{"id":22259,"date":"2015-07-20T17:48:03","date_gmt":"2015-07-20T15:48:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/?p=22259"},"modified":"2017-10-23T16:02:23","modified_gmt":"2017-10-23T14:02:23","slug":"les-embouteillages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/les-embouteillages\/","title":{"rendered":"Les embouteillages!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Normally I try to focus on writing about the fun things about summer: gardening, going to the beach, and going to music festivals. However, there is one unavoidable (and not-so-fun) fact of summer life in and around large French cities: les embouteillages!<\/em><\/p>\n

Un embouteillage\u00a0<\/em>is a traffic jam, and there can be a lot of them in mid to late July around Paris and other large cities. Why? Because most city-dwellers in France take long vacations in summer and leave their cities in July, only to come back in late August for\u00a0la rentr\u00e9e\u00a0<\/em>(the beginning of school and work after summer vacation). During the month of August, large cities are emptied out; it can even be hard to find a restaurant or boutique that is open in a non-tourist area. But the lead-up to this large exodus can be tricky if you’re trying to get around — and you might find yourself stuck in some bouchons<\/em> (traffic jams or, alternatively, caps or bottle stoppers).<\/p>\n

Here is the first stanza\u00a0to a song, called “Les Embouteillages,” by the band Sanseverino. Make sure you check out the video, as well as a list of vocabulary used in the song.<\/p>\n

Les Embouteillages<\/em><\/p>\n

On est un peu jaloux qu\u2019ils arrivent avant nous<\/em>
\nMais on les laisse passer, dans les embouteillages<\/em>
\nQuand les motards te font merci avec les pieds, merci avec les pieds<\/em>
\nCe ne sont pas des \u00eatres humains, mais une esp\u00e8ce de Martien-Terrien<\/em>
\nIls ne connaissent pas la langue des mains<\/em>
\nIl faut les voir foncer libres comme l\u2019air<\/em>
\nHeureux comme des go\u00e9lands, ils ont l\u2019air \u00e9panoui<\/em>
\nUn casque sur la t\u00eate et \u00e0 leurs mains des gants<\/em>
\nIls font tout sur leur moto mais la seule chose qu\u2019ils ne pourront pas<\/em>
\nC\u2019est dormir en roulant sinon le drap s\u2019envolera<\/em>
\nTu comprends<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Vocabulary<\/p>\n

jaloux —\u00a0<\/em>jealous<\/p>\n

laisse passer —\u00a0<\/em>to let pass<\/p>\n

motards —\u00a0<\/em>motorcyclists<\/p>\n

\u00eatres humains —\u00a0<\/em>human beings<\/p>\n

martien —\u00a0<\/em>a martian<\/p>\n

connaitre (ils connaissent) —\u00a0<\/em>to know<\/p>\n

la langue\u00a0<\/em>— language<\/p>\n

foncer\u00a0<\/em>— to race<\/p>\n

libre comme l’air<\/em> — free as the air<\/p>\n

les go\u00e9lands\u00a0<\/em>— the gulls<\/p>\n

l’air \u00e9panoui<\/em> —\u00a0to seem content<\/p>\n

un casque<\/em> — helmet<\/p>\n

les gants\u00a0<\/em>— gloves<\/p>\n

en roulant<\/em> — literally, while rolling. Here it means while riding the motorcycle<\/p>\n

le drap<\/em> — the flag<\/p>\n

s’envoler<\/em> — to fly away<\/p>\n

https:\/\/youtu.be\/olMbUAYgzPQ<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Normally I try to focus on writing about the fun things about summer: gardening, going to the beach, and going to music festivals. However, there is one unavoidable (and not-so-fun) fact of summer life in and around large French cities: les embouteillages! Un embouteillage\u00a0is a traffic jam, and there can be a lot of…<\/p>\n

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