, this is the youngest university in France. Three main schools focussing on Languages, Arts and Human Sciences, but also linked to other business-focussed colleges.
Richard Stewart is the Editor of http://www.guide2poitoucharentes.com Guide2Poitou Charentes is the essential English language guide to the Poitou Charentes region of South West France. Guide2PoitouCharentes features property for sale, property for rent, holiday accommodation - gites, campsites, hotels, classifieds, events and what's on in Poitou Charentes, regional news and much more. Guide2 Poitou Charentes is perfect for residents of Poitou Charentes, property hunters, holiday makers and anyone who loves this beautiful part of France.
Festivals in Provence, France - 2011
0 Comments Published by Frank on Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 9:48 AM.
You know that feeling, one minute you're driving through the winding streets of a peaceful Provencal village admiring fountains and chapels and deciding on a spot for lunch, the next, you're surrounded by a raucous crowd and being shepherded down a flight of steps with more sheep than you can shake a (French) stick at. To save your blushes, and to help you make the most of Provence's intriguing calendar of local events and festivals, here's my rundown of some of the best.
Fete du Citron, Menton
18th Feb - 9th Mar
Actually located on the Cote D'Azur just a few miles up the road from Monaco, but for a few weeks every year from Mid-February to March, the coastal town of Menton hosts the second biggest celebration in the South of France (after the Nice Carnival, but before the F1 Grand Prix). Over 230,000 people come to see 145 tons of citrus fruit cut, squeezed and carved into a series of elaborate floats and statues.
Hivernales Dance Festival, Avignon
24th Feb - 5th Mar
Those with an interest in performance art must check out this spectacular contemporary dance festival in the city of Avignon. Each year there is an unmissable programme which showcases the latest and most dynamic work from the best choreographers in the U.S, Cuba, France, Canada, Belgium, Argentina and Brazil.
The Roman Games, Nimes
23rd, 24th and 25th April
Roman life flourished in the South of France, and the city of Nimes is littered with more historical evidence than most. At Easter, the amphitheatre will once again come to life with the sound of the games as the city puts on the biggest historical re-enactment event in the region. Roman legionnaires, Celts, the Imperial Court, auxiliaries, cavalrymen and war chariots will all be paraded through the streets in this unique celebration. A must for the kids.
Fete de la Transhumance, Saint-Remy
Pentecost Monday, May
The Festival of Transhumance marks the seasonal movement of people and their livestock to pastures new. To celebrate this local shepherds in traditional dress drive thousands of sheep through the streets of Saint-Rémy and put on impressive sheepdog displays before the flock is divided up and driven through the town to their new grounds.
International Festival of Extreme Sports, Montpellier
13th - 16th May
If the kids are slightly beyond Roman legions and sheepdogs, how about checking out this awesome 4 day competition in cosmopolitan Montpellier? Featuring some of the world's best Skateboarders, BMXers and Wakeboarders, the action kicks off with the heats on Thursday and progresses through a knockout competition with the final on Sunday.
Les Choregies d'Orange, Orange
Selected dates from 9th July - 2nd August
A series of classical music events set within one of the world's best-preserved Roman theatres is the scene for the oldest festival in France. The remarkable theatre still features exceptional acoustics and seating for up to 9,000. This year the festival will be based on the work of Verdi and Beethoven.
Fete de Vin, Gordes
Beginning August
What compilation of French festivals would be complete without mention of wine, and what better place to taste the excellent local produce than in picture-postcard Gordes? The Wine Festival is held on the first Sunday of August in the gardens of this idyllic hilltop town with spectacular views towards the valleys and vineyards of the region.
Fetes Daudet (Daudet Festival), Fontvieille
Mid August
A festival in honour of the French Novelist Alphonse Daudet, who was born in the nearby town of Nimes. His "Lettres de Mon Moulin" referenced the windmill in Fontvielle and brought him to the attention of readers across France. Every August the town celebrates with a torch-lit procession and folk dancing outside the mill.
Fete des Olives, Mouries
Mid August
In a further celebration of local excellence, the town of Mouries, known as the "Olive Oil capital of France", honours the Green Olive every September by virtue of a procession in traditional dress and mass tastings of this exceptional local product.
