Scouting Movement here?

[Wendy]

Back in Australia my two eldest boys had a great time in the scouting movement, do the scouts exist here as well ?.  Ive a 12 year old who would love to join. My eldest went to the international jamboree in Oz in 1998 but cannot remember if there were any french scouts there. I'm in the Pyrenees Orientale.

[RogerW]

There's a lot of links to information on French scouting organisations on:

http://inter.scoutnet.org/units_fr.html

Hope this helps,

Roger.

[battypuss1]

There are tons of scouting groups. My daughters joined for a year. Word of warning, be prepared for EXTREME snobbery, considerable outlay on uniform  and fees, plus camps in the middle of nowhere with inadequate backup; my daughters caught bronchitis twice. Maybe we were unlucky.

Only a couple of little thugs appeared to enjoy themselves in their group (about 40 kids), the rest were there because their parents obviously considered it a Good Catholic Pastime that got them extra marks at church.

Be prepared for it not to be the same enjoyable experience as in England and make absolutely sure your son is wearing the latest trainers and speaks 100% fluent French, at least if you are in Normandy.

 

www.scoutsdefrance.com will tell you all you need to know, otherwise ask at your local Mairie.

[daniel]

Avoid the scouts d'Europe (catholic traditionalists). Try the protestants (Eclaireurs Unionistes : http://www.eeudf.org/). But I must say that my (huguenot) view is not neutral on this matter !

[Wendy]

Hmmmm, think we'll give it a rest for now on the scouting thing as my son already puts up with alot of that sort of treatment at his school as it is. Never knew that the scouts here are a catholic thing though...and Im RC ! I thought the church had to keep its nose out of things here. Anyway, we're considering handball now (I cannot believe that this is such a huge sport here).

[Babnik]

I can vouch for handball. Have been playing it for a long time now, and it's great fun. You say : 'I can't believe that this is a huge sport here', perhaps what you should say, 'Why isn't it big in the UK?' It's the second most popular team sport in Europe after football. Huge in Germany and Scandinavia, but very popular just about everywhere else except the UK. I don't know where you are, but the clubs around here look after the kids very well, and there isn't any snobbery that I can see!!!

[Miki]

[quote user="daniel"]Avoid the scouts d'Europe (catholic

traditionalists). Try the protestants (Eclaireurs Unionistes :

http://www.eeudf.org/). But I must say that my (huguenot) view is not

neutral on this matter !

[/quote]

Daniel, (and wen)

The scouting movement in the UK in my experience, is more or less,

traditional C of E. When in the UK, our boys were expected to go to Church on Sunday,

dressed in Scout (or Cub) uniform. It is I guess a way of teaching the

kids a righteous way ? To kids, it is the being in the group that

counts the most, not I suspect, the religious leaning of it.

[Tourangelle]

[quote user="wen"]Hmmmm, think we'll give it a rest for now on the

scouting thing as my son already puts up with alot of that sort of

treatment at his school as it is. Never knew that the scouts here are a

catholic thing though...and Im RC ! I thought the church had to keep

its nose out of things here. Anyway, we're considering handball now (I

cannot believe that this is such a huge sport here).[/quote]

It is not that it is a catholic thing, it is just that they have the

word scout, but éclaireur just means scout too, so scouts and

scouts.  Religious belief being entirely up to the individual,

there are numerous catholic and other groups which are entirely

unconnected with the state like secours catholique[:)]

[Missy]

I remember my brothers wanting to join the : Eclaireurs de France. Have you tried that on a google?... I think they are the main scout type organisation though not sure of which religious inclination...  Does that matter if the kids are having a wonderful time meeting other kids of their own age travelling etc...

 

[Miki]

Not sure how legal it all is but we had a skoot (French pronunciation

!!) chap once tell us it is obligatory to feed and water any skoot mob that knock on your door.

We had several give us a knock when we were in the DooDon and it

happened year after year, wonder if it passed on from troop to troop,

or like the old travellers secret messages, spotting broken branches

etc meaning, knock here, they are good for Cola and Chips plus a shower

in the camping block !

Much to some of our guests delight, we have had an average of one troop

each year here in Brittany that camp next to the pines (well Leylandi

to be precise) and Tina gives them lots to drink plus bread and the

obligatory pile of Chips !!

[daniel]

As far as I know, all french scout organisations are directly related to a church (catholic, protestant or jewish). Miki, there is no such law ! But this may be a local tradition I'm not aware of.

[Miki]

Crafty old Akela whispers eh (Ooops that's cubs innit ?, so whatever a

Scout leader is called anyway)  Not sure about local tradition, it has

happened in 3, not anywhere close to each other regions, that we are

aware of !

Ah well, can't begrudge the poor scruufy looking urchins, sorry I meant skoots, that pass by us every year on their annual long march.

[Teamedup]

Daniel really? this is what it says on their web sit opening.

 

Nouveau mouvement de scoutisme, né de la fusion des Scouts de France et des Guides
de France, catholique et ouvert à tous : communiqué et actualité du jeune

[Owens88]

All Scouting is bound to 'some' religion (unfortunately in my view !). An aspirant leader cannot declare themselves Atheist for example.

For example I am sure there will be a Muslim troop somewhere in France. Here in East Mids UK our Troop has exchanged nights with a Sikh Troop in the past. 

However France does seem prone to creating its own rules.....

John

[daniel]

My daughter used to be an éclaireuse and she enjoyed it. Religion was not a problem as they were also "ouverts à tous". I have to say however that I was a bit scared by the lack of adult "coaching". She now goes to a "colonie de vacances" every summer and I find it much safer.