Ricci went to the vet’s this morning for her first détartrage. Jackie came with me for moral support, as I was nervous about our little shepherd going under anesthesia. When the vet’s assistant asked, “Is there anything else you would like to signaler?” Jackie surprised us with a confident Oui.
I turned to listen as she informed the assistant that our little toutou had gained weight—the industrial scale read 13.5 kilos! Was that too much? Given Ricci was only 9 kilos when we adopted her, it was a lot (10 extra pounds, or a sack of potatoes—oof!). So on our walk home, I got a pep talk from my daughter—the food police (or food flic). “You and Dad have to quit giving her snacks.”
With that, mission Câlins Not Cookies has begun. Each time Ricci begs, we’ll give her a hug instead of a treat. Speaking of treats, let’s find out what Jackie is up to in her latest story. She leaves for Brooklyn in nine days and is feeling sentimental…
TODAY’S WORD: le coup de foudre : love at first sight
PRONUNCIATION: [le koo duh food-ruh]
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
En entrant au Mistral Club, Kristi a eu le coup de foudre pour Jean-Marc.
Upon entering the Mistral Club, it was love at first sight for Kristi — with Jean-Marc.
Coup de Foudre in Aix-en-Provence by Jacqueline Espinasse
For my third post, I want to write about Mom—a French “Word-A-Day” character & narrator who has been quietly living in her own humble shadow for 23 years.
First, a big thank you for all your support in my first steps as a pigiste. And WOW—reading your comments—some of them are sau-ssy! I love it. Keep the salt & sriracha coming. I can already tell you are a quality audience (and sweet, too—lots of French strawberry lovers out there). Thank you.
I want you to meet my mom before you and I even knew her. There’s so much to say about Kristi, but let’s go back to 1989. I’ve collected bits and pieces over my 27 years of life… which I may sometimes spice up with a touch of fiction (because, duh, I wasn’t alive yet!). So, keeping that in mind, here’s a little story about how Mom landed in Provence, found love, and never went back!
It’s a hot day in Scottsdale, AZ. Kristi, 21, wakes to the sound of the postman.
“Get the door!” says Heidi. Kristi drags herself to answer it.
“Heidi, hear that? I just got a letter. It says I’ve been accepted as an exchange student in Lille, France!”
And up into the clouds she goes, living her dream. Although Kristi is a big Francophile, she’s in for a few surprises…
“Wow, you don’t have dryers in France?”
“What’s up with the bathroom next to the kitchen? No privacy?”
“Why do two men kiss on the cheeks?”
(It’s called la bise, Mom!)
Kristi settles into life in Lille. But after a few months, she grows tired of the gray northern skies. So she packs her two giant suitcases, grabs a jambon-beurre sandwich, and hops the next train to Provence with her American friend Sandy.
“Let’s go out tonight,” Sandy says, excited to meet southern French boys.
“Not tonight,” Kristi says. “I think that sandwich made me sick.”
“Ah, come on, drink a seltzer and let’s go clubbing. We are in France!”
Kristi sees the desperation in Sandy’s eyes and gives in. All dolled up, the two walk the cobblestone streets of Aix-en-Provence, struggling in French to ask directions to the coolest club in town.
“The Mistral Club,” a French guy tells them.
As soon as they step inside Le Mistral…
“Two gin and tonics,” Sandy orders. “It’ll loosen you up, Kristi.”
But before Kristi can say “No gin for me,” she looks up and sees him. He’s 22, French, and… completely out of reach.
“I have no chance—too many girls are after him.”
Still, Kristi keeps shy eye contact all night. As she’s about to leave, a hand touches her back.
“Bonsoir. Here is my card. Call me.”
Kristi has no idea what he just said, but the paper says plenty:
Jean-Marc Espinasse, Le Roy d’Espagne.
To this day, our family still laughs about how Mom thought Dad was the King of Spain—when it was really just the name of the neighborhood where he grew up!
Post Note: the whole love story is found in the first book, Words in a French Life, in the Introduction. You’ll find a sample here.
FRENCH VOCABULARY
(Listen to Jean-Marc pronounce the French. Click the link above)
le coup de foudre = love at first sight
le détartrage = teeth cleaning
signaler = to indicate, to report
oui = yes
le toutou = doggy, pooch
le flic = cop
le câlin = hug, cuddle
le pigiste = freelance writer, journalist
la bise = kiss on the cheek
le jambon-beurre = ham and butter sandwich
le Mistral Club = the Mistral Club (nightclub in Aix-en-Provence)
bonsoir = good evening
le Roy d’Espagne = the King of Spain (name of a neighborhood in Marseille)
REMERCIEMENTS
Thank you to the following readers for your donation this past week to this journal!
Mike P.
Ginny R.
Gwen S.
Rajeev B.
