1967-68, Strasbourg
62
(details) our building, President Edwards Avenue, we were on the top floor, with the terrace, 5 rooms 130 m2.
a garage on the ground floor was used as a playroom
, with its large door open to the sun and a common courtyard
Strasbourg, circa 8/7/67
...our installation is superb, we live in the most beautiful house in Strasbourg, in the most beautiful district of Strasbourg. We are still a little overwhelmed by the number of things that we have moved fromHastière. We are awakened in the morning by the cries of the cleaning of the Orangery, it is very poetic. We will come to you towards the end of the month...
(details)
Orangery
Claude's card to my parents
Strasbourg, around 30/8/67
We discover the Vosges, the children walk well and Renaud is very well used to community life. The first week of Strasbourg was the week of installation and tourism, and everything was beautiful and fun. (in fact the box-garage transformed) is a wonder, it seems, for the elderly (they set up the train there, it's also going to make Renaud happy to play there while the brothers are at school)And the Orangery full of seduction for Renaud...
Letter from Frédéric to Granie
Strasbourgon Monday, 4/9/67
At the Mass in Strasbourg Cathedral, Mass is said in Latin, French and German. L í épistore was spoken in German and the Gospel in French.
Yesterday I saw dozens of DC8 landings from UTA. Near us there is an aerobics, I look at the paratroopers who are dropped from a Dragon, and the drop of the gliders...
Letter from Claude to his parents
Strasbourg, around mid-September 1967
...the wonderful summer full of sunshine continued in Alsace until today...so we went with our picnic to the Rhine pool – it's a very nice swimming pool with lots of green spaces.
The house is starting to be set up, Renaud and Martin go to the park alone with their hands in their hand. But Frédéric and Christophe don't look at the Orangerie, but they are a big part of their time in this playroom from the bottom that is quite pleasant...
Letter from Claude to his parents
Strasbourg, autumn 67
...Here it goes, no "pearl" to help me but I am a champion of the organization, fortunately otherwise I would succumb. Everyone starts to have his life well in place. Yves on a trip to Paris on a terrible occasion. This week (starts in the morning, returns in the evening) and Tuesday night departure for Cadarache near Marseilles where he returns Saturday. He almost every week to Chooz. It is the "conference" disease of the century, it absorbs part of their living forces. But it seems that it will calm down...
For me, I put Renaud at the "children's stop", daycare from 8am to noon or 2h to 6h, once or twice a week and during that time I do my shopping and then I will do sports or social activities using this means. I have spotted a yoga course, I think I will register.
To my surprise I saw that Miss Erb's class still existed!
I need to do gymnastics.
We also found teams of young households sponsored by Dominicans. Saturday we have a meeting with a Father to make contact. I think it must be interesting.
As for the children, Frédéric is lucky to be in the same class. (Kleber school) and next to a certain Alain Raynal (the son of the direct boss d'Yves) a chattery and dynamic boy who trains Frédéric to the pool and tennis. Thus this morning Frédéric left at 8 a.m. with the service driver of the EDF and went to do some sports with his comrade. J-a also saw if there were scouts in the parish, but the troops looked very full and it was waiting.
And I have enrolled Frédéric and Christophe in a music school that will take them all Monday when leaving class. The method is quite curious. They learn to read the music using a kind of musical instrument d'étude (it's a flute with piano touches) and after 6 months they choose their instrument (apparently it will be guitar or flute). All the instruments are lent to them in the first year., so if they don't have any disposition, there is no remorse to what they abandon.
Christophe and Martin will probably go to the Louveteaux du Collège
(St. Etienne College, Strasbourg)
You see I have the craving for a good integration into Strasbourg life.
My material life is very simplified by the park in front of the house (y-y brings Renaud on average 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the afternoon, and I read novels on a bench where I walk quietly with the chicken that trots next door, by my car, by the suppliers (mouth and grocer) who can deliver to home, by the school EDF shuttles that take the children to school.
I hope that we will soon find help. I have alerted several placement offices in vain. When we know some people in Strasbourg, it will also be easier, by friends.
Renaud is very nice, always enthusiastic when he sees trains. He plays in the park with bucket and shovel, and he is very happy when I take him to the children's stop, he does not cry and plays with other children. I am glad to see him so so sociable....
PSJ has a beautiful washing machine Philips, a wonderful one that washes very well and does not use the linen.
Letter from Claude to his parents
Strasbourg, December 1967
Here everything is fine, I can't find a proper dentist for Frédéric's device and it's boring...
Letter from Claude to his parents
Strasbourg, circa May 1968
...Frédéric went on a little strike
(It's the time of May 68 with strikes everywhere, and few classes) from time to time to go to Kibbitzenau
(c's the pool), really it is time to change the spirit of teaching – where children are stupid by passivity and where they have no sense of teamwork and friendly cooperation with their teacher. I think there is a good thing that so-called new schools could have imposed some of their methods.
We are at home without Christophe – this one is in outdoor class with St. Stephen's College. We went to see him on Sunday because it was the day of parents – they obviously didn't have the right to go visit their offspring any day and at any time of fear of disturbing the lives of schoolchildren. We arrived at 800 m above sea level in lost Vosges – a large chalet in the mountain and fir trees. Christophe had an angina and was in the infirmary. He looked very happy because they were in a nice room and if there had been television telling us that everyone would have gotten sick so nice to be between friends and play cards and at 1000 other games, and then the chef read them stories.
The children are supervised by their mistress, who gives them a class from 8 am to noon and from 6 am to 7 am in the evening. The rest of the time from 1 am to 6 am are young girls like cheftains who take them on a walk and organize the games. One day out of two they make 10 to 15 km in the afternoon and Christophe told us that now he likes to walk, what a metamorphosis. That said, now Christophe is very well, he wrote that he was cured.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, Frédéric and Martin were out for the whole day with scouts and cubs. Frédéric tells us that during their outings we have fun. We lie down at 1 a.m. after scratching the guitar. There is no more untouchable leader, the chefs are elected and the great chefs are called by their first name.
And at Martin who by his character always takes everything to the drama, it is also the joy that prevails. Yesterday Thursday the chefs had said "bring the skates to roulette and those who do not know will be taught to them". All the pack went on a skate 3km away, the chefs pushing and pulling those who did not hold in balance.
1st decision, transfer of the equipment to production on 1 January 1967
Second decision, which postponed the transfer to 1 April 1967
Decision affecting me at Valenciennes Thermal Production Group
Amendment, which affects me at the Thermal Production Group in Strasbourg, where I actually settle on 1 July 1967
This change is due to the fact that the operation of the Chooz power plant is entrusted to Strasbourg instead of Valenciennes