You don’t need to, I’m stopping by here regularly.
I’ll keep maintaining the list of (potential) participants just in one place though.

🔍What?
A “Mega BookCrossing” event 📣 (a mega meet-up, UnConvention, …)

🗓️ When?
The last full weekend of September: 23-24/09/2023

📍 Where?
Paris, France. We are currently planning to focus activities in the east of Paris (12-13 arrondissements)

❓Why?
It’s been 20 years: We want to celebrate BookCrossing, celebrate those that have been in France at the beginning or throughout the years involved and celebrate the newcomers that keep the spirit alive. (My words.)

🧑🏻🧓🏻🧒🏻👱🏼‍♂️👦🏻Who?
French-speaking BookCrossers have raised the idea, with core organisation in Paris - and you are all welcome to join.
Probable participants: https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/10095630

🗣️ 🇫🇷 Some of us speak English, German, Polish, Spanish (I believe), …

Organisation is currently in French only in this forum thread: https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/587484


💡In case you are not available at that date you can still meet with us:
We hold regular meet ups in Paris and other cities in France and Switzerland, as well as extraordinary ones. Just stop by in the French forum and get in touch with us if you plan to visit.

But would a non-French-speaker survive? I kind of understood you are visiting interesting literary places, but is it all going to be in French?

But would a non-French-speaker survive? I kind of understood you are visiting interesting literary places, but is it all going to be in French?

We have several non-French (including myself) and French that do speak English (and other languages). Survival is more than probable. 😉
It probably depends on what you are looking for.

There is a little bit of a vicious circle, because while some activities are easy to prepare adjust, others may not be just as easy - so we may wait to see whether bilingual preparation is needed and on the other hand potential participants may wait before they declare themselves to be assured that they’ll have fun. I don’t mind playing interpreter as long as the public is indulgent.

In any case, we’d be happy to have you.

I don't think there would be a problem, it is not an event with guest speakers, just a picnic and release walks mainly - and there will be English-speakers there, German too.

Sounds great. Would you like that to be listed on the (Un)Conventions page?

Sounds great. Would you like that to be listed on the (Un)Conventions page?

What’s the catch? 😉

The catch is that you may get more bloody foreigners over than you know what to do with 😉.
I'm about to post this in the Finnish forum.

The catch is that you may get more bloody foreigners over than you know what to do with 😉.
I'm about to post this in the Finnish forum.

I’m not French, so I do not mind. 😂

Never pass up an excuse to visit Paris ;)

Sounds great. Would you like that to be listed on the (Un)Conventions page?

Thanks Moem for the suggestion, I put in a formal request.

Thanks Moem for the suggestion, I put in a formal request.

I'll put it on the page! Please be aware that
- I can't list more than one website (or forum thread)
- the Conventions page will most likely be unavailable for a few days after I put the information in. Yes, it's a bug.

Is it OK if I call it a MegaBookCrossing Event? To my ears, calling something a 'BookCrossing' makes no sense at all, because to me BookCrossing is a movement and a website, not a place or a gathering. I have previously been given the impression that French members don't like the name UnConvention. So I'm looking for a term that is clear and keeps everyone happy.

Thanks Moem for the suggestion, I put in a formal request.

Is it OK if I call it a MegaBookCrossing Event? To my ears, calling something a 'BookCrossing' makes no sense at all, because to me BookCrossing is a movement and a website, not a place or a gathering. I have previously been given the impression that French members don't like the name UnConvention. So I'm looking for a term that is clear and keeps everyone happy.

Moem, to the French, if it ends in -ing it's a noun, like le living (living room), le parking (car park), le dancing (dance hall). What they are organising is not really an UnCon as there are no guest speakers or any other things usually held at these events, just a big picnic, a release walk, perhaps a meal together in the evening.
That said, I think it's ok to call it a bc event in English, curious to know what the French think about it.

That said, I think it's ok to call it a bc event in English, curious to know what the French think about it.

I’m not sure whether any of the French French BookCrossers (in another worlds really French, not just by location) follow the thread. 😂

I’m not sure whether any of the French French BookCrossers (in another worlds really French, not just by location) follow the thread

Probably not, but it doesn't matter really as they will be sticking to MBC which has been used for nearly 20 years!

I’m not sure whether any of the French French BookCrossers (in another worlds really French, not just by location) follow the thread

Probably not, but it doesn't matter really as they will be sticking to MBC which has been used for nearly 20 years!

I still don’t know what UN convention stands for. United Nations Convention ?

Non-Convention.
Comme Unbirthday dans Alice in Wonderland (non-anniversaire)

Non-Convention.
Comme Unbirthday dans Alice in Wonderland (non-anniversaire)

Merci over-the-moon. Je m'en doutais un peu mais pourquoi ?

Parce que ce ne sont pas des Conventions officielles.

Parce que ce ne sont pas des Conventions officielles.

