French language classes while here and pre-inscription at a school is required anywhere between 18.00 and 19.00, depending on the company, your level in order to get the visa. and responsibilities. There are several language schools that cater to au pairs and their schedules. They include La Clef and Academie des Langues, both located in St Germain How to find Anglophone companies in ? en Laye. Fortune 500 lists the top 500 American public corporations. The FUSAC magazine could also help identify job openings reserved for English speakers • Declaring au pair to URSSAF or natives www.fusac.fr. Once your au pair has arrived, immatriculation is required under the French Social Security system with URSSAF within 8 days from the start of their work How to sell a foreign experience? as a Stagiaire Aide Familial. You will be required to pay social charges for Such an experience might enhance your adaptability, allow you to become your au pair during the length of their work contract with you. bilingual and multicultural by learning about another culture. • Getting medical coverage through the Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie As their employer, you also need to sign up your au pair at the Caisse 7 Out and About Primaire d’Assurance Maladie (CPAM) for their medical insurance coverage. They will be assigned a temporary Social Security number. a Dinner out - Restaurants in the area FAQs: Children Friendly What is the best time to look for a job? Hippopotamus (www.hippopotamus.fr) in Louveciennes. The beginning of a fiscal year is generally a favorable time (companies have approved their budget). The summer vacation period (July/August) can be Chez Clément (www.chezclement.com): in Bougival is an excellent place for good to get interviews since people can be less busy, but decisions are not lunch with young kids, especially on Saturdays as there’s a ‘babysitter’ with generally made during that period. Other school vacations are not good timing colouring-in activities and bags of sweets when you leave. either, as everything tends to slow down. Courte Paille (www.courtepaille.com). How long does it take on average to find a job? Restaurant des Ibis, on Ile des Ibis in Le Vésinet: the kids can play outside It can vary dramatically (3 months, 6 months, a year…). The recruitment (www.pavillondesibis.fr). process in large corporations is generally longer than in small companies. Les Rives de la Courtille sur l’Ile de Chatou (www.lesrivesdelacourtille.com).

Where to find employment or training events relevant to your sector? How much do I tip the waiter in a restaurant? The APEC and ANPE as well as the job search websites advertise most A 15% tip is already included in the bill. However, depending on the quality of employment events in France and keep up-to-date calendars. You should the service you may leave an additional tip. consult them regularly. See also the “Chambre de Commerce” (for example in Here are a few examples to be used as a guideline only: or Versailles) for training events. In a café (coffee and croissants) you may leave a few cents What about part-time work in France? In a café (bill totals about 30€) you may leave about 1.50€ In a restaurant (bill totals about 80€) you may leave about 4 to 5€ Working part-time is possible in France but usually not compatible with high In a nicer restaurant (bill is about 230€) you may leave about 7 to 12€ profile jobs with high responsibilities. Depending on the sector, employers are more or less open to part-time work. It can be negotiated. There is no general What should I bring when invited to dinner by a French colleague/friend? rule. The same comments apply to home-based work. When you don’t know the person well, flowers are always nice (except for When does a typical day of work start and finish in France? chrysanthemums which are used for funerals, and carnations which are as- sociated with bad luck), a box of chocolates or a chilled bottle of champagne. An average day of work in France starts at 09.00 or 09.30 and can finish

