Au revoir, Auvergne

The exams are graded (nice work, mes étudiants!), the bags are packed, and I'm going for one last café au lait before I catch the train to Paris.  Since my work was done, I was finally able to see the interior of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Clermont-Ferrand.  They are doing some renovation work inside, but it doesn't detract from the spectacular stained glass windows against the dark volcanic rock walls. 

View of the altar.  The sunlight is streaming so brightly that you can't get any window detail.

Closer shot of windows.  I didn't have my real camera - just my phone - so I couldn't get good close-up shots.  Even if I could, I don't think it would have really captured the qualities of these windows.

Since yesterday was my last day, I made one final run up to the town of Royat, famous for its spa waters.  I decided to go a little further up the hill. My reward? A waterfall in a park in the middle of town.

I'm looking forward to Paris, but I will miss being in Clermont.  I will miss the town with its parks, squares, and mix of medieval and modern.  I will miss the Chaine des Puys, which can be seen from any spot in town.  I will miss using the twin spires of the cathedral and the Puy de Dome as my navigational guides.  I will miss the family-run cafe where I seem to have become a regular, as they now automatically bring me my café au lait.  Most of all, I will miss my new friends who have welcomed me so generously that I can never thank them enough.

So au revoir, Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne, and my Auvergnat friends.  J'espère vous voir bientôt.

Scenes from Clermont

I keep referring to it as Clermont-Ferrand, but some locals I met last night simply call it Clermont.  (Forget about that 18th-century merger with Montferrand.)  Here are some random pictures:

Fountain near my apartment

Hydrangeas

Statue of Urbain II, Pope who started the First Crusade from Clermont

View of Place de la Victoire, site of Urbain II's statue, from Cafe Pascal, named after another famous Clermont native, mathematician Blaise Pascal

Mes étudiants... and "Chip Chunk"

The students are in the middle of finals, and I'm in the middle of grading their Comparative Tort Law exams.  This is probably the least fun week they will have during their time in France, but I think it's balanced by the great time they have had this summer.  They have fully enjoyed Clermont-Ferrand (everything from zip-lining - with only one injury! - to karaoke to playing soccer and shopping the summer sales), and they have traveled throughout Europe.  They have sipped Bordeaux in Bordeaux, and savored Guinness in the local Irish pub.  They have tried local cheeses and the French version of KFC.  And they have also managed to attend classes and (as far as I can tell) do pretty well on their exams.

Here are some pictures from the "goodbye party":

And then there's Chip Chunk ... not officially a student but an essential part of the students' entourage.  Chip Chunk is a sock monkey who has been traveling with the students.  He has posed for pictures by Europe's most famous landmarks, and has also had his picture taken with wedding parties and supermodels.  So of course he had to attend the "goodbye party."

From left to right: me, Vice-Dean Marie-Elisabeth Baudoin of Universite d'Auvergne, Chip Chunk, and Associate Dean Rosa DuBose of FCSL

Chip Chunk makes law professors tremble in fear!

We were very lucky to have such a good group of students this summer.  I'm looking forward to seeing them in the fall, and I'm curious to see whether Chip shows up in any of my classes.

Now, back to the exams ...

À plus tard!

4 juillet

Just as the French helped the breakaway colonies during the American Revolution, our French friends wanted to help us celebrate our Independence Day.  Marie-Elisabeth, Agnes, Anne-Sophie, and Amelie took us to Puy de Pariou for a picnic.  Yes, another volcano, but this one has a crater that is not filled with water, which makes it a perfect picnic site.  So after hiking up the volcano, we climbed down into the crater.

Upper edge of the crater of Puy de Pariou, with Puy de Dome in the background

 

Our picnic in the crater in one of the lava rock circles

Because the lava rocks are light and easily moved, hikers often move them to make words or designs.  David suggested that we move the rocks to spell the names of our schools, but since it was almost lunchtime, we decided to just use the initials.  Université d'Auvergne and Florida Coastal School of Law - our schools rock!!

Our French hosts had prepared an amazing picnic spread for us, which provided nourishment after our hiking and rock-moving. After we returned to Clermont-Ferrand, David made ice cream sodas for all of us - a great refreshing American treat for the 4th of July.

