It can be hard to find French outside the classroom if you don’t live dans un pays francophone (in a French speaking country). That’s why I started the Real French Series as a way to bring French speakers closer to all of you.

This time I interviewed un ami qui s’appelle (a friend whose name is) Arnaud Fièvre. I met Arnaud through Jean Guyomarc’h and Arnaud has helped me get involved in the local music scene. He spends his days finding des salles (venues) and setting up concerts for many of the local musicians. Le collectif de musiciens (the collective) that he works for, Capsul Collectif, focuses on improvised and free jazz music, but is not afriad of le jazz manouche either.

I asked Arnaud a few questions about sa famille et son travail (his family and his work), and then about un mot (a word) that may be new to you: pied-noir (literally “black foot”). He explains in la vidéo what le mot means and touches on its complicated history.

Before the end of l’interview I asked Arnaud to réciter un poème (recite a poem). Heureusement (luckily), he had a poem by le poète français Saint-John Perse ready! However, he didn’t expect me to ask him to réciter un poème and comments on how he feels like he’s à l’école (at school) with the pressure of la caméra.

La vidéo should have les sous-titres (subtitles) activated, but if they are not showing up, cliquez l’icône en forme de roue dentée (click on the gear icon) on the bottom right of the YouTube player and there should be an option for les sous-titres. You can choose between les sous-titres français ou anglais (French or English subtitles) either to help follow along with the French or to see une traduction (a translation).

Voici Arnaud Fièvre :