Nautical Parade, Isle sur la Sorgue
Mid August
Antiques are relegated to second place on this occasion as the town focuses its collective attention on the beautiful nautical parade. Grab a table at one of the many waterside cafes and enjoy the evening procession of lit-up flower covered floats. There are prizes for the winners as well as local honour being at stake, so look out for some pretty audacious designs.
Sarah-Leigh Shenton is Head of Marketing for Abercrombie & Kent Villas, a private rental villa specialist with villas in France as well as Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal. Sarah-Leigh's role takes her to some of France's most beautiful regions, including Provence, the Cote d'Azur and the Dordogne.
Sarah-Leigh can be contacted on slshenton@akvillas.com
or see her web-site: luxury Provence villas
Labels: France
The English and the French have had their disagreements in the past, but most English people would agree, albeit begrudgingly, that the best wine in the world comes from across the channel. More than two million acres of French land is turned over to the vine, which translates into a staggering amount of bottles. Although second to Spain in area of cultivated vineyards, France rightly claims to be the world's largest wine producer, with the Languedoc-Roussilion region in the South alone, producing more wine than the entire United States.
By the time Jesus turned water to wine, viticulture in France had been established for many centuries. It was the Greeks who started it all with their colonization of Marseille, and later the Romans were all too willing to pick up the baton and run with it. In the Middle Ages, Monks were the guardians of the wine-makers skills. They not only made wine for their own use, but also sold it to a grateful public, who considered wine from the monasteries to be of the finest quality. Today, French wine producers are protected and policed by the 'Institut National des Apellations d'Origine', who make sure that a wine meets with the strict guidelines imposed.
Wine producers throughout the country are naturally proud of their world renowned product, and rightly so, with each region having its distinctive taste and style.
Alasace, in Eastern France shares the Rhine River with Germany, and is predominantly an area concerned with the production of white wine. Many grape varieties used in this region are also employed by the Germans.
Bordeaux on the other hand is a producer of red wine, although it does boast some of the world's most famous sweet whites, such as Chateau d'Yquem and Barsac. The well known red wine producer, Chateau Lafite lies in this area. Situated on the Atlantic coast, Bordeaux has a long tradition of wine exportation, which I suspect will continue for many years hence.
In Burgundy, red and white wines share equal billing, with Cote d'Or being the most famous and possibly one of the most expensive too. The three main varietal wines in Burgundy are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Aligote. Beaujolais, although in the Burgundy area is quite often considered as a separate region. Here, red wine is king, Beaujolais Nouveau is the only wine that can be consumed in the year of its production. White wines are made in Chablis, which also comes under the jurisdiction of Burgundy.
Champagne in the east of France has the coldest climate of all the major wine regions. Although a small quantity of 'still' wine is made, the region is of course famous for its sparkling wines.
Corsica produces a local wine that very rarely leaves the shores of the Mediterranean island. It has nine of its own wine regions and a vin de pays designation system in place.
The lesser known Jura is a mountainous region near Switzerland where Vin Jaune and Vin de Paille are produced. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grape varieties are used here.
Languedoc Roussillon has the largest growing area in France and is responsible for the large amount of cheap wine produced in the country. As mentioned earlier, more wine is produced in this region than the whole of the United States of America.
The Loire Valley produces mainly white wines along the stretch of the Loire river in central and western France. It is divided into the four sub-regions of Sauvignon Blanc, Touraine, Anjou-Saumar and Pays Nantais. Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc originate from Touraine, whilst Sancerre is from the Upper Loire (Sauvignon Blanc).
Provence lies in a temperate zone on the South-east coast and is the home of Bandol, where the now famous wine festival is held every December.
The Rhone Valley is primarily a producer of red wine with the north and south areas differing in style.
Lying between lakes and mountains, The Savoie or Savoy region makes white wines in an alpine region close to Switzerland.
The South West of France is home to such names as Bergerac, Cotes de Gascogne and Armagnac.
The regions mentioned above are the major wine producers of France, however there are many more smaller areas that lie outside of these, especially in the north of the country.
Alan Liptrot writes for http://www.yourholidayrentals.com providing worldwide holiday accommodation. The original article, along with other interesting articles can be found at http://www.yourholidayrentals.com/inspiration/
Labels: Bergerac, Bordeaux, Burgundy, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, USA