The French students (our "SuperBrigade" hosts who have helped our students navigate Clermont-Ferrand and had a lot of fun) also invited us to celebrate the Fourth of July with them, so I was able to join them after the hike...at an Australian pub.  Close enough!

So no fireworks* or parades, just a great day spent with good friends - which is all you really need for a celebration!


*We did have fireworks of a sort ... Amelie had recorded some from another town earlier in the week, and replayed them for me on her phone so I could see them!

Riom, a hike in the countryside, and l'hospitalité française

On Saturday, Marie-Elisabeth took the Pimentels and me to see some new sights in the Auvergne. (Her mother drove some of us, since all seven of us couldn't fit in her Mini without some extreme contortions.)  Our first stop was Riom, which during World War II served as the hidden storage facility of France's heavy water supply.  Today, Riom is known for being the site of the regional Cour d'Appel, or appellate court.

The court (on the right) was built in the 18th century on the site of an 15th century castle; the only part of the castle that remains is the chapel (on the left), which is attached to the court.

We also climbed the bell tower in the city:

Fortunately, it didn't ring while we were up there.

A view of the Basilica of St. Amable from the bell tower

Riom is also the home of Notre Dame du Marthuret, which houses the Vierge à l'Oiseau, a statue of Mary holding the infant Jesus and a small bird.

Probably dates from the 16th century; hidden by the Butchers' Guild during the Revolution

After lunch in Riom, we met Marie-Elisabeth's sister Agnes and her three teenagers Anne-Sophie, Timmy, and Amelie.  After living in the US for many years, they have returned to France and now live in a fantastic house near a small village near Riom.  It is the oldest house in the village, but has been restored so beautifully that it was previously used as a bed-and-breakfast.  From there, we drove to the Gour de Tazenat for a hike in the countryside.

This area is the start of the Chaine des Puys, the volcanic range.

The volcanic crater forms a lake - 66 meters deep. 

After our two-hour hike, we dipped our feet in the cold lake water (where many people were swimming), then dried off and returned to the house for an amazing French feast.  Agnes and her kids were so kind to open their home to us and feed us so lavishly, and Marie-Elisabeth has been so generous with her time and her knowledge of the area.  (I also have to give a shout-out to the Pimentel kids - it was great to see their 17-year-old bond with the French teenagers, and the littlest ones were real troopers for keeping up with us all day and into the night!) It was a beautiful way to spend a Saturday, but it made me realize how much I'm going to miss this area and the wonderful people.

une journée dans la vie

One of the many benefits of teaching here this summer is living in a typical (if there is such a thing) French town.  Not glamourous (or touristy, depending on your point of view) Paris, not the Riviera, not wine country ... just living like typical French citizens.  Here's how it works:

Start with cafe au lait at the local cafe.  This may be accompanied by a croissant if I haven't already had the local yogurt back at my apartment.  No Starbucks drive-thru - I walk a block and have a leisurely breakfast.

If it's not a school day, I take either books or my laptop to the park.  Since classes have ended but I don't yet have finals to grade, today was a perfect day for pleasure reading (The Greater Journey by David McCollough - about American expats in Paris in the 19th century.  Great read and perfect timing for it.)

Today's view from a bench at Jardin le Coq

After the morning work, it's time for lunch at a favorite restaurant - usually Le 1513, where you can eat galettes and crepes in an ancient building or in their sunny courtyard:

The weather is cool enough (except for last week's heat wave) to jog in the afternoons.  It's a necessity after croissants and crepes, and a great way to see the town.

I never get lost - I can always find my way back by looking for the twin spires of the cathedral.

For a hill workout, I jog up to the neighboring town of Royat, where there are thermal spas.  (By "neighboring town," I mean 15 minutes, even at my slow pace.  It's like jogging in Jacksonville from Avondale to Ortega.)

The water stop at the top of the hill at Royat.

