WORD OF THE DAY
le frelon (fruh-lohn)
hornet

RELATED EXPRESSIONS
Un nid de frelons — Literally “a hornet’s nest.” Figuratively, a volatile situation in which interference may provoke anger or conflict.
Les frelons de la littérature — Literally “the hornets of literature.” An old literary expression describing envious critics who disparage other writers’ work while stealing from it.

A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse

For our 32nd anniversary, my husband surprised me with a 5-star experience at the beach in Cavalière. Walking hand-in-hand through the beautiful Hôtel Le Club de Cavalière & Spa, direction la plage, Jean-Marc apologized: the rooms were sold out.

(I’m not sure if that was true or not, but I didn’t care. A day at the beach, lunch and a night at the dive hotel en face seemed a nice compromise.)

We crossed a dreamy veranda, following the beach attendant who escorted us to some cushioned transats and added an extra umbrella for a total of three. “Voilà. Est-ce que tout va bien, chérie ?” Jean-Marc asked before announcing:
“I’m going to swim out to that far-off cove.” He took the plastic tuba and mask and disappeared into the Med. I shook my head and smiled. He is always flying off the moment we arrive somewhere!

I settled into the sumptuous chaise longue to admire the surroundings. There were only three other couples on the hotel’s private beach. I noticed the women were also wearing two-piece swimsuits. Glancing down at my pill-white bidou, I thought of a chamallow.

I threw my towel over the marshmallow. Voilà.

One problem solved, another quickly surfaced: les frelons! One, two, three, four… What were these giant hornets doing at a 5-star resort?

Could the sweet-scented crème solaire I’d just slathered all over my body be attracting them? Would jumping into the salty sea remove it?

I leaned left… and right… but there was no escaping them. Forgetting my chamallow, I jumped up in my ill-fitting bikini and darted back and forth trying to lose the menacing hornets.

I returned to my chair armed with a menu, ready to swat the intruders.

I scanned the horizon, searching for my husband. Just where was he? If he were here, he’d be clobbering them with his plastic tuba!

Finally the frelons lost interest and flew off. I relaxed back into the lounge chair. Ahhh. Time to enjoy our anniversary splurge.

I smiled. How fitting those frelons surfaced on our anniversary. In a devotional for couples Jean-Marc and I read daily, hornets symbolize issues we avoid but need to discuss.

I’m happy to say, for the most part, we are all caught up.

Here’s to another three decades together: to good conversation and many more great escapes.

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FRENCH VOCABULARY

le frelon = hornet
direction la plage = heading toward the beach
en face = opposite; across the way
le transat = sun lounger
voilà = there you are; there we go
Est-ce que tout va bien, chérie ? = Is everything alright, darling?
le tuba = snorkel
la chaise longue = lounge chair
la plage = beach
le bidou = tummy (an affectionate, informal term)
le chamallow = marshmallow
la crème solaire = sunscreen

REMERCIEMENTS / THANKS
Sincere thanks to the following readers for their helpful donations to French Word-A-Day. Your kindness helps me keep sharing these stories of everyday life in France. Merci du fond du cœur!

Carol H. T.
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Love, care, and reader support—that’s what has sustained this journal for nearly 25 years. If these letters bring a little France, friendship, or inspiration to your inbox and you’d like to help keep French Word-A-Day going, your contribution means so much.

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Merci beaucoup.

TEACHERS, TUTORS & FRENCH LEARNERS

“I started reading this blog 20 years ago in French class for extra credit – and have stuck around to keep learning!”
— Kaitlin, reader comment, September 2026

Sometimes a new word sticks because you remember the story that came with it. I wish I’d had these little glimpses of everyday French life when I was in school!

If you teach French, please share French Word-A-Day with your students. A post could become a short extra-credit assignment:

• Read the story and choose three French words or expressions.
• Listen to the recording and practice saying them.
• Try one in a sentence of your own.

Learning independently or with a French club? Share a favorite post with a friend and compare the words you’ve picked up.

Thank you for helping these stories find their way to another curious learner. Bonne lecture !