Join us for a Safe Adventure at  . . . .                    

 The LATITUDE Cultural Center:

Learning holidays in the countryside of southwest France, near Cahors

 La Toulzanie        46330 ST MARTIN LABOUVAL             France

Phone from the U.S.:  (011) 33 5 65 31 21 03          Phone from France:  05 65 31 21 03

U.S. office:      E. Barbara Phillips, Director,  1043 Oxford St., Berkeley, CA 94707   (510) 525-8436 (Oct. 1- May 15)

e-mail from everywhere: barbara@latitude.org

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The 14th century Moulin de La Toulzanie, 
Latitude's headquarters, 45 km east of Cahors in the Lot Valley

Latitude in a nutshell...

...en un mot

WHAT IS LATITUDE? Latitude is a unique cultural center located in one of the most idyllic places in the world:  the never-industrialized, unspoiled, Lot Valley in SW France. Latitude has a multinational  Board of Directors, all of whom live  at least part-time in the Lot Valley.  It hosts week-long workshops and courses in June thru mid-July plus a summer series of  free, public, evening talks & events.

Many kinds of learning vacations exist--from cruises to fully-planned bus tours. Latitude  aims to provide a safe adventure with a mix of planned activities and unplanned time for people to explore the area. In addition, Latitude aims to (1) transcend  traditional boundaries of politics, scholarship, & culture, and  to (2) provide a tranquil setting  where people of various ages, social backgrounds, & nationalities come together  in conversation & community (often over Slow Food).

 Join us for a Total IMMERSION EXPERIENCE! When courses are offered in the French language (July 12-19 in 2008), participants speak French all the time -- during meals,  class, conferences, meetings with neighbors, and excursions. Students and teachers of French and  Francophiles may be particularly interested in this enriching experience..


WHERE IS LATITUDE? Latitude  sits at the edge of the river Lot about 625 km SE of Paris, about 80 miles N of the Toulouse airport, & 45 km  E of Cahors. Framed by limestone cliffs & a fairytale castle, Latitude sits in La Toulzanie, an ancient hamlet with a bus stop and no commerce! Latitude's headquarters is a 14th century mill. Although remote & tiny (pop.: about 30-40 in summer), La Toulzanie is mentioned in guidebooks  due to its semi-troglodyte homes & glorious scenery. It lies 15 minutes away from the cave paintings at Pech-Merle and  the superbly-restored medieval village of St. Cirq Lapopie.  And, the Lot is a foodie paradise!  

For a soupçon of Things to Do in the area, please visit http://www.rural-france.com/ThingsToDo.htm. This website  is full of tips on good restaurants as well as points of interest and nearby activities for adults and kids.
COURSES  run from late Saturday afternoon (when participants register) to the following Saturday morning, after breakfast. There is  no instruction on Saturday.   Per course,  there are 15 hours of instruction, allowing ample time to explore the countryside or  just relax. Most teachers  at Latitude are US & European university professors and/or  local and international experts & artists.  Participants  come from as far as Senegal, Oklahoma, & the UK & as near as two doors away.  Latitude's offerings cover a wide range of topics -- but do not include classes in language learning. 

Note on meals:  We are very very pleased to announce that gourmet cooks will be preparing memorable, Slow Food at Latitude in 2008!!!!  Sisters Debra and Daney Dawson will be our cooks this summer. After living in France in the early 1970s, they settled in Mendocino with their French husbands, together founding the Café de la Grange, a French cabaret and bistro. Daney lived in France for four years and worked in various fine restaurants.  Debra went on to play a mean fiddle, open the legendary Little River Café (in Little River, CA), then the restaurant at Navarro Ridge Inn in Northern California. Later, Debra became a  caterer, author of The Good Thyme Herb Blends cookbook, a  teacher, and  a host of "Grassroots Gourmet, " a regular radio program on KXYX & Z, Mendocino County Public Broadcasting.  Together again as a team, they will create memorable, gourmet meals! For more information, please visit www.goodthyme.com/catering

CONFERENCES, EVENTS  There's a  series of evening conferences and events which are free and open to the public. In summer 2008 there will be  many events, ranging from a guitar jam session and a discussion of  rural development  to a  movie about a local woman made. In 2006, in appreciation for its cultural contribution to the Lot, , le Conseil General (the elected  administrative body of the Lot)  gave a grant to Latitude to continue its conference series. (For details, click on the Conferences page at the left.)