After more work or reading, I go to the grocery store - again, walking.  (I love being able to walk everywhere, and I don't miss having a car!) I go every day because it's so convenient and I don't want to purchase more than I can carry.  The grocery stores are very similar to those in the US with some slight differences. For instance, you weigh your fruits and vegetables in the produce section, and the electronic scale prints a label for you to use at the cash register. Also, and I absolutely love this: no plastic bags!  Bring your own, buy a bag at the store, or put your purchases in your purse.  And while they sell very good wine at the grocery stores, forget about picking up any allergy medicine or ibuprofen - you have to go to a pharmacie for that. 

With so many student activities and touring activities, there have been few "typical" days, but I have enjoyed them.  When I return to the US, I hope to incorporate some of the aspects of these typical days ... but probably not jogging on a summer afternoon. 

Bonsoir!

Nous avons fini!

Well, we are finished with the lectures.  The students still have to take their final exams next week, and I have to grade those exams, but it's always nice to be finished with this portion of the semester.

Don't they look excited and ready to take final exams?

I'll go ahead and say this before I start grading their exams: I have really enjoyed this class.  I knew about half of them from prior classes at FCSL, so I was looking forward to working with them in France.  I also enjoyed meeting new students, both from FCSL and France.  It's a quick semester, and I know they are distracted with traveling and sightseeing, but they seemed to be working hard and eager to participate in class. 

This evening we have a "goodbye party" for the students, and our associate dean Rosa DuBose is in town to attend that party and wish the students well.  (She also treated the American and French professors to a fabulous dinner last night - thanks!)  Then the students get a long weekend to prepare for three days of exams - while the American Independence Day is not officially observed here (although we are grateful to the French for helping us in the Revolution!) the students will not have classes or exams on that day.  Then the grading begins ... at a cafe or in the park!

Lentils, lace, and Madonnas

On Sunday, we went to Le Puy-en-Velay, a small town about an hour from Clermont-Ferrand.  This town is known for its lentils (all the cooking magazines tell their readers to buy Lentils de Puy for the best results!) and for its lacemaking (http://www.ladentelledupuy.com/index_uk.php) which is done by weaving threaded bobbins back and forth across pins on a pillow.  Although it is very complicated, the stores in Le Puy-en-Velay sell lace-making kits for tourists like me who think, "Oh, I'd like to try that."  Since I don't need another quickly-to-be-abandoned craft project (I've been knitting the same scarf for two years), I decided not to purchase the kit, but I'm still intrigued by the process.

Le Puy-en-Velay is also the home to several unusual religious sites and icons.  The town served as an early base for pilgrimages to Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle, when the bishop Godescalc encouraged the pilgrimage in 951.  The main cathedral is home to one of the Black Madonnas, a 17th-century copy of an earlier statue.  The cathedral is connected to a 12th-century cloister with restored painted walls and amazing carved cornices.

East gallery of the cloister.  The crucifixion scene was painted in the first part of the 13th century and was restored in the 1950s.  The room is also known as the "chapel of the dead," and the tombstones of canons from 1339 to the French Revolution rest along the other walls.

The most distinctive feature of the town, though, is the three volcanic "necks" or outcroppings on which chapels and statues were constructed.  We did not go to the Sanctuary of St. Joseph, seen here in the distance:

Instead, we saved our energy for climbing the 268 steps to the Chapel of Saint Michel.  This chapel was built in 962, and has hand-painted frescos inside similar to those in the cloister.

Exterior of Chapel of St. Michel

The chapel is on top of that rock in the foreground.

The view from Chapel St. Michel.  The statue at the left, on that rock, is ...

... Notre-Dame de France.  757 meters high.  Built in 1856-1860 out of cannons melted after Napoleon III's victory at Sebastopol.

After climbing two of the three landmarks, it was time for some air conditioning. Le-Puy-en-Velay also has a nice interactive museum with a gallery for special exhibitions.  We had been told there were several Matisse paintings at the museum, but there were none.  Instead, there was a special collection of Madonna (Virgin Mary, not "Like a Virgin") paintings and sculptures on loan from the Louvre.

In the interactive wing of the museum ... a little American history. The Marquis de Lafayette was born in the Auvergne, and the museum recognizes his assistance with the American Revolution:

Only two weeks left in Clermont-Ferrand - there are still so many things to see!  Then I will catch up on my Paris sightseeing. Bonne journée!

