Fall 2014 Federation Focus
Transcription
Fall 2014 Federation Focus
Federation Focus NEWSLETTER FOR MEMBERS OF THE FEDERATION OF ALLIANCES FRANÇAISES USA|FALL 2014 Federation AF USA Board of Directors President Carole CROSBY AF Chicago Welcome to the Fall 2014 issue of Federation Focus, the quarterly online newsletter from the Federation des Alliances Françaises USA designed to help you stay current on what’s happening in AF chapters throughout the US. Vice President David THOMS AF Grosse Pointe Vice President Renée KETCHAM AF Greenwich C’est la rentrée! Our mission to promote la langue française est une priorité absolue (is an absolute priority) at this time of year. Several AF chapters share their educational initiatives in this issue which include programs for children, teens, and adults. Read about their creative ways of reaching out to their communities through innovative programming and giving their existing classes a new lease on life. Meanwhile, we’ve had an overwhelming response to our request for photos of your Bastille Day events. Celebrations of le 14 Juillet abound throughout the US! Merci to all who sent us images of La Fête Nationale Française! Secretary Josette MARSH AF Hawaii/ San Francisco Treasurer Matthew WYATT AF Nashville Marie-Laure ARNAUD AF Charleston 2014 Convention and Annual Meeting | October 23-25, Washington, DC Paul AZZARA AF Milwaukee DANIELLE BADLER AF Denver photo courtesy of atelierceramics.com Suki de BRAGANÇA AF Boston Katharine BRANNING French Institute Alliance Française New York Join us at our annual meeting at the Washington Hilton for two days of workshops designed to offer you guidance on creating programs and events, fundraising, and more. Register by October 11. Eileen BRAU AF Puerto Rico AF colleagues from across the US will gather to share their passion for promoting french language and culture. See page 8 for details. Dominique GREGOIRE AF Providence Marie-France HILGAR AF Southern Nevada Pascal C. LEDERMAN AF San Francisco Alwyn ROUGIERCHAPMAN AF Grand Rapids Cynthia RUOFF AF Kalamazoo Barbara TUCKER AF Pittsburgh Federation Volunteer of the Year This year for the first time the Federation asked each member chapter to nominate a person from its ranks as the Volunteer of the Year for the entire Federation. The Volunteer of the Year candidate is one who promotes the Federation’s Mission “by supporting and encouraging the member chapter in its promotion of the language and culture of Frenchspeaking peoples.” Both the volunteer and the member chapter are recognized in this award. The award in the amount of $500 will be split between the chapter and the individual winner. This year’s winner is Martha A. Bills (left) of the Alliance Française de Chicago. Félicitations! I m a g e co u r te s y o f Al l i a n ce Apéritif time with champagne (AF Hawaii) WOW!...Le bleu, blanc, rouge! (AF Hawaii) Honorary French Consul Patricia Lee addresses guests (AF Hawaii) Governor Neil Abercrombie addresses our guests (AF Hawaii) The Royal Hawaiian Band, the last municipal band in the US, is playing the three National Anthems, French, American, and Hawaiian! (AF Hawaii) Alliance Francaise invited First Selectman Peter Tesei to welcome the French community at the ceremony at Town Hall. The Consul general of France in New York, Yann Yochum, also participated along with Jean Lachaud, the President of the Souvenir Francais. (AF Greenwich) From left to right: Gabrielle Goujon, Rosine Van Oss, AFB president Evelyne Harris in the center, Marianne Vallet-Sandre, and Katharina DeVos (AF Buffalo) Marie Antoinette greets subjects upon arrival (AF Minneapolis/St. Paul) her Children joined in the fun with a reenactment of storming the Bastille (AF Minneapolis/St. Paul) Participants were also treated to rides in vintage cars courtesy of the Citroën Club of Minnesota. (AF Minneapolis/St. Paul) Alliance Française teachers Aaron Sewall and Linda Fuchs, with Alliance member Dr. Richard Lazere (center) (AF Portland) Françoise Hibbs mène la danse, au son de l’accordéon. (AF Salt Lake City) A l’atelier d’art, JoAnn Oliver, Paula Collmar et Laura Lair-Mawdsley (animatrices du camp d’été) aident les enfants à faire des décalcomanies des monuments de Paris. (AF Salt Lake City) The ceremony was dedicated in honor of William M. Frick, a WWII veteran and Legion d’Honneur recipient, Dominick Cogliandro, and Charles W. Livingston. (AF Greenwich) Beachside barbeque in East Haven (AF New Haven, CT) Thomas Geulin was one of the contestants in the Portland Waiters Race held