ENGLISH & CULTURE

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English, culture & conversation classes

Content of each class:

  • Discussion on the text,
  • Discussion on the topic,
  • Discussions about historical references in connection with the text.
  • Exchanges and questions related to the text and topic (see links below)
  • Writing an individual essay related to the film, and analysis of vocabulary and syntax,
  • visit of a historical site in Lyon city center.

PENTES DE LA CROIX ROUSSE

From the Croix-Rousse area to Place des Terreaux, it is possible to follow the paths or traboules of 19th century canuts.

Traboules are a type of passageway primarily associated with the city of Lyon, France, but also located in the French cities of Villefranche-sur-Saône, Mâcon, Saint-Étienne, along with a few in Chambéry. The word ‘traboules’ is a corruption of the Latin ‘trans-ambulare’, or ‘to pass through’, dating back to the 4th century, allowing folk more direct access to the town’s fresh water source than the winding streets provided. In Lyon, they were originally used by silk manufacturers and other merchants to transport their products.

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PASSAGE THIAFFAIT

The Passage Thiaffait is an urban area located on the slopes of La Croix-Rousse. It was built in the early 19th century and belongs to the zone classified as World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Built into one of the city's antiquated Traboules after its 2001 renovation, this former 18th century silk tunnel dubbed the "Passage Thiaffait" has become a modern day Mecca for young and innovative designers nation wide. In this charming passage at the bottom of the Croix-Rousse hill, young up-and-coming creators from Lyon can be found flourishing in this creative business incubator.

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AMPHITHEATER THREE GAULS

The amphitheater of the Three-Gauls is located on the slopes of the Croix-Rousse. Lyon was once the Roman city of Lugdunum. Whilst the city was founded in approximately 44 BC, the Amphitheatre of the Three Gauls is thought to have been constructed in around 19 AD. The monument was dedicated to the cult of Rome and Augustus, Emperor under which Lugdunum became Capital of the Gauls. The reference to the “Three Gauls” relates to Gaul’s main three provinces at the time, Belgica, Aquitania and Lugdunensis, and of which Lugdunum was the capital.

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MAISON DES CANUTS

“Maison des Canuts” is located in the old part of the town, 27 minutes by walk, from the “City Hall” and it welcomes around 40 thousand visitors during a year. Inside the museum, a permanent exhibition displays pictures, objects, machines and different materials, such as colourful threads. It all starts with the story behind the silk cocoon.

Lyon, known as the capital of silk, offers a rich history of ancient art of silk that has held onto its prestige thanks to the craftspeople who continue to work with dedication and great passion in the modern day.

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ST JEAN LES TRABOULES

From its foundation in 43 BC up until today, the city has maintained a permanent and continuous link with the periods that have marked its history. A walk in the historical site of Lyons is a walk in time. Known for its Renaissance architecture, Old Lyons owes its fabulous conservation to the «Plan de Sauvegarde» and the Malraux law which has protected the sector since 1964. The roads we walk today are the same as those of the Middle Ages.

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ST PETER's PALACE

St. Peter's Palace can be found on the west side of Places des Terreaux in Lyon France's first arrondissement. 

From its foundation in the 6th century to its total reconstruction in the 17th, the abbey, one of the oldest in Gaul, underwent many transformations.
Starting off as an upper-class convent, it turned into a Royal Abbey, became a place of worship with the building of a Church, and was then extravagantly remodelled by Louis XIV.

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FINE ARTS MUSEUM

The Museum of Fine Arts is one of the largest and leading French and European museums thanks to the wealth and impact of its collections and exhibitions. Located in the heart of Lyon, between the Rhône and Saône rivers, it is found in a magnificent building dating from the 17th century.

It gathers Greek and Roman antiquities or Oriental, particularly Egyptian, a medallion and collections of paintings, sculptures and decorative arts, which make it, after the Louvre, the most important of the provincial museums.

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THE LADIES OF SAINT PIERRE

The monastery of Saint-Pierre and Saint-Saturnin, (its old name), is supposed to  have been founded around the year 320 (at the end of the Roman persecutions). Under the reign of Charlemagne, there were more than a hundred nuns here. It was at this time that the abbey came under the rule of St Benoit: Benedictines.