Love, care, and reader support—that’s what has sustained this journal for nearly 25 years. Week after week, and now with the help of my daughter Jackie, we continue sharing French words, culture, and everyday life with readers around the world. If you look forward to these letters and would like to help keep French Word-A-Day going, please consider making a contribution.
🌿 Zelle – to Kristin.espinasse@gmail.com
🌿 PayPal – Click here
🌿 Credit card – Click here
Have you read Words in a French Life?
Discover the early chapters of our family’s French adventure in this heartfelt collection. Meet the characters who shaped our story, wander through a medieval town full of charm, and pick up some of the everyday French words I fell in love with along the way.
✨ Don’t miss this delightful introduction to life in France—click here to learn more!
RELATED POST: Read the post “love letters” for more romance following this Franco-American courtship…
Discover more from French Word-A-Day
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omggggggggg sooooooooooo cute!!!!
hello, ravie de revoir toutes ces anciennes photos, cela nous rajeuni !!!!
grosses bises à tous
Françoise (maman de Vincent et Lauriane Delarue)
Aw, merci Françoise 🩷😘. J’espère te voir bientôt.
Well done, Jackie!
I’ve been following your mother ever since we arrived in France to live nearly eighteen years ago. I admire her for becoming teetotal, unlike me! Also avoiding the sun. Its only recently after some skin cancer operations that I have learnt my lesson. I always enjoy French Word-A-Day and love the books. Thank you both for giving me such pleasure.
Thank you, Patricia. I’m sorry to hear about the skin cancer. Take care and keep in the shade, with a sun hat, and a little spf.🫶
Fabulous story about your parents! please continue:)
Yes! Au continue!
Aw. I introduced myself to the Espinasse family during Covid by reading the archives. Your life stories compressed to a couple of months… Such interesting people! Love the photos. And I don’t usually post online. A tribute to, what… approachability? Anyway, Jackie, all I know about Brooklyn is the Belt Parkway, Kennedy Airport, and the Verrazano Bridge. Really bad traffic and potholes. But two family friends..the “kids”… your age, went to college in NYC and moved to Brooklyn after grad. I asked them why, with opportunities here in beautiful north shore Long Island, and they said it was the In place to be. They’re doing very well so I trust you’ll find comparable opportunities. Best of luck!!! And, mama, it’s not nearly as rough as its reputation suggests.
Keep up the good work, Jackie! You must have inherited your mom’s gift for writing!
Love the story and would love more stories and please do keep putting them on your mama’s blog because it’s wonderful exercise for you and great vignettes of your lives here in France. So funny, the bathroom quandary…separate poo rooms, haha, and no bidets! A French word, non?
Hi Kristi and Jackie,
I really enjoyed reading your story Jackie and I love all the old photos. The one of you and Max is really cute! Hope your pilates training is going well! I will be certified soon also. It’s funny because I was the oldest person in my training class and all my other classmates were 20 or more years younger! My daughter said Mom, it will be ok, you have a young energy. LOL
Best of luck to you and thanks for your recent stories.
Eileen
I love Jackie’s guest posts! Keep them coming. It’s fun to hear stories from the perspectives of our kids. And oh, so telling.😉
So relieved to see your post- feared I had been eliminated! Great job, both of you. Enjoyed the beginning of your life together & continuing to watch your lives grow and change as love evolves. How long will Jackie be in NYC? It is a vibrant city brimming with energy & abounding with things to do and places to not be missed. Best of luck on your new venture. Be sure to keep us updated. A real change from Provence! Always look forward to your posts – you are a shining star in my book🤩
As an exchange student in Nice in 1973-1974, I especially enjoyed your story today, Jackie. Keep them coming!
Thank you for the lovely post, Jackie. And also for the story behind the King of Spain! I had no idea about that neighborhood in Marseille. You are about to embark on the reverse of the adventure your Mom took so many years ago. Having fallen in love, you are leaving France for Brooklyn. Wishing you the best in obtaining your Pilates certificate and in the next chapter of your life.
Bonjour Jackie, I enjoyed your story of how your parents met and fell in love. However, in your story you wrote “postman.” While the letter carrier may have been a man in those days, these days many US Post Office employees (et les salaries de la Poste Francaise) are women, so “letter carrier” would be a better and more neutral choice of words for something written in 2025.
Bon courage!
Your story put a BIG smile on my face! The pictures were lovely, too. I’m lucky enough to have pictures and stories of when my grandparents courted, so hang on to those to share with YOUR children someday.
You’ve got it Jackie-a true pigiste. I loved your story. Bon courage pour Brooklyn.
Janint
I’ve been delighted to read your glimpses into your Mom’s life as well as your own perspective on life more current. Do pursue writing, as hobby or journal or something more. Thanks for sharing.
Bravo, Jackie et Kristi, for following your sense of adventure and shaping your lives the way you want them to be. Jackie—I wish you success and fun in Brooklyn. It is cool that you are following your mom’s approach to seek adventure and knowledge in another country—but on a swithcheroo trajet!