during the 12th Annual Bastille Festival at Director Park. The festival drew 7,000 attendees and is the largest such festival on the West Coast. (AF Portland) On behalf of the French government, Pascal Goachet (center), Honorary French Consul in Detroit, presented the decoration of “Chevalier dans l’Ordre du Mérite” to our member, Robert Weyhing (left), in recognition of his 15 years of service as Honorary French Consul in Detroit. Congratulations Robert! They are joined by David Thoms (right). (AF Grosse Point, Michigan) Masters of ceremonies Nell Nolan and Mark Romig (AF New Orleans) Event Banner (AF Cincinnati) Tangi Colombel takes the stage in Sarasota. He performed at Bastille Day events in Sarasota and the Twin Cities. Consul General Jean Claude- Brunet (AF New Orleans) Spectators (AF New Orleans) Roland Durette with Florence Depont (AF Sarasota) French Dog Contest (AF New Orleans) Members Marie-Françoise Poux, Florence Depont and Michele Berenzon (AF Sarasota) A delectable celebration (AF Las Vegas) More than 40 members and their guests came together in the early evening for a buffet supper, boules, and other AFM Bastille Day picnic “traditions” (AF Memphis) Other musicians (AF Sarasota) AF Memphis’ annual trivia quiz on current & historical events from around la Francophonie © Russ Mezikofsky Photography AF Cincinnati President Tracy sporting some face painting offered at the event © Russ Mezikofsky Photography Catheline van den Branden, President, Executive Director of the French Cultural Center and Secretary of the Alliance Française de Boston et Cambridge and Fabien Fieschi, Consul General of France in Boston H’SAO performing at the French Cultural Center/ Alliance Française de Boston et Cambridge’s 39th annual Bastille Day event © Russ Mezikofsky Photography © Russ Mezikofsky Photography Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate perform to a 2,000-person sold-out crowd! (French Cultural Center/Alliance Française de Boston et Cambridge) Members shared a meal together at Montgomery, Swain Park (AF Cincinnati) Our wonderful helping ladies for the ‘”check in stand” with Jennifer Sauers, AF Cincinnati vice-president in front Philip Burne and Elaine Hepworth, Alliance Française de Boston et Cambridge Vice President (French Cultural Center/Alliance Française de Boston et Cambridge) Left to right: Eloïse Fisher, Annabelle Pacouloute, RayAnne Pacouloute, and Juliette Fisher (AF Buffalo) © Paul Pasquarello Bastille Day Celebration at Elliot Creek Park (AF Buffalo) Good Reads 4 juillet 2014 2015 One Book, One Federation Selection The Fédération des Alliances Françaises USA is pleased to announce the 2015 “One Book, One Federation Program” selection: Le Collier Rouge by JeanChristophe Rufin In a small town in the Berry in 1919, a judge investigates a World War I war “crime” perpetrated by a farmer from the region, while a dog constantly howls outside his jail cell. Little by little the story of the crime unfolds. What is seemingly a simple story of a man and his dog becomes a study of the absurdity of war and the role of fidelity on many levels. Consistently among the top ten books on the best-seller lists since its publication five months ago, Le Collier Rouge is a “Coup de Coeur” of booksellers and readers alike, and has received much favorable attention in the press. As this summer marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the First World War, we collectively turn our thoughts to the events of the War to End All Wars. This book can be used in a book club setting or as the basis for a course around this era and its literature. Suitable for B1 and B2 language students, the book was selected for its simple style, straightforward vocabulary and plot line, and will, as such, reach a wide audience of Alliance Française members. Please visit the One Book One Federation Facebook page for study materials for the book: a complete Reader’s Guide (synopsis, biographical material, discussion questions, vocabulary lists, as well as some material for the creation of a course around the book and World War I), as well as a bibliography of novels set in WWI, a WWI resource guide, and a complete bibliography of the works of Jean-Christophe Rufin. Acclaimed author, Academy Française member, activist doctor, and ambassador Jean-Christophe Rufin is the winner of the Prix Goncourt in 2001 Rouge Brésil and the winner of the Prix Goncourt. Order Le Collier Rouge for a special price of $19.50 plus shipping from http://www.schoenhofs.com/Le-CollierRouge_p_95449.html