The U3A Intermediate/Advanced French Group meets fortnightly on a Tuesday afternoon at the home of Joyce, where at present we number six members.

We begin by talking about any recent events in our lives or the world around us (that’s not to say we don’t occasionally lapse into English and need a quick recall!). The crossword follows, worked on over the preceding two weeks, with mutual help in filling the final spaces. Then comes our translation from English to French, this also produced as homework.

We are looking forward to getting to grips with Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea”, a translation which Tony has brought to us. Here we each read a piece in turn from our own translation and finally consult the book.

After tea and homemade cakes we take up our current novel, again each reading a piece then translating into English. We have enjoyed a variety of fiction, from the wonderful world of Marcel Pagnol’sl late 19th century childhood right up to modern times. We keep a watchful eye the time as the two and a half hours can pass quickly.

Group Leader: Nan Hutchings