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PASSAGE MERMET

The passage Mermet is a traboule (path) located on the slopes of theCroix-Rousse, 22 rue René-Leynaud, in the 1st arrondissement 69001 of Lyon. It has an entry by a portico (rue René Leynaud) and is a curved traboule linked to the rue Burdeau by to a staircase. The street belongs to the area classified as World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

It has been reinvented by the street artiste Wenc.

The 80 steps of the Passage Mermet are the equivalent of a four floor Canut building. 

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MUSEUM OF LYON HISTORY

Through an all-encompassing approach, from the Capital of the Gauls to the 21st century, the museum is a resource centre for understanding the city in all its facets: urban planning, economic, social, religious, political and cultural.
The visitor travels back through Lyon's history. A presentation of the landmarks in Lyon's territorial and urban development enables an understanding of changes and specific features in the city's economic, social, religious and cultural landscape.

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PUPPETRY MUSEUM

In the heart of Old Lyon, one of the Gadagne museums, devoted to the art of puppetry, reveals a world of performance, illusion and emotions. Through an interactive and participative visitor trail, the visitors can actually leave the role of spectator and step into the shoes of a puppeteer.

In the ‘city of Guignol’, more than 300 puppets and other objects share a unique space that immerses visitors in the world of puppet shows. Guignol – Lyon’s most famous puppet – is the star and main theme of the trail.

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PRINTING MUSEUM

The Musee de l'Imprimerie was established in Lyon because Lyon had been a centre of printing and the book trade in Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries and the city held large historical collections of books and the graphic arts.

Created by the master-printer Maurice Audin (1895–1975)? the Museum of Printing opened in 1964 in the former Hôtel de la Couronne, a Renaissance building which was Lyon's first city hall between 1604 and 1655.

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MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

On the banks of the fast-flowing Rhône, opposite the beautiful Tête d’Or park in Lyon’s 6th district, the magnificent Museum of Contemporary Art, nicknamed the MAC, is a magnet of the avant-garde.

Thanks to its fully modular interior, the exhibition space can be transformed with each new artistic project. A new museum reopens for each exhibition!

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PRESQU'ILE TRABOULES

The Presqu’île (French meaning peninsula.) is the heart of Lyon. Extending from the foot of the Croix Rousse hill to the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône rivers, it has a preponderance of cafés, restaurants, luxury shops, department stores, banks, government buildings, and cultural institutions. The 1st and 2nd arrondissements of the city (as well as the southern part of the 4th) are located here, along with the city hall.

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LYON BOURSE PALACE

he Palais du Commerce, also known as the Palais de la Bourse, was built in 1860 and is one of Lyon's more imposing buildings.

The Palais de la Bourse or Palais du Commerce currently houses the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Lyon.

It is bordered by the place des Cordeliers to the south, the place de la Bourse to the north, the Rue de la République to the west and Rue de la Bourse to the east.

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FRESQUE DES LYONNAIS 1

The fresques, or painted wall murals, in Lyon often tell stories about the city’s history. Lyon has a rich history and the Lyon-based company, CitéCréation (cooperative of artists) has created painted walls in Lyon and in the world.
A series of impressively large murals painted by the CitéCréation cooperative are dotted around the city, and tell the story of Lyon’s neighbourhoods and its most famous citizens.
 
1st part : Quai Saint Vincent.

 

FRESQUE DES LYONNAIS 2

The fresques, or painted wall murals, in Lyon often tell stories about the city’s history. Lyon has a rich history and the Lyon-based company, CitéCréation (cooperative of artists) has created painted walls in Lyon and in the world.
A series of impressively large murals painted by the CitéCréation cooperative are dotted around the city, and tell the story of Lyon’s neighbourhoods and its most famous citizens.
 
2nd part : Rue de la Martiniere (bottom floors).
 
 

FRESQUE DES LYONNAIS 3

The fresques, or painted wall murals, in Lyon often tell stories about the city’s history. Lyon has a rich history and the Lyon-based company, CitéCréation (cooperative of artists) has created painted walls in Lyon and in the world.
A series of impressively large murals painted by the CitéCréation cooperative are dotted around the city, and tell the story of Lyon’s neighbourhoods and its most famous citizens.
 
3rd part : Rue de la Martiniere (top floors).
 

HOTEL DIEU

The Hôtel Dieu was built starting in the 12th century on the banks of the Rhône, the Hôtel Dieu of Lyon and was for centuries one of the most important and most famous hospitals in France.