Twilight of the Belle Epoque: The Paris of Picasso, Stravinsky, Proust, Renault, Marie Curie, Gertrude Stein, and Their Friends through the Great War By Mary McAuliffe In Twilight of the Belle Epoque, Mary McAuliffe portrays Paris in full bloom at the turn of the twentieth century, where creative dynamos such as Picasso, Matisse, Stravinsky, Debussy, Ravel, Proust, Marie Curie, Gertrude Stein, Jean Cocteau, and Isadora Duncan set their respective circles on fire with their revolutionary visions and discoveries. But all was not well in this world, remembered in hindsight as a golden age. Wrenching struggles between Church and State as well as between haves and have-nots shadowed these years, as Paris marched relentlessly into and through the Great War—a cataclysm that would brutally bring the Belle Epoque to its close. Through rich illustrations and evocative narrative, McAuliffe brings this remarkable era from 1900 through World War I to vibrant life. “In Twilight of the Belle Epoque this brilliant social historian applies her novelistic approach... to the early 20th century, interweaving a multitude of stories to create — through skillfully chosen glimpses into the lives of its most talented inhabitants — an unforgettable portrait of Paris.... She blends each ingredient of an incredible époque into a vivid and hugely enjoyable narrative of extraordinary times.” - Miranda Seymour, New York Times “This is a work of serious history, but has some of the easy charms of the coffee-table book... The divisions of French society are always just below the surface.... All of Ms. McAuliffe’s Belle Epoque moments, bright and foreboding, build to the horrors and glories of the war of 1914-18.” - Allan Massie, Wall Street Journal Ms. McAuliffe will be available will be available as of January 2015 via her contact information on the AFUSA website. Présence de l’Alliance Française de Charleston à Flers sur Orne en memoire de l’aide apportée par Charleston à Flers après les bombardements qui ont suivi le DDay... Marie Arnaud et Bill McSweeney devoilant la plaque commémorative qui sera sur la place Charleston. Les élèves venus de Versailles (Le Potager du Roy) à Magnolia Garden en programme d’échange. Tasting France Through Five Signature Dishes The following are excerpts from New York Times columnist Ann Mah’s exploration of French cuisine in the provinces that made them famous: Brittany: Galettes and Crêpes Brittany draws a sharp distinction between savory galettes — made of wholesome, nutty buckwheat flour — and sweet, tender dessert crêpes of beau blé, or white flour. Brittany, which covers a vast expanse, seems to have a crêperie in nearly every village, and it’s hard to find a bad one. But the far western region of Finistère (“land’s end”) is particularly famous for its galettes, notable for their spongy centers and crispy edges. And its capital, Quimper, is home to the cradle of fine crêpe eateries, Place au Beurre. Lyon: Quenelle de Brochet Lyon’s classic dining places, bouchons, have existed for centuries. Their most famous menu item is the quenelle de brochet, a football-shaped dumpling, similar to an oversize gnocchi, traditionally served in a coralpink puddle of the shellfish-infused sauce called nantua. The dumplings, made of a soft, eggy, buttery choux dough that’s been beaten with puréed pike fish, must be poached in advance and puffed in the oven at the last minute. Quenelle quality varies widely: inferior versions tend to be overly dense, while the very finest feature a cloudlike texture. Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées: Cassoulet Perhaps no French dish has achieved greater mythical status than cassoulet, a hearty concoction of sausages, confit (typically duck), pork, and white beans, cooked for hours. Today, purists distinguish authentic cassoulet as much by its recipe as its cassole, the earthenware cooking vessel that gives the dish its name. The best versions are cooked and cooled — preferably overnight — at least three times, a slow process that yields beans redolent with the deep flavors of the confit and pork sausage, topped by a thin layer of the dish’s natural juice and starches sealed in the oven. Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence: Bouillabaisse “The name comes from two words, ‘bouille’ — to boil — and ‘baisse’ — to lower — which refers to the broth as it boiled and reduced,” said Doudou Daoudi, a waiter who has served the dish at various Cassis fish restaurants since 1964. In 1980, a group of restaurateurs created the Charter of Bouillabaisse to protect the integrity of the dish. The document prescribes the types of fish used — among them rockfish, red mullet, St-Pierre, monkfish and conger eel — as well as the ritual of serving it. The best bouillabaisse combines sparkling fresh fish, a rich, red soup vibrant with echoes of the sea, and the dish’s elegant ceremony. Alsace: Choucroute Garnie The dish is farm fare, honest and satisfying: an array of cured pork — plump sausages, ham, slab bacon, knacks, and more — accompanied by a tangy pile of slow-cooked sauerkraut, boiled potatoes, and a dab of mustard. Where to go depends on whether you are more interested in the sauerkraut or its meaty garnishes. © chez mimi Gésier de volaille confit, magret de canard fumé, mesclum, pignons de pin et crème balsamique maison. © francois_barbieux Quenelle from Café des Fédérations © foodandthefabulous.com Le Colombier cassoulet dish containing haricot beans, lardons, sausage, and confit goose leg. © France Keyser for The New York Times Bouillabaisse at Chez Fonfon in Marseille and boats in Cassis. I sat for a while after this lavish meal — the final one of my tour — attempting to digest both the food and experience. I had thought of French food as a singular cuisine, but had come to understand that it was actually a broad spectrum of dishes, each one representing a region. Each place was fiercely proud of its local history, culture and accent — and united by the determination to preserve it. The article appeared in print on May 25, 2014, on page TR1 of the New York edition with the headline: The Roots of French Cuisine. It can be read in its entirety online here. © Pascal Bastien for The New York Times Choucroute garnie at Le Marronnier. antique se profile à l’horizon. Le sentiment unique d’un lien entre Philadelphie et Paris redouble d’intensité lorsque votre regard est interpellé par deux façades néo-classiques larges et majestueuses qui abritent l’une la Cour municipale et l’autre la Bibliothèque. Du Louvre, vous êtes arrivé Place de La Concorde et voyez surgir l’Hôtel de la Marine et l’hôtel Crillon. En haut des marches Rome autrefois a vu de ces émotions Corneille De là où je suis, s’élève un monde à la fois étrange et familier. Un parisien n’en reviendrait pas. Il n’est pas de point de vue plus étonnant que celui que l’on a en haut des marches du Musée d’Art de Philadelphie. Paris s’offre à vous, Paris tel que les siècles passés l’ont façonné. Pour que Paris surgisse comme aucune reconstitution ne saurait y parvenir, il aura fallu marcher longtemps à travers les rues de Philadelphie. De tout cela, on ne voit rien encore lorsque le regard est saisi à la descente du train par l’étendue du paysage : Philadelphie s’impose à nous non pas comme les pièces d’un immense puzzle à reconstituer mais comme le cheminement complexe de la pensée humaine : la gare est un palais de style art déco qui s’élève dans les vestiges d’un décor industrieux parsemé aujourd’hui de tours de verres aux parois tranchantes. La ville ne livrera rien de son mystère au premier venu qui se retient de partir à l’aventure et choisit la piste historique pour rejoindre la ville ancienne sur les traces de Benjamin Franklin. L’histoire des relations entre la France est les Etats-Unis est au cœur de ce périple mais de façon intermittente tant la ville renvoie d’images diverses : au-delà des toits de la vieille ville, les entrepôts rappellent son expansion industrielle tandis que des façades entières, près du quartier chinois, revêtues de fresques géantes, parlent de cultures urbaines et conduisent jusqu’à la sculpture Love de Robert Indiana. Le mystère reste entier : l’architecture de la ville semble être en conflit permanent avec le plan géométrique qui la délimite. A Contempler la carte, on se méprend… Situé au centre de la cité, dans un rectangle parfait entre deux cours d’eau, l’Hôtel de ville, dont la statue monumentale de William Penn domine les toits, procure au piéton son premier choc : le bâtiment de style Second Empire rappelle l’Hôtel de Ville de Paris jusque dans les couleurs de la pierre et du zinc qui se mêlent pour recréer les nuances des ciels parisiens. En approchant de la façade qui longe la troisième rue en venant de l’est, un passage couvert vous invite à entrer à l’intérieur du building et vous rappelle d’autres souvenirs : les Guichets du Louvre vous reviennent en mémoire, et Napoléon III s’écarte pour faire place au carrosse de Louis XIII qui s’engouffre dans le palais pour ressortir Quai des Tuileries. Quant