Jaroslav STANOVSKÝ, research stay, Université Côte d’Azur

Jaroslav spent one month in Nice, at the Université Côte d'Azur, in October 2023. Having been awarded the Prix Gallica in 2022, he was able to obtain a grant from the French Embassy in the Czech Republic, supplemented in part by the Moravian Library in Brno. This stay was part of his work as a research librarian in this library. In Nice, he was affiliated to the Centre de la Méditerranée Moderne et Contemporaine, under the supervision of the historian Pierre-Yves Beaurepaire.

• Why did you choose to study in France? 

I started studying French at high-school and then continued during my bachelor’s degree in History from 2010. During my master's and doctoral studies, I went several times in Paris as part of the cotutelle programme between Masaryk University and Université Paris-Est. My current research at the Moravian Library focuses on French and Francophone culture in the Europe of the Enlightenment. So, the choice of France for a research stay seemed obvious to me.

• What was your first reaction when you arrived in France?

When I arrived in Nice on 1 October 2023, I was particularly impressed by the city's summer atmosphere.

• Did you encounter any difficulties when you arrived in France? 

I didn't encounter any particular difficulties. On the contrary, the organisation of the trip, starting from the booking of the accommodation, was exemplary. 

• What have you gained from studying in France? 

This stay enriched me on several levels. First, it was the first time in my life that I'd spent several weeks in the south of France, near the sea. I took the opportunity to discover a region that I'd never been to before, apart from a few short stays in Marseille and Antibes. Then, on a professional level, I had the opportunity to deepen my research by working with a specialist in the field I was interested in, Pierre-Yves Beaurepaire. We have also agreed to publish a critical edition of an eighteenth-century book, Le Mémorial d'un mondain de Maximilian Lamberg, with Garnier classique (planned for 2026).

• In your opinion, what are the advantages of studying in France? 

Personally, I couldn't have chosen a better place than France, as my studies are focused on the French-speaking world. Generally speaking, I think that the very high professional standard of French universities is appreciable, especially in the fields that concern me, i.e. literature and history. This, combined with a certain savoir-vivre, makes life in France particularly pleasant.

• According to you, what is the most important advantage and the most important drawback of Nice?

Nice is a pretty, lively and dynamic city, with a very pleasant climate. The month of October that I spent there gave me the opportunity to carry out a research stay that felt like a seaside holiday. However, it seems to me that the town is far from other research centres in France.

• What is your best memory of this experience?

It's hard to choose only one memory, such was the richness of the experience. Perhaps I could mention my weekend hikes in the Alps? I could almost also mention my daily experience, which was so pleasant, my bike ride from my hotel to the centre of Nice by the Mediterranean, for example.