last revised:
2011, July 12
 
 
 
"You virtually can't fall out with an English person."
 
 
 
"In case of an emergency, have a sit down with a cup of tea."
 
 
 
 
"In fact British people are very friendly and loyal."
 
 
 
 
"You don't always choose your friends, but then you have the choice to be loyal to them or not."
 
 

Culture : Benoit Ivernel

What does he like most in life? Everything "English" - He has tailor-made his career around his passion - and the movies: even a new association has been launched recently.
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Benoit Ivernel, Montpellier
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Which hobby would he like to start with? Benoit Ivernel smiles. It's difficult not to mention both at once. To start with, whenever he goes to the pictures, he'd rather pick out an English speaking film - the original version, of course.
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To be able to share his fondness of good films with other Montpellier citizens, he has begun an association: TicketOui. It's on Mondays at 8:30 pm at the Brasserie le Dôme. Every cinema-goer can have a chat about the films just released, meet up with people working in the cinema industry or someone brings an interesting topic to discuss. It's an opportunity as well to go to the pictures as a group, even to tackle some artistic projects. In any case, it's a nice way to socialize with people who have the same interest.
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You won't be surprised to learn that one of Benoit Ivernel's favourite subjects during these evenings is British humour.
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Benoit Ivernel, Montpelliier
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Once upon a time, his most cherished dream was to live in England. But "When you go abroad, your expectations can be higher than the reality. You make up your own story-board which can never match what really happens." All the same he fell in love with the U.K., its language, its lifestyle. Living over there, Benoit Ivernel experienced a different mentality, a different philosophy to life: "I think generally speaking English people are far more diplomatic than we are." After a slight hesitation and a brief laugh, he adds: "You virtually can't fall out with an English person. Don't think they're hypocrites: they just know how to turn a conversation around if necessary to remain on safe ground."
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One of his friends once told him "My mother used to say: in case of an emergency, have a sit down with a cup of tea." According to Benoit Ivernel that's very British: "it's a way around of saying: always take time to think twice before making your next move. One can say that English people don't show their feelings and are superficial, do you agree with this cliché? "In fact British people are very friendly and loyal."
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What about English food? "I had some lovely meals in England. However you can't find as much variety as in France." Benoit also says that, since he came back on the continent, they certainly have become more talented in cuisine. To have a healthy diet is more and more a major issue - as important as in France. "They even have cookery programmes on at peak times on TV. Books on the latest cuisine are best sellers."
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Well then, why didn't Benoit Ivernel stop over there? "At the end of the day I was missing the French way of life. And I was homesick." But he still has a lot of friends in England who he still sees regularly when visiting.
 
 

Benoit Ivernel : French Help Service

Benoit Ivernel: french version
Benoit Ivernel: english version
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He was missing his own country and the sunshine... So, after his stay abroad, he didn't return to Orléans, where his roots are, but went straight down south: firstly to Nîmes, a city he already knew quite well thanks to its music and theatre festivals. Finally moving on to Montpellier. He felt at once at ease there. "Montpellier is a fascinating city, lively and there are a lot of cultural events all year round. It's a friendly large city but not too big. Everything you need is available. Everybody can do something that interests them."
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Benoit Ivernel, Montpellier
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Was it the end of the "English dream"? Certainly not. On his first days in Montpellier he came across the English book shop, Book in Bar (it was named "As you like it" back then). He went back to learning English in a formal environment and passed the Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (Ecole Klesse). He made friends as well in some English restaurants... A key encounter has been with Wendy Johnson.
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Wendy on the other hand was born in England and came to live in France. She's still here and has vivid memories of her first difficult years: having to find a dentist, learning how to find craftsmen, how to get by all the red tape... all those everyday problems that one has to deal with in a foreign country, without having a handbook. Looking back she would have been very happy to get some practical help... and so she thought that she can't be the only one needing some help. When she met Benoit, she quickly realised they had something in common: she went through all the problems to do with being a new resident in France, and he went through similar experiences in the U.K. Furthermore she was becoming used to the French mentality and he knew the British one.
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In a nutshell: they both had the desire to help out English speaking people in their daily lives, people like Wendy who have decided to be in France part-time or for good. Therefore the idea of starting a business to show Anglophones how to deal with their new life, as well as introducing them to the French way of life and culture was born. Eventually "French Help Services" (www.frenchhelpservices.com), the friendly help service came about.
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Since then Benoit and Wendy are always there whenever any difficulties arise for those Anglophones living in Montpellier (their services are available in Gard and Hérault TN): dealing with the different administrative problems, finding an English speaking GP or doing some translating if necessary, researching craftsmen. In a word, handholding, until they are used to their new environment. Benoit and Wendy can even look for their ideal place to live beforehand.
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Even living under the Languedoc sun, in a city he can call his home, Benoit didn't have to give up his English passion. His main hobby turned out to be "son boulot" (his job TN). In his free-time he reads a lot - books written in English obviously - he listens to Radio 4 and he runs a book club (at Book in Bar TN). The participants choose a book to read for the following month to discuss together.
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What matters most to Benoit? He answers to online magazine Revue online de la Vie de Montpellier without any hesitation: "Love and friendship. One doesn't always choose their friends, but then you have the choice to be loyal to them or not." What is happiness for you? "A weekend away with friends." A good book, the movies and of course to be able to chat away about the cinema with friends...
 
 
Benoît Ivernel also sponsored Jean-François Gros's portrait. Jean-François Gros is a writer; and is one of the people of Montpellier featured in the online magazine Revue online des Gens de Montpellier.
 
 
Click here to read the french version of
Benoit Ivernel's portrait