à la cour intérieure de l’Hôtel de ville, elle possède le charme des cours du Marais : l’estrade qui trône en son sein semble dressée pour une représentation des comédiens de l’Hôtel de Bourgogne. C’est en direction du nord que s’amorce la prochaine étape de ce voyage dans le temps qu’est la ville de Philadelphie. En passant devant la sculpture d’Alexandre Calder (Three discs one lacking) qui vécut en France, un temple Passé Logan Square, l’avenue prend le nom de « Benjamin Franklin Parkway », s’élargit et se dote de contre-allées que vous n’avez vues nulle part ailleurs aux Etats-Unis mais qui vous rappellent les Champs-Elysées tandis que le feuillage des arbres laisse filtrer une lumière changeante qui se joue de l’écorce des platanes. Cette promenade aux accents proustiens vous mène vers un écrin de pierre blanche, précédé de la statue du Penseur, qui abrite la collection du Musée Rodin de Philadelphie où de nombreuses oeuvres du sculpteur sont présentées. Parmi celles-ci, la figure de Balzac emplit de son génie une salle d’angle qui met en scène le grand écrivain à travers plusieurs études de la célèbre sculpture du Boulevard Raspail à Paris. Durant ce voyage esthétique dont vous ne soupçonniez rien, l’un des chocs sera la visite de la Fondation Barnes dont les collections et les «ensembles » imaginés et conçus par le Dr Albert C. Barnes vous offrent de partir à la rencontre de Renoir, de Matisse, de Cézanne, d’Utrillo, de Seurat… L’histoire de la peinture postimpressionniste et des prémisses du modernisme devient par la juxtaposition de tableaux et d’objets insolites le récit palpitant d’un moment de l’histoire de l’art raconté par un esprit sans cesse en mouvement et curieux de tout, à l’image de ce rapprochement entre un tableau d’Auguste Renoir et un vase en céramique réalisé par Jean Renoir, son fils, avant que ce dernier ne devienne cinéaste. La visite de la Fondation Barnes se confond alors avec le tableau de Claude Monet intitulé Le Bateau atelier et nous emmène dans un voyage au fil de l’histoire de la peinture… Après avoir aperçu la statue équestre de Jeanne d’Arc qui prolonge notre voyage imaginaire à travers des avenues de verdure qui semblent mener au Bois de Boulogne, il ne reste plus qu’à monter les marches du Musée, encadré de murailles ornées de chapiteaux ioniques et baignées par la lumière d’un soir d’été, pour contempler, assis sur la pierre chaude, l’hommage de Philadelphie à Paris et songer aux romans parisiens de Zola pour tenter de décrire la beauté du spectacle. Jean-François HANS CEO of the French Alliance Foundation Educational Initiatives Classes for homeschoolers Alliance Française Minneapolis/St Paul has partnered with two local homeschool networks to offer French classes for children. Often, families who choose to homeschool their children seek educational opportunities for their children in a small-group setting such as our cultural center. The one-on-one attention AF classes provide, as well as the high quality instruction, greatly interest these families. The daytime availability of homeschooled children make these classes easy to schedule and convenient for instructors. Field trips In 2013, Alliance Française Minneapolis/St Paul began welcoming middle and high school French classes for school field trips. This program offers students a three-hour experience in the cultural center and consists of three different language and culture-centered workshops with our native French-speaking instructors, as well as a delicious French boxed lunch. expressions and quantities, shopping terminology, express likes and dislikes, and organize activities for a weekend or vacation. Click here to read about AF NewOrleans’s language center. Leisure Track Alliance Française de Boston et Cambridge’s Department of Education is pleased to introduce a new series of language and theme classes. The language courses are designed for absolute beginners who want to gain exposure to French in a relaxed and casual atmosphere. Theme courses target intermediate to advanced students who want to maintain their skills without the commitment of homework. Classes include a wide variety of topics such as arts, current events, idioms and music. In order to maintain high standards of education, we are changing our textbooks for the beginner and intermediate levels. Saison (Editions Didier) offers a wide variety of real life and interactive activities that will fully integrate the use of our newly acquired smart board and other technologies, as well as a digital