France

Visiting industry allows students to hear from technical and organizational leaders regarding international business. Students learn from experts the challenges companies face and how they meet those challenges with a workforce able to contribute to the complex, global environment. Each link provides a description from a UC student describing what was learned on the industry visit.

• Lectra Systems
• Smurfit Kappa
  
• Dassault

UC and the College of Engineering & Applied Science have partnerships with several universities in France, including the ones described in the following links. Our partner universities provide opportunities for student exchange, collaborative degree programs, and collaborative research. Qualified students have the opportunity to spend an academic semester or two and perhaps a co-op semester at one of our partners. Check with your academic advisor or Prof Rutz if you are interested.

• University of Lorraine – ENSEM
  
• University of Bordeaux
  
• University of Bordeaux – IMA
  
• Bordeaux INP

France is filled with history, culture, good food, and interesting people. Did you know that when it was first built, Parisians thought the Eiffel Tower was ugly? Now it is perhaps the most recognizable structure in the world and a point of French pride. Students who have visited France have described their experiences in the following links

• Bordeaux (city)
  
• Nancy (city)
  
• Eiffel Tower
  
• Palace of Versailles
  
• Monolithic Church in St. Emilion
  
• Public Transportation
  
• Dining
• The Louvre
• Jazz Clubs
• Hostel Experience
• St. Emilion (city)

Lectra Systems develops software and hardware for organizations that use soft materials in industries including fashion and apparel, automotive, and furniture.

Lectra Systems manufactures cutting tables that either use a blade or a laser.

Lectra Systems has over 23,000 clients in over 100 countries. At Lectra Systems I was able to understand the meaning of being a global citizen because they communicate with people from all over the world. This means they are able to work in teams of very diverse cultures, opinions, and experiences.

I encourage every student to take advantage of an opportunity like this if they ever come across one. On this tour we networked with employees, experienced a global team in action, and visited the manufacturing facility to see first-hand where the product was made…If that’s not cool enough, we even got to see a demo of how the software they develop and the hardware they create work together to produce their clients’ needs.

By Maddie Ball

Smurfit Kappa is a world leading producer of paper-based packaging. They have facilities in 32 countries, including one production facility in Biganos, France, which manufactures kraft paper used with corrugated cardboard packaging.

Our visit began with the most important thing first: PPE. After donning a hard hat, hair net, safety glasses, and a florescent vest, we headed out in to the plant. We walked through each stage of the paper making process, from the rinsing of the logs, to the “digester’ column, to the final giant rolls of paper at the very end. The facility makes 1365 tons per day of 100% recyclable paper per day, which are used for packaging industrial and food products.

Visiting a major manufacturing plant is always intriguing. It’s the in-person version of “How It’s Made” and a behind the scenes look at a major indus-try in the world. The visit to Smurfit Kappa was not only interesting from an engineering perspective, it was also enlightening to learn about a global company and how it does its part to be a global citizen in an evolving manufacturing community. Smurfit Kappa’s actions support and contribute to an emerging world community that is more environmentally conscious and focused on energy use and consumption. For every tree that is cut down for production, Smurfit Kappa plants one in its place. Additionally, the company is very adamant about recycling process chemicals in pro-duction– 97% are currently recycled.

By Taylor Hembree

Bordeaux

Scavenger Hunt

2 hours | 9 clues

The students at the University of Bordeaux, MATMECA college lead us American students on a scavenger hunt within the city of Bordeaux. They gave us clues about certain monuments and we had to figure out what the tourist attraction or monument was, then take them there. Our resources were limited to a paper map and Bordeaux citizens.

This activity was a really good “starter session” for living and/or working in a foreign country. In reality you may not always have access to internet, or a native who speaks English. If you don’t know whether or not you will be able to adapt and thrive in these circumstances, then this scavenger hunt is for you. You also have the chance to get more familiar with the public transportation system, which is essential in a city like Bordeaux.

By Nicole Criner

Dining

IMA Academy

IMA is a part of the University of Bordeaux in France that specializes in educating students about maintaining and repairing aircraft. The academy owns several retired aircraft (pictured below) that are available for students to study and reverse engineer specific parts, especially jet engines.

While IMA Academy especially appeals to Aerospace and Mechanical Engineers, all students should visit IMA because of the innovative technology that the academy possesses. The academy has also recently launched a dual-master’s degree program with the University of Cincinnati. The program consists of studying the first year at UC where most of the conventional teaching and classes are completed. Then the second year is at IMA Academy where the student puts the content learned at UC into practical experience with the technology at IMA, including flying simulators and hands-on aircraft maintenance. This program not only results in earning a master’s program, but also adds a global citizen to one’s resume. While at IMA, the student will be immersed in the French culture and will learn to communicate and work in a multi-cultural team, as students come from all over the world to study at IMA. An example of global teamwork that I witnessed at IMA was the human-powered glider (pictured at right) that was being constructed for a competition by two students of differing nationalities, one French and the other Moroccan.

If you are considering earning your master’s degree, why not study internationally for one year and gain a new perspective on engineering in a different culture and learn how to work in a global team?

By Adam Neltner

Hostel Experience

Nancy

Our first stop in France was the lovely and welcoming city of Nancy, located West of Paris, about two hours from the German border. We were welcomed into the University of Lorraine with a small party of French appetizers and a chance to mingle with French engineering students currently attending the university. The students and faculty of U. Lorraine welcomed us with open arms and made our very first experiences in France extremely positive, and all of Nancy was the same way!

