Archive for 'Culture'
Love Locks on the Pont des Arts Posted by Josh Dougherty on Jun 11, 2015
Have you ever seen padlocks with initials on them attached to a bridge? It’s become a common practice for tourists and locals alike, but these locks are the source of headaches for city workers! Un « cadena d’amour » est un cadena qu’un couple accroche sur un pont pour symboliser publiquement leur amour (A “love…
Confusing French Stories Posted by John Bauer on Jun 3, 2015
There are some differences between the US and France that I took for granted. The first time I ordered a coffee, I was surprised by the size of the drink, and the first time I had a meeting in France I showed up at the right address, but on the wrong floor of the building!…
France’s 2015 Eurovision Submission! Posted by Josh Dougherty on May 21, 2015
On Saturday night, most of Europe will be tuning in to the finale of the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest. If you’re not familiar with this contest, it’s an annual song competition with countries in the European Broadcasting Union participating. This year, for its 60th anniversary, the contest is taking place in Vienna, Austria, because last year’s…
Faire le Pont! – May Holidays in France Posted by Josh Dougherty on May 14, 2015
France, just like every other country, has many holidays throughout the year. With the creation of new holidays every year (such as National Doughnut Day — faites une croix dans vos calendriers [mark your calendars]! It’s June 5 this year!), it seems that there’s something to celebrate every day. Whether you believe in celebrating doughnuts…
Top French Baby Names! Posted by Josh Dougherty on May 7, 2015
How many typical French names can you list off the top of your head? I’m sure there are some Jean-Pauls, Michels, Brigittes, and, of course, some Pierres in your lists, but I can assure that these names aren’t all that common anymore. Have you ever met a French Kévin? Jessica? I remember the first time I…
Prehistoric France Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on May 3, 2015
Have you ever seen Werner Herzog’s Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010)? If not, rent it now. It’s an incredibly powerful movie that allows those of us who are not archeologists to commune with the past in a meaningful way. While not about French culture per se, Herzog’s documentary focuses on the Chauvet caves in southern France, the…
Literary Classics with…Nabilla? Posted by Josh Dougherty on Apr 23, 2015
Sometimes you want nothing more than to curl up with a good book. With the internet, it’s easy to hop on to a site to find suggestions for new things to read. If not, you can choose to read one of the classics. Every language has their own canon of classics. Even if you haven’t…