Eating and learning, French corner can’t be more interesting
Do you know where you can find more foreign people in Kunming, and where they usually go when they hang out?
Wenhua Xiang is one place, Beimen Jie is another choice, and don’t forget, Banzhu Cuiyuan must be on this list as well!
Banzhu Cuiyuan has a couple of restaurants, offering Italian, French and even Middle Eastern cuisines. Events are also seen on a regular basis.
Recently, Alliance Française de Kunming held its first French corner of 2022 at La Sienne there. People greeted in French: Bonjour, comment allez – vous? Food and a family-like atmosphere were enjoyed by everyone.
The Alliance Française de Kunming was co-founded in 2018 by the Yunnan University and Foundation of Alliance Française. According to Dr. Dorothée Rihal, the French president of Alliance Française de Kunming, this alliance has about 400 members at present, all with a particular interest in French culture.
Cui Wei’en, the chef of La Sienne, started her culinary journey in France back in 2010. A part from taking French cooking and pastry lessons, she also went to Bretagne to learn the traditional methods of making crêpes.
She opened up La Sienne after coming back to Kunming in 2020. “I hope food can bring Yunnan and French people closer,” she said.
At the French corner, in addition to French and French-culture enthusiasts, there were also some people from French-speaking countries. Stephen, a student from Benin, came to study at Yunnan University because of his love for Chinese culture. The French corner gave him a feeling of home and allowed him to make many Chinese friends.
"I am so happy to eat authentic galette des rois in Kunming and to meet so many friends who like French language!" Igor, the French pastry chef couldn't be happier. And he hopes more people could know France better through learning French and eating French food.
"It is great that through the French corner, people can communicate in French face to face and enjoy traditional French food." Dr. Dorothée Rihal said.
During the French Month in March 2021, the Alliance Française de Kunming invited Yu Jian, the famous Chinese poet, and some young poets and college teachers to share their poems at the Sino-French Poetry Festival. And during the first phase of COP15, they also held a Sino-French Environment Month with the theme of Resources of the Earth, Dr. Dorothée Rihal added.
In 2022, Alliance Française de Kunming will have more activities for French and French-culture enthusiasts in the city, such as the French Song Contest, French Month and so on.
By Gateway reporters