Did you know that grève also means sandbank or pebbly beach and actually comes from Place de Grève, a flat and sandy area on the banks of the River Seine in Paris (now Place de l’Hôtel de Ville)?
Useful Vocabulary Les vagues – waves La houle – swell Une marée basse/haute – low/high tide Les moutons – white horses Le littoral – coastline Les algues – seaweed Une bouée – rubber ring Un seau — bucket Une pelle — shovel Un râteau — rake Un coup de soleil – sunburn…..
We all learn differently, and as we grow older, one of the greatest blocks to learning is memory. And yet many of us can still sing along to new songs – and remember the words!
The word ‘pompier’ comes from the verb ‘pomper’ (to pump), referring to the manual fire pumps that were originally used at fires.
Losing our Lunch. Old dogs and non-spring chickens will remember a time when lunch in France was ‘slow food only’, a minimum 2 hours, even at work or school, and fast food was practically unheard of.
Rugby is a massive part of the P O culture, but where did the game originate, how did it evolve and why is it so popular here?
Test your French with a lovely springtime poem: Premier sourire du printemps by French Romantic poet, Théophile Gauthier
The french language often uses the verb ‘avoir’ (to have) in expressions where the english language uses ‘être’ (to be).
The Easter Omelette, or ‘Omelette Pascale’ is more than just a recipe in Catalonia – it’s a whole tradition!
Here in the Mediterranean south of Europe, celebrations start sooner, as the may trees or hawthorns are already bursting into bloom in April.