Did you know that there was a 📚 university in the Chamonix Valley ?
It’s called 📚 La Petite Université – Chamonix Mont-Blanc and it is now entering its 4th year!
What is La Petite Université ?
📚 La Petite Université is an association offering cultural courses and complementary talks, events, outings and 🎨 workshops to people in their leisure time.
The aim is to make learning accessible to everyone, and to create a social and intergenerational link within the community.
On offer are subjects in the domains of : Social Science, Science, Languages, and the Arts. Subjects on offer include: glaciology, permaculture, photography, life drawing, French & English lessons and much, much more!
A little information about founder and vice-president Juliette Craplet
Juliette Craplet, the founder and vice-president of 📚 La Petite Université, told me a little bit more about the inspiration behind her project . . .
She has lived in Chamonix for 7 years, and like many of us who have settled in this 🏔 majestic mountain valley and truly made it our home, she came regularly as a child to Chamonix (her family own a chalet here); Chamonix has thus always been an integral part of her life. The idea for 📚 La Petite Université developed gradually, and she drew inspiration from her encounters with the people who had grown up in the valley or those who had chosen this unique spot to be their home; she realised that there were many people like herself seeking a diverse cultural programme, as a complement to the pleasure offered by the 🏔 mountains and mountain sports. Once the idea had begun to take shape, it took Juliette about a year to mould the project into what it is today; a huge amount of work, considering all of the courses now on offer and the specialists she has tracked down to teach them! She says that along the way she drew inspiration also from the 📚 Universités Populaires and the Universités du Temps Libre that already exist in many towns in France. Asked whether she will be taking any of the courses on offer at 📚 La Petite Université, the answer is a definite YES !
How does La Petite Université work ?
First of all, you need to become an adhérant (member) of 📚 La Petite Université (adults: 20€), and with this membership you have the right to attend all of the talks taking place for FREE, and events will be discounted.
[ ⇒ to see some of the talks and events on offer, see here ]
Once you are a member, then you can sign up to do the courses (organised on a semester basis), which are very reasonably priced!
[ ⇒ to sign up online, see here ]
What SUBJECTS are on offer ?
The selection of subjects changes every year, but here are some examples :
📚 SOCIAL SCIENCE: political science, literature, history, history of art, philosophy;
🧪 SCIENCE: meteorology, glaciology, mineralogy, Chinese medicine;
🇮🇹 LANGUAGES: English, Italian & Spanish (subject to change);
🎨 ARTS: life drawing, photography, writing . . .
👩🌾 SAVOIRE-FAIRE: permaculture, computer studies & new media, Feng Shui;
[ ⇒ for the full list of subjects (constantly evolving), please see website ]
WHERE are the courses being taught?
- Usine Simond (Chamonix- Mont-Blanc);
- Hôtel l’Héliopic (Chamonix- Mont-Blanc);
- Hôtel Plan B (Chamonix- Mont-Blanc);
- Jardin de l’Ile des Barrats & Cabane du Cerro (Chamonix- Mont-Blanc);
Events, talks, conferences, & outings
Throughout the season, there are events, talks, conferences and outings . . .
[ ⇒ see here fore more information about these ]
Practical Information
La Petite Université is always present at the Forum des Associations et Structures Culturelles in Chamonix at the start of September!
website & FB page address (permanences à) l’Espace Guérin: 30 avenue du Mont-Blanc, 74400, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (Thursdays 10h ⇒ 12h30 and 14h ⇒ 17h) tel: 06 72 22 33 15
Mont Blanc Family Fun 
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