Unité 3: On se renseigne

In Unité 3 you learned about the different places in a city and how to ask for and give directions. Let's examine a Web site about the city of Metz, located approximately 330 kilometers from Paris.

1. As you learned in the Note Culturelle on page 163, the streets of a typical French city do not form regular patterns or meet at right angles as they do in the United States. In addition, the street names are frequently based on a landmark, a famous person or a historical event. You'll notice that the city of Metz is typical of most French cities in its street patterns and names. For example, there is a street named Rue de la Fontaine and one named Rue Robert Serot.
   
   Scan the map of Metz.
   
   Locate the two streets mentioned below. Then identify three other street names based on a landmark, famous person, or historical event.
   
   
2. You're in Metz and you need to go to the places listed below. Return to the map of Metz and describe in French the geographical relationships of the various places.
   
   Modèle
   Parc Municipale / Synagogue
   Le Parc Municipal est loin de la Synagogue.
   
   
   1. Musée / Cité Administrative
      
   2. Marché / Gare SNCF
      
   3. Hôpital Sainte-Blandine / Rue de la Gendarmerie et Rue d'Asfeld
      
   4. Cathédrale St. Etienne / Théâtre
      
   
   
3. Return to the map of Metz and choose two locations. You can choose from the ones listed in Activity B or create your own. With a partner, ask how to go from one place to another. Be sure to ask where the place is located and get directions to go there based on your point of origin.