Colombe Schneck’s “Swimming in Paris”: A Conversation with Aimée Laberge

Swimming in Paris begins with a 1984 story, when a carefree teenager discovers she is pregnant, prompting a confrontation with societal attitudes toward women’s choices. Schneck orchestrates a coming-of-age journey in three movements—Seventeen, Friendship, and Swimming—inviting readers into a nuanced exploration of bodily autonomy, love, and loss.

Through her evocative prose, she captures the strength of female friendships, particularly the bond between Colombe and her childhood friend Héloïse.

At fifty years old, while taking swimming lessons, I finally realized that my body was not actually as incompetent as I’d thought. My physical gestures had been, until then, small, worried, tense. In swimming, I learned to extend them.

Schneck’s writing maintains an unwavering intimacy, whether conjuring a teenage abortion amid a privileged Parisian upbringing or navigating the complexities of midlife romance, where she learns to embrace her desires and body fully. This work, translated into English by Natasha Lehrer and Lauren Elkin, immerses readers in the tender realities of womanhood, celebrating the journey toward self-acceptance.

Aimée Laberge, who will moderate the discussion, has spent the past 15 years promoting French and Francophone cultures as Director of Programs at the Alliance Française de Chicago, where she has hosted numerous notable literary figures. The discussion will be followed by a Q&A and signing at the Co-op.

The event is presented in partnership with Villa Albertine Chicago.