Caroline & The Casiraghi's - University Life

[Sancia]

What is the "concours" (=competition?) exactly? How long does it take?

The French system is very interesting, but it's very hard for me to understand. You say that a grande école is the same as high school? However, high schools in my understanding are not considered to be a very high level of education. So, les grandes écoles are institutions that do not offer diplomas but are still highly esteemed?

If you can not get a diploma from a grande école, is it so that people go to university after the grande école?

Oh well, this is a very difficult matter so I'm probably wrong about everything!

A grande école is not the same as high school, but the english translation of grande école is high school.
To prepare the concours it takes two years: the first year you have no concours or exam at the end, but it comes after two years of studying. You can take the concours three times. There are two stages in the concours: a written part, after which the 150 best are selected to go to an oral part.
The grandes écoles are very highly esteemed. I said they didn't give diplomas. I must precise: only in literature or classics. In sciences or in marketing they give diplomas. In classics the student is studying while being in Normale Sup' at Normale Sup' and at the university in the same time.

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

A grande école is not the same as high school, but the english translation of grande école is high school.
To prepare the concours it takes two years: the first year you have no concours or exam at the end, but it comes after two years of studying. You can take the concours three times. There are two stages in the concours: a written part, after which the 150 best are selected to go to an oral part.
The grandes écoles are very highly esteemed. I said they didn't give diplomas. I must precise: only in literature or classics. In sciences or in marketing they give diplomas. In classics the student is studying while being in Normale Sup' at Normale Sup' and at the university in the same time.

Interesting. So as a literature student, Charlotte is preparing for two years at Lycee Fenelon, then if she gets in Normale Sup, she'll be enrolled in a university at the same time?

 

[Sancia]

Interesting. So as a literature student, Charlotte is preparing for two years at Lycee Fenelon, then if she gets in Normale Sup, she'll be enrolled in a university at the same time?

Yes. After her khâgne, maybe her three or four years of khâgne, she'll be a student at the university of la Sorbonne (like me ). The question is to know if she'll go at the ENS (or Normale Sup) at the same time.

 

[fandesacs2003]

Yes. After her khâgne, maybe her three or four years of khâgne, she'll be a student at the university of la Sorbonne (like me ). The question is to know if she'll go at the ENS (or Normale Sup) at the same time.

Hi if she'll go to the ENS and she finishes, she will have the "agregation"??? Is is automatic to be "agregé" or you have to pass also another concours.

And do not desperate Danielane. Think another point. This number of 75 is very restrictive, but the world is full of very valuable person, not only 75... I mean it would be nice if you have succeed but being not into the 75club, does not cancel your personnal value not your chances of succes in your life.
Good luck

 

[Sancia]

Hi if she'll go to the ENS and she finishes, she will have the "agregation"??? Is is automatic to be "agregé" or you have to pass also another concours.

And do not desperate Danielane. Think another point. This number of 75 is very restrictive, but the world is full of very valuable person, not only 75... I mean it would be nice if you have succeed but being not into the 75club, does not cancel your personnal value not your chances of succes in your life.
Good luck

Oh no, the agregation is another concours, which I pass last year and failed (but I'm not desperated for this one).

 

[rdb]

btw, I really think she has to take a real job in the future. Of course she'll get a good position because of her background, but I think she has to work for it.

 

[lashinka2002]

lol, financially placed for the rest of her life.

Maybe you think they're, but I'm sure it's totally different as you think.

First of all, Caroline has 4 children! So, divided by 4. And secondly, Caronline isn't as rich as you think. Albert is rich, but his sister aren't. Maybe Caroline is 40 000 000€ worth, but that's really the maximum! And that's only 10 000 000€ for each..

Think twice before you say such things...

What is 40 000 000 converted to dollars?I read that she was to receive 1 billion dollars from her inheritance, same with Albert but he also receives the palace, car collection and other assets that Caroline does not. 1 billion X 4 is huge IMO. If its all sitting in the bank or tied to investments that that's still growing (rather quickly no doubt) that's even bigger. These children will have no worries.... They should be able to live off of that or at least make thier own livings - the casiariaghi's at least because they are not titled.

