• SOCRATES est un programme de coopération communautaire en matière d'éducation qui s'articule autour de plusieurs actions, entre autre, COMENIUS.
• Ce programme permet des partenariats entre écoles ou établissements scolaires (bourses d?échanges d?enseignants, bourses de projets pour les établissements scolaires, formation continue pour des enseignants et personnels éducatifs).
• La première rencontre entre les différents membres du projet eut lieu en Espagne (Norena) en septembre 1999. Là, les différents partenaires se sont attachés à définir un thème susceptible d'interpeller les jeunes Européens.
• L'objectif principal de ce projet est d'établir un lien avec les différents sujets enseignés à l'école , quelle que soit la matière. C'est pourquoi nous avons essayé de trouver un thème susceptible d'interpeller quiconque tout en respectant différentes approches : scientifiques, linguistiques, sociales, culturelles, artistiques, etc.
• Nous avons également pris en compte l'utilisation des nouvelles technologies de communications telles que Internet, e-mails ? et le large éventail qu'elles offrent pour améliorer la communication entre les établissements concernés.
• Nous souhaitons, grâce à ce projet, développer chez nos élèves, un esprit critique qui leur permettra de s'adapter aux impératifs de la société moderne. Ainsi, nous suggérons d'élaborer des matériaux didactiques et de trouver le moyen de les faire connaître.
• Ces matériaux pourraient être variés : tableaux muraux, cassettes vidéo, bandes dessinées, pages web, etc. La langue utilisée pour chaque pays membre : l'anglais.

We think that the French are little boring, discreet, strange, etc. maybe because they have strange habits. Their gastronomy is vegetarian enough, their different cheeses are very good, their wine, ... Their cousine is remarkable for their foie gras, Roquefort cheese, calf meet, Gaillac wines, etc. The French take great care of environment, they recycle 75% of waste materials. They have no publicity on TV channels to protect themselves. As regards sports in France, the most popular sport is football, their national team is the world and european champion, they are crazy about football. Basketball, rugby, cycling, tennis, ... are also known. Famous actresses as Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Denueve, ... marked the country. The most famous painters as Vincent Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Degas, their actors: Gerard Depardieu, Laetitia Casta, ... and their films, as "Asterix and Obelix" are the most famous in Spain. Their fashion is one of the best in the world. Their history is also known, for example Juana de Arco, French Revolution,... Their natural parks aren´t natural reserves, are rural heritage. They have high mountains where there are ski slopes. Their mountains are stages in "le tour de France", an unforgettable date in France every year.

I really regret that I do know any French students, but I have got a picture of them in my little brain. I think that girls are very cool ( it is a very cool world lately) and that they try to be really trendy. They spend a lot of time in smart and exclusive shops trying on very expensive stuff, and then they come home and make-up their faces to become similar to Britney Spears. At school they walk proudly through the corridors showing their just bought (too small) blouse or (too short) skirts. Fortunately my little brain has also got a different picture of the French girl. She is very smart and intelegent, she (sometimes) thinks about different stuff than clothes, boys or cosmetics. She is very ambitious and wants to achieve in her life more than a handsome guy. She makes plans for the future,she is sensible and has a lot of friends. Boys, boys, boys... they are such strange creatures, French ones are very sensitive and down to earth and they definitely are not ?chauvinistic pigs? and treat girls in a respectful way. To tell you the truth I hope that they do not think about clothes too much, but i also hope that they at least a little care about the way they look like. To sum up I would really like to have a French mate, because I feel that they are very open and valuable people.

Dear German friends,

It is funny to see that when you think of France, your first idea is men wearing hats. It is not quite right since men, nowadays, do not wear berets anymore except the farmers and the men in the 'Pays Basque', a region of the South-West of France. As you know, Bixente Lizarazu comes from this beautiful region and we are sure you know him quite well since he is the number three of the München football team but he is also one of the World and European champion.

That is right that France is famous for its baguettes and croissants which we often eat at breakfast. We also like chocolate rolls.

As for wine, yes, we drink good wines such as Bordeaux, Pomerol, Saint-Emilion, Beaujolais and champagne. Drinking wines is one of our favourite pleasures but we are quite reasonable.

Paris is the capital city of France but also the capital city of fashion. Who doesn't know Chanel, Dior, Paco Rabanne, Jean-Paul Gaultier ? Of course, the clothes they design are very expensive and we, students, can't afford them. We prefer jeans and other brands such as Reebok, Adidas, Nike and so on even if they are a lot expensive too.

French people don't seem always friendly and you can think that we are a bit conceited but it is chiefly due to our shyness. We do not dare to do the first step. Nevertheless, we are glad to communicate with you.