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Courses,  2008

 

June 7-14:  2 classes

 (1)  Southwest French Cuisine Workshop: Rustic and Romantic

Instructors: Yvette Soursou and Françoise Griffin. Yvette Soursou has lived in the Lot Valley all her life and enjoys a well-deserved reputation for her culinary skills. Her recipes are drawn from centuries of local tradition. She has received accolades from literally thousands of diners at local events, including village festivals and hunt dinners. She does not speak English, but bilingual Francoise Griffin, an excellent cook in her own right and a former teacher at Latitude, will be translating and explaining, in English. Françoise, originally from Paris, now lives in the Lot all year.

This hands-on, cooking course will feature local specialties, such as duck with prunes, paté d'Yvette, salad with Roquefort and walnuts, vegetable soups, and “aligot” (a potato dish featured in the  Aveyron, the nearby department  best-known for “The Wild Child”). There will also be a visit to a local market on Sunday morning.



(2) Wine Tasting and Discovery

Instructor: Agathe Thuillier, bilingual oenologist with a good nose and art-gallery director. This class features wines from southwest France, much less known globally than wines from the Loire, Burgundy, and Bordeaux. Agathe, who now lives in the Lot all year, will guide us through tastings and a history of wine plus a look at the future of vines in the area. There will be an extra charge for tasting fine wines of 30 euros.


June 14-21-- 3 classes!

(1) Music Music Music!!!!  Music in a Jugular Vein

Facilitator: Bebo White,  Director, the California Jug Band Association (www.jugfest.org) who also plays with the Tarantulas Jug Band (www.demtarantulas.com). Bebo, also physics professor emerita, Stanford University and first-rate Bar-B-Qer,  promises a down-home Carolina Bar-B-Q during the week!

Jug band is a unique genre of American "roots music" from the 1920's and 30's. It  has influenced blues, jazz, and rock 'n' roll. Usually, it's  described as acoustic, foot stomping, old-time, ragtime/ anytime music guaranteed to bring a smile. It's played on a wide variety of  impromptu (e.g., jugs, washboard, spoons) and homemade (e.g., washtub bass) instruments. There is currently a resurgence of interest in jug band music with bands and festivals appearing worldwide, particularly  in Japan.  France has long been  a popular topic in  jug band songs with such lines as this: "I'm gonna stop by France and give them women a chance" (France Blues, 1927).

This course is going to examine the history of jug band music and what makes it so unique. In reality, it will just be a good excuse to make a lot of music, learn a lot of new songs, create some instruments, and have a great time. Attendees will certainly come away knowing how to play the jug. ("If you can't play the jug, you can't play with me!" [Memphis Jug Band, 1934]). Maybe some French jug bands will show up!

(2) Art & Creativity Workshop: Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
 Instructor: Serge Marc Lazard. Serge is bilingual, having lived and taught in the U.S. for over 20 years. He presently calls Paris home. This course is based on Dr. Betty Edwards' work with art students. She observed that her students could copy a picture much better if the original was placed upside down. Her own observations, together with brain research by a Nobel laureate and others, led to Edwards's development of a new way of seeing-- and teaching. This workshop will be based on individual coaching and drawing. Marc states that "The exhilaration of creating fine, realistic drawings in a surprisingly short time cannot be overstated."

(3) Creative Loitering in the Lot: A Photography Workshop. Instructor:  Jeff Berner. Jeff has a gift for getting photographers of all levels to "see" differently. An experienced and encouraging teacher, Jeff now calls Paris and Northern California home. Visit his website--  www.jeffberner.com -- for more information about Jeff and his work.


