Archive by Author
Windy Weather with Le Mistral Posted by Josh Dougherty on Jan 20, 2015
Snow and low temperatures aren’t so bad. Winter sports can be fun. Icy roads aren’t appealing, but they’re doable. But when there’s a strong wind in the winter? Non merci. I’d prefer to stay indoors pour boire mon chocolat chaud (to drink my hot chocolate). The south of France is known for its Mediterranean climate…
Pain au chocolat – A Pastry Delight Posted by Josh Dougherty on Jan 16, 2015
It’s been said that le petit-déjeuner (breakfast) is the most important meal of the day. You can get all the essential nutrition and energy to help you get through your day (or you can look at it that you can stuff your face with meats and starches and fats and work it off pendant la…
That tricky French U! Posted by Josh Dougherty on Jan 6, 2015
There are many tricky parts to learning a foreign language. There’s new grammar, there are new and sometimes bizarre expressions and idioms, and there are of course new sounds. For native English speakers, there are a few sounds in French that are a little difficult to pronounce. And of course, just because you know the…
Learning through Poetry: “Le Message” de Jacques Prévert Posted by Josh Dougherty on Dec 31, 2014
Knowing une langue étrangère (a foreign language) has many aspects to it. Some people define their fluency in a language based on the fact that they grew up speaking it, even if they can’t read or write in it. It’s certainly not fair to take that away from them, but I’m an advocate for knowing…
Christmas Eve Feasts and Festivities Posted by Josh Dougherty on Dec 24, 2014
Christmas Eve in France is a holiday in and of itself. Traditionally, it was celebrated with la Messe de Minuit (midnight mass) for many families, even those who are non-pratiquant (non-practicing). With attendance rates lowering, it’s becoming less and less common as a whole for the French to attend this mass, but you can still…
Provincial Nativity Characters: Les Santons! Posted by Josh Dougherty on Dec 19, 2014
La crèche (the nativity scene) is pretty common this time of year, but in the southeastern part of France in Provence, they go a little further. Le bébé Jésus, Marie, Joseph, les Rois mages, les ânes, et les anges sont tous là (Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Three Wise Men, the donkeys, and the angels…
La Fête des Lumières à Lyon Posted by Josh Dougherty on Dec 11, 2014
For 4 days each December, la ville de Lyon s’allume (the city of Lyon lights up) with a spectacular show of lights, lasers, and music. Called La Fête des Lumières (The Festival of Light), Lyon welcomes about 4 million people each year to see it. Sounds like an awful lot of visitors for some lights…