 

[Tosca]

What is 40 000 000 converted to dollars?

A dollar is worth nearly €1.20

 

[hillary_nugent]

And that's only 10 000 000€ for each..

LOL ONLY?! That's a ridiculous thing to say...that's ALOT already...and honestly if they invest the money wisely it will last several lifetimes

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

Even if Charlotte does have to work and is not "set for life," as I said, she still has some serious advantage. Networking is not an issue for this girl. Please. she is very well-off. I don't care what rdb wants to say, to convince us how "normal" she is. First of all, I'm more inclined to believe the Grimaldis (Caroline included) have more money than we think than to believe they have less, because I think they want us to think they have less. They'd want to downplay their wealth, so the world thinks they are "normal" and "just one of the people". I believe they are good people, that they are nice, and decent, but I also believe they are astonishingly wealthy, and when you think about the masses in the world who are starving, it makes you realize how lucky they are. And it makes comments like "they don't have that much" seem really stupid. They do have that much. Yes, they do. They have a lot. They are set for life. They don't have to work.

Of course they do work! Caroline works.... They choose to work. They don't work out of necessity. They can afford to lounge around Ibiza all day if they want. But they choose to be productive. That is part of why I like them. While they certainly do take vacations, they also do a lot of things that are very productive.

 

[michelle]

Even if Charlotte does have to work and is not "set for life," as I said, she still has some serious advantage. Networking is not an issue for this girl. Please. she is very well-off. I don't care what rdb wants to say, to convince us how "normal" she is. First of all, I'm more inclined to believe the Grimaldis (Caroline included) have more money than we think than to believe they have less, because I think they want us to think they have less. They'd want to downplay their wealth, so the world thinks they are "normal" and "just one of the people". I believe they are good people, that they are nice, and decent, but I also believe they are astonishingly wealthy, and when you think about the masses in the world who are starving, it makes you realize how lucky they are. And it makes comments like "they don't have that much" seem really stupid. They do have that much. Yes, they do. They have a lot. They are set for life. They don't have to work.

Of course they do work! Caroline works.... They choose to work. They don't work out of necessity. They can afford to lounge around Ibiza all day if they want. But they choose to be productive. That is part of why I like them. While they certainly do take vacations, they also do a lot of things that are very productive.

Oh yes...they do have a lot! The question is: How important is that? I think some people put too much importance into it. It's there, that's okay...but there are things in life which are much more important.

 

[lashinka2002]

Even if Charlotte does have to work and is not "set for life," as I said, she still has some serious advantage. Networking is not an issue for this girl. Please. she is very well-off. I don't care what rdb wants to say, to convince us how "normal" she is. First of all, I'm more inclined to believe the Grimaldis (Caroline included) have more money than we think than to believe they have less, because I think they want us to think they have less. They'd want to downplay their wealth, so the world thinks they are "normal" and "just one of the people". I believe they are good people, that they are nice, and decent, but I also believe they are astonishingly wealthy, and when you think about the masses in the world who are starving, it makes you realize how lucky they are. And it makes comments like "they don't have that much" seem really stupid. They do have that much. Yes, they do. They have a lot. They are set for life. They don't have to work.

Of course they do work! Caroline works.... They choose to work. They don't work out of necessity. They can afford to lounge around Ibiza all day if they want. But they choose to be productive. That is part of why I like them. While they certainly do take vacations, they also do a lot of things that are very productive.

I am in total agreement here. Even if they run out of money (this would be shocking to me) the amazing connections that they have will enable them to virtually do anything they please and the Grimaldi/Casiraghi/Kelly names alone will generate all kinds of possible success for them that they may not have been able to achieve as an unknown. Either way it is wonderful to see Charlotte continuing her education and not exploiting her position the way that you see others in the media do. It's lovely to see that her life seems to be taking on a smoother course (media & personality wise) than that of mother, aunt & grandmother. I'm curious to know what Andrea and Pierre education wise are doing. I'm also eager to see what Princess Alexandra will do once she's older; I think that her path will be more difficult, both sides of her family are extremely famous, her father more well known than Stefano and she's and HRH. I hope she can find her way!

