Today's expression: à ne pas manquer     : not to be missed, a must-see, do not miss Audio File: Listen to Jean-Marc read the following example sentence, in French Click here to hear the sound file for "a ne pas manquer"A ne pas manquer ce soir (le Jeudi 29 Mars) à partir de 18H30 au Vin Sobre Obélisque de Mazargues….Dégustation exceptionnelle de deux Grands Crus … Continue reading How to say “not-to-be-missed” or “must-see” in French + tonight’s winetasting in Marseilles with Château de Pibarnon and Chateau de Roquefort

BORDEAUX AND THE DORDOGNE small group tour Sept 17-25 – culture, cuisine & wine. Click here for itinerary. se faire berner      : to be deluded, to be duped, taken in se faire empapaouter     : to be had, to be screwed Audio File: listen to Jean-Marc read the following text in French: Click here to listen to the sound file Se faire berner ou se … Continue reading Raconter des salades (Fountain Guy takes us for a ride) = today’s expressions: se faire empapaouter or se faire berner:

A quiet cove at Elba Island, off the coast of Tuscany. avoir du culot     1. to have the audacity, to have balls, to have some nerve 365 Days of French Expressions. See the book.  Avoir du culot: listen to this phrase and the following sentence Avoir du culot: Il faut avoir du culot pour dépasser ses limites.To be daring: You've got to be daring go … Continue reading Audacity and “avoir du culot”: going beyond the limits in Elba, Italy

Our kitchen here in La Ciotat. See a before picture at the end of this archive post. Today's Word: le chantier     : construction site, building site, work zone Book: 365 Days of French Expressions: Learn one new French Expression per Day Depuis notre retour de l'ile d'Elbe, Kristi, Smokey, et moi, vivons dans un chantier. Nous essayons de "go with the flow," c'est-à-dire de lâcher prise. Since our return … Continue reading Chantier or construction site + A hole in the wall is better than un trou dans la tête! Caution while sleeping….

We made it to Elba Island after driving all the way from La Ciotat. To break up the 9-hour road trip, Jean-Marc organized two overnight stops: one in the Ligurian town of Albenga–and the other in Lucca. We didn't get to see much these famous Italian towns as it rained non-stop (the pluie turned to hail as we crowded beneath a tiny portico, in Lucca, … Continue reading Postcard from Elba, Italy…and the French word for “puddle of water”

After moving to La Ciotat seven months ago, we love our new city more than ever. But there is one thing driving us far far away this week… Today's French word: échapper     : to escape, outrun, slip away from …and the popular French expression échapper belle (to have a lucky escape, to escape by the skin of one's teeth, to just make it out … Continue reading Echapper belle: What we are avoiding, alluding, dodging, and running away from this week!