36 Working in France Out & About 37 b Tourist Tips (Tourism) All (all ages), M (Maternelles), P (Primary), S (Secondary) 78 Yvelines The local Tourist Office (Office de Tourisme) is a good place to start when you first arrive in a town. Here you can get maps and lots of valuable information All: Museum P: Theme Park and leaflets. St Germain en Laye Elancourt Museum Départemental Maurice Denis Le Prieuré Departmental Tourist Office: www.ot-saintgermainenlaye.fr www.musee-mauricedenis.fr. www.franceminiature.com Info. Tourism Paris-Ile-de-France: Tel. 08.03.81.80.00: www.paris-ile-de- All: Museum P: Farm - pick your own fruit and animal farm france.com. St Germain en Laye Saint-Cyr, Ferme de Gally Pariscope www.pariscope.fr and l’Officiel des Spectacles, weekly guide to Museum of National Antiquities www.gally.com what’s on in Paris and suburbs. www.musee-antiquitesnationales.fr Parigrammes guides in French and English written by and for Paris lovers M-S-A: Museum All: Museum, Animal farm www.parigramme.com St Germain en Laye Rambouillet Park, Museum Claude Debussy Bergerie Nationale, train museum 78 (Yvelines) www.ot-saintgermainenlaye.fr www.bergerie-nationale.educagri.fr Routes Touristiques en Yvelines: La Route des Ecrivains/des Musiciens/des S-A: Museum All: Forests St Germain en Laye St Germain en Laye Peintres www.jedecouvrelafrance.com Museum Vera Marly-le-Roi www.ot-saintgermainenlaye.fr Rambouillet All: Museum, Castle All: Museum Marly le Roi Croissy-sur- Museum Château de Monte-Cristo La Grenouillère www.chateau-monte-cristo.com http://pagesperso-orange.fr/grenouillere/ pages/french.htm M-S-A: Painter’s house All: Museum Chambourcy Vicq La Roseraie, Maison André Derain Musée d’Art Naif www.yvelines.fr/culturel/musees/3_musee.htm www.midan.org

All: Castle All: Museum and Park Choisel Marly le Roi Le Château de Breteuil and Park Musée promenade www.breteuil.fr www.marlyleroi.fr All: Castle All: Museum Maisons Laffitte Jouy en Josas Château de Maisons Museum of printed fabric www.maisonslaffitte.net/chateau.htm www.jouy-en-josas.fr All: Castle, Park, Museum All: Museum Versailles Poissy Château de Versailles, Trianons and le Petit Hameau Toy museum www.chateauversailles.fr www.ville-poissy.fr M-S-A: Museum All: Wind Surfing Lake Versailles St Quentin en Yvelines Musée Lambinet Base de Loisirs www.musee-lambinet.fr www.bases-loisirs-iledefrance.fr All: Animal Park All: Wildlife Park La Queue les Yvelines Thoiry La Serre aux Papillons, butterfly aviary Parc de Thoiry www.infoparks.com/flashfr/r_parcs/france/parcs/ www.thoiry.net F78003/frameset.htm.

38 Out & About Out & About 39 All (all ages), M (Maternelles), P (Primary), S (Secondary) All (all ages), M (Maternelles), P (Primary), S (Secondary) 75 Paris 94 Val de Marne

P: Bateaux Mouches All: Museum + botanical garden All: Castle P: Park “Croisière Enchantée & Les Lutins Musée d’histoire naturelle (evolution gallery) Vincennes Vincennes Parc Floral Parisiens” www.bateauxparisiens.com Jardin des Plantes Château de Vincennes www.parcfloraldeparis.com www.mnhn.fr www.chateau-vincennes.fr All: Aquatic Park P: Animal Park P: Zoo Aqua Boulevard/Forest Hill Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes Vincennes www.forest-hill.eu/aqb/ www.hominides.com/html/lieux/menagerie- Zoo de Vincennes zoo-jardin-plante-paris.html www.boisdevincennes.com/site/zoo.php3 All: Museum All: Mosque 95 Val d’Oise La Villette, Cité des Sciences and music Mosquée de Paris (+ tea-room and ham- www.cite-sciences.fr mam) M-P: Castle www.mosquee-de-paris.org La Roche Guyon P: Museum All: “Mme Tussaud” Château de la Roche-Guyon Musée de la Poupée (dolls) Musée Grévin www.chateaudelarocheguyon.fr www.museedelapoupeeparis.com www.grevin.com 28 Eure et Loir P: Museum Musée de la Curiosité et de la Magie All: Castle All: Chapel www.museedelamagie.com Anet Dreux P: Theme park Château d’Anet La Chapelle Royale Jardin d'Acclimatation www.chateaudanet.com www.ot-dreux.fr www.jardindacclimatation.fr All: Chartres Town + cathedral 92 Hauts de Seine www.chartres-tourisme.com Malcolm Miller, expert guide 02.37.28.15.58 M-P: Castle All: Park and Circus Rueil Malmaison Villeneuve la Garenne Josephine’s château Chanteraines park 60 Oise www.chateau-malmaison.fr Journée au cirque http://www.villeneuve92.com/cadre-de-vie All: Castle All: City M-P: Museum P: Theme park Compiègne Beauvais cathedral + town Chatou Jardin d’Acclimatation Bois de Boulogne Museum du Château de Compiègne www.cathedrale-beauvais.fr Maison Fournaise www.jardindacclimatation.fr www.musee-chateau-compiegne.fr www.chatou.fr/chatou/ch060603.asp All: Museum All: City All: Indoor rock climbing Chantilly Senlis Pantin and Issy-lès-Moulineaux Musée Condé Cathedral + picturesque town MurMur www.chateaudechantilly.com www.ville-senlis.fr www.murmur.fr All: Museum All: Theme park 93 Seine-Saint Denis Chantilly Parc Asterix Horse museum www.parcasterix.fr All: Stadium All: Museum www.museevivantducheval.fr Saint Denis Le Bourget All: City + art P: Theme park Air museum Auvers-sur Oise Ermenonville www.ville-saint-denis.fr www.mae.org van Gogh’s town Mer de sable All: Church www.auvers-sur-oise.com www.merdesable.fr Saint Denis www.chateau-auvers.fr Basilique de Saint-Denis www.ville-saint-denis.fr