This imposing 375-meter-long building ceased its hospital activity in 2010 and has now been transformed into a commercial center and luxury hotel. A figure of Lyon’s heritage, it also hosts a City of Gastronomy.

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RUE DE LA POULAILLERIE

The Rue de la Poulaillerie is a street located in the 2nd arrondissement of Lyon. This street, first named rue Vaudran - and also rue Maudite in reference to Peter Waldo, who founded what was considered a heresy at the time - received its current name from the fact that people exchanged poultry until 1835, when part of this trade emigrated to the covered market of La Martinière.

RUE MERCIERE

Rue Mercière is one of the most famous streets of Lyon. It is located in the second district of the city and is now part of the World Heritage Site of Unesco. This is one of the oldest streets of the city, being probably created during the late antiquity. From the 13th to the 18th century, it was the heart of Lyon on the left river of the Saône. The name of the street refers to the word “merchant”, and pays tribute to the past life of the area, and to trade and exchanges that were taking place on a daily basis in the street.

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THE CANUTS

 

In 1598, out of a city population of 143,000 there were 34,762 people employed in the production of silk, by far and away the largest industry in Lyon. Controlling the sale of the finished product, there were only 308 silk merchants. Just to note the decline of the middle layers, there were only 42 merchant masters left across the entire city. Below them both were the Canuts, as they were by then known; a term imposed upon them. These were made up of the following:

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COUR DES VORACES

The Cour des Voraces, also called Maison de la République, is a building cour in the Pentes quarter, in the 1st arrondissement of Lyon, and famous for its enormous six-floor stairway of facade. It  is a major symbol of Lyon: a fine example of folk architecture of canuts, related to the silk industry, which deeply marked the neighborhood. It is also a place that symbolizes some great moments in the history of Lyon.

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GENERAL CANUT STRIKE

Early in 1834 unrest was brewing again due to a downturn in orders and the lowering of rates by the merchants for those workers producing shalls and peluches (cheap cloth for men’s hats) from 1 franc 50 centimes to 1 frank 25 centimes per annue. As a result, on the 12th of February the Society of Mutual Duty voted to strike for a tariff on the 14th, which had wide support amongst the journeymen of Lyon.

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TERREAUX, FRENCH REVOLUTION

Place des Terreaux is a famous Lyonnais square, grand and grey. It’s a perfect rectangle in fact, located in the 1st district of Lyon inside the peninsular or ‘presqu’île’ between the Rhône and Saône rivers, at the foot of the Croix-Rousse hill.

The Terreaux square you see today was redeveloped in 1994.

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RUE POUTEAU

The street was laid out in 1829 at the time of the urbanization of the district due to the manufacture of silk.

The name of the street pays homage to Claude Pouteau, an ophthalmic surgeon from Hôtel Dieu who has distinguished himself in fracture description and cauterization.

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SOIERIE ST GEORGES

The Croix-Rousse district is the silk district. Soierie Saint-Georges in the heart of Vieux-Lyon, reminds us that Lyon's silk weaving adventure, which is also at the origin of the city's wealth, began in the 16th century.

In this modern day of synthetic textiles, set out to meet the keen artisans who are still perpetuating Lyon's silk weaving tradition on Jacquard looms. As Ludovic de la Calle, the owner, is fond of saying, "Crossing the threshold of the workshop takes you back several centuries!"

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PLACE TOLOZAN & THE RESISTANCE

Place Tolozan is located in the first arrondissement, it is a widening of the Quai Lassagne at the crossroads of the Grande rue des Feuillants.

This is where the port of Saint Clair would have been.  From the medieval period to the 18th century and the development of the Quai Lassagne, there were ramparts that protected the city of the Rhône and invasions, it was at this time that the square took most of its shape. It  was considered to be the most luxurious place in the city when it was built around 1980.

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TERREAUX & ECCLESIASTICAL POWER

Place des Terreaus is a Lyon landmark and a UNESCO heritage site.

To the east you have the City Hall, a classical architectural gem from the 17th century, sumptuous and ornate, to the south Saint-Pierre Palace and the Fine Arts Museum, the west houses a gallery through buildings and the north marks the beginning of the Croix Rousse slopes.

