FRANCE on Your Own Newsletter

Spring 2016 VOL. 20 NO. 2

	The Independent Traveler's Newsletter

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		" . . . There are flowers everywhere for those who want to see them.." - Henri Matisse 1869-1954
IN THIS ISSUE: Changing the Map of France Arthur Gillette . . . adieu cher ami Paris' Public Fountains ~ Part III in the series by Arthur Gillette Twisted Tongues ~ Challenging French phrases Ici et Là Music Now - Lagrasse Piano Festival En Blanc et Noir by Robert Turnbull with Anita Rieu-Sicart La Normandie Réunie ~ Bidding Adieu to 'La Haute' Normandie by Rob Silverstone Featuring the Limousin - Part 1 of 2 ~ Mainland France's least populous Region, but not to be ignored! Village Fleuri sign at Montrol-Sénard, Haute-Vienne, Limousin Novel Ideas ~ Enthralling Mysteries set in France	Changing the map of France . . . January 1st of this year was the date that the regional map of France was officially altered ~ a move by the Assemblée Nationale reducing the number of regions from 22 to 13. There were months of debate, objections, and a lot of redrawing of the lines on the map of France, all for the purpose of simplifying bureaucracy and to save money. Each administrative region is divided into départements as before, which, for the time being, will not change. However, as time passes, there may be départemental officials who want to join a neighboring region. Only time will tell if that ever comes to pass.. The changes to the map will in no way alter historical or cultural areas of France, each preserving their own traditions, cuisine, architecture and character. But, it remains to be seen if this territorial decentralization will, as the French state hopes, deliver functions more efficiently. The regions have to abide by laws of the French state, but they continue to have discretionary control over spending, infrastructure, transit, education and tourism among other things. This map shows the changes, blending together 16 to create 7 new regions, and 6, including Corsica, shown in gray that were left as they were. The white dotted lines show the former borders, the red dots represent the new or retained regional capitals, with the pink dots representing the former capital cities. There are several mayors of the former capital cities who are not at all pleased with these changes. Newly assigned regional capitals are Rouen (Normandy), Strasbourg (Alsace, Champagne-Ardenne, Lorraine), Bordeaux (Aquitaine, Poitou-Charentes, Limousin), Lyon (Auvergne, Rhône-Alpes), Dijon (Burgundy, Franche-Comté), Toulouse (Languedoc-Roussillon, Midi-Pyrénées), Lille (Picardie, Nord-Pas-de-Calais), Rennes (Brittany), Marseille (Provence-Alpes, Côte d'Azur), Nantes (Pays-de-la-Loire), Orléans (Centre, Val de Loire), Paris (Île-de-France) and Ajaccio (Corsica). None of these changes should have any impact on tourism. Be sure to read Rob Silverstone's contribution in this issue with regard to his views as his little corner of France, Normandy, sheds the designations of Basse-Normandie and Haute-Normandie to become one region. Arthur Gillette ~ adieu cher ami It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing on May 26th of Arthur Gillette, 78, our dear personal friend and colleague. Arthur left the U.S. for France in 1958 to complete his university studies at the Sorbonne after getting his degree in French literature and language at Harvard. He later earned his Doctorate in Education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Arthur was a conscientious objector volunteer with the Coordination Committee International Voluntary Services (CCVIS) under the auspices of UNESCO and lived through the historic student demonstrations of 1968 in France. That same year his comprehensive history about youth voluntary service entitled One Million Volunteers - The Story of Volunteer Youth Service, was published by Penguin Books. His choice to live in France resulted in a successful 30-year career with UNESCO in Paris as Director of its Youth & Sports Division, and he also served as the editor of the scientific and cultural magazine at UNESCO. Arthur worked tirelessly for the poor everywhere and to provide education and other opportunities to children in developing countries. To quote him, "I strove to continuously favor deeds more than words, i.e., innovative practical results more than time-worn declarations of good intentions." Arthur was always learning and was not only fluent in English, French and Spanish, but fairly fluent in Russian and Italian with basic skills in German and Portuguese. His most recent linguistic goal was to learn Chinese. Arthur always had a strong attraction to the sea having sailed the Mediterranean and across the Atlantic in a small sailboat. He was very interested in history and politics, had a passion for classical music and, as you all know, he loved Paris. His contributions to FRANCE On Your Own in the past 15 years have been immeasurable. There are no words to express our deep appreciation and thanks for what he has done for our newsletter and for the wonderful friend and reliable expert on all things French that he has been to us. Our heartfelt condolences to Madeleine, his children and grandchildren and all who loved him. We will publish the last few articles Arthur provided in upcoming newsletters ~ we hope it is what he would have wanted.

