The Chateau de Pourtales was our home for six marvellous weeks. Nestled in a forested area in the northern end of Strasbourg, the part of the city called "Robertsau", it offered a truly magical surrounding, made us feel like royalty, and thanks to its vast castle park, gave us no excuse not to be active to combat the effects of French cuisine showcased through various dining experiences along the way. The castle boasts a rich history, has seen major historic events, and was host to a number of historic celebrities such as Nobel Peace Price recipient Albert Schweitzer, composer Franz Liszt and Emperor Napoleon III.
The welcome!
Uli and Harald Leibrecht, the current owners of the Chateau de Pourtales and CEPA, the educational institution that supports accredited study abroad programs such as ours, and their staff, chief among them Fred Flurer, the man that could work miracles, welcome the group upon arrival!
|
|
le Petit dejeuner - breakfast!
|
Breakfast was really a treat! Fresh Chocolate Croissants every morning? Check! French Cheeses? Check! Cold Cuts? Check? Cappuccinos, Lattes and Hot Chocolate besides the usual coffee and tea? Check! Cereal? Check! Whole fruits? Check! My favourite item of all time that I grew up with "Quark"? Check! Did we all need more than we needed to? Check! Check!!! |
|
La Salle Melanie - our classroom
Named after one of the former owners, la Salle Melanie was our regular classroom. Mondays I taught our Industry / Blogging Course, and Tuesdays was a full day about Sustainable Tourism. Wednesday mornings was the advanced French, and Thursday mornings the beginners had their turn in French. The remainder of the time was allocated for site inspections in hotels, conference centres and local businesses in the hospitality industry such as a cheese maker, a chocolate maker as well as wineries and breweries (it was a tough life indeed, but a lot of in-depth theory and industry learning was assured! See the following pages). The most important piece in the classroom was my two-page calendar which contained every single lesson time, guest speaking events, excursions, and meal services, and of course birthdays (we celebrated two during this trip!). I love technology and I am going paperless as much as I can, but not when it comes to long-term planning! The last picture is the computer lab.
Student KITCHEN
|
Breakfast was included every day, as well as three dinners at the very least. Monday's we ate at the Jardin de Pourtales on the castle grounds, albeit leased and operated by an independent restaurateur (it was not the group's favourite, but it served its purpose). Tuesday CEPA chose a restaurant in Strasbourg that showcased local cuisine. Wednesdays we got a catered meal in the breakfast room that the students helped set up and clean up afterwards. Sometimes there was a meal included in one of our excursions. Other times, a little food was served when we were tasting wines and beers (cleans the pallet and of course provides some substance). When no meal was planned, students had the opportunity to cook their own meals in the student kitchen as shown here. Also in the picture, Fred, our wonderful CEPA coordinator who we decided was able to work miracles!
|
|
Uli and harald welcome us to their grand apartment
|
The owners of the castle and of the CEPA foundation, Uli and Harald Leibrecht, invited us to their private residence "Le Grand Apartement" to celebrate our stay at the castle with a glass of Cremant (the Alsatian version of champagne).
Harald had recently retired from an illustrious career in German politics. He has met the royalty of contemporary political figures, chief among them President Obama, whose mention caused an audible gasp. Harald and Uli now dedicate their vast amounts of energy to their personal passion - international student exchanges. They also have a charitable project in Guatemala, also involving educational initiatives. |
|