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RUE STE CATHERINE, 2nd WORLD WAR

The rue Sainte-Catherine has an east-west axis and is parallel of the Place des Terreaux, and therefore is in the historic center of Lyon, overlooking the Hôtel de Ville. The street is famous since its central position made it able to drain a large population which come from the Croix-Rousse as well as from the Presqu'île, from the Saint-Jean and Saint-Paul quarters and from the 6th arrondissement.

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BRIDGES IN LYON

Greater Lyon has 45 bridges and footbridges (24 on the Rhône, 21 on the Saône) and Lyon has 29 (16 and 13 respectively). They were destroyed on September 1, 1944 except for l'Ile Barbe bridge and the l'Homme de la Roche and St Vincent footbridges.

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CHARCUTERIE IN LYON

“Cochonaille” is a word often used in the area of Lyon to refer to pork products, which are more commonly named “Charcuterie” in other parts of France. In Lyon, many people are used to repeating this maxim: “Tout est bon dans le cochon !” (literally,  there’s no wasted parts in pork).

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THE BEAUJOLAIS AREA

The wine Beaujolais takes its name from the historical Province of Beaujolais, ancient province of France, a wine-producing region. made up of 55,000 acres, 55km long and 14km wide, i.e. much of the département of Rhône.   Beaujeu and Villefranche were successively the capital and which

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BEAUJOLAIS WINE HISTORY

Beaujolais is referred to as the troisieme fleuve or the third river of Lyon.  In the past Beaujolais Nouveau was sent down the Saône in barrels, still fermenting, to feed the demand of the workers and the bouchons.

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ORIGINS OF THE LIGHTS FESTIVAL

The origins of the festival date to 1643 when Lyon was struck by plague. On September 8, 1643 the municipal councillors promised to pay tribute to Mary if the town was spared.  Ever since, a solemn procession makes its way to the Basilica of Fourvière on 8 December .......

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HISTORY OF THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

The Festival of Lights (French: Fête des lumières) in Lyon, France, expresses gratitude toward Mary, mother of Jesus around December 8 of each year.   This unique Lyonnaise tradition dictates that every house place candles along the outsides of all the windows ....  

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HARVEST & THE HISTORY OF THANKSGIVING

The origins of the festival date to 1643 when Lyon was struck by plague. On September 8, 1643 the municipal councillors promised to pay tribute to Mary if the town was spared.  Ever since, a solemn procession makes its way to the Basilica of Fourvière on 8 December .......

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GALETTE DES ROIS - TART OF KINGS

This French tradition of serving a frangipane tart known as the ‘galette des rois’ around the 6th January, (the first Sunday of the Year) dates back to the 14th century. The pagan custom may even date back to Roman times, when festivals were organised in honour of the gods.......

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HISTORY OF LYON, BEFORE THE MIDDLE AGES

The area around Lyon has been inhabited since prehistoric times and Lyon was one of the most important cities of the Roman Empire, Lugdunum. After the Battle of Lugdunum, the city never fully recovered, and Lyon was built out of its ashes becoming a part of the Kingdom of the Burgundians. .......

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HISTORY OF LYON, FROM THE MIDDLE AGES

The city had to wait until the 13th century to gain some economic importance on a grand scale.  The bourgeois from Lyon started to confront the religious hierarchy and wanted to be more independent and to be able to run their own businesses.  One of their main claims was to become the owners of their houses.......

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GUIGNOL IN THE XIXth CENTURY

Guignol is the main character in a Lyonnaise puppet show.   The puppet represents the workers in the silk industry of France.

Guignol's sharp wit and linguistic verve have always been appreciated by adults, but it is also very popular with children........

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GUIGNOL IN THE XXth CENTURY

In 1908, the hundredth anniversary of Guignol was celebrated with style by the Neichthauser brothers who, in their theatre of the Quai Saint-Antoine in Lyon, gave Guignol back his honest and rebellious character while diversifying the repertoire.  He attracted the attention and the fidelity of intellectuals, artists, and politicians in his audience until the 1950s.......

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HISTORY OF THE BOUCHON LYONNAIS

The tradition of bouchons came from small inns visited by silk workers passing through Lyon in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

The name Bouchon is supposed to derive from the 16th century expression for a bunch of twisted straw.  

Gastronomy has an integral role in the life and culture of Lyon. ........

