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Le petit génie et le directeur d’école ...                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Le petit Thomas demande à sa maîtresse s’il peut lui parler après le cours. Elle accepte.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             La maîtresse : Alors, que veux-tu me dire, Thomas ?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Thomas : Je pense être trop intelligent pour rester dans cette classe, je m’embête ! Je voudrais passer directement au Lycée.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Sur ce, le directeur informé, demande à Thomas s’il veut bien passer des tests. Thomas accepte sans hésiter, le directeur débute les tests.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Le Directeur : Voyons voir Thomas, 3 x 4                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Thomas : Douze !                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Le Directeur : Et 6 x 6
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Thomas : Trente six, Monsieur le Directeur.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Le Directeur : Capitale du Japon ?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Thomas : Tokyo
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Le test continue pendant une demi-heure, Thomas ne fait aucune erreur !A la fin du test, le directeur est satisfait mais, la prof demande si elle peut à son tour lui poser des questions. Tous deux acceptent, et la prof commence.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   La Maîtresse : Bon Thomas ! La vache, elle en a 4 et moi j’en ai 2, qu’est-ce que c’est ?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Thomas : Les jambes, Madame.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    La Maîtresse : Correct ... Qu’est-ce qu’on trouve dans tes pantalons et pas dans les miens ?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Le Directeur s’étonne de la question …
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Thomas : Des poches, Madame.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           La Maîtresse : Bien, Thomas. Qu’est-ce que les hommes et les femmes ont en plein milieu et qui est en double ?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Le directeur se prépare à intervenir lorsque Thomas répond.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Thomas : Les deux « M », Madame.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               La Maîtresse : Où est-ce que les femmes ont les poils les plus frisés ?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Thomas : En Afrique Madame, répond le gamin sans hésiter.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  La Maîtresse : Qu’est-ce qui est mou mais qui, aux mains d’une femme, devient dur ?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Le Directeur ouvre grands les yeux mais Thomas répond :
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Le vernis à ongles, Madame.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                               
Le Directeur n’en croit pas ses oreilles !
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     La Maîtresse : Quelle est la partie de mon corps qui est souvent la plus humide?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Thomas : Votre langue, Madame.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      La Maîtresse : Quel mot commençant par la lettre « C » désigne quelque chose qui peut être humide ou sec et que les hommes aiment regarder ?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Thomas : Le ciel ! Affirme Thomas.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Le Directeur soufflant, transpirant, décide d’arrêter le test et s’exclame :
- Ce n’est pas au lycée que je vais t’envoyer Thomas, mais directement à l’université ! Même moi, je n'aurais pas réussi ce test !                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              " Morale de l’histoire : C’est avec l’âge que l’on devient pervers ! "

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La Belle Époque ...                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    L'expression "Belle Epoque" est née a posteriori en 1919, après le conflit qui a plongé la France dans une période noire et sanglante, qui lui ont coûté des efforts surhumains.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Cette expression est donc basée sur la nostalgie d'une période qui se voulait brillante. Elle apparaît à la fois spontanément dans l'opinion publique, et sous la plume de journalistes évoquant la période d'avant-guerre.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Dans nos représentations mentales de cette période on surestime : brillance de la vie culturelle, Paris ville lumière et phare intellectuel et artistique du monde ...

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Vision de nos grands-parents et arrière-grands parents sur des bicyclettes, suivant le premier tour de France, allant profiter des premiers bains de mer, prémices  d'une culture de masse, premières automobiles et premiers pas de l'aviation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Par contre les difficultés du monde ouvrier et rural, l'âpreté des conflits sociaux, le déficit démographique, sont parfois occultés ou au contraire mis en exergue  ... 

Les conflits sociaux, avec leur répression par Clémenceau, nous procurent une vision assez noire de la période de 1900 à 1914. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Le cinéma, mis au point par les frères Lumière en 1895, et la pratique de la photographie, pour immortaliser les événements importants de la vie, pénètrent jusque dans les petites villes et les campagnes grâce aux projectionnistes et aux photographes ambulants qui sillonnent le pays .

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 L’usage de la bicyclette se répand ; le Tour de France, créé en 1903 et qui bénéficie d’une large publicité, connaît un grand succès populaire. 

Le château de Versailles  :

Monument historique, il est le château le plus célèbre de France. Il fut la résidence des rois de France, avec Louis XIV, Louis XV et Louis XVI.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Louis XIII fit construire le tout premier château, mais celui-ci était vivement critiqué pour sa petite taille.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             En 1661, Louis XIV décida de l’agrandir, les travaux vont durer trente-huit ans.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   La galerie des Glaces fut construite en 1678 par Mansart, quant aux jardins, les travaux furent dirigés par le célèbre  Le Nôtre.

Le château comprend aujourd’hui une surface de plus de 63.000 m2,  pour 2.300 pièces.