Prints of Provence: “Les Indiennes”
How could a fabric that originated in India, was copied by Armenians, and outlawed in France become a symbol of Provence?
Victor Hugo and the Joker
Who would have thought that one of the greatest 19th century French writers would have anything to do with a 20th century American cartoon villain?
The Camargue: Horses, Bulls, and Gardians
Southwest Provence, around Arles and the Camargue, has a very distinctive horse and bull culture…
Bread and Bad Luck
Find out why you should never lay bread on the table upside down…
Secret Language of Cypress Trees in Provence, France
There is more than meets the eye to these slender, conical cypress trees. They have a hidden meaning…
The Mistral of Provence
Provence claims thirty-two different winds, but the mistral is master of them all…
The Cicada (Cigale) of Provence
When the warm days of summer arrive in Provence, the air is filled with the song of the cicadas, or cigales in French…
Tartarin of Tarascon
Saint Martha isn’t the only slayer of ferocious beasts whose name is associated with Tarascon. The town’s other celebrated hero, who also participates in the annual Tarasque festival, is Tartarin of Tarascan…
Saint Martha and the Tarasque in Provence
Saint Martha is said to have washed up onto the shores of Provence where she is remembered for dragon taming.
Berets, Onions, and Stereotypes
In the mid 1900s, if you had asked nearly any British person what a Frenchman looked like, you would have gotten this description: He wears a beret, and he rides a bike with onions hanging on the handlebars…
French Beret: A Hat with Attitude
The French beret, that little pancake of a hat, has become the recognized symbol of all things French – at least among those outside of France…
An Accidental Tourist at the Festival of Avignon
As our taxi entered the city walls of Avignon, it was evident that something was happening. I had seen online that a festival would be starting the day after our arrival, but didn’t think much about it. I just thought it was nice that there would be a little festival going on. But from our…
Mayday! Mayday! Help, it’s May Day.
What does the month of May have to do with the call of distress? Nothing really, it’s just an example of how words slip from one language into another. The distress call actually came from the French phrase, “m’aidez”…
Polite Paris
*Published April 1, 2015 Ahh Paris… Just the mention of its name brings up images of sophisticated people in sidewalk cafés surrounded by elegance. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world and one of the most visited tourist destinations. The Parisians, however, have a long-held reputation for being rude. Personally, I don’t…
The Changing Face of the French Republic
Marianne’s Story – Did you know that France has been led by a woman ever since the French Revolution of 1789? It’s true!
Shakespeare and Company
For any book-lover, the Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Paris is a must-see. It’s been the centre…
The Grand Vacations: July and August in France
The French love their holidays. There are lots of them scattered throughout the year but July and August are the months of les grandes vacances when business almost comes to a halt….
French Jazz Fans outsmart Hitler
French jazz developed under some interesting circumstances during the Nazi Occupation of World War II….
French Expressions pop up in the Park
Some animal and plant related French sayings illustrated with photos from a day in the park….
Tooth Fairy vs Little Tooth Mouse
There’s no Tooth Fairy in France so who collects the children’s teeth?…
It Pays to be Polite in France
“A cup of coffee” – € 7.00 “A cup of coffee, please“ – € 4.25 “Hello, a cup of coffee, please“ – € 1.40 By Margo Lestz At this café in Nice, France, minding your manners can significantly reduce the price of your coffee. Of course, this was meant as a humorous way to remind…
A Girl called Fanny that no one wants to Kiss
Recently, when I was at the Christmas “santon” fairs looking at all of the little figures that make up the Nativity scenes in southern France, there was one that puzzled me.
The Little Saints of Provence
In many parts of the world, Nativity scenes make up a part of the Christmas decoration but in Provence, they are taken to the extreme. The traditional Biblical figures are only a small part of these sprawling displays. Here, the whole town turns out for the Nativity. You will see the butcher, the baker, the candlestick…
French Class
I will soon be off to Italy to start studying the Italian language. I know what I have to look forward to because I remember my French classes from years ago. I remember my confusion and my struggles with strange grammar concepts. But being able to speak French is certainly worth it and I know…