We wish you a happy New Year

First of all, we want to thank you because you think we are nice. Yes, the French are sometimes nice. We like meeting new people, discovering new customs but the first contact is sometimes difficult since we are rather shy and do not always dare to speak another language. But what is sure is that we discovered Polish students thanks to an exchange between our school and one in Gdansk. It was marvellous and we got on well with our new friends. We have just come back from Poland where we spent about fifteen days. All we can say is that we hope to go back in your country very soon.

It is surprising that you could think that we are romantic and passionate. In fact, some French are, others are not. This idea is certainly due to our culture with the romantic writers and poets of the nineteen century. Nevertheless, we can confirm that we are not so romantic as you believed. In fact, it depends on the personality of the person.

Paris is said to be a romantic town. Well, we agree. Paris is actually an extraordinary town and some neighbourhoods such as Montmartre are well-known since it was the very place where romantic artists used to meet. Paris is not only the Eiffel Tower, Paris is also rich for its architecture, its fabulous monuments, its museums, its Avenues and so on? It would be too long to make a list.

We wish you a happy New Year.

Students from a catering class.

We're writing back to you because we want you to know us better and suppress the prejudices you may have against us.

We're not boring, we like having fun, we're fond of team sports, especially football and rugby, but we're also keen on tennis and handball.

We enjoy partying, especially in discos on Saturday nights.

We're fond of our food. Our cheeses are very good, and so are our wines. We're not anymore vegetarian than any other; we eat a lot of meat such as lamb, rabbit or beef.

It's true that we care more and more about our environment. There are more and more big containers in the streets to recycle glass, paper, cardboard and plastic; but other countries have started such actions before us, Germany for example.

Winning the World and European title was fantastic for us. The French were more united. Now we support our nation and celebrate our victories all together.

In our region, some clubs were successful too, for example Limoges with its basketball team ; they won the European title last year. Brive has also a very good rugby team that won the French Championship.

As for cinema, Catherine Deneuve and Brigitte Bardot don't belong to our generation any longer; we prefer Sophie Marceau. It's true that Gérard Depardieu is a star; Laeticia Casta is becoming one too.

You're right, we spend a lot of money, especially to buy food and clothes.

Friendship and hospitality are among our greatest qualities. We're shy when we don?t know the other person ; that's why it's difficult for us to make the first move.

We set very high standards to ourselves concerning work.

Cooking is our favourite hobby. Our food is very good. Our gastronomy offers a wide diversity, and is well-known all over the world. Your pastas are undoubetdly delicious, it's one of your specialities ; invite us to your place so that we can have taste !

Paris is a wonderful city. But we also have other cultural and tourist sites : mountains, the sea and the ocean, the countryside. We have conservation areas as well : the Mont Saint Michel, other cities that are very famous all over the world such as Cannes or Saint-Tropez, and amusement parks like the Futuroscope in Poitiers, Parc Astérix or Disneyland. There are bidets and bath tubes in our bathrooms, but we prefer using shower cubicles ; they're handier and quicker.

The French breakfast is very different from yours ; our coffee is very tasty compared to the German or Welsh ones.

We hope this will help you to understand us better. We also hope we?ll have the chance of being introduced to each other. We wish to meet you to prove you that we?re nice young people.

Bye.

You think that French people wear berets but it is not really right. Not many French men wear this type of hat except in the 'Pays Basque', a region of the South-West of France well-known for its beautiful town, Biarritz.

Some old men still wear berets, chiefly the farmers.

You are right when you think that French girls like wearing tight trousers and stripy T-shirts, but the youngsters' favourite clothes are also Levi's jeans, large trousers (Dready), large sweat-shirts, tracksuits and sneakers from famous brands such as Lacoste, Reebok, Kappa, Nike, Adidas and so on.

Now, you are quite wrong when you say that French women do not shave their legs or under their arms. We, French girls and women, care about our physical appearance.

You know that French cooking is famous all around the world but we must say that our 'baguettes' are less good than before because they are more and more industrial. It's a pity but that's life.

Onions are often used in French cooking to make stews, sauces, soups, tarts, omelettes and other dishes. Moreover, onions are good for health.

As for snails and frog's legs, we must say that we do not often eat them. We rather have them during important feasts like Christmas, the New Year or at the restaurants. These dishes are rather expensive.

France is not a hot and sunny country except in the South-East, the Côte d'Azur. But in the Limousin, the region where we live, it often rains, you know.

At last, like you, when we think of Paris, the first image which comes to our mind is the Eiffel Tower. Yet, Paris is not only that. Paris is also known for the Champs Elysée avenue, the Louvre, Versaille, etc

Well, we forgot something ! French people are not always friendly. In fact, it depends on their personality, their mood. But we think it is the same for other Europeans. Yet, our class is friendly, nice and above all very pleased to communicate with you.

We all wish you a happy New Year.

Love from the students of the class "Tle BEP MDC"