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

thanks for posting those pictures! where are they from (what event)?

and also, i have a few questions about charlotte and her school--

when she was in highschool at jeanne d'arc, was it a private or a public school? if it was a private school, does that mean she skipped the 2 prep years and is now studying at the sorbonne, OR is she still doing the two prep years and won't study at sorbonne at all? or will she study there?

thanks

anna

Anna, we've discovered that Charlotte never attended Jeanne d'Arc de Saint Aspais. That was false info. She attended Lycee Francais 1er de Fontainebleau. Now she is studying at Lycee Fenelon in their hypokhagne course in preparation for the Ecole Normale Superieur exam. No Sorbonne. The Sorbonne rumor was false as well.

 

[Sancia]

A thing: in France the grades for the baccalauréat are national and not specific to the schools.

Anyway, I find harsh to assume everyone who's making a critic on a royal is automatically jealous of this royal. Maybe some people have very good reasons to be harsh or critical toward one or another royal. Being royal doesn't not mean to be perfect.
This said, I don't know what is true about Charlotte.

 

[rdb]

Reality is hard?

Guys, finally someone else who puts her some more realistic information.

As you maybe still know, have I met her at Nice Int. Airport in France. And I've talked to her only a few minutes. And indeed, she doesn't speak English like a British man/woman does. But even I don't speak fluently English. So, that's normal when it's not your native language.

About her 'poor French', that's very good possible. Because they speak in Monaco a specific dialect that's related to French and Italian. So, that can be true.

Another remark about her results in general? Why do you all accept that she's a brilliant student? It's not because someone post a copy of her results on the internet, that this are her results. It's not really difficult to make such a paper! BTW, students are also teached by professors at prep school!

A last remark about the baccalaureat: these aren't difficult at all. Because this is organized by the government, are they relative easy. So, it's not really hard to get good figures on this test. Escpecially if I compare this with the belgian system. When you attend here a good school, you really get a education. That's not always true in France. For example the Sorbonne in Paris. This Uni has such a great name, but she isn't as fantastic as her name is. Education is on a much lower level than for example the University of Ghent in Belgium. And this university hasn't got a 'name' in Uni-land.

I can really believe what DW had said! Thx for your input btw! RDB.

 

[Grace]

About her 'poor French', that's very good possible. Because they speak in Monaco a specific dialect that's related to French and Italian. So, that can be true.

Another remark about her results in general? Why do you all accept that she's a brilliant student? It's not because someone post a copy of her results on the internet, that this are her results. It's not really difficult to make such a paper! BTW, students are also teached by professors at prep school!

A last remark about the baccalaureat: these aren't difficult at all. Because this is organized by the government, are they relative easy. So, it's not really hard to get good figures on this test. Escpecially if I compare this with the belgian system. When you attend here a good school, you really get a education. That's not always true in France. For example the Sorbonne in Paris. This Uni has such a great name, but she isn't as fantastic as her name is. Education is on a much lower level than for example the University of Ghent in Belgium. And this university hasn't got a 'name' in Uni-land.

I can really believe what DW had said! Thx for your input btw! RDB.

Ok, seriously have you ever even been to Monaco? French is Monaco's official language, so everyone there studies and speaks French perfectly, just like in France; most of the citizens speak also a good English and a fairly good Italian due to territorial proximity, and some (particularly elder people) know moneguasque which is an old dialect, but noone speaks it.

Plus even if we haven't met her, practically everyone on this board knows that Char only lived in Monaco until she was 4; when her father died she moved to France, and she has sinced lived and studied only in france (St. Remy, Fontainbleau, Paris) where I'm sure noone speaks moneguasque!