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SETTING AND DISHES IN A BOUCHON LYONNAIS

It is important to feel good in a bouchon.

This feeling has a lot to do with the setting. Whether inside or outside, a bouchon is always tastefully decorated by the owner. This is the essence of its unique ambiance, both familial and authentic.

A bouchon is not just a place for fine food. It’s much more than that!  .......

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HISTORY OF PLACE BELLECOUR

La Place Bellecour is a large square in the centre of Lyon, France, to the north of the Ainay district.

Measuring  47,520 m², 264 x 180 m square without streets or pavements and 67,128 m², 306 x 206 m with, it is the 3rd biggest square in France. It is kilometre zero for the region’s roads.

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HISTORY OF A. DE ST EXUPERY

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, was a French writer, poet, aristocrat, journalist, and pioneering aviator.  His works are the unique testimony of a pilot and a warrior who looked at adventure and danger with a poet’s eyes. 

He became a laureate of several of France's highest literary awards and also won the United States National Book Award.  .......

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THE MANECANTERIE - PARISH OLD SCHOOL

The Manécanterie is thought to be the oldest building in Lyon.  It is an ancient monument situated in Lyon in Saint Jean district.  In the wing of the cathedral St Jean, it houses the treasury and is noted for the beauty and severe dignity of its 12th-century Romanesque facade. 

Its origins date to the 11th century, when it was established as a choir school (the Manécanterie).  .....

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THE AUTOMATOM MUSEUM

At number 100 rue Saint Georges in Lyon 69005, is the Automaton Museum, behind a modest, red-painted frontage lurk.  It has more than 250 automatons, made to be sold or rent for the animation of shop-windows, for Christmas...

But as the years are passing by, the tradition vanishes and the orders became scarce, and Robert EMA decided to open an exhibition to develop the activity. .  .......

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LYON OPERA HOUSE

The Opera National de Lyon is a work and a place of art.  Offering ballets, operas, theater, it takes an active part in the cultural life of Lyons.  Its peristyle becomes a place of urban dances in summer with its terrace that becomes a coffee-jazz. 

It is located next to the River Rhone a few hundred metres from Place Terreaux and near Rue de République and the Musée des Beaux Arts.
It faces the town hall of Lyon “Hotel de Ville.....

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OPERA ART

Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. It is typically a multidisciplinary genre, as opera is a collaboration between a composer and a librettist and incorporates a number of performing arts, such as music, singing, dance, theater, scenography, acting, performance, costumes, makeup, hairdressing, sometimes dance or ballet, and other artistic disciplines.

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BASILICA OF SAINT MARTIN d'AINAY

The Basilica of Saint-Martin d'Ainay (French: Basilique Saint-Martin d'Ainay) is a Romanesque church in Ainay in the Presqu'île district in the historic centre of Lyon, France. A quintessential example of Romanesque architecture, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List along with other notable buildings in the centre of Lyon as a testimony to Lyon's long history as an important European town and unique blend of architectural styles.

The only Roman church in Lyon from the end of the 11th c., built on the site of the 4th c. Benedictine abbey.

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HISTORY OF THE LYON CONVENTS

The history of Lyon is intimately intertwined with the history of Christianity and even today, one cannot cross the city without being challenged by a street name, a church, a former convent which strongly marks this religious imprint.

A little throwback to the early days of the city: 43 BC, Plancus set up a Roman camp on the hill of Fourvière which quickly became the city of Lugdunum. The city is a real crossroads of the land routes of Gaul but it is also opened by the Rhône on the Mediterranean basin.

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THE FEUILLANTS

The Feuillants settled in Lyon in 1619. From poor they became rich quite quickly because they had the favors of the consulate (currently the municipal council). They went to say mass every day at the Hôtel de Ville.


In 1621 they built their church to which they gave the name of St Charles, patron saint of their benefactor Charles de Neuville and a very important convent.

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THE URSULINES

The Ursulines were the neighbors of the Feuillants. Established in Lyon in 1612 by Françoise de Bermond, founder of the order in France. The first establishment was set up on the north side of rue de Vieille Monnaie (current rue Leynaud).

It was on her return from Paris that the Mother of Bermond, passing through Lyon, founded the convent of the Ursulines. 
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ST POLYCARP CHURCH

The Church of St. Polycarp is a Roman Catholic church located in the 1st arrondissement of Lyon, on the slopes of the Croix-Rousse, between rue René Leynaud, rue Burdeau and passages Mermet and Thiaffait.  It is the oldest church of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri.