component for student at-home use. Tout Petit Alliance Française de Boston et Cambridge has also created a program for babies ages 6 to 9 months old. Tout Petit provides a first experience to French through nursery rhymes, gentle yoga, sound and image recognition, all in a soothing but stimulating environment. Prior to the visit, teachers from each school select the workshop topics from a broad range including: la chanson française, cuisine, French history, les régions de la France, idiomatic expressions, French film, la Francophonie, among others. Click here to learn more about AF Minneapolis/St Paul language programs. French for Parents The Alliance Française de la Nouvelle-Orléans continues to develop and expand its French for Parents educational offerings in partnership with three French immersion schools in New Orleans. Parents are excited to enroll in French class in the evenings in order to keep up with their kids. Level 1 classes teach parents to introduce themselves, ask and give personal information, introduce someone, talk about family members, understand and talk about daily routine activities, and use time expressions. Level 2 picks up where Level 1 leaves off and teaches parents to talk about routine activities with their kids, use time Click here to see AF Boston and Cambridge’s language offerings. La Petite Ecole de l’Alliance Française de Charleston Sunday School of the French Protestant Huguenot Church Pour sa troisième année la Petite Ecole rouvre ses portes sous la direction de Sandrine Wathey. Click here to visit AF Charleston’s language center. French for Francophone Children AF Sarasota in Florida is now offering French for Francophone children in response to more and more French nationals moving to the Sarasota area who have young children who already speak French at home and would like to learn how to read and write French. 2014 Convention and Annual Meeting SCHEDULE Thursday, October 23rd Activities will be planned by the Fondation for their Etats Généraux on Thursday and continuing until Friday 11 am. Contact the Delegation for further information at professionnalisation@ fondation-alliancefr.org. Friday, October 24th 12:00 pm Federation’s Opening Ceremony – Prix Charbonnier Luncheon honoring Justice Stephen Breyer 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm Federation Workshops at the Hilton Saturday, October 25th 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Federation Workshops at the Hilton 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Closing Reception J’aime les Croissants J’aime les croissants au beurre Qui me transportent le cœur Dans un monde meilleur Me dévoilant toute sa saveur J’aime les croissants au beurre Dont l’odeur Me fend le cœur Faisant l’effet d’apesanteur Et quand vient l’heure Revient la peur Qu’il n’y ait plus de beurre WORKSHOPS Please see the annual convention page on our website for the latest schedule. Dans mon croissant au beurre Ô, les croissants ! R E G I S T R AT I O N Deadline to register for the Federation of Alliances Françaises, USA Convention and Annual Meeting is October 11, 2014. We are offering a free standard registration to the 2nd attendee per member chapter. If you are the 2nd person to register from your chapter, please let us know. There will be workshops on Friday afternoon and Saturday - you may register with the form or online. Email or mail Download the Word document registration form to complete and send to the office. (Addresses are on the form.) Online Or you may register online either as Standard or Patron and you will have the option to add the Prix Charbonnier luncheon: • STANDARD - FAF 2014 Convention & Annual Meeting Washington DC – STANDARD ($125) • PATRON - FAF 2014 Convention & Annual Meeting Washington DC – PATRON ($150) Si croustillants et bouleversants ! Si émouvants et dérangeants ! Et finalement, Si scintillants et appétissants ! Ô, les croissants au beurre ! Faisant battre mon cœur Me demandant à chaque heure Si leur montant de beurre Sera assez pour combler mon cœur de bonheur. Written by Noah Conklin, Matthew Galloway, Zoe Garderet, Sophia Herro, Mia Kotelec, and Gwyneth Rider Professeur: Sylvie HORNING Ecole: All Saints’ Day School Images courtesy of http://the-wandering-girl.blogspot.com/ Educational Initiatives (continued) Thematic Classes for Adults For the adult community, AF Sarasota has begun offering enrichment classes in addition to their regular French language classes. These are called our thematic classes. Some of the enrichment subjects include “A brief history of France through French film,” “Comprendre Haiti à Travers son Histoire et sa Culture,” “Lebanon, A Francophone country,” and “Une promenade à…..”