Le Prix Goncourt 2017 Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Nov 6, 2017
Some of you may already have heard of le prix Goncourt—the most important literary award bestowed to authors writing in French. This prestigious literary award was created in 1892, in the will of author Edmund de Goncourt. Since then, the award has been given in the beginning of November of every year, making it the…
A Household White Wolf – Idioms In French Posted by John Bauer on Nov 1, 2017
When I learned Joe Dassin is a household name, I wanted to use an equivalent French expression in the article. What I found surprised me with how imaginative it is to English speakers: to be known like the white wolf. Les expressions (the expressions) we use every day can be hard to translate because of…
Chartres Posted by Tim Hildreth on Oct 31, 2017
Located just over an hour to the southwest of Paris, the city of Chartres makes a perfect stop on the drive from Paris to points west (like la Bretagne). It is home to, among other things, the beautiful Notre-Dame de Chartres cathedral. That, along with a nice lunch, is just about a perfect detour in…
The World Series…in French? Posted by Elizabeth Schmermund on Oct 30, 2017
Believe it or not, baseball actually has a long history sur le sol français (on French soil). The first game played in France, occurred on March 8, 1889. Le premier championnat (the first tournament) took place during World War I. Today, baseball is known as a primarily American sport in France and is not given much media…
I Put a Spell on You! All Your Favorite “Hocus Pocus” Moments in French Posted by Josh Dougherty on Oct 28, 2017
Halloween is right around the corner. Jack-o-lanterns are on front porches. Pretty leaves are on the ground and sidewalks. Last-minute costumes are being purchased. Blah, blah, blah, etc. etc. etc. There’s certainly something magical about this time of year, but everyone knows the true reason for the season is the 1993 classic film “Hocus Pocus…
Joe Dassin – Un Américain French Singer Posted by John Bauer on Oct 25, 2017
La semaine dernière (last week), after looking up where the expression un été indien (an Indian summer) comes from, I was surprised to learn about Joe Dassin and his seemingly interesting mix of being a French singer with origins aux États-Unis (in the United States). Qui est cet américain qui chante en français ? Who…
Green France Posted by Tim Hildreth on Oct 24, 2017
France has a long history of using alternative sources of fuel to generate electricity. After the global oil crisis of the early 1970’s France embarked on an ambitious program to ensure energy independence and today generates about 75% of its electricity from nuclear. While nuclear may not be the greenest source of energy, on our…