June 21-28    2 classes

(1) : Painting the Colors & Textures of Southwest France: A Watercolor Workshop
Instructor: Rob O'Brien, who taught at Latitude in 2006, returns to offer another watercolor workshop. Rob has garnered  many honors from New England , where he lives--and for good reason!


(2) A Taste of Southwest France
 Instructor: E. Barbara Phillips, professor emerita, San Francisco State University, and founder/director, Latitude. This is meant to be an introduction to the Lot. It features visits to the castle across the river from Latitude, the 20,000 +year-old cave paintings at Pech-Merle, wineries, a local market, and a medieval walkabout. There will also be discussions ranging from  the meanings and local  traditions of family and food  to the history of the never-industrialized area.



                July 12-19:  TOTAL IMMERSION IN FRENCH WEEK

 MORNING AND AFTERNOON CLASSES, IN FRENCH, PLUS MEALTIMES RESTRICTED TO THE FRENCH LANGUAGE

(1) Mornings: L'invention de l'art moderne: De Gaugin au surréalisme
 Instructor: Renée Morel, Ph.D. Candidate, UC Berkeley.This will be her 7th time teaching at Latitude. She is revered as a terrific teacher who is very organized, speaks clearly and knowledgeably, and who  invites questions. ( Course outline on Courses, 2008 page.)


(2)  Afternoons:  Potpourri
Instructors: Jean-Pierre Nouveau, head of Maisons Paysannes de la France in Quercy; Agathe Thuillier, oenologist and art gallery proprietor; Paul Verdier, Ph.D., Comparative Literature, and expert on local history, and Christine DaBlanc, a politically-active mother and grandmother, will lead discussions (and some will show slides) on a variety of topics, ranging from local architecture to child-rearing practices and the future of the wine trade in France. If you have any questions about French customs, this will be a good  time to get the informed opinions  of  various knowledgeable people; most summer in the Lot but live in bigger cities, such as Paris and Clermont-Ferrand. (Agathe lives nearby full-time but grew up in the North of France.)

Our speakers do NOT have a local accent, which can be difficult for non-Lotois to understand. (Many older residents also speak Occitan, the language of the troubadours.) However, participants will have an opportunity to speak with some Lotois during the week.
        
Notes: (1) There's a stipend available for this week--for either course-- in honor of Latitiude supporter  Leila May and the memory of Theo Steele.. See below. (2) The  July 13 fireworks in Cahors may be of special interest to participants.
 

COSTS The cost of your week at Latitude will vary according to the accommodation you choose (and what's available when you book) and any supplemental charges for the course you wish to attend (e.g., transport, special wine-tasting fees).

The cost per person, per course, based on double occupancy, depends on your lodging choice :  For  Superior  rooms the cost is $1700 per person.. For  Standard rooms, the cost is  $1350. per person.

SINGLE OCCUPANCY: Please add $420 for single occupancy of superior double bedrooms. Add  $310 for single occupancy of  standard bedrooms.  
Thus,  if staying  in  Superior lodging, the total week's total cost (lodging, instruction, meals)  is $2120.   In a standard room, the week's total is $1660.  Add $450 if taking 2 courses in the same week.

 Gites and B&Bs: Most are ranked as Superior lodging, but  some have rooms rated Standard.  Single supplements apply.

What's included in the cost: 15 hours of instruction*, lodging, most meals (6.5 breakfasts; 5 lunches, 5 dinners, including a special Au Revoir Dinner), swimming pool, gardens,  rowboat, fishing gear, and waterfall on the premises, plus any on-site reading materials. There is a wi-fi " hot spot" at your disposal too. (Please note: On the free day,Wednesday, there will be a .5 breakfast-- only coffee, tea, and/or juice served.)