Exactement ! Et parce que chaque année, il ne peut y avoir qu'une seule Convention Internationale de l'Anniversaire... mais autant de 'Un-Conventions' que nous voulons.

Parce que ce ne sont pas des Conventions officielles.

Exactement ! Et parce que chaque année, il ne peut y avoir qu'une seule Convention Internationale de l'Anniversaire... mais autant de 'Un-Conventions' que nous voulons.

Merci à toutes les deux, c'est plus clair.

Moem, to the French, if it ends in -ing it's a noun, like le living (living room), le parking (car park), le dancing (dance hall).

I know that. But a mention on the Conventions page must be accessible and understandable to the rest of the BookCrossing world, too.

What they are organising is not really an UnCon as there are no guest speakers or any other things usually held at these events, just a big picnic, a release walk, perhaps a meal together in the evening.

There are no strict rules as to what constitutes an UnConvention. Personally I feel that it should be an event that lasts more than one day, no matter what the programme is.

That said, I think it's ok to call it a bc event in English, curious to know what the French think about it.

As am I. But I think no one will get their underwear in a twist over such a neutral term. And of course, the French can call it whatever they like when they're talking about it.

...to have have the planned programme translated into English? I did undertand some vital words, like dinner, and places you'll be hiking to, but much was left in the dark.

Here goes
It will take place on September 23 in the Parc de Bercy around 15h00. The exact meeting place before we release books will be given later, as well as the final meeting place before we go for dinner together.
We expect to visit some places famous for street art in the 13th arrondissement, organised by Laure69.
A visit of one of the cemeteries: Père-Lachaise (the most famous), Montparnasse
(Sartre, Beauvoir, Freyfus, Baudelaire, Arago, Auric, Beckett, Belmondo, Vercors, etc.) Montmartre (Dalida, Michel Berger-France Gall, Autant-Lara, Berlioz, Nadia Boulanger, Brétecher, Brialy, etc. ) will be led by me and/or help from Elj, up to you to choose which one you'd like to join.
These little walks will take place on the Saturday or Sunday mornings depending on the number of participants.
Our bookcrossing friends from the provinces are invited to join us and we are asking all the Parisian bookcrossers to offer a bed or two if they can.
For the Saturday evening meal, we haven't chosen the restaurant yet and all suggestions are welcome.

Please post in the French forum thread if you are thinking of coming.

I (over-the-moon) can always help with translations and could organise a little tour for English speakers but at other times than those already planned. I think I'll be in Paris from the Thursday to the Monday.

Thanks, over-the-moon, it sounds even more tempting now. Unlike King Charles, I might risk life and limb and come to see how the French do it. I have less risk to be beheaded as I have no blue blood in me. I also have two mystery books set in Paris, so perhaps I ought to come over to release them in Montmartre and Montparnasse.
Will there be a book buffet or just a release walk?

If it's like Strasbourg, there was a book buffet in the restaurant where we went in the evening, but I'll ask.

Thanks for the translation over-the-moon, it sounds great. I have just checked the dates and I may be attending a book festival here at that time. I will keep it in mind in case anything changes.

Please count me in for this one! I don't speak French, but I hope that some of you French/English speakers will guide me :)

I think you should announce your arrival on the French forum, where they have a list of participants.

You don’t need to, I’m stopping by here regularly.
I’ll keep maintaining the list of (potential) participants just in one place though.

and I was there when they were discussing it, however didn't catch all of the discussion as although I understand a little French, conversations in noisy environments are difficult for me to follow in English (it's a dyslexic thing for me - I don't cut out the background noise!) The Parisian bookcrossers are fantastic and so friendly.

although I can't commit at the moment due to my job situation.

It would be great to have you with us again.

...but unfortunately the flights look a little expensive at the minute.

I'll keep an eye out, though, just in case the prices become a little more affordable...

Haven't they got special reduction for 101-year old people?

No such luck.

And the travel insurance people really throw their arms in too...

I added the link of probable participants to the poss above.
https://www.bookcrossing.com/---/10095630

Chouette ! Je regarde pour mes possibilités (calendrier, babysit) mais j'aimerai trop y atteindre. J'étais à Paris pour la première fois il y a trois semaines et je l'ai aimé beaucoup. En plus, de chez moi, c'est envisageable de le faire en voiture....

...to another trip I'm taking.

...to another trip I'm taking.

Oh no, does that mean I have to take you off the participant list?

Bloedengel, should I add you to the list of possible participants or wait for a while?

I just added myself. The more I think of it, the more determined I am to go !

Bluemchenblatt: Yes. I was on a queue to a full train trip in the Alps and instead of getting ahead on the queue I was told the demand has been such that they are organizing another trip, which begans too near to Mega Paris. I can't get off work on a weekly basis to run around Europe 😁.

I can't get off work on a weekly basis to run around Europe 😁.

Why not? 😜

Hope you’ll enjoy the trip!

Let us know whether you plan on stopping by.