A day in the life of Sébastien de Turenne
Photos Louis Muller
Words Matthieu Morge-Zucconi
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We talk boxing, minimalism and hand cream with our translator.
Cliquez ici pour le lire en français
Sébastien de Turenne is someone we know well: he takes care of all of Horace’s French-to-English translation needs. As luck would have it, we live in the same neighbourhood, and therefore decided to meet in a coffee shop of his choosing, where a variety of musical instruments are free to play. Fortunately for us, nobody was silly enough to attempt a poor rendition of “Wonderwall” while we talked.
Hi Sébastien, do you mind telling us what you do for a living?
Hi, I’m Sébastien de Turenne, and I work at the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, within the Mobility Division, where I’m mostly kept busy with internal communication tasks. I’m also a freelance translator, in particular for Horace, but I’ve also done some work for WAD magazine and the MAN/WOMAN fashion tradeshow.
The FIA is one of the world’s most famous sports federations, what’s it like to work there on a daily basis?
The FIA is divided into two Divisions. On the one hand Sport, which manages anything motorsport-related, and on the other Mobility, where I work, which handles road safety, connectivity, sustainability, etc. I have standard office hours, which is exactly what I was looking for after having worked crazy hours in financial communication. So far it’s going pretty well. One of the main perks is that we always get to travel in business class.
How did you start working in translation?
My mum is English, my dad is French and I grew up in France. As a teenager I had a very questionable fashion sense, I was - amongst other brands - obsessed with FUBU (Editor’s note: For Us By Us, a US streetwear brand). My parents disapproved my tastes, I therefore ended up going to the UK to work and keep up this expensive habit. This obviously helped with my English fluency, and I basically had two mother tongues. I decided to attend a translation and international relations school in Lyons, called l’Ecole Supérieure de Traduction et de Relations Internationales. To be honest translation is complicated; people don’t really understand how much time a good translation requires. For example, I’ve already had clients tell me to simply run their texts through Google Translate.
Do you have a specific work dress code?
Not really, I get to keep my beard; I do have a uniform of sorts, though. I only ever wear white shirts, often paired with some chinos and a pair of Desert Boots. I recently took to a minimalist approach to life: I have very few possessions, and try to regularly get rid of things.
How does that work?
I simply throw out anything I don’t need. I live in a small flat so I’m always short on space; I try to keep it down to the bare necessities. I’m always sorting through my stuff. The first sorting and throwing out session was by far the hardest to do. I have trouble getting rid of my books, too.
What makes sorting through books so complicated?
Well there’s the books you read and loved, the books you haven’t read yet but are on your list, the books you were gifted, that you know you will never read but still have sentimental value... I have a strong attachment to printed paper.
I imagine this means you are very picky when it comes to the essentials you choose to keep?
Exactly. And this is applicable to all types of essentials, from the clothes I choose, to the products I buy from Horace. When it comes to grooming items, for example, I only buy what I really need: Baxter of California’s deodorant, the Horace cleanser and moisturiser - which I got to try out before their official release - and the Hommer beard oil. Oh, and my shave brush too.
I know you’re particularly fond of the Ren Skincare hand cream.
Yes, I have three bottles of it. One for my flat, one for the office, and one I leave at my girlfriend’s. I keep the office one on my desk, and it gathers a lot of interest, which grants me the power to decide who gets to use it or not (laughter). If I really like someone, I might even offer to let them try it. Of course, this only works because it’s a good cream that smells nice.
You use a shave brush, but you have a beard, how does that work?
I use the brush for my neck and cheeks, with a safety razor, and I follow it up with some Baxter of California post-shave moisturiser and I’m good to go. Once you’ve started using a shave brush, it’s borderline impossible to do without. Shaving becomes a ritual; it really feels like you’re taking care of yourself. I shave every other day.
Do you have any other grooming habits?
I take care of my beard myself. I try to keep it short, when it gets too long, it quickly becomes very time-consuming to maintain. I’m not really into people touching me so I tend to avoid going to the barbershop or hairdresser’s. I do my hair with clippers, but I’m bald so it’s pretty straight-forward.
How long have been bald?
Since I’ve been 18, approximately. It’s really not much of a tragedy as I used to have really thick hair. A bit like Novak Djokovic, you know? Not a great loss if you ask me. My mother bought my first pair of clippers and I’ve been doing it myself ever since. My baldness has always been much more of an issue for her than for me.
What are your mornings like?
I get up at 7am every day. I do some push ups and crunches and then cut my hair and shave (every other day), as I explained before. Then it’s breakfast time: Weetabix and a cup of tea with milk, I am English, after all. After that I set off to work in the metro.
Do you do any sport other than your morning workouts?
I go boxing 3 to 4 times a week at the Battling Club in Paris’ 10th arrondissement. I stick to the noble art in its most traditional form, fists are quite enough to handle.
How long have you been boxing?
I’ve been boxing at the Battling Club for two or three years. Before that, some years ago, I used to play basketball, but I would always end up being super stressed at the end of practice. So I decided I’d rather be by myself. I started boxing in Lyons, in some pretty ghetto gyms, where people really came to inflict damage. I love boxing, it helps me relax like nothing else. Before you first start training you have a very specific idea of what it might feel like to get punched in the face, but when you first get hit you really realise how far you were from reality. It hurts like a bitch.
What are your tips to care for your face after a particularly vicious fight?
Arnica works very well. Lip balm is also crucial. Mouthguards can wreak havoc on your lips, which you really need to protect. Mouthguards, which are also designed to prevent you from biting your tongue off, are placed under the lips, making them an easier target if and when you get punched in the face. The more you moisturise your lips the less they’ll hurt.
Photos : Louis Muller