Changing the map of France . . .

January 1st of this year was the date that the regional map of France was officially altered ~ a move by the Assemblée Nationale reducing the number of regions from 22 to 13. There were months of debate, objections, and a lot of redrawing of the lines on the map of France, all for the purpose of simplifying bureaucracy and to save money. Each administrative region is divided into départements as before, which, for the time being, will not change. However, as time passes, there may be départemental officials who want to join a neighboring region. Only time will tell if that ever comes to pass..

The changes to the map will in no way alter historical or cultural areas of France, each preserving their own traditions, cuisine, architecture and character. But, it remains to be seen if this territorial decentralization will, as the French state hopes, deliver functions more efficiently. The regions have to abide by laws of the French state, but they continue to have discretionary control over spending, infrastructure, transit, education and tourism among other things.

This map shows the changes, blending together 16 to create 7 new regions, and 6, including Corsica, shown in gray that were left as they were. The white dotted lines show the former borders, the red dots represent the new or retained regional capitals, with the pink dots representing the former capital cities. There are several mayors of the former capital cities who are not at all pleased with these changes.

Newly assigned regional capitals are Rouen (Normandy), Strasbourg (Alsace, Champagne-Ardenne, Lorraine), Bordeaux (Aquitaine, Poitou-Charentes, Limousin), Lyon (Auvergne, Rhône-Alpes), Dijon (Burgundy, Franche-Comté), Toulouse (Languedoc-Roussillon, Midi-Pyrénées), Lille (Picardie, Nord-Pas-de-Calais), Rennes (Brittany), Marseille (Provence-Alpes, Côte d'Azur), Nantes (Pays-de-la-Loire), Orléans (Centre, Val de Loire), Paris (Île-de-France) and Ajaccio (Corsica). None of these changes should have any impact on tourism.

Be sure to read Rob Silverstone's contribution in this issue with regard to his views as his little corner of France, Normandy, sheds the designations of Basse-Normandie and Haute-Normandie to become one region.

Arthur Gillette ~ adieu cher ami

It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing on May 26th of Arthur Gillette, 78, our dear personal friend and colleague. Arthur left the U.S. for France in 1958 to complete his university studies at the Sorbonne after getting his degree in French literature and language at Harvard. He later earned his Doctorate in Education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Arthur was a conscientious objector volunteer with the Coordination Committee International Voluntary Services (CCVIS) under the auspices of UNESCO and lived through the historic student demonstrations of 1968 in France. That same year his comprehensive history about youth voluntary service entitled One Million Volunteers - The Story of Volunteer Youth Service, was published by Penguin Books. His choice to live in France resulted in a successful 30-year career with UNESCO in Paris as Director of its Youth & Sports Division, and he also served as the editor of the scientific and cultural magazine at UNESCO.

Arthur worked tirelessly for the poor everywhere and to provide education and other opportunities to children in developing countries. To quote him, "I strove to continuously favor deeds more than words, i.e., innovative practical results more than time-worn declarations of good intentions." Arthur was always learning and was not only fluent in English, French and Spanish, but fairly fluent in Russian and Italian with basic skills in German and Portuguese. His most recent linguistic goal was to learn Chinese. Arthur always had a strong attraction to the sea having sailed the Mediterranean and across the Atlantic in a small sailboat. He was very interested in history and politics, had a passion for classical music and, as you all know, he loved Paris.

His contributions to FRANCE On Your Own in the past 15 years have been immeasurable. There are no words to express our deep appreciation and thanks for what he has done for our newsletter and for the wonderful friend and reliable expert on all things French that he has been to us. Our heartfelt condolences to Madeleine, his children and grandchildren and all who loved him. We will publish the last few articles Arthur provided in upcoming newsletters ~ we hope it is what he would have wanted.