Archive for October, 2014
Ghosts’n’Goblins: The Origins of Halloween Posted by mtaulier on Oct 31, 2014
Today, children all over the United States will be donning their déguisements (costumes) and at crépuscule (dusk) will be headed out the door to make the rounds of their neighborhood to celebrate Halloween. Mais d’où vient cette tradition (But where does this tradition come from)? What exactly is Halloween? And does France even celebrate it?…
A Meal for All Seasons: La Soupe à l’Oignon (Onion Soup) Posted by mtaulier on Oct 29, 2014
Bienvenue mes amis! (Welcome my friends!) Aujourd’hui nous allons apprendre à préparer un plat bien Français: la soupe à l’oignon (Today we will be learning how to prepare a typical French dish: onion soup). Tradition has dictated that French onion soup be served avec du fromage râpé (with grated cheese) and croutons. Although onion soups…
Parlez-vous Français?: A Study of French Expressions (Part 6) Posted by mtaulier on Oct 27, 2014
Have you had a chance to apply some of the French idioms we saw in previous posts? In parts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 we covered a variety of expressions, many of which can be used in everyday language in one way or another. It may take a little time to become familiar with…
Google Earth: Visit France from the Comfort of Your Home Posted by mtaulier on Oct 22, 2014
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” —Saint Augustine Reading and learning about France is one thing. Visiting the country is something entirely different. Exploring distant lands and experiencing cultures firsthand is undoubtedly one of life’s most rewarding experiences. You may have a fear of flying or…
La Dame Blanche (The White Lady): Mont Blanc Posted by mtaulier on Oct 18, 2014
Bonjour mes amis! (Hello my friends!) I thought it might be interesting to study un peu de Géographie (a little Geography). Histoire/Géographie (History/Geography) was a combined course in French schools and part of the standard curriculum in the early 1990s. Students would call it Histoire/Géo for short and I clearly remember the green cahier (notebook)…