Anne-Sophie Jubin of the Alliance Francaise of Minneapolis/St Paul
I had the pleasure of having Anne-Sophie as a teacher of my "Perfectionnement" class at the Alliance Francaise. She is an excellent teacher, and simply lovely, inside and out! If you have ever wanted to work on your French skills, or just have an opportunity to use them, consider a class at the Alliance Francaise! More about that later ... for now let's get to know Anne-Sophie!
Where did you grow up in France?
I grew up in Chalonnes-sur-Loire, a little city near Angers in western France. Chalonnes is a beautiful town located on the Loire river and is part of the Loire Valley UNESCO World Heritage Sites area. It is the perfect place to walk or bike by the river and to enjoy a fresh glass of Rosé d'Anjou ! Later, I moved to Angers to pursue my studies before coming to the United States for the first time.
What is there to see and do in your area?
Depending on your interests, there's a lot of things to do! You can enjoy nature by biking on a stretch of La Loire à Vélo, a bike path of 900 km! When visiting l'Anjou, you have to stop in Angers where you can visit the castle and the old town. The castle is also the home of the Apocalypse Tapestry, which is the biggest medieval tapestry ensemble in the world. I also recommend visiting the cave dwelling village of Rochemenier and on your way there, you should carry on the experience by having lunch in a restaurant troglodyte.
What are the regional specialties in your hometown?
The region is well known for its wine such as Anjou Rouge, Rosé d'Anjou or Saumur-Champigny. It is also where Cointreau was created! If you have a sweet tooth, you will love les Quernons d'Ardoise. It evokes by its color and its form the slate roofs of the region and it is made out of nougatine and chocolate. Un délice !
Do you have favorite restaurants you want to share?
There's a lot of good restaurants in the region ! When I'm in Angers, I like to stop by Les cocottes where they have great food and cocktails. or to share a drink and food with friends at Tonton Foch. Do you have a favorite family recipe you would like to share?
At home, my family likes to bake Le pâté aux prunes which is a plum pie.
For this recipe you need :
125g of water
500g of flour
100g of sugar + some sugar for the plum
250g of butter
1 egg
1 egg yolk
pinch of salt
1kg 500 of greengage plum
Preheat the oven at 180C (355F)
First you need to prepare the pie crust by mixing together the flour, sugar, butter, egg, salt and water. Let the dough rest for an hour and split it in two.
Then butter the pie mold and lay one half of the dough. Sprinkle some sugar on the dough and place the plums. Once you're done with the plums, cover them with the second half of dough and slather it with the egg yolk and create an opening in the center of the pie.
Bake it for 35-40 min.
What brought you to the US and what do you do now?
I have been living in the US for a few years now. First, I lived for two years in Pennsylvania where I was an au pair. In 2018, I came back to the US for an internship at Alliance Française Minneapolis where I am current working as a teacher.
When you go back to France, what is a “must” for you - see, do or eat!
When I go back to France, the first thing I do is to spend time with my family. We like to go to the flea markets and enjoy a walk together.
Do you have any other advice or travel tips for Americans going to France?
France has a lot to offer so I always recommend people to stay in Paris for a short amount of time and discover the country. I love Paris but there are so many beautiful places to visit in France, such as Brittany, la Dordogne and l'Anjou !
Merci mille fois, Anne-Sophie!
Classes at the Alliance Francaise have helped me in so many ways! My French skills have improved, and I have learned so much about current events, history, literature and culture in general. And of course I have met amazing people who share my love for all-things-French! If you are in the Twin Cities area, consider taking a class! There is something for everyone - from intense language learning, to casual conversation, and all types of events.
ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE MPLS/ST PAUL
The Joly Family Center for International Understanding
227 Colfax Avenue N
Minneapolis, MN 55403
www.afmsp.org
612 332 0436
If you are not in the Twin Cities, find your nearest chapter! They are everywhere!