Re: Scouting in France - Part I
jay.thal (jay.thal@TCS.WAP.ORG)
Mon, 25 Jan 1999 10:30:26 -0500
Dan asked:
> Our Cub Scout pack is using the 'Scouting Around the World' theme
> for the Blue & Gold Banquet. ...Does anyone have any information on the equivelent of Cub Scouting in France
Well, Scouting around the debris that is my computer room I found
something on the surface, other information will remain for the
archeologists.
Last (1998) Sept.-Oct. my wife and I visited France. I was unable to
get any advanced info from the French embassy, etc. But, once we got to
Nice I picked up the telephone book and stumbled my way into finding
Scouts de France. Even that taxed my language skills. Nevertheless,
map reading skills are the same so I found my way to their local office
nearby the magnificent Russian orthodox Church.
Fortunately, the young man who was at the office had a better grasp of a
foriegn language than I, and he opened up the Scout Shop for us. Their
catalog remains for the archeologists, but other paraphrenalia lay in
front of me: patches, buckle, and a book - "Le livre des Scouts",
approx. 17.5 cm x 15.5 cm x 2 cm, in light-med. blue, 345 pages, 1997,
68 FFR (about $12.25 USD). It has lotsa photos and graphics which I can
translate. It is combo fieldbook, handbook, history (traced back to
1907 & B-P), etc.
Anyway, France's early Scouting (1911-1916) seems to have had several
parellel beginnings: "Eclaireurs des Alpes" of Nice; "Milice
Saint-Michel"; "Vailants Compagnons de St-Michel"; and, "Entraineurs
Catholiques de France". In 1920, Scouts de France evolved.
Scouts de France (SdF) is coed!
Les Louverteaux et Louvettes (8-12 ans)- jaune (yellow-gold) chemise
(shirts), ? (tan) Chacun (pants).
Les Scouts et Scoutes (11-15 ans) - bleue (med.Blue) chemise, tan pants.
Les Pionniers et Pionnieres (14-18 ans) - Rouge (Red) shirts, tan pants.
Les Compagnons (17-21 ans) - Verte (green) chemise, tan pants.
There are also Sea Scouts: Mousses (11-15 ans) bleue chemise; et Marins
(14-18) bleu (darker blue chemise), both with dark bleu pants and GREAT
looking sailor hats.
Each group is shown with neckerchiefs probably based on unit colors.
SdF appears to be an umbrella organization of four parts/associations:
GDF - Les Guides de France, Catholic Girl Guides
EEIF - Les Eclaires et Eclaireurs Israelites de France, for juif
(Jewish) youth.
FEEUF - La Federation des Eclaireuses et Eclaireurs Unionistes de France
for Protestant youth
EEDF - Les Eclaireuses et Eclaireurs de France. A non-denominational
movement.
Anyway, let me respond further, later, off-line as I glance through the
book.
Scouts de France, 54 avenue Jean Jaures. 75019 Paris 19
YiWWSWd
Jay
