What to expect at French transport exhibition ‘Around The World’ running from Apr 27 to Jul 15

The Around The World exhibition from Apr 27 to Jul 15 showcases artefacts and histories of French transportation across the ages. 

Visitors can learn about the various modes of travel invented by the French, from the longest Trans-Atlantic ocean liner in the 1960s to the largest modern-day passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380.

Organised and held at local non-profit and French cultural organisation Alliance Française de Singapour in Newton, this is the tenth exhibition in its French Excellence programme, MOVE!

Separated into four sections, here is what you can expect at the exhibition:

This first section highlights two aircraft that played a significant role in shaping modern air travel.

The first is the Air France Concorde, which is the first supersonic commercial aircraft that still holds the record for some of the fastest commercial flight journeys today.

Also on display is the Airbus A380, which is the world’s largest passenger aircraft.

The second section zooms into the history of land transport, featuring automobiles, locomotives and bicycles.

Situated in the middle of the room is a model of the French intercity high-speed train called the Train à Grande Vitesse (TGV). 

It holds the world record for speed and constantly pushes the limits of high-speed rail technology globally.

Visitors will also get to discover other interesting facts about land transportation, including how the Michelin brothers, Édouard and André Michelin, developed the first-ever detachable bicycle tires in 1891.

The next part of the exhibition illustrates the origins of boats and submarines and is centred around the model of the SS France, which was the longest Trans-Atlantic ocean liner in the 1960s.

The timelines at the exhibit also illustrate the evolution of nautical technology dating as far back as the 1690s.

The last room in the exhibition literally transports visitors beyond Earth and into the vast expanse of space.

Titled Dans la peau de Thomas Pesquet, which means in the shoes of Thomas Pesquet, the VR short film transports visitors on a journey through the eyes of the French astronaut.

Apart from the exhibition, the MOVE! programme also includes a series of talks, film screenings, workshops, and kids’ activities at the Alliance Française de Singapour.

Film screenings include the French action thriller film, The Wolf’s Call, and the award-winning Jacques-Yves Cousteau biopic, The Odyssey. 

There will be a chuck glider-making workshop on May 26 for children aged 7 to 12 years old at 4.30pm, and a storytelling session for children aged 3 to 6 in the Alliance Française library from May 20 to Jun 17 at 10.45am.

A wine tasting workshop will also be hosted by multi-Michelin-starred French restaurant Les Amis from May 7 to Jun 10 at 7pm. Member tickets costs $75 while non-member tickets are priced at $85.

Additionally, an Air France Singapore-Paris flight ticket is up for grabs at the exhibition. To participate, visitors need to complete the quiz on their entry ticket and submit it at the end of their visit.