Jun 27 • Sophie

Interview with Alice, a French artist in Barcelona

Do you recognize Alice? She's our guide in the "Adventure in Barcelona" course! In this interview, she talks about her personal journey, her work as a jewellery designer, and her life in Barcelona. 10 questions to get to know her better...

Interview in French

Listen to the interview in French to improve your pronunciation skills.
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1. Hello Alice! Can you introduce yourself in a few words?

Hello Sophie! Of course, so I'm French, born near Lille in the north of France. I have a sister, Virginie, who lives in the south and is a genealogist. I studied economics and marketing in Nancy, a pretty town in eastern France near Strasbourg, and 5 years ago I decided to move to Barcelona for a change of life!

2. Why did you choose the city of Barcelona for your new life?

I met my partner in France, and we decided to move back to his beloved city, Barcelona. It's a very inspiring, colorful, lively city, so I don't regret my decision.

3. What do you do for a living?

I'm a jewellery designer! I create rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings out of washi paper, a colorful Japanese paper. I love my work, I feel like I'm traveling to Japan! If you'd like to see what I do, I'll give you the address of my website La Factorigami.

4. Can you describe a typical day in Barcelona?

In summer, early in the morning, I get on my bike and pick up my friend Martina, who lives 5 minutes from me. We have breakfast in the Barceloneta district and then go for a swim! In the late afternoon, I like to stroll around my neighborhood (Gràcia), which is very lively and full of little designer boutiques.

5. Do you speak Spanish well?

I've just passed an exam, and got C1 level, I'm so happy! I'm going to continue taking classes 4 times a week to improve my oral expression, as I'm still not 100% at ease when speaking with Spanish people.

6. What do you particularly like about Spanish culture?

I love the outdoors! Here, we're lucky enough to be able to bike by the sea all year round, even in winter!

7. What book would you recommend to students of French?

I recommend books by Amélie Nothomb, whose writing is fairly easy. Perhaps Stupeur et tremblements (Fear and trembling), which made me laugh a lot! In this autobiographical novel, we discover the difficult experiences of a young Belgian woman working in Japan. It's always interesting to see how things are going in other countries!

8. Could you share with us your 3 favorite French-language films?

I advise you to watch the film La Tresse (The Braid), based on the book written by French author Laetitia Colombani, which tells the story of three women whose lives are bound together by a braid.  I loved Le premier jour du reste de ta vie (The first day of the rest of your life), which is a beautiful film about an ordinary family experiencing extraordinary moments. Finally, I really liked Le Sens de la fête (C'est la vie!), which I saw outdoors in Barcelona and which begins with a wedding that doesn't go as planned...

9. What's your next holiday destination?

I'd love to go back to Puglia in Italy! I love the landscapes, the warm welcome of the southern Italians and the good food. I'll give you the address of Edda's website, which offers delicious recipes typical of this region. You'll love it, I'm sure!

10. And what are your plans?

Me la couler douce 😉 And of course developing my jewellery brand La Factorigami.

*Me la couler douce means having a good time, enjoy life, peacefully.
Thank you Alice for the time we spent together! Now we know you a little better. I wish you the best of luck with your projects! See you in the "Adventure in Barcelona" course to discover the city and learn the relative pronouns QUI, QUE, OÙ, DONT. See you soon!

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