. Click here to visit AF Sarasota’s language center. David McCullough, Légion d’Honneur On September, 8, the Consul General Mr. Fabien Fieschi of Boston bestowed the rank of Officer of the Légion d’Honneur (Legion of Honor), France’s highest civil and military distinction, upon the renowned American author and historian, Mr. David McCullough, whose books led a renaissance of interest in American history and often highlighted the important role of France in it. Among other awards, McCullough was the recipient of two Pulitzer Prizes and two National Book Awards. His works have been published in ten languages, over nine million copies have been printed, and all of his books are still in print. The beautiful ceremony, organized by Suki de Bragança, was held at the French Cultural Center of Boston, and Mr. Mc Cullough delivered a very moving speech, recalling the profound link between French and American history. Hermione For October, we are going back to France where history is again in the making with the life- size replica of the Hermione, the French navy frigate made famous when it arrived in Boston to help fight in the American War of Independence. She will embark on her maiden voyage from Rochefort after years of restoration that recreated the three- masted vessel. The restoration project used only eighteenth - century shipbuilding techniques and cost 25 million euros ($32 million). No one has navigated a ship like this in two centuries. Once the sea trials for the 12-pounder Concorde class frigate of the French Navy are over, the Hermione will set sail for the United States in April 2015 following the route that the Marquis de Lafayette took aboard the original Hermione in 1780 to bolster the American Revolution. Yann Cariou, an ex-naval officer, will captain the ship for its voyage to Boston. The original Hermione took Lafayette 38 days to cross the Atlantic, a voyage that confirmed his renown as a military mastermind. She fought in several battles against the Royal Navy in the Americas before returning home to Rochefort. Her service came to an end in 1793 when she ran aground off the French coast and was subsequently wrecked by heavy seas. Hermione US Tour 2015 6 to 15 June Saturday 6 June & Sunday 7 June – Yorktown, VA. Arrival of the Hermione. “Hermione” days. Hotel Duke of York – 2 nights Duke of York Hotel – breakfast & dinner Monday 8 June – Georgetown, Washington, DC Afternoon departure by private bus to Washington, DC. Holiday Inn Hotel in Georgetown, on Wisconsin Avenue, NW, 8 nights. Breakfast & dinner Tuesday 9 June – Georgetown, Washington, DC Excursion to Mount Vernon where the Hermione will stop. Guided tour to the residence of General Washington. Holiday Inn Georgetown – breakfast & dinner Wednesday 10 June & Thursday 11 June – Georgetown, Washington, DC “Hermione” days in Alexandria by bus. Optional trip to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s plantation. Holiday Inn Georgetown – breakfast & dinner Thursday 12 June & Friday 13 June – Georgetown, Washington, DC Guided bus tour of the different museums and galleries in Washington, DC: National Gallery of Art, National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, and National Mall. Holiday Inn Georgetown – breakfast & dinner Saturday 14 & Sunday15 June – Georgetown, Washington, DC Hermione to Annapolis, the Naval Academy. Guided tour. “Farewell Hermione” party organized by the Friends of Hermione. Holiday Inn Georgetown – breakfast & dinner (Saturday night only) Price per person: $2,840/person based on double room; $3,750/person in single room Contact: [email protected] The quotation is based on 50 persons for 10 nights following the French program and the Hermione schedule. Included in the price: hotels mentioned in the program; dinner with water only, no alcohol; transportation in private bus with limited hours and mileage; and private guided tours mentioned in the program. Not included in the price: international or domestic flights & transfers from or to the airports; personal insurance; coffees, teas, juices, alcoholic beverages; personal expenses; or tips to the guide and the driver. It is possible to modify the number of nights and the number of participants. The price will change upon the modification. The agency is not responsible for any change in the schedule due to the Hermione crossing the Atlantic.