FOR THE TOTAL IMMERSION WEEK:   If you register for 2 courses during the same week, add $450 to your total.

What's not included:  Supplemental fees listed with each course (e.g.,transport ); travel to/from Latitude;  4 meals  (Sunday dinner; Wednesday breakfast,  lunch, & dinner); course equipment (e.g., watercolors), supplement for single room  (price depends on lodging choice); lodging/meals for accompanying friends not attending the course (which can be arranged);  travel & medical insurance (highly recommended);  car rental (also highly recommended; Latitude is on a bus line but it is in "la France profonde," which means, in part, remote!) & personal items.
  
Stipends: To encourage a mix of participants, a limited number of stipends are available to full-time college students & to lower-income persons. In memory of LatitudinaleTheo Steele, a partial scholarship of $300  will be awarded for either course during French immersion week, 2008.  Another stipend, also for $300, is offered in 2008 to honor Leila May, long-time supporter of Latitude who is celebrating a special birthday.

To be eligible for a stipend, you must register BEFORE January 15, 2008. Latitude staff reserves the right to choose stipendees. To encourage local participation, there is also a special rate available for participants living within a 50 km radius of Latitude and who travel home daily.


Lodging:  Participants stay  at  Latitude, nearby gîtes (fully-equipped, rental  homes), and/or B&Bs.   There are two levels of accommodation: Superior and Standard.  Typically, Superior  rooms are very tastefully furnished with private bathrooms. Standard rooms have private or semi-private bathrooms & are nicely furnished.


Rooms are assigned upon deposit.  Non-refundable deposits are $300 and due upon reservation (application). Total is due on or before April 15.  Note: The mill bedrooms and the riverside hangar bedroom (with its own clawfoot tub and balcony and electric w.c.)  are considered the most desirable accommodations. If you wish to stay there, sign up early!

For 2008: Based on double occupancy, the total cost (NOT including possible extras, such as transport fees) for the week  is as follows: Superior --  $1700; Standard -- $1350.

SINGLE OCCUPANCY: Please add $420 for single occupancy of mill double bedrooms and hangar riverside bedroom. Add  $310 for single occupancy of the two other hangar bedrooms.   Thus,  if staying  in  Superior lodging (such as the mill double or queen bedrooms), the total week's total cost (lodging, instruction, meals) for single occupancy is $2120.   In a standard room, the week's total is $1660. (The euro -dollar or pound rate fluctuates.)

Currency: Participants may pay in U.S. dollars or in euros. (American participants are encouraged to pay for as much as they can in the U.S., given the strong euro at the time of this writing.)

Contact in France:  Upon receipt of payment, participants will be given a contact person/phone number in France.

Suggested Reading
Among the gazillions of books about France, here are some of our favorites:

                       
about the Department of the Lot:   poet W.S. Merwin's The Lost Upland:  Stories of Southwest France (1993)
  Michael S. Sanders, From Here You Can't See Paris   (2002) and  Families of the Vine (2005)
  The Dordogne & Perigord, activity and leisure holiday guides (2001, in English, Hachette UK; includes  fairs & markets)

 about Paris:  Leonard Pitt's Walks Through Lost Paris: A Journey Into the Heart of Historic Paris (2006, Shoemaker & Hoard). A then-and-now photographic treasure of pre-Haussman and modern Paris.

general background:  Theodore Zeldin, The French (1983)
 about Americans in France  Jeffrey Greene, French Spirits (2002)

about the history of French cuisine : Barbara Ketcham Wheaton, Savoring the Past: The French Kitchen and Table from 1300 to 1789  (1996)
Spang, Rebecca L,. The Invention of the  Restaurant: Paris and Modern Gastronomic Culture (2000)
Mennell, Stephen,  All Manners of Food: Eating and Taste in England and France from the Middle Ages to the Present (1996)

and, in a class by itself if you're touring.... and it's a paperback for easy packing!
Ina Caro, The Road from the Past: Traveling through History in France (1996)

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