OUT & ABOUT
An outgoing, affable person, the French consul in Christchurch, Martine Marshall, is continually in the process of bringing touches of the charm and culture of her native country to Christchurch.
T
his is evident in her long-time association with Alliance Française, her teaching of the French language around town and Le Petit Hotel, in Sumner. Since the Christchurch earthquakes, Martine has also been kept busy as consul, providing visas for French people who want to extend their stay here. “They include engineers and construction people, and others doing all kinds of jobs, who came here to work on holiday visas. They've been here a year, get offered permanent jobs and then have to ask for work visas,” says Martine.
By Hans Petrovic
Martine Marshall
FRENCH CHARM
“They like it here. It's easy-going and many had found it difficult to get jobs in France since the economic downturn. “There are some who want to start up their own business here – maybe open a restaurant or a patisserie, or import French goods. There is one who is fully qualified to start up a dog-training business and another has gone into the dairy industry. “One French couple sell French pastry and bread at the Sumner Sunday market. They have their regular customers and are doing extremely well. “There are about 400 French people in
Christchurch at present and the number is increasing all the time. There is even a whole new generation of French children being born here.” Martine has been in Christchurch for 40 years, having come here with a young New Zealander she met and married in France. Martine has been involved with Alliance Française in Christchurch for 25 years, acting for a long time as president, from which she resigned last year. She is particularly happy with the new Alliance Française premises at 913 Colombo Street, near Bealey Avenue,
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