Learning French via Cognac, Québec, Connecticut and NYC
My love affair with la langue française is still taking me places
Some of you reading this may know that I have made several (many?) attempts to learn the French language. No, I am not particularly interested in moving to France, though I was there once for a cruise on the River Charente to Cognac (many years ago) and would jump at the chance to visit again. I was able to dig out the clip, photo above.
It was a fabulous trip on Crown Blue Line, now evolved into Le Boat, that was over far too quickly. I recall the country markets, traveling through locks, friendly people and the aroma of Cognac in the air (what they call “the angels’ share”) way before we reached the destination. And the music of the language.
Here’s a quote from that story that ran in the Daily News in 1997, and I see that a trip on the Charente is still offered, but I have no idea the details or how similar it is. Please check with Le Boat.
“This is no luxury barge; it's a soft-adventure vacation for anyone who has ever yearned for his own boat, what Crown Blue Line calls "self-skippered cabin cruisers." You pilot the boat; you determine the itinerary.
The reward is a chance to savor the pristine countryside of France at the laid-back pace of 5 mph, with the option of tying up wherever you please. The Charente, which runs through Cognac in western France, has a gentle current; that and the steadiness of the boats mean there's no need to worry about motion sickness. The Charente flows through verdant cornfields and vineyards, where church towers and stone houses tell of the region's antiquity. It's also one of the few rivers with mostly manual locks (l’écluse) that you have to operate yourself. Here's where the muscle comes in; the Charente has 21. . . .
Among the tours and tastings, the riverfront Chateau de Cognac is a high point: This medieval fortress (12th-15th century) was the birthplace of French King Francis I (b. 1494) and home to Cognac Otard. The castle's walls are several feet thick, producing the perfect temperature and humidity to age cognac.”
Those days seem like a lifetime ago, but my love of la langue française that started when I was a kid continues.
I wanted to take French in high school, but my mother insisted I take Spanish. When I got to college, I sidetracked myself into taking Italian. Not actually sure how that happened; I majored in art and art history, so I suppose it was that. In retrospect, not my best decision, since I still wanted to learn French.
About 10 years ago when I was working full time, I started French classes at NYU on Saturdays, and honestly, with the NYC commute, it was a very long day, too long to sit in a classroom. I lasted one semester.
Then in the summer of 2018, I went to an immersion school in Quebec City for six weeks, Ecole Quebec Monde, just outside Vieux (Old) Quebec. Standard French was taught, not Quebecois.
I chose the school’s homestay option, rather than a hotel, and stayed with a married couple, Jacques et Ginette, who spoke no English and cooked some of the most delicious food, French and otherwise, I have had in my life.
Two meals a day were part of the package. Breakfast was typically espresso and toast, but the range at dinner was extraordinary and included appetizers, vegetables and mains that extended from spaghetti and meatballs to grilled ribs and chicken, and even sushi and escargot. Plus dessert. And every weekend morning Jacques went to the local boulangerie-pâtisserie to bring us the freshest croissants.
During my six weeks, I met a changing cast of international students, and with camaraderie and ample wine (provided by both hosts and students), we all communicated very well. I am forever thankful to Ginette and Jacques for making me feel like a family member and giving me one of the best travel experiences of my life.
Aside from school, I visited sites including Vieux Québec, Montmorency Falls and Sainte-Anne de Beaupré. Loved it all.
When absolutely essential, Ginette and I defaulted to Google translate, and you’d be surprised how quickly you can learn French when there is no English alternative. I loved it. I felt I had made progress. I planned to go back each summer, but I missed 2019, and then the pandemic came along, and now the school has closed. You will find schools by a similar name online, but not this one, which was located on 511 Rue Saint-Joseph.
Then I went to Alliance Francaise in NYC for a few sessions. Each time I began, it was back to the beginning because too much time lapsed in between, and I had retained so little. And now I have started again, back at the Alliance, but in Southbury, Conn. See this FB page.
I am finding it very enjoyable with a tiny class (of two at the moment) and a good teacher, and I think (hope?) I have the patience to get beyond those beginner levels. Time will tell.
This all leads to a place in NYC I want to tell you about: Albertine, a small bookstore on 5th and 79th, which sells books in English and French, but mainly French. See this link.
My friend Donna shared an Instagram post a few months ago that pictured a most beautiful ceiling mural there that made me investigate. A couple of weeks ago, my friend Diane and I decided to head in to make it one of our “NYC adventures,” as we call them. To be honest, we were more interested in the ceiling than the books.
The bookstore is two stories, nestled in the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, and the ceiling upstairs is a hand-painted mural of the night sky, full of stars, constellations and planets. It is quite impressive, modeled after one created by Franz von Stuck in the music room at the Villas Stuck in Munich, Germany. See a photo of the real thing at this site.
There are several cozy seats scattered about the place, so you can gaze up and rest your feet. There is no restroom, however, so plan accordingly.
You will find a charming children’s section with classic French books (remember “Madeline”?), stuffed animals and the like. The building itself is the Payne Whitney House, a historic mansion that dates to early 1900s, now transformed into offices.
And here’s a note from the website about the sculpture in the lobby:
The centerpiece of the entrance of the building is a replica of Michelangelo’s Young Archer. The original had been in the lobby of the mansion for decades until it was attributed to Michelangelo in 2009. To our knowledge, it is the only statue attributed to Michelangelo on American soil. It is currently on loan at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
I won’t say that Albertine is worth a trip into the city all on its own, but we added lunch at Angelina, a cute French-style café on Lexington near 78th, basically a take-out place, but with a few tables. (FYI, also no restroom.) We had croque monsieurs to keep it in theme and rich mochas with whipped cream. A perfect trip for a gray, drizzly day: an easy afternoon for friends to browse a unique bookstore, savor a delicious lunch, talk and relax. No need to do more.
But the Metropolitan Museum of Art is practically across the street at 82nd, so if you’re there and become overwhelmed, a side trip to quiet Albertine may suit you. I do recommend it. It’s worth it, and so is Angelina.
As a result of that “adventure,” Diane and I are reading “French Women for all Seasons,” a lifestyle/cookbook by Mireille Giuliano (of Cliquot), which is so conversational that you might think Mireille could be a friend of yours. (Lots of recipes and tips with an emphasis on fresh local foods.) We have also talked about a potential trip to Quebec sometime. At the very least, a visit to a local farmer’s market right here in New York.
And that’s how one thing leads to another.
What an interesting read. Thanks for the insight!