rdg703

Hey everyone. I'm going to France next spring with my school and I have a few questions--

1) Does anyone have any recommendations for books (fiction or nonfiction-in English) and movies (in French preferably, but English movies about France are good too) to read or watch before my trip? They don't have to be about traveling to France or travel documentary type things, just really anything to get me in a French mindset (sorry if this makes no sense, I hope somebody gets what I mean).

2) What's it like riding the TGV? I've never done any sort of long-distance train travel before, and I'd really appreciate some insight to what it will be like.

I'm sure I'll have more questions as the trip gets closer, but I would REALLY appreciate any advice/answers you all can give me. Thanks!

bozama

" A year in the Merde" by Stephan Clarke , hilarious.

"Marie Antionette" by Antoina Fraser. Excellant book, a must read before VErsailles.

I enjoyed several books on Napoleon and Joshephine.

Movies, are you male or female?? I am female and enjoyed French Kiss for scenery , Amelie, Le Divorse, and Paris J'taime

rdg703

Thanks so much bozama! I am female; thanks for asking for clarification, I hope it helps others as well. I will definitely read and watch everything you suggested. I have actually seen French Kiss and totally agree about the scenery, it was breathtaking. I saw Amélie years ago before I was really old enough to appreciate it, so thanks for reminding me to revisit it.

adrienne

Here's a link to a recent thread on books for France.

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=35122343

You can also search on books or movies here and on lots of other topics. There's so much information on this board.

My book recommendations are:

The Lady and the Unicorn
Pillars of the Earth
French Toast
Me Talk Pretty One Day
A Moveable Feast
Abundance

The TGV will be like any other train. It's about the same as being on a plane but with more room and with scenery. You have a seat similar to a plane seat and look out the window, read a book, talk with friends, listen to your ipod, walk up and down the aisle. Bring snacks/water with you on the ride since food will be expensive on the train.

It's great that you're starting to plan for and anticipate your trip now!

adrienne

I noticed from the teachercanada post that you're studying French and going to the south of France. You might want to get a copy of Lettres de Mon Moulin by Alphonse Daudet. It's a delightful collection of short stories about Provence. You can get it from Amazon.

traveller1959

Yes, bring food, a bottle of wine and plastic glasses on the train - the food which is available on TGVs is overpriced and horrible (quite astonishing, considering that you are in France).

An mp3-player will also be helpful to pass the time.

hhildebrandt

rdg703,

Alphonse Daudet has been named.
He also wrote Tartarin of Tarascon.

Gabriel Chevallier`s Clochenmerle novels also deserve a mention.

Next to Mayle, Marcel Pagnol put le Midi in people´s heads. Do some further research on him and his works, it is worth wile.

Pagnol, M.: My Father´s Glory / My Mother´s Castle
Jean de Florette / Manon des Sources.

For the understanding of the very soul of Paris and France, Hugo, Les Miserables, the book, not the musical.

Put Zola´s Rougon-Macquart series of 20 novels beside your bed.
The Fortune of the Rougons and La conquete de Plassans might be of interest.

Maybe som cooking books on the cuisine provencale might be useful, as some contain also information on the region.

For movies, Les Enfants du Paradis. This one is an introduction to Paris, but it is such a great movie.

If you have the chance to see, Agnes Varda´s Ni Toit ni Loi or Vagabonde, an excellent and sad film - we started with the mere funny point of view.

avalon

You might want to read 60 million Frenchmen can't be wrong by Jean-Benoit Nadeau and Julie Barlow to gain insight into the French personality.

