Archive for 'Uncategorized'
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…
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…
4 Surprising Sights in Paris That Most Tourists Don’t Know About Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Dec 15, 2014
Even after living there several years and returning every summer, Paris continues to surprise me. Just this past summer, we took my son – obsessed with les animaux – to the Bois de Vincennes, where there is a small working farm that uses organic techniques (les techniques biologiques), as well as an educational petting zoo…
5 Things you Need to Know About Shopping in France Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Dec 1, 2014
In honor of this Cyber Monday and recent Black Friday, here are some important facts and terms to make your shopping trip in France easy and stress-free. Unlike in the United States, sales in France are state-run. That means that companies don’t regulate their own storewide sales to get rid of old inventory before the…
Compound Nouns en français Posted by Josh Dougherty on Nov 26, 2014
verb + noun Dans ma région, on attend beaucoup de neige demain. Le lendemain, c’est Thanksgiving, et le surlendemain, c’est Black Friday. Pour vous aider dans cette période stressante de l’année, je vous présente un blog qui porte sur un sujet super intéressant: la grammaire! (In my neck of the woods, we’re expecting a lot…
Les Fables de La Fontaine: Le Soleil et les Grenouilles Posted by mtaulier on Nov 25, 2014
Our last fable from Jean de La Fontaine is taken from Livre VI (Book VI) of the Fables de La Fontaine. Le Soleil et les Grenouilles (The Sun and the Frogs) is unique in that it is told by Aesop, the famous Greek fabulist of the 7th century B.C. who no doubt served as La…