40 Out & About Out & About 41 All (all ages), M (Maternelles), P (Primary), S (Secondary) Bike Tours • Paris à Vélo c’est sympa! 01 48 87 60 01, 22 rue A. Baudin, 75011 Paris. 02 Aisne 80 Somme • Paris à Vélo: biking tour in Paris (day or night): Rita de Cloe (also speaks M-P-S: Museum All: Town Dutch)Tel: 01 42 54 74 51 or 06 29 51 21 85. Blérancourt Amiens • www.Velib.paris.fr FR UK SP: 20 000 cycles in Paris. Franco-American museum Cathedral + Town • www.velo.sncf.com: take your bike on the train! www.museefrancoamerican.fr www.amiens.fr • www.rouelibre.fr: bike rental and biking maps in Paris (by RATP). 27 Eure Good to know: Paris River Seine banks are closed to cars every Sunday from All: Town + museum All: Town 11.00 to 17.00 from Concorde to Pont Paris. So enjoy! Giverny Rouen Maison de Monet + town www.rouentourisme.com Roller blading trips in Paris www.fondation-monet.com www.tourisme.fr/office-de-tourisme/giverny • Families & beginners rando-rollers on Sundays afternoon 14.30 from la Bastille 14 Calvados • www.rollers-coquillages.org: experienced skaters on Friday evenings from 22.00 till 01.00 starts place Raoul Dautry near Tour All: Beach All: Beach Deauville Cabourg • www.pari-roller.com Ideas of day-outs with your family www.tourisme.fr/office-de-tourisme/deauville Memory of Proust • Saint Germain: the castle, walk or bike on the Terrace with a view onto www.tourisme.fr/tourist-office/cabourg Paris, the French and the English Park, the ‘Hôtels Particuliers’. All: Beach All: Beach • Versailles: the park, the Castle, the Trianon, Marie-Antoinette’s hamlet. Trouville Honfleur Picnics possible + restaurants at the Petite Venise (Grand Canal).You can use www.trouvillesurmer.org Picturesque harbour your own bike or rent one. Don’t miss the market in the city, on Sundays. www.ot-honfleur.fr