The center of town is a beautiful square called Place Stanislas, which includes a collection of ornate and historic buildings. In the center of the square is a statue of a Polish man, Stanislas, who commissioned the building of the square to honor Louis XV. Surrounding this statue are the buildings mentioned above, which include the Hotel de Ville (City Hall) as well as cafés, restaurants and small shops. On any given day, the square was crowded with locals and tourists alike, admiring the architecture, soaking up the sun, or enjoying a bite to eat.

Just outside the square, is the stunning Basilica of St. Epvre, and beyond this is the Parc de la Pépinière, a large park full of vibrantly colored flowers, benches perfect for a short rest among the gardens, and people walking, jogging, and playing. Within the park is also a free zoo! That was a strange concept for us, but we had fun wandering around the exhibits to see the donkeys, peacocks, birds, ducks, and monkeys.

Other experiences in Nancy included a guided tour of the city led by students from the University of Lorraine and a meet and greet with the Mayor of Nancy! Cincinnati and Nancy are sister cities, so the Mayor was excited to have us visiting and a gracious host.

Time spent with the French engineering students gave us UC students an opportunity to learn about the education system of France, which was somewhat different from our own. We learned that the students in France graduate from high school then enter into two years of preparatory education to prepare them to be engineers. This is two years of math and physics, and all the students said these two years were extremely difficult and nothing but work. After this, the students go into an engineering specialization and complete three more years of schooling. At the end, they will have the equivalent of a bachelors and masters degree in their engineering specialty. Further, meeting the French students gave us a unique opportunity to speak openly with them about cultural similarities and differences as well as to just connect as humans and students and realize how much we all had in common.

Truly, Nancy was not only a gorgeous city, but also the people were all welcoming and generous, and these experiences started our entire trip off on a high note! Experiencing the city on foot and learning some of its history from the locals gave us an appreciation for the culture and a love of the people.

By Kristina Ulm

Eiffel Tower

Saint Émilion Monolithic Church

Saint Émilion is a small, breathtaking town in southern France, just outside of Bordeaux. Although Saint Émilion and the surrounding country side is primarily known for the miles of vineyards and numerous chateaus, the town first came to prominence with the construction of the Monolithic Church that was carved into the heart of the town. On top of the Church stands a 53-meter-high bell-tower that offers gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside.

Saint Émilion first began in the eighth century when Monk Émilion took up residence in the area. He made his home in a small cave, performed miracles, and acquired a following of monks. When he died, a larger chapel was built on top of his home to hold the growing number of residents. Around the 12th century, the Monolithic Church was carved into the nearby hillside to attract individuals on pilgrimages and to benefit from the export of limestone. Unfortunately, most of the decorations on the inside of the church were destroyed during the French Revolution.

Saint Émilion and its Monolithic Church were by far my favorite experience while in France. During a tour of the Church, our group was told that only a small percentage of tourists come to Saint Émilion to see the Church—most come for the wine. It was wonderful to learn more about such an important element of the town, especially because it is something the locals take great pride in. It should me that being a global citizen isn’t just about doing the “tourist attractions,” but about learning about what makes up the city and what made it important in the first place. I feel this is especially important in countries like France that have such rich histories.

By Samantha Bauman

Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles is open every day of the week except Monday, and at an affordable price. More than 3 million people visit the chateau each year, and you should be one of them. Get to the castle early, and plan to spend as much time as possible. Stay there the whole day and you still won’t see the entire place. Not only is the castle beautiful, but it is also rich in history. The staff at the palace is embracing, and excited to share their information and get to know you.

Next time you are in France make sure to visit one of the most famous palaces in the world. Go with some friends, prepare to walk a lot, and go get lost in the history and gardens!

By Ben Harnen

Public Transportation  

The Louvre

Jazz Clubs

University of Lorraine

St. Emilion

The region is primarily known for its red wine and is home to dozens of chateaus that produce some of the most expensive wine in the world. Students took a train from nearby Bordeaux to St. Emilion and were allowed to explore the countryside and town before meeting for a tour of the city.

The countryside is gorgeous and boasts vineyards as far as the eye can see. The vineyards, which were first planted in the 2nd century by the Romans, remain the main tourist attraction at St. Emilion.

The city of St. Emilion, however, is perhaps more gorgeous than the vineyards themselves. Built with limestone found in the region, St. Emilion has touches of Roman influence and is a very historic city, having been shaped from the 2nd century through the Middle Ages to the present day. The city was a very important city throughout history because of the limestone, the wine, and its location on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. It got its name from a monk named Emilion, who, in the 8th century, was said to perform miracles. In order to escape persecution, Emilion fled to a cave in the present day city, and the town became to be known as St. Emilion.

The largest attraction in the town of St. Emilion is the monolithic church, which is carved into the limestone beneath the giant bell tower shown in the picture on the right. The church was constructed in the 12th century and also contains ancient catacombs and medieval drawings inside.

The guided tour of St. Emilion was fascinating, as students learned about the historical significance of St. Emilion, as well as the region’s history of wine production.

Around one million people visit St. Emilion each year to experience the history, culture, and wine the region has to offer. Few cities in the world are able to combine gorgeous countryside with breathtaking architecture like St. Emilion. In addition, the history of St. Emilion makes it one of the most unique places in France.

The combination of the history and views that St. Emilion has to offer make it a place everyone should try to visit.

By Adam August