French History – Le Manureva Posted by Tim Hildreth on Nov 21, 2017
Thirty-nine years ago, the French sailor Alain Colas and his boat, le Manureva, disappeared off the Azores (a group of North Atlantic islands about 850 miles west of the coast of Portugal) while particpating in the Route du Rhum. The tale has inspired many, including the French composer Alain Chamfort and the singer/songwriter Serge Gainsbourg…
Coeur de Pirate (And A Goncourt Announcement) Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Nov 20, 2017
My husband is a big fan of Nouvelle Star, the French equivalent of the British show Pop Idol. It is similar in format to The X Factor and other music reality shows, where a jury of famous and/or influential people in the music industry vote on whether or not to allow musicians through to the next level, and eventually to…
Christmas Is Ruined In Paris? – The Christmas Market At Les Champs Élysées Posted by John Bauer on Nov 15, 2017
It may be a little early for some people to start talking about Christmas and the holidays, but the cold weather has thoughts of le vin chaud et le papa Noël (mulled wine and Santa Claus) already in people’s head. As everyone starts getting ready for the holidays there is a surprisingly missing fixture this…
Reading Signs in French Posted by Tim Hildreth on Nov 14, 2017
A very important skill for traveling abroad is reading signs. This is as true in France as it is in any country. Reading the local signs isn’t generally a matter de vie ou de mort (of life or death), but sometimes it can mean the difference between privacy … and, well, wet shoes. I love…
Le Prix Goncourt des Lycéens Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Nov 13, 2017
Last week, you read about the famous French literary prize Le Prix Goncourt and its winner for 2017: Eric Vuillard for L’Ordre du jour. But that’s not the only Prix Goncourt that was recently awarded. In fact, there’s another, prestigious Goncourt prize, whose finalists were just revealed today. Le Prix Goncourt des Lycéens is often…
Check out “Dommage” by Rap Duo Bigflo & Oli! Posted by Josh Dougherty on Nov 12, 2017
Lacking motivation? Let this song give you a glimpse into what could be if you don’t just get up and do it! And these two brothers know what it means to find the drive to follow your passion. Raised in la ville rose (the pink city — Toulouse) to an Argentinianfather and a Franco-Algerian mother…
Little Red Chaperon Rouge – Fairy Tale French Posted by John Bauer on Nov 8, 2017
When I was looking up the origin of the French expression, être connu comme le loup blanc (to be known like the white wolf), I was reminded of the most famous story I know that features un loup: Le Petit Chaperon rouge (Little Red Riding Hood). That made me curious about les contes de fées…