76 Seine-Maritime Paris Ghost Tour in English Can’t wait for Halloween? ‘Mysteries of Paris’ offer a Paris Ghost Tour, a All: Beach walking tour in English around the center of Paris where you will learn about Etretat www.tourisme.fr/office-de-tourisme/etretat ghosts, vampires, serial killers and other little-known details about the darker side of the City of Light. Not for the faint-hearted, suitable for adults and older students. More information from their website www.mysteriesofparis.com Tours, Guides, Art Tour Groups Ideal playground parks for children in St Germain • Close to Schnapper Primary school, rue Schnapper. Alceis, Marielle Eichwald, tour guide 06.80.61.33.52 • La Charmeraie: take Avenue de Maréchal Foch D190, off St Germain en [email protected] Laye: the park is on your left. Dr. Kelly Spearman tour guide 01.48.78.01.90 • Roller Park: opposite the Administrative Center (Centre Administratif), rue Paris Walks 01.48.09.21.40 Leon Desoyer. [email protected] • Skateboard Park: rue Claude Chappe, close to the RN13. www.walks.com, www.paris-walks.com, • Parc du Château: in Spring and Summer: swings, carousels, pony rides… www.parisbalades.com • ‘Parcours santé’ in St Germain forest, starting close to the ‘Piscine’. AWG’s Friday Tour Group, Nancy Burke 01.47.41.97.82 [email protected]

42 Out & About Out & About 43 c Top 10 places to visit in Paris 7. Sainte Chapelle back to the 12th century Religious and royal architecture: www.sainte-chapelle.monuments-nationaux.fr Start with a general view with the red buses (from Place Charles de Gaulle - + eat at Châtelet + walk along les quais de la Mégisserie for animals and book Etoile) and the Bateaux Mouches on the River Seine (by the ). sellers (bouquinistes). Biking and roller blading is allowed on Sundays on ‘Les Quais”. Don’t forget your RATP map + Paris “l’indispensable” and off you go! 8. Musée Beaubourg - Centre Georges Pompidou www.centrepompidou.fr Modern art + eat on top floor, view over Paris look for the cat tags! + play in 1. Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle, la Grande Galerie de l’Evolution Forum des Halles gardens + have a drink at ‘Le Pied de Cochon’ brasserie: (Entirely renovated museum of natural history) www.mnhn.fr + eat at la www.pieddecochon.com. Mosquée de Paris (delicious couscous, tajines, hamman for adults) www.la-mosquee.com + play at Le Jardin des Plantes Ménageries (old zoo) + 9. Musée du www.louvre.fr look at the plants. Anything you like, great for Egypt + eat at one of the 14 Carrousel’s restaurants www.universal-resto.com + play at the Jardin du Palais Royal with 2. Musée du Moyen Age Cluny (Middle Ages museum) Les Colonnes de Buren (say hello to Molière at la Comédie Française as you www.musee-moyenage.fr + eat at ‘le Square de la Sorbonne’ + play at ‘le pass by). ’. Possible puppet show for children. 10. Cité des Sciences - La Villette www.cite-sciences.fr 3. Musée Jacquemart André (private house, 18th century collection) Everything to do with science + eat there + bike or walk or roller for 4 Kms www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com + eat there at the beautiful ‘salon de thé’ along the Canaux de l’Ourcq, Saint Martin …from Métro Portes de Pantin until or at La Durée (delicious macaroons), Avenue des Champs Elysées you reach the Métro République (tour ‘Au Long des Canaux’. Paris Buissonnier www.laduree.fr + sun-set on the terrace of the Collection Parigramme). www.arc-de-triomphe.monuments-nationaux.fr. d Leisure / Sports / Associations / Birthday Parties 4. Musée Grévin www.grevin.com After school activities (Sports Associations/Music, etc) Entirely renovated museum containing wax sculptures depicting famous characters, similar to Madame Tussaud’s in London + eat at Hard Rock Café Just before school starts again in the fall, go to the Mairie of your city or town 14 bld + Panoramic View over Paris at the Printemps Shop Blvd and ask for information about all sports and activities available during the year. Haussmann 9° floor - Printemps de la Maison + view of the Coupole 19th Register early! Classes fill quickly and it is first come, first served. century, 6° floor Printemps de la maison Look for the ‘Forum des Sports’ and ‘Forum des Associations (La Fête des www.printemps.com/magasins/haussmann. Associations) organized by your town in early September. You should know that very often, you register for the whole school year for each activity, and not 5. Musée Gustave Moreau www.musee-moreau.fr by term (trimester). So be sure that your child is motivated enough to stick with Visit a 19th century artist’s home and atelier + eat it until the end of June! Place Saint Georges with a stopover at Square Biscarre or walk to See page 82. Montmartre via rue Blanche + + view over Paris from Montmartre, it feels just like being in the Amélie Poulain movie. Birthday Parties: some popular places for you to organize your child’s birthday party: 6. Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature www.chassenature.org Close by: Entirely renovated museum, old architecture, new presentation, special tours for kids + eat rue des Archives or at le Marché Antillais near rue de Bretagne/ JumpFun (Marsival 78): 3 - 8 years, www.jumpfun78.com rue de Beauce + play at square du Temple. Ludimax (Villepreux 78): 3 - 8 years, www.ludimax.fr Piscine de St Germain en Laye: www.piscine-stgermain.com

