![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/11\/782C24C7-714F-4FA5-A483-5AC6BA08CEDA-263x350.jpeg\")
Photo [CC0] from Nicolas at Pexels.com<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n Hubert Germain, who passed away earlier in October, was the last living member of the ordre de la Lib\u00e9ration<\/a> created in 1940 by General de Gaulle to honor those who worked towards the liberation of France during WWII.<\/p>\n Germain may have been the last to die, but he was one of the first to join General de Gaulle in London and to become part of the Forces fran\u00e7aises libres<\/strong><\/a>1<\/a><\/sup>Free French Forces<\/em><\/span>.\u00a0For the celebration \u201cqui avait \u00e9t\u00e9 enti\u00e8rement imagin\u00e9e par Hubert Germain lui-m\u00eame avant sa mort<\/strong>\u201d2<\/a><\/sup>that has been planned by Germain himself before his death<\/em><\/span>, the cercueil<\/strong>3<\/a><\/sup>coffin<\/em><\/span> was carried par char<\/strong><\/a>4<\/a><\/sup>on a tank<\/i><\/span> to the Arch de Triomphe, sight of the tomb of the unknown soldier, for a speech by President Emmanuel Macron.<\/p>\n Following the ceremony at the Arch de Triomphe, Germain\u2019s remains were transported to Mont Val\u00e9rien<\/a> where they will be interred alongside the remains of 16 soldiers and resistance fighters from WWII at the M\u00e9morial de la France combattante<\/strong>5<\/a><\/sup>Memorial to Battling France<\/em><\/span>. Even though it\u2019s just a few miles from the heart of Paris (and can be seen on the skyline of the city), I never knew about this location.<\/p>\n Mont Val\u00e9rien\u2019s fortress was the sight of over 1000 executions of resistance fighters during WWII and in addition to the Memorial de la France combattante, the hill is also home to le cimeti\u00e8re am\u00e9ricain de Suresnes<\/strong><\/a>6<\/a><\/sup>The American Cemetery of Suresnes<\/em><\/span>, final resting place of over 1500 American soldiers who died in WWI, along with 24 unidentified soldiers from WWII.<\/p>\n Just like every year, Paris\u2019s most famous department stores (grands magasins<\/em>) are gearing up for the Christmas holidays. At the Printemps Haussmann<\/a> \u201cles vitrines se transforment en ateliers des lutins du p\u00e8re No\u00ebl<\/strong><\/a>\u201d7<\/a><\/sup>the display windows have transformed into the workshop of Santa\u2019s elves<\/em><\/span>.\u00a0The BHV \u201cse transforme en chalet Suisse<\/strong><\/a>\u201d8<\/a><\/sup>is becoming a Swiss chalet<\/em><\/span> complete with cuckoo clocks, chocolates, and cheese fondue<\/a>!<\/p>\n For their first winter back, \u201cles Jardins Parisiens sont \u00e0 l’honneur et un calendrier de l’Avent truff\u00e9 de surprises vous attend tous les jours de d\u00e9cembre jusqu’\u00e0 No\u00ebl<\/a>\u201d \u00e0 la Samaritaine<\/strong>9<\/a><\/sup>Parisian parks take center stage and an advent calendar stuffed with surprises awaits every day in December through Christmas<\/em><\/span>. \u00a0Over at Le Bon March\u00e9,\u00a0\u201cles vitrines de No\u00ebl f\u00eatent le pain d’\u00e9pice et le sucre d’orge<\/strong><\/a>\u201d10<\/a><\/sup>the Christmas windows celebrate gingerbread and Christmas candy<\/em><\/span>.<\/p>\n Check back next week for an update on the windows at the Galeries Lafayette which are due to be unveiled le mardi 17<\/strong>.<\/p>\n I learned a new word this week when my iPhone informed me that we were going to have\u00a0de la bruine<\/strong>. It wasn\u2019t a word I\u2019d encountered before, but it was certainly a weather pattern I was familiar with. Cold, damp days when the air just feels wet are common in the fall and the\u00a0drizzle<\/em> that often comes with grey days is what my phone was warning me to prepare for!<\/p>\n Le plus important des jours . . . *<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nHubert Germain, compagnon de la Lib\u00e9ration<\/h3>\n
Mont Val\u00e9rien<\/h3>\n
No\u00ebl arrive<\/h3>\n
Weather word of the week<\/h3>\n