Category: Traditions

April Fool's Day, Traditions

Poisson d’Avril – April Fool’s Day in France & Paper Fish Tradition

It's April Fish Day in France and Smokey's hunting for a live one… Smokey Dear, you still don't get it, do you? But then, I don't understand how the French got "fish" from "fool" either ("fool ish"?). .Poisson d'Avril! (pwah soh(n) dah vreel)    : April Fool! Audio File: listen to Jean-Marc pronounce the words in the following sentence: Download MP3 or Wav Attention à votre dos… aujourd'hui, c'est "Poisson … Continue reading Poisson d’Avril – April Fool’s Day in France & Paper Fish Tradition

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Lavender, Tante Marie-Francoise, Traditions

Tresser: Aunt Marie-Françoise weaves a lavender wand from Provence

Aunt Marie-Françoise finishing up another lavender "bottle". tresser (tres-ay) verb  1. to plait, to braid; to twist  2. to weave, wreathe (basket, garland) synonyms: natter (to plait, braid), entrelacer (to interlace, intertwine) Tressons, tressons ces fleurs, hâtons-nous, jeune amie, Les songes et les fleurs demain ne seront plus! Let us weave, let us weave these flowers, let us hurry, young friend, for the dreams and … Continue reading Tresser: Aunt Marie-Françoise weaves a lavender wand from Provence

Kristin Espinasse36 Comments
Guest Blogger, Jacques, tourism, Traditions

gober

Marseilles is the setting for today's story. (Photo taken in the fishing village of Callelongue). Who hasn't had the fantasy of leaving his or her old life behind to start over? What would happen if you gave up your job, city, state, and routine to move to another part of the world? Critically acclaimed writer and aspiring painter James Morgan does just that. Risking everything, … Continue reading gober

Kristin Espinasse
Santons, Traditions

chandelle

A santon maker in Marseillesla chandelle (shahn-del) noun, feminine  candle French proverb:  Le jeu n'en vaut pas la chandelle.  The game is not worth the candle. A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse All good things must come to an end and in Provence santons* are no exception. On February 2nd, at Candelmas* (what the French call "Chandeleur") the meticulously arranged crèche is … Continue reading chandelle

Kristin Espinasse
Culture, Filleul, Marseilles, Savoir Vivre, Traditions

un filleul

(photo of my husband, Jean-Marc, and his filleul, Matthieu) Eazyspeak French teaches 800 vocabulary words; quickly extends conversational skills un filleul (fee-yul) noun, masculine1. godson, godchild Also:filleule = goddaughterfilleul de guerre = adoptive son (in wartime) Mon filleul va bientôt partir, ainsi la guerre va devenir plus personnelle pour moi. My godson is going over soon, so the war's about to get personal for me. … Continue reading un filleul

Kristin Espinasse
Culture, Flowers, Traditions

The muguet tradition in France: Lily of the Valley sold on French street corners on May 1st

le muguet (mew-geh) n.m.  : lily of the valley Question: So what are the French doing today, the first of May, besides la grasse matinée? Answer: Waving snow-white porte-bonheurs through the air and wishing each other good luck! Along little cobblestone paths in the French hinterland, and at noisy intersections across the city, French vendeurs de muguet are taking over street curbs with buckets of lilies of the … Continue reading The muguet tradition in France: Lily of the Valley sold on French street corners on May 1st

Kristin Espinasse19 Comments
Characters, Traditions

le toit

Les toits / Rooftops Overheard in the car on the way to school this morning:"Eh, Jackie–attention à ton dos aujourd'hui!"(Hey, Jackie–watch your back today!) I don't think 9-year-old Max needs to worry about his little sister. Jackie got up early to cut out and color her paper fish… now all she needs is a kilometer of tape and she can "pin" fish until her thumb … Continue reading le toit

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Jackie, Max, Traditions

Tremper: Coloring Easter Eggs for Easter in France

   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

Kristin Espinasse
Traditions

un voile

Jean-Marc and I celebrated ten years of marriage this past weekend. Don’t miss today’s story about how the bride almost missed her wedding. voile(vwal) noun, feminine 1. a sail voile (vwal) noun, masculine 1. a veil Also: un voile de mariée = a bride’s veil un bateau à voiles = a sailing boat un voile noir = a blackout (fainting) un voile de nuages = … Continue reading un voile

Kristin Espinasse
Traditions

un rang

un rang (rah or rahng–silent n & g) noun, masculine 1. a row; line 2. a country road 3. station 4. rank Also: un rang de perles = a string or rope of pearls deux (trois, quatre…) jours de rang = two (three, four…) days in a row …………………….. Expressions: en rangs serrés = in close order de premier rang = first class, first rate … Continue reading un rang

Kristin Espinasse