I’ve been reading French WordA Day for many years and enjoying getting a glimpse of what life is like for an Americaine gradually transitioning into une Francaise.
My interest in following Kristi’s blog was sparked by my own brief experience in la belle France. After graduating from the University of Michigan where I had studied Spanish for two years, I had a strong desire to learn French and to explore Europe a little before launching myself into a career in the USA. I found an intensive French language course at the Sorbonne College in the University of Paris. At age 22 I left my native Chicago, enrolled in my class, and then enrolled in a second semester. After returning to Chicago I joined a French language club and made friends with many French people my age. Later I shared an apartment with a French guy for a year, and we spoke French with each other and went to parties on weekends with French young people. I have now been a French-speaker for sixty years. I tell people that for me, French is a door through which I walk to meet new people.
Recently, my familiarity with la vie Francaise resulted in my being invited to be a member of the Paris-Chicago Sister Cities Committee.
Bonne Chance a Brooklyn, Jackie! Merci, Kristi, for continuing to publish your story!
-Ed Klinenberg, Chicago
Ed, Thank you for your cheers, and for sharing your story, which I really enjoyed reading. And congratulations on being invited to be on the committee!
What a beautiful and fun story of Mom meeting Dad! Jackie you really do share your Mom’s pigiste talents. Wishing you wonderful happy new adventures in Brooklyn and with Vincent!
Laura
Jackie this Canuck wishes you all the love in the world for your new le coup de foudre.
CHARMING! I knew your mother a long time ago. and I even met your parents in person one time when they came to Phoenix and were selling their wine at at market held in Vincent’s restaurant parking lot!
It has been such fun to see how her life has progressed and what you ‘children’ and her mother are now doing. Brava, for taking up the pen for her and writing stories from another viewpoint. Bisou from your Arizona friend, Cerelle
I’ve been a very long time follower….tried to catch you in Miami! My recently married grandson lives in Brooklyn— they fell in love during a Paris semester. I would love for you to connect! How??
I joyfully welcome your refreshing additions to your mom’s brilliantly seasoned outlooks. What France is sharing is a huge gain for United States, and Brooklyn in particular. My love and best wishes to a most wonderful family. -julie-
Aw, many thanks, Julie!
Love your perspective on your parents love story. Very sweet. Please do write another story.
The unique perspective of a bilingual child growing up with two beautiful parents in a beautiful country beloved by all of us is a recipe already delicious from the start! Please keep spoiling us.
Much appreciated, K.J.!
Loving the mother/daughter duo! And what sweet photos of days and years gone by. Keepsakes ♥
Our dears Kristi and Jackie,
This is not only well written but absolutely charming!
Seeing the beginnings of life long love fills us with inspiration,and ( of course!) happiness! Kristi and Jean Marc are adorable!!
Kristi is an incredible writer(!!) and (!)
Jackie,you have definitely inherited your dear mom’s talent! We look forward to anything you share with us!
Arms tight around you all.
Blessings always
Love
Natalia. Xo
Thank you, Natalia. And you are an incredibly lovely person. Your cheers and always-positive notes are a source of hope and inspiration. 💗
I love your stories. Such a delight to read them. I remember meeting you and Max years ago in Phoenix when your parents were here, Mom with her book Words in a French Life and Dad with his wine. Have enjoyed hearing all about your adventures. And your new adventure very soon. Best of luck.
I am really enjoying your addition to Kristi’s posts. It must run in la famille! Good luck in NY. I am from California but we live a France maintenant. I struggle to learn francais! Keep up your writing. You have the knack!
Such a fun story! Like your Mom!! I remember when we first met you and your brother. You both were so young and cute! We went out to pet horses while Charles and your Dad tasted wine. Lots of great memories with you and your family. We are so proud to see you writing. It is terrific! Keep it up!
Jackie!
I have been reading this ‘blog’ since the early years as your mom began, and have seen you grow and heard all about you and Max! What a delight to see how you both have become these amazing people and now you are writing! Makes me feel old, but so happy to see how well you have turned out! FELICITATIONS! Your mom made learning French for me seem possible with her encouragement. Love stories of Jules, and really, all of you; especially love pix of your dad’s ubiquitous ‘sac’!
Salut! Idk why I just thought of this, but here goes. When I moved to Paris in 1982, an American friend who had been living there awhile showed me a trick to get free phone calls. She had a coin taped to a string and she would feed it into a pay phone until she found the right spot to activate the \”free\” calls. She advised putting a sweater on top of the phone to hide what she was doing. Anyway, I never tried.. Do you remember this? Actually I felt that she was giving us Americans a bad name…
Phil
What a sweet love story!! I had my Coup de Foudre in Paris and still can’t believe it! We are truly lucky (blessed) to have experienced “love at first sight”.
I love this so much! Would love to hear more about those early days in Lille.