Vacation has arrived Posted by Tim Hildreth on Aug 1, 2017 in Culture, Music, Vocabulary
August 1 (le premier août) is the traditional start of France’s grandes vacances (big vacation). For decades, the month of August has seen literally millions of French take to the roads to escape the office, city, and home to find un peu de repos (a little rest) à la campagnes, dans les montagnes (in the country, in the mountains) or, like Dorothée in the song below, à la plage (at the beach).
| Pendant tout l’été | All through the summer |
| Sur les routes on a roulé | We rode on the roads |
| C’est papa qui conduisait | Daddy is the one who drove |
| C’est maman qui rouspétait | Mom is the one who complained |
| Prends garde au camion | Watch out for the trucks |
| Y a les p’tits, fais attention | There are little kids, be careful |
| Pas question d’accélérer | No possibility to speed up |
| Et tout le monde nous doublait | And everyone kept passing us |
| Oui vraiment la vie est dure | Yes life is hard |
| Il fait chaud dans leur voiture | It’s hot in the car |
| On s’en va à l’aventure | We’re off on an adventure |
| On n’sait même pas | Not even knowing |
| A quelle heure on mangera | What time we will eat |
| Vive* Les Vacances | Celebrate vacation time |
| Vive l’insouciance** | Celebrate being free from cares |
| Les jours d’affluence | Peak days |
| Sur les routes de France | On the roads of France |
| Les embouteillages | Traffic jams |
| D’péage en péage | Toll booth to toll booth |
| Une panne d’allumage | The lights are out |
| Arrêt au garage | Stop at a garage |
| A peine arrivés | Barely arrived |
| Y a les sacs à décharger | The suitcases/luggage must be unpacked (from the car) |
| Comme les grands sont fatigués | Since the adults are tired |
| C’est nous qui devons les porter | We get stuck carrying them |
| L’hôtel est tout p’tit | The hotel is teeny |
| Une chambre pour toute la famille | One room for the whole family |
| Et pour les enfants | And for the kids |
| Désolé, y a plus d’lits d’camp | Sorry ! there are no more cots |
| Y a papa qui ronfle la nuit | Dad snores at night |
| La p’tite sœur qui fait pipi | The little sister wets the bed |
| On est tous dans le même lit | Everyone in the same bed |
| C’est pas une vie | It’s not a life |
| Vite, rentrons à Paris | Fast, let’s go back to Paris |
| Vive Les Vacances | Celebrate vacation time |
| Vive l’insouciance | Celebrate being free from cares |
| Les jours d’affluence | Peak days |
| Sur les routes de France | On the roads of France |
| Les embouteillages | Traffic jams |
| Dans les petits villages | In the little towns |
| Une panne débrayage | The clutch gives out |
| Arrêt au garage | Stop at a garage |
| Sur la plage ensoleillée | On the sunny beaches |
| Partout où on met les pieds | Every where you step |
| On s’retrouve tout englué | You end up all gooey |
| C’est à cause des pétroliers | Because of the oil tankers |
| Quand on trouve un endroit sec | When we find a dry spot |
| Vite, on étale sa serviette | Quick, spread out a towel |
| En faisant bien attention | Being very careful |
| D’pas la mettre sur les tessons | Not to put it on the shards of broken glass |
| Les pieds dans l’eau on s’amuse | We have fun with our feet in the water |
| En employant mille ruses | Using a thousand different tricks |
| Pour éviter les méduses | To avoid the jelly fish |
| C’est amusant | It’s fun |
| Ça fait passer le temps | And help pass the time |
| Vive Les Vacances | Celebrate vacation time |
| Vive l’insouciance | Celebrate being free from cares |
| Les jours d’affluence | Peak days |
| Sur les routes de France | On the roads of France |
| Retour de la plage | Back from the beach |
| Les embouteillages | Traffic jams |
| Une panne de freinage | The brakes give out |
| Arrêt au garage | Stop at the garage |
* ‘Vive’ (as in « vive le roi ! ») is an expression of support, celebration, exuberance, or joy.
** ‘insouciance’ can convey the same negative ideas as ‘carelessness’ in English, but it can also – as in this case – be more positive.
^ Paris hosted the 1924 Summer Olympics.
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About the Author: Tim Hildreth
Since my first trip to France at 16, I have been a passionate francophile. I love the language, food, music, art, people, and more that make France and la Francophonie in general such an amazing part of our global community. Having lived in France and studied the language and culture for over 35 years, it is my great pleasure to be able to share a little bit of my deep love with you through this blog.