La fondation des Etats-Unis
Thursday, November 26, 2009 Publié par Eric Tenin
I already mentioned several times the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, a campus located in the 14th arrondissement where 40 student residences have been built between the two world wars. One of them is La Fondation des Etats-Unis, it was built between 1928 and 1930 by French architect Pierre Leprince-Ringuet and financed by American surgeon Homer Gage - and a few other people...). I passed by it today and I noticed it for the first time, due to traffic congestion! To get a room there you must be American and fulfill a few other criteria... Check for yourself! Believe me, it looks great.
November 26, 2009 12:39:00 AM GMT+01:00
Hi Eric,
This is so interesting, I never realized places like this ever existed.
It does look like a very nice place indeed.
November 26, 2009 1:03:00 AM GMT+01:00
It does look great. Seeing as the only way I will probably get to live in Paris one day is as a student, it is nice to know at least this University has such nice housing!
Eric, Regarding what you wrote yesterday, I have a question about common or average working hours for Parisians. I've heard several times that most French workers' work week is about 32-36 hours. Is that true? If so, is you work life in the "norm" or is it as it seems, a bit more demanding of your time than that. It is common here to work 40 hours, but professionals and management folks often work 50-60 hours per week in salaried (rather than hourly paying) positions. Thanks if you can comment about this.
-Kim
November 26, 2009 1:05:00 AM GMT+01:00
I just checked out the site you have linked here. Unfortunately I am ineligible since I am older than 29!
oh well, next life!
November 26, 2009 1:41:00 AM GMT+01:00
Lily, I'm too old as well. And there's the minor consideration that I'm not in school. Otherwise, I'd apply!
November 26, 2009 3:16:00 AM GMT+01:00
Super!I stayed there my first two weeks in Paris as a student! It was nice because there were tons of other nationalities as well. It was also very affordable at the time.
Ah, les souvenirs!Sope
November 26, 2009 4:40:00 AM GMT+01:00
What interesting information, Eric! I'd love to check it out - not to stay, but it looks like such a hotbed of international ferment. I love that kind of thing. Thanks once more for another interesting tidbit about Paris.
November 26, 2009 4:42:00 AM GMT+01:00
PS, happy Thanksgiving to everyone who celebrates it -- wherever you may be!!
November 26, 2009 4:42:00 AM GMT+01:00
Petrea - cool new photo - I just noticed it!! Happy turkey day to you and yours.
November 26, 2009 4:43:00 AM GMT+01:00
Yeah, this ship has sailed for me as well. However, I'm surprised I never met anyone who lived here when I lived in Paris. I'm always learning something from you, Eric. And Happy Thanksgiving to all you PDPers in les Etats-Unis!
November 26, 2009 5:38:00 AM GMT+01:00
Happy Thanksgiving to all of the PDP community all around the globe!! May we all wake up someday soon in the city we all love..Paris, bien sur!! Le jour de l'Action de grâce!
November 26, 2009 6:22:00 AM GMT+01:00
WEll I can't bunk here either!! C'est dommage. ( Now that's one of my few French sayings and I do like to drop it wheneve possible! :)
Happy Thanksgiving to all the ex pats in Paris! Gobble Gobble! And may I add that I consider all my French friends and wanna be Frenchies as blessings this Thanksgiving Day as well! That includes you "Boss"!
V
November 26, 2009 6:56:00 AM GMT+01:00
It's Thankgiving??
;) only kidding
Happy turkey eating!
Wish I'd seen your site before I went to Paris Eric, I would have known so much more about it. But now I'm more prepared for next time.
November 26, 2009 7:58:00 AM GMT+01:00
Just thought about my first "jour du merci donnant" in Paris (I'd been there about a month), going home with a container of yogurt (sad) and encountering a flasher (even sadder), whom (fueled by extreme anger) I pushed into the street (felt so much better). Things did improve after that, when I discovered Chez Haynes (not so very far from your neighborhood, I believe, Eric).
November 26, 2009 1:51:00 PM GMT+01:00
That's an appropriate photo for an American big day. I'd feel almost American today! Happy thanksgiving to you, then ;)
November 26, 2009 2:00:00 PM GMT+01:00
Ah, La cité Universitaire! It's kind of a dream for the people studying in Paris. It's such a big pleasant community. Not to forget that the prices are under the average prices in Paris for accomodations...
A friend of mine from Oslo stayed there last year, in the Norwegian house first and then he was allowed to pick another house!
All the buildings are different and really beautiful. Never noticed the Fondation des Etats Unis before though. Not for me, I am too French to be eligible!
November 26, 2009 4:38:00 PM GMT+01:00
Alexa, I'm proud of you for pushing the coward into the street! I doubt I would have had the nerve.
Hi Guille!
November 26, 2009 5:00:00 PM GMT+01:00
I´ll take the opportunity of this Etas-Unis post to wish all my american friends a Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Sorry for not responding yesterday comments, don´t want to rub in, but I was busy having a french dinner! (I know, I know, french lunch, french dinner..... I don´t deserve that much!)
;)
November 26, 2009 5:10:00 PM GMT+01:00
Alas, I, too, am way past the age limit. Wish there was someplace similar for us old farts.
Happy Thanksgiving to all the PDPers. May your dinde be delicious, and you haricots verts swimming in Campbell's mushroom soup and French's Fried Onions. I will be giving thanks for dear Eric and the wonderful PDP community.
November 26, 2009 5:20:00 PM GMT+01:00
Yes, the photo subject is appropriate for Thanksgiving Day. (And traffic congestion is a connection among all of us!)
Guille--you're French?
November 26, 2009 7:07:00 PM GMT+01:00
It may sounds silly but I love reading your enthusiasm ;)
I'll think of you, between today and this Sunday as I guess you won't all be able to celebrate it tonight. Yummy!
November 26, 2009 9:38:00 PM GMT+01:00
So your all saying that me, my lovely wife and our pug Chester could not get away with moving in here? Haha....
Regardless, have a great Thanksgiving...the bird is ready to begin basting here in about 30 minutes...I'd better get off the computer!
Sean
November 26, 2009 9:56:00 PM GMT+01:00
aLEXA, i AM STILL LAUGHING AT YOUR STORY, AND mS. vANDERTRAMP,HOW did that haricot verts recipe make it into all of our homes????
I haven't regurgitated yet, Eric, but a second day here in Milan has me on the verge as I don't get here as often as CDG, so I am making up for lost time when I eat.
Michael, did you have potatoes with that exotic cheese sauce this Thanksgiving?
November 26, 2009 11:35:00 PM GMT+01:00
Happy thanksgiving everyone. Thank you for your wishes. We don't celebrate much here as we have no pilgrims heritage but we still love turkey ;-)
November 27, 2009 4:02:00 AM GMT+01:00
Thanks to everyone for all the good wishes. I hope they came true for you all!
December 22, 2009 9:57:00 AM GMT+01:00
I lived there for 6 months, it's not nice on the inside! Usually, the designated country sponsors and financially supports its respective building. The US, however, does not and therefore there have not been significant renovations in years. Everything is old, breaking or already broken! Not nice!
May 12, 2010 9:16:00 PM GMT+02:00
I'm staying there this summer, and I really want to have a friend visit me for a week. Can I host them? I know the official answer is no, but... :P
Thanks!