Vttraveler

Some good movies to try
Avenue Montaigne
Paris Je T'Aime
My Best Friend
Before Sunset (great scenes of Paris, not in French)
La Vie en Rose (about Edith Piaf)
A year in Provence--based on the Peter Mayle books, not in French
My Mother's Castle (based on the Pagnal novel mentioned in another post)
The Chorus
Breathless
Au Revoir Les Enfants
The Sorrow and the Pity--documentary about the Nazi occupation of a French village

Some good books
Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland (About Renoir and the Impressionists)
Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris
The Piano Shop on the Left Bank by Thad Carhart
Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik

The Maigret mysteries by Georges Simenon and the Henri Castang mysteries by Nicholas Freeling are also good if you like mysteries. A lot of people also like Cara Black's mysteries set in Paris but I personally am not much of a fan

seafox

Great suggestions from VTtraveller! Perhaps sacrilegious, but you may also look for books on CD....there is a great on on Marie Antoinette - check out ebay for bargains.

ldh

Bookmarking--great recommendations!

adrienne

rdg703 - do not bring wine on the train - you are under age and I'm sure your school will have a strict drinking policy during your trip.

rdg703

Everyone--

Thanks so much for all your posts! I will definitely be checking out as many of your book and movie suggestions as I can. Also, thanks for the info about the TGV (and don't worry adrienne, I have no intention of, or interest in, drinking on the trip at all. I'm 100% sure I would be sent home immediately, and I'm not a drinker anyway). You all have helped a lot!

sheila

Hi there, and welcome.

That was my question about recent books recently. If you click on my name the thread will come up.

I've been reading Fred Vargas's crime books in French, to try to improve my use of the language, and they work for me. I find them easy to read becuase I like them in English. What sort of things do you read in English.

The TGV is comfortable and air conditioned, and has only a few stops, so it's pretty fast. You can buy food on board but it's dear, so you might want to take sandwiches or something.

If you're going to Provence as has been suggested, Magadelene Nabb's books are set there.

Sixty Million Frenchmen can't be wrong is terrific- and written by French Canadiens.

Come back if we can help more.

travelerjan

I totally agree about reading "Sixty Million FRenchmen can't Be Wrong." It will illuminate the French way of thinking SO much, in everyday encounters... they really do (as a people) believe there is one right way to do things, and if you aren't smart enough to know that way, tant pis.

The subtitle of the book is, I think. Why We love France and hate the French -- not a slam at the french but helps you not be surprised when you meet with disapproval of what you are doing or HOW you are doing it.

Also, an older book called "Almost French" by an Aussie who married a Parisian ... again, some of the same insights. Bottom line: don't try to BE french or even THINK french.. just know some of the nuances that will be appreciated.

Anecdote: in Paris with a friend, we were invited to Sunday tea with her second cousin whom she'd never met. Alice wanted to rush right over but I had an instinct & insisted we stop for a nosegay of flowers and a small but fancy cake.

As we entered, met them, and produced our little gifts, Cousin thanked us(without a big smile or anything), and gave a small-but-telling nod -- in her view we had acted correctly.

bilboburgler

One thing you need to prepare for is that your expectations of how to behave will be very different to theirs. So.. it really does matter what you wear, greeting people properley is very important and this means everyone you meet (shops, restaurants, friends), there are special words for close friends and distant friends and since it is the French culture they make the decision.

I stayed in a tiny french hotel for a whole week, skiing with the owner for the whole week. On the 5th day I used his first name rather than Monsieur A at a moment of high drama and I don't think he ever forgave me.

Vttraveler

I thought of another novel set in Provence, The Dream of Scipio by Iain Pears.
I also remembered an earlier thread with book suggestions:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35111533

The only books I know by Magdalen Nabb's are set in Florence--they are very good mysteries that have been reissued recently

I hope we have not overwhelmed you with all the suggestions and that you enjoy the movies and books you choose out of the long list

Underhill

Do a search on Netflix for French films. We've been working our way through them and have enjoyed most very much--especially those with Daniel Auteuil and Gérard Depardieu ("Volver" is extraordinarily beautiful, set around the court of one of the Louis kings). It's been good for our French, too.

cw

Here's a link to the American embassy in Paris where they list the names of movies filmed and/or set in France:

http://www.amb-usa.fr/resources/fran...ies/movies.htm

gladiatrix

Paris: A Biography of a City by Colin Jones. It is a history book from prehistoric times to the present. Not an easy read, but interesting to any history buff!