Her not knowing French well is like saying that someone who comes from an Italian speaking middle class family and has lived and studied in prestigious schools in Rome since she was 5 doesn't know Italian...hilarious!

As for the difficulty of the bac and of the school Char is attending, several french and non members have already expressed themselves so go read it...

Kisses

 

[Grace]

Yes, but Char never studied in Monaco, and I'm sure in St. Remy noone tought her moneguasque; even in Monaco, moneguasque is studied as a second historical language, but it's not commonly spoken by inhabitants (as you will know having been there)!

BTW Char's grandmother once said (5 years ago) the Trio spoke a very good Italian, and had some problems with writing it because they had Italian house staff, but they weren't used to writing in Italian. I can't say about the English, but as I've said, Andrea sounded to me quite fluent (and I know Caro, steph and Albert are) but I doubt Char is bilngual as she never lived in an English speaking Country...

Kisses

 

[Sancia]

Guys, finally someone else who puts her some more realistic information.

As you maybe still know, have I met her at Nice Int. Airport in France. And I've talked to her only a few minutes. And indeed, she doesn't speak English like a British man/woman does. But even I don't speak fluently English. So, that's normal when it's not your native language.

About her 'poor French', that's very good possible. Because they speak in Monaco a specific dialect that's related to French and Italian. So, that can be true.

Another remark about her results in general? Why do you all accept that she's a brilliant student? It's not because someone post a copy of her results on the internet, that this are her results. It's not really difficult to make such a paper! BTW, students are also teached by professors at prep school!

A last remark about the baccalaureat: these aren't difficult at all. Because this is organized by the government, are they relative easy. So, it's not really hard to get good figures on this test. Escpecially if I compare this with the belgian system. When you attend here a good school, you really get a education. That's not always true in France. For example the Sorbonne in Paris. This Uni has such a great name, but she isn't as fantastic as her name is. Education is on a much lower level than for example the University of Ghent in Belgium. And this university hasn't got a 'name' in Uni-land.

I can really believe what DW had said! Thx for your input btw! RDB.

What are your sources about the Sorbonne? There are at least three differents universities in Paris which are called the Sorbonne, I'm studying in one of them, and the general level is quite good, even if it depends on the subject. This university has many defaults but the level is in fact quite good.

Another things I don't understand: why should an exam organized by the government (in fact, by the Scholar Administration) be very easy? Last year the french litterature exam for the scientific was very hard, that was known in whole France. The exams of baccalauréat are not easy, and you must work to have them. We have very good schools in France, and I considered my sisters and I and every people I know have been well educated, in France.

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

rdb, your last post doesn't make any sense. are you implying char studies at a sorbonne school? i thought we'd covered this. Char is studying at Lycee Fenelon for the moment.

 

[Tosca]

Yes, but Char never studied in Monaco, and I'm sure in St. Remy noone tought her moneguasque; even in Monaco, moneguasque is studied as a second historical language, but it's not commonly spoken by inhabitants (as you will know having been there)!

BTW Char's grandmother once said (5 years ago) the Trio spoke a very good Italian, and had some problems with writing it because they had Italian house staff, but they weren't used to writing in Italian. I can't say about the English, but as I've said, Andrea sounded to me quite fluent (and I know Caro, steph and Albert are) but I doubt Char is bilngual as she never lived in an English speaking Country...

Kisses

The only Italian word I've ever heard Caroline say in Italian was "Buonasera" during an interview she gave to the Italian state TV back in the '80, then the whole interview went on in French... If that is enough to say a person is fluent in a language... then I can boast of speaking Russian like a native...

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

The only Italian word I've ever heard Caroline say in Italian was "Buonasera" during an interview she gave to the Italian state TV back in the '80, then the whole interview went on in French... If that is enough to say a person is fluent in a language... then I can boast of speaking Russian like a native...

