Looks cozy, no? douillet, douillette (do-yay; do-yet) adjective cozy, snug "Douillette" is also a feminine noun for "quilted coat or robe" and, in both masculine and feminine forms, has a second meaning: one sensitive to pain (a wimp). There is also the verb "douiller" which means "to pay through the nose" (never a "cozy" feeling). … Continue reading douillet
A pastiche of roof tiles & our pastis-loving roofer, Michel.jeu de mots (zhuh duh moh) noun, masculine a play on words, a pun Meilleur que mille mots privés de sens est un seul mot raisonnable, qui peut amener le calme chez celui qui l'écoute. Better than a thousand words void of meaning, is one sensible word that can bring calm to the one listening. … Continue reading jeu de mots
Perhaps we can know the word origin for "déballer" by studying this photo? When the French arrive at a new location, one of the first things they "unpack" are the "boules": "de-ball-er". (In the background, the vine horizon. From left to right: Andre, Braise, Jean-Marc, "Uncle Jacques" and cousin Pierre.) In Books: "Auberge Of The Flowering Hearth" by Roy Andries De Groot. "This cookbook is … Continue reading déballer
The town of Les Arcs-sur-Argens. flou (flew) adjective blurred, hazy, vague, fuzzy Il y a des régions qui doivent rester obscures. Ni floues ni ignorées mais simplement privées de la mémoire des mots. There are areas that must remain obscure. Neither fuzzy nor ignored but simply disallowed from the memory of words. –Hammerklavier. — Au revoir Les Arcs — On the freeway of life my … Continue reading flou
My daughter playing the role of Camille in this year’s school play "Le défi des défis". Read a very different play in today’s column, below. Summer reading: Mediterranean Summer: A Season on France’s Cote d’Azur and Italy’s Costa Bella déborder (day-bor-day) verb to overflow, brim over, run over; to burst; to boil over French proverb:C’est la goutte qui fait déborder le vase.It is the [last] … Continue reading déborder
Max, three years ago, in front of the field from today’s story. Why not listen to a musical while improving your French at the same time? Check out Notre Dame de Paris here. la tisane (tee-zan) noun, feminine 1. herbal tea, infusion Les feuilles sèches préparent la tisane de l’automne.Dry leaves make autumn’s herbal tea. –Ramon Gomez de la Serna. … Continue reading tisane
A certain redhead wowed him and that is how the love affair began. Read about my rival, below. From a farm in California to one in France… Divisadero: a new book by Michael Ondaatje. Read more here. angoisse (ahn-gwace) noun, feminine anxiety; fear Toute angoisse est imaginaire; le réel est son antidote.All fear is imaginary, reality is its antidote. … Continue reading angoisse
Our (current…) village of Les Arcs-sur-Argens and a few of its cud-chewing residents. flagorneur, flagorneuse (flah-gorh-ner / flah-gorh-nuhz) noun flatterer, sycophant, toady, courtier flagorneur/flagorneuse (adjective): fawning J’ai déployé tour à tour, pour me pousser au premier rang, la brutalité d’une acheteuse de grands magasins aux jours de solde et la gentillesse flagorneuse. In order to push myself to the front row, I displayed, alternately, the … Continue reading flagorneur