Hôtel de Ville

Not a hotel, although it wouldn't be a bad place to stay. It's the town hall of Clermont-Ferrand, and the town graciously invited our students and faculty for a tour.  This building is located on land deeded to the city by Catherine de Medici; the actual building wasn't constructed until the early 1800s. 

Exterior of a courtroom in which one of the members of the Vichy government was convicted after World War II

Salle des Mariages - The Marriage Room

The walls and ceiling of Le Salle des Mariages are painted in trompe l'oeil showing the city of Clermont-Ferrand and symbols of marriage ...

... like doves ...

... and a dog.

Courtyard in the middle of the town hall

Meeting room of the city council.  The students enjoyed sitting in the official chairs.

In this room, the vice-mayor of Clermont-Ferrand welcomed us and invited us to share in a "glass of friendship."  Those glasses were filled with champagne.

The city is very welcoming - not just for us, but for the thousands of foreign students who study here every year.  Many of the French students who study here also go abroad for a year or more.  One of the French students in this year's program will be joining us in Jacksonville in the fall (following in the footsteps of Benoit Leblond, who spent a year at Florida Coastal and is now back in Clermont-Ferrand - it's nice to see another familiar face!)

One more week of lectures, then one week of exams ... then more traveling!  Bonne journée!

Sonya vs. the Volcano

A friend asked whether I was too busy working, too busy having fun, or too shell-shocked from the debate to post anything new on the blog ... all of the above.  There are only two weeks left in the semester, and summer semesters are very compressed (as several of you know from listening to my numerous complaints about teaching regular summer school).  Nevertheless, I am still able to get out and explore.  One recent adventure: climbing the Puy de Dome volcano.

The Puy de Dome is the highest volcano in the Chaine des Puys, a range of volcanoes in the Auvergne.  (Dormant, but not extinct.  There is still some magma in some of the volcanoes.)  You can see the Puy de Dome from Clermont-Ferrand - I've posted a picture in a previous post.  The weather antenna at the top gives it a Space Mountain vibe, which seems a bit out of place, but Blaise Pascal was conducting weather experiments from the top of Puy de Dome in the 17th century, so it's historically consistent.  I have no idea how Pascal reached the top without the relatively modern hiking trail, though.

A view from one of our early breaks on the way up

A paraglider coming toward us.  They take off from the top of Puy de Dome and land on a flat field that sometimes has sheep grazing in it.  (It makes for a soft landing, depending where the sheep are.) 

Another photo break - getting closer to the top!

Sonya and Jamie at the top

Sonya and Marie-Elisabeth at the top.  Marie-Elisabeth is a frequent hiker (she often takes her breakfast to the top of Puy de Dome!) and has been a wonderful guide and a kind host.

A view from the top

A sign from 1913, placed by Michelin with information about the ruins of the Roman Temple of Mercury at the top of the Puy de Dome.  (I can't imagine how the Romans got up there, either.)  This was the first Michelin road sign, part of their plan to promote road travel (which wears out tires and requires you to buy more!).  If only all advertising signs were this small and unobtrusive ...

The view of Clermont-Ferrand from the top of Puy de Dome. 

Ruins of the Temple of Mercury in the foreground

The total hike took about three hours.  We rewarded ourselves with lunch at the restaurant at the base of the volcano, which had amazing food - not what I expected in a nature park.  The next night, Marie-Elisabeth took us to another great restaurant.  I'll throw down the gauntlet: the Auvergne region (and Clermont-Ferrand specifically) has restaurants that are as good as - or better than - many places in Paris. 

Meanwhile, the weather has improved and I've been able to work in my "outdoor" office.  In addition to Jardin le Coq and Place de Jaude, we have spent some time in Place de la Victoire, another open square in Clermont-Ferrand surrounded by shops, cafes, and brasseries.  On our way to "Brasserie Derriere" (seriously - that's the name), I was run over by a skateboarder in the plaza.  I couldn't get too angry at him, though, especially since I was not hurt and he was blind.  Apparently he was skating too fast for his cane to detect that I was in front of him.  He'll probably try paragliding next.

À bientôt!