44 Out & About Out & About 45 Ferme de Gally in Bailly: 3 - 10 years. Great for morning or afternoon sessions 2011 with kids - visit the farm or book an activity. www.gally.com 1st January (Saturday) New Year’s Day Nouvel An Acrochats (Plaisir 78) 0 - 8 years, www.acrochats.com Petits Gateaux (St Germain en Laye 78): 6 - 12 years. Cooking classes. 24th April Easter Sunday Pâques e-mail: [email protected] 25th April Easter Monday Lundi de Pâques

Further indoor: 1st May (Sunday) Labour Day Fête du Travail Kapla Center (Paris 11): 4 - 10 years, www.kapla.com/centre_kapla.html 8th May (Sunday) Armistice Day ‘L’Armistice 1945‘ Musée de la Magie (Paris 4): 4 - 12 years 2nd June (Thursday) Ascension Day Ascension www.museedelamagie.com/h_pages/anniversaires.html Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Paris 1): 4 - 6, 7 - 10 years. Activity/art sessions 13th June (Monday) Pentecost Lundi de Pentecôte for children including during school vacations. www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr 14th July (Thursday) Bastille Day Fête Nationale Chateau La Roche-Guyon: 5 - 12, years www.chateaudelarocheguyon.fr (95) 15th August (Monday) Assumption Day L’Assomption Playmobil Funpark (Fresnes 94): 5 - 10 years, www.playmobil-funpark.fr

Further outdoor: Annual Events Jardin d’Acclimatation (Paris 16): 3 - 12 years, www.jardindacclimatation.fr September Herouval: great outdoor play park (bouncy castles, mazes, mini farm, karts, • Journée du Patrimoine 3rd week of September: free entry to many cultural mega slide, and a paddling pool). www.herouval.com sites (like Le Palais de l’Elysée, President’s residence) For older children: www.journeesdupatrimoine.culture.fr • Journée des Associations: Forum des Associations Lazer Quest (Trappes 78): 10+ years. tel: 01 30 49 05 50 • L’Estival + L’Estiv enfants: Music Festival, St Germain en Laye (end of Sep- www.laserquest78.fr.st tember/ beginning of October) www.lestival.net Bowling (Orgeval + Montigny le Bretonneux 78, Paris 16) 5+ years, www.bowling- foch.com October Bowling: www.teaser.fr/~jmpocheau/bowlidf.htm • Les Grandes Eaux Musicales de Versailles from 22 march to 26 October Aquaboulevard: (Montigny le Bretonneux 78, Paris 15): • www.chateauversaillesspectacles.fr/gem.htm www.aquaboulevard.com • White Night in Paris November 8 Others • La Toussaint: families visit cemeteries December a Public Holidays 2010-2011 (Fêtes Nationales - Feriés) • Christmas Lights: see specific subsection January 2010 • Galettes des Rois, (special cake for Epiphany) January 6th 1st November (Monday) All Saint’s Day Toussaint recipe on www.marmiton.org 11th November (Thursday) Armistice Day ‘L’Armistice 1918’ • Sales ‘les Soldes’! 25th December (Saturday) Christmas Day Noël February • Crêpes de la Chandeleur (pancakes) recipe on www.marmiton.org

46 Others Others 47