Cutting the symbolic ribbon. Bernard Jeanmet-Peralta, the Mayor of Manosque and Jean-Paul Clément, Director of the Intn'l School, stand between DG Motojima and Region President Vauzelle. The inauguration was attended by the Consul-Generals of Japan and of the United States (in the background).

Michel Vauzelle surrounded by a sea of flags. In the second row from left to right: Préfet Pierre N'Gahane, Département Council President Jean-Louis Bianco, ITER DG Osamu Motojima, Recteur Jean-Paul de Gaudemar, Christophe Castaner Mayor of Forcalquier and Vice-President of the Regional Council, and other personalities.

Reading German poetry to the French officials. The International School offers six language sections and instruction in ten languages. Classes are taught half in French and half in one of ten ITER languages: Chinese, English, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish.

Kindergarten children present Mr. Vauzelle and the other officials with the coat of arms of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region crafted from coloured pebbles.

The Mont d'Or topped by its landmark Tower, the remnant of a 10th century "castrum", as seen from the "green roof" of the International School. The name of the hill has nothing to do with gold: it derives from the old Provençal word "aura", which means "a windy place".

Architects Rudy Ricciotti and Jean-Michel Battesti, from Marseille, have designed a building whose architecture is daring, yet functional.

An interior pool framed by concrete columns, reminiscent of a medieval cloister.

Far from generating an oppresive atmosphere, the 280 precast concrete columns that surround the building create a feeling of order and peace. Ricciotti and Battesti see their work as "'a monumental temple of knowledge".

Seen from the heights of the Mont d'Or in the winter morning haze, the International School with its green roof is barely distinguishable from its surroundings.