An old sign outside a locksmiths's shop in Draguignan cadenas (kad na) n.m. 1. padlock L'un contre l'autre appuyés, les battants de la grille étaient libre de verrou, exempts de chaîne et de cadenas. Leaning one against the other, the double gates were unbolted, free of chain or padlock. –from French Short Stories 2 A Day in a French Life… by Kristin EspinasseAs I … Continue reading cadenas
Buckling up those wine barrels in Châteauneuf-du-Pape Ceinture de sécurité(sen-tewr) noun, feminine seat belt Go back in time with me now, if you will, to the historic town of St. Maximin, where visitors from all over the world come to see the purported relics of Mary Magdalene (behind a thick glass encasement in the town's basilica). The year is 1998 and the tree-lined parking … Continue reading Seatbelt in French
La chasse aux oeufs / Egg hunting in Provence tremper (trahn-pay) verb1. to soak, to drench Expressions:se tremper = to have a quick dip tremper les lèvres = "to wet one's lips," to take a siptrempé(e) = drenchedavoir une caractère bien trempé = to have a set characterêtre trempé jusqu'aux os = to be soaking wet ProverbSi tu vois la barbe de ton voisin … Continue reading Tremper: Coloring Easter Eggs for Easter in France
Max, some time ago… Epuiser (ay-pwee-zay) to exhaust, to wear out Max has paired an orange-and-blue T-shirt with red sweatpants. I gaze at my son, thinking about how I need to explain to him the basics of fashion. For one, he needs to learn the rule on colors that clash: "No wearing orange with … Continue reading épuiser
Max, back when he was nine, at a friend's house in St. Tropez. Note: the following post was written in 2005.My son Max seems to be over "le syndrome de la page blanche" or "writer's block." Today he muses about the brain. Find his column below, in French and English. le cerveau (sair-voh) noun, masculine 1. brain; mind; mastermind . Letter From a Young … Continue reading Le cerveau: the word for brain in French
