Harnessing the wind in Hyérès, South of France, a kite surfer’s paradise. More advantages of the wind in today's story. First, our word of the day: LA RAFALE : gusty wind, bluster, squall A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse Brise, rafale, mistral…No matter how poetic it is in French, wind can be disruptive and annoying. My husband used to curse … Continue reading La Rafale: The Gusts of France: An Ode to the Mistral Wind
The sign on this quirky façade in Alsace reads Le Chat qui Pêche (“The Cat that Fishes”). Read on for a story about another smart cat…and don’t miss the photo at the end of this post. TODAY’S WORD: “désinvolte” : casual, nonchalant, detached, glib A FEW BLOOPERS…Today’s sound file, recorded by Jean-Marc, has a funny mistake. The good news is you will hear both the … Continue reading Désinvolte: Mom’s new pet (and a message from Smokey?)
The sign says “Open.” Coucou from La Ciotat. If you are visiting our city, why not stop into Jean-Marc's wineshop? Call ahead and he will be happy to see you at Le Vin Sobre Bar à Vin. TODAY'S PHRASE: "Le tour est joué" : that's all there is to it, and Bob's your uncle FRENCH SOUND FILE: Click below to hear Jean-Marc pronounce … Continue reading What to serve our Guests? (and “Bob’s Your Uncle” in French)
Max, working from his new îlot central. After 8 months of renovation, our son is finally settled into his new appartement. Visiting La Ciotat or a nearby town? Stop in and see us at Jean-Marc's wineshop. Call ahead and we'll set up a visit. Today's Word: piquer : prick, bite, sting : to steal, nab, nick Her Own Legacy by Debra Borchert: A … Continue reading Piquer: Guess who moved out of our house and stole away with our stuff?
Photo of les boîtes à lettres taken in Marseilles at Les Arcenaulx. Thank you, Jean-Marc, for recording two sound files for today's post (the second is found below the vocabulary list). Note: if you are experiencing déjà vu reading the following column–tout va bien–the story is being revived from the archives. TODAY'S WORD: LES ETRENNES : New Year's gift, tip, bonus étrenner = … Continue reading Les Étrennes: This French new year’s custom will have you digging in your pockets
If you were to visit Jean-Marc's wine shop, what would you buy? Tell us your favorite wine, drink, or boisson in the comments section. It could make for a lively thread! Today's Word: bredouille : empty-handed, unsuccessful Audio/Listening: Click the link below to hear today's word + a dozen more vocabulary words. Next, scroll down to the vocabulary list to check your comprehension. Sound File, … Continue reading Name your favorite drink + What does the French “bredouille” mean in English? (Hint: it doesn’t mean ‘tipsy’)
Today's Word: le ravin : ravine, a deep or seemingly bottomless chasm… Audio File: Click here to listen to Jean-Marc read the last sentence in his story, below.A BILINGUAL STORY by Jean-Marc Espinasse (English version follows, below) Puisque que la météo avait prévu de la neige dans les Alpes, je me suis décidé à partir tout seul ce weekend pour faire de la … Continue reading Le Ravin: Jean-Marc’s car accident in the French Alps
Le glas sonne dans toutes les églises de France en hommage aux trois victimes de l'attentat dans la basilique de Nice. (-Midi Libre) The death knell is ringing in all the churches of France in homage to the three victims of the attack in the basilica of Nice. (pictured: Catholic church in St. Cyr-sur-Mer) * * * Many of you woke to the news of France's latest, … Continue reading Le glas: The death knell rang today in France
A New Year's sale from Amazon! The spirit of van Gogh lives on the pages of this touching story set in Arles and the intriguing Camargue." Follow Patricia at http://www.patriciasandsauthor.com or on Instagram Today's Word: voir : to see, watch, look at voir la vie en rose = to look on the bright side Audio: Listen to Jean-Marc read the following:La marque constante … Continue reading Voir: An assumption…followed by an unforgettable encounter
TODAY'S WORD: LES ETRENNES : New Year's gift, tip, bonus étrenner = to wear or use for the first time; to be first in the line of fire Listen to Jean-Marc read from FranceTVInfo.fr:Avec les vœux du Nouvel An arrive le moment des étrennes. Vous ne savez pas à qui donner ni quel montant consacrer à cette tradition ? Ce don d'argent n'est … Continue reading Les étrennes: This French custom will have you digging into your pockets.