The current St Polycarp church is the former church of the Oratorian convent. Its facade was redesigned by Toussaint Loyer, a pupil of Soufflot in 1760.

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RUE RENE LEYNAUD

This street pays tribute to the French journalist, poet and resistance fighter René Leynaud (1910-1944). Before the 2nd world war, the street was called Rue de la Vieille Monnaie.

Rue Vieille-Monnaie opened in 1520 and is the oldest road in the Capucins district on the lower slopes of the Croix-Rousse.

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THE 1st CANUT REVOLT

In 1831 the economic forecast was gloomy with silk orders on a downward spiral. The knock on effect saw many master weavers going out of business, thus throwing journeymen out of work with a corresponding downward pressure on wages.

Revolution was already in the air with the overthrow of King Charles X the previous year during the “July Revolution” or “Second French Revolution”. 

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THE 2nd CANUT REVOLT

The aftermath of the 1831 rebellion saw a number of repressive measures being deployed to try and dissipate the revolutionary zeal of the canuts. The aim was to restore order, to bring about a peace between the classes on behalf of the authorities and to try to resolve future disputes over tariffs and wider questions of the industry through mediation between the master weavers and the merchants and via an unwritten truce between the more moderate weavers and the bourgeoisie. 

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ABBE PIERRE

Abbé Pierre,  born Henri Marie Joseph Grouès (5 August 1912 – 22 January 2007) was a French Catholic priest, member of the Resistance during World War II, and deputy of the Popular Republican Movement (MRP).

In 1949, he founded the Emmaus movement, with the goal of helping poor and homeless people and refugees. He was one of the most popular figures in France but had his name removed from such polls after some time.

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CONDITION DES SOIES

The condition of the silks is a building located 7 rue Saint-Polycarpe in the 1st district of Lyon (on the slopes of the Croix-Rousse).

It was built between 1804 and 1814, partly on the former Capuchin garden (see rue des Capucins), and intended to guarantee the moisture content of silk yarns for their trade, which passed between merchants and merchants, as well as the quality of the fashions worked by the weavers.

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KNOCKER TONY-TAPE-DU-CUL

The story of the knowker Tony-tape-du-cul is one of Lyon's legends.

On the Place des Terreaux, the large gate of the town hall is decorated with a small bronze knocker representing a chubby child whose butt serves as a knocker. Dubbed «Tony tape-du-cul», Lyon legend tells that one day of famine in 1693, the canuts decided to go and ask the provost and aldermen of the city for accounts. The efforts to open the doors proved futile, and it took the repeated assaults from behind of a solid fellow, Tony Tomachot, against the leaderboards to make them yield.

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BASEMENTS OF LYON

You may not know this, but the basement of the city of Lyon is full of unusual places.

There are ancient underground galleries under the hill of the Croix-Rousse, called «fishbones», underground tunnels between the forts dating from the 19th century, such as the Vaise and much more recent places, which really deserve a visit,

These are the underground car parks.

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LYON CITY HALL

Lyon's stunning city hall is one of the city's most famous landmarks, and one of Lyon’s grandest historic buildings with unique view overlooking the famous Place des Terreaux.  It is a beautiful and classic XVIIth century building.  Having been destroyed by multiple fires, the hall has seen many architects during its three centuries of use. 

It is one of the largest and most imposing historical buildings in the city, located between the Place des Terreaux and the Place de la Comédie, in front of the Opera Nouvel.  Since 1886, the building has been classified as a Monument historique......