You guys are forgetting that Char and Andrea did briefly attend one school in Monaco, before Stefano died. It was a school at St Maur. I know Andy was just six and Char was four when they left, but that was their first formal schooling.

 

[Grace]

I think in France formal school starts at 5 so I guess Char attended some kind of kindergarden in Monaco; anyway in moneguasque school French is the official language, so she wouldn't be speaking anything other than French in kindergarden.

Tosca, the fact that Caro was interviewed in French doesn't necesserily means she doesn't know Italian; Albert, when interviewed by Italian tv speaks sometimes in Italian, sometimes in French, because he feels more comfortable with his first language... I think Caro knows Italian but she is to perfectionist (or arrogant, anyone can choose his own interpetation) to speak it much in public; I've heard many people (who have actually talked to her or met her) say that she speaks a good Italian so I have no reason to doubt it.

Kisses

 

[Sancia]

I think in France formal school starts at 5 so I guess Char attended some kind of kindergarden in Monaco; anyway in moneguasque school French is the official language, so she wouldn't be speaking anything other than French in kindergarden.

Tosca, the fact that Caro was interviewed in French doesn't necesserily means she doesn't know Italian; Albert, when interviewed by Italian tv speaks sometimes in Italian, sometimes in French, because he feels more comfortable with his first language... I think Caro knows Italian but she is to perfectionist (or arrogant, anyone can choose his own interpetation) to speak it much in public; I've heard many people (who have actually talked to her or met her) say that she speaks a good Italian so I have no reason to doubt it.

Kisses

The kindergarten in France can begin at 2 1/2 or 3.

 

[christiannr1]

Hi everyone! My sincerely excuses for interrupting the argument . But is Charlotte still in Zurs or did she get back to Paris. Where she continues
studying.

 

[imane44]

i think that she must be back to school by now.but i am not really sure i just haven't seen any new pictures of her in paris.

 

[enchantednights]

i think that she must be back to school by now.but i am not really sure i just haven't seen any new pictures of her in paris.

omg somebody from tampa! gasp!

 

[Tutú]

Judging from the past, they seem to stay in Zurs for the whole month of February. four weeks, or maybe three and a half weeks. The paparazzi usually take pictures on the 2nd or 3rd of the month, or else very late in the month, like the 26th or something around there. sometimes they get pics in the middle of the month, but it always seems to be the whole month that the family are there. I know they stay in that hotel, I forget the name, but I wonder if they have some sort of top-floor or 2-level suite reserved for them, like "the Hanover suite" and it has all of their personal furnishings, all ready for them when they arrive.

No, Caroline and Ernst sometimes stay longer but the casiraghis are never there for more than 2 weeks, during the february school holidays. Every school in france stops for two weeks around this time of the year and many people use this days to go skiing, but they aren't fixed holidays like christmas. They can be there earlier or later depending on whether easter is in march or april that year. So, one year they can be there at the begining of february and another year during the last weeks of the month but never for more than two weeks, the standard holidays of french university.

 

[mari]

No, Caroline and Ernst sometimes stay longer but the casiraghis are never there for more than 2 weeks, during the february school holidays. Every school in france stops for two weeks around this time of the year and many people use this days to go skiing, but they aren't fixed holidays like christmas. They can be there earlier or later depending on whether easter is in march or april that year. So, one year they can be there at the begining of february and another year during the last weeks of the month but never for more than two weeks, the standard holidays of french university.

More like french High School (prepa included, I think) or Junior High, I'm in College and I didn't get february holidays, but most those who did (and are in College/University) only got 10 days or 1 week (like my sister, who also is in University).

 

[Tutú]

More like french High School (prepa included, I think) or Junior High, I'm in College and I didn't get february holidays, but most those who did (and are in College/University) only got 10 days or 1 week (like my sister, who also is in University).

Yes, you are right. But charlotte is in prepa, so she's got two weeks off

 

[acid_rain3075]

Yes, you are right. But charlotte is in prepa, so she's got two weeks off

Why is this break in February? Is this just the French version of spring break, but a month early?