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General questions

General questions

  • Would you recommend this topic to someone?
  • Why or why not (or with what caveats)?
  • What kind of person would most enjoy this topic ?
  • How much did you know about this topic before?
  • What surprised you the most about the topic?
  • How thought-provoking did you find the topic?
  • Did the topic change your opinion about anything, or did you learn something new from it?
  • If so, what?
  • How did the topic make you feel? Did it evoke any emotions?
  • Make you laugh, cry, or cringe?
  • How, if at all, did this topic relate to your own life?
  • Did it evoke any memories or create any connections for you?
  • Did you highlight any passages?
  • What was the most challenging or difficult part of the topic for you to understand?
  • How did you overcome it?
  • How would you adapt this topic into a movie?
  • Who would you cast in the leading roles?
  • How did the text make you think or feel about a certain topic or issue?
  • What did you learn from the text or what did it teach you about yourself or others?
  • How did the text challenge or change your perspective or opinion on something?
  • How relevant or relatable are the themes or messages of the topic to your own life, or to society today?
  • Which part did you find the most complex or intriguing and why?
  • Which part did you dislike or disagree with the most and why?
  • Are there any people you wish you could have given advice to? What would you tell them?
  • What do you think happens to the people after the story concludes?
  • What was the main conflict or problem in the topic and how was it resolved?
  • What was the most memorable or shocking scene or twist in the topic and why?
  • What was the most satisfying or disappointing part of the topic and why?
  • How did you feel about the ending?

 

ENGLISH, CULTURE & CONVERSATION CLASSES :

These classes run all year, including during the summer, if a minimum of 2 students have confirmed their attendance, and are attending,

or until the end of July only if less than 2 participants confirmed their attendance, or when less than 2 students attend.

 

The programme and visit are planned by the teacher one class after the other.  Meeting points are in Lyon 1er or Lyon 5e, at the address indicated on your timetable.

English, Culture & Conversation classes offer an alternative and unique way to increase students’ confidence in speaking and listening and to improve their vocabulary on a wide range of topics not generally covered in classroom-based lessons.  Based on a carefully-designed in-house syllabus and materials, this programme is in a relaxed, non-classroom environment and designed for all students who want to learn English with more conversation, and would like to share and know more about culture and history.   Lessons are taught outside the school. 

Sample programme :

COPIES : students will have access to copies online before each class, and will print their copies themselves before each class, or will receive a copy by email or from the teacher.

Everybody receives from Afterschool:

  • The link to the text or a paper copy of the text

1st part of the class (1 hour or 1.15 hour) : Everybody meets at a specific meeting point and spends some time working and talking on the topic.

2nd part of the class(1 hour or 45 mns): the tour starts.  The tour or visit may be a place of interest.

For many decades, ‘cultural heritage’ was associated with monuments, museums and archaeology. The relation between cultural heritage and education was usually in the form of passive visits to monuments or museums and was restricted to observing historic monuments or objects. Very often, it included guided tours focusing on the chronological history of events which lacked a connection with learners’ life experiences. Booklets telling all the details of a particular monument without any linkage to either its context, or to the prior knowledge or experiences of learners were very common.

In recent decades, cultural heritage has taken a broader meaning including intangible heritage, natural, urban and rural landscapes, digital and film heritage. The Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for the Society (Faro, 2005) gives most comprehensive definition of cultural heritage, embracing its tangible, intangible and digital dimension in a holistic way:Cultural Heritage is a group of resources inherited from the past, which people identify, independently of ownership, as a reflection and expression of their constantly evolving values, beliefs, knowledge and transitions. It includes all aspects of the environment resulting from the interaction between people and places through time (Faro 2005).

This Convention underlines that any sign or a symbol created by, or given meaning by human activity, that is intentionally protected, conserved or revived, instead of being left to natural decay, oblivion, or destruction, can be considered cultural heritage. It puts the emphasis on the values (i.e. cultural, historical, aesthetic, archaeological, scientific, ethnological, anthropological value), beliefs, knowledge and transitions, which are considered relevant by a community or group of reference that has the right to benefit from this resource and that is responsible for the transmission to future generations. As stressed in the Convention, those values are constantly evolving.

It has now been fully recognised that cultural heritage plays a central role in our societies, creating a feeling of togetherness within and across national borders and promoting mutual understanding and shared values, thus care for cultural heritage is growing.

Reflecting on this broader understanding of cultural heritage and the growing interest, cultural heritage is used more and more in the teaching environment, mainly to bring cultural heritage to the attention of as many pupils as possible and to enrich the learning processes. Heritage education is an approach to teaching and learning based on the idea that heritage offers the opportunity to learners to engage in experiences that make them learn. By directly experiencing, examining, analysing and evaluating cultural heritage such as buildings, monuments, workplaces, landscapes, artefacts, rituals and traditions, learners gain knowledge, intellectual skills and a wider range of competences that enhance their capacities for maintenance and improvement of the society and ways of living.

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