The 15th August is the festival of l’Assomption – a jour férié (public holiday) celebrated by Catholics throughout France and commemorating the departure of Mary from this life and the assumption of her body into heaven.
An anonymous 12th century sculptor, the Master of Cabestany was not recognised until the 1930s when a Romanesque-style tympanum was unearthed during renovation work at the parish church of Cabestany.
The mosquito, (‘little fly’ in Spanish) has been around for more than 30 million years.
Pétanque actually comes from the term ‘pès tancats’ or ‘pieds tanqués’, Marseilles dialect meaning literally ‘feet anchored’ as the feet must remain close together.
Did you know that the yellow boat ‘Marguerita’ that can be seen slowly falling to bits in Port Bou belonged to John Wayne!
Allons enfants de la Patrie… Did you know that “La Marseillaise”, France’s national anthem, was actually composed in Strasbourg in 1792, not in Marseilles as we might assume? The song was originally entitled ‘Chant de…
The origins of the name Marianne are unclear though many believe that, as, one of the most common names of the time, it was chosen to represent the common people.
If you’ve had the misfortune to accidentally step on a sea urchin (oursin), you will be very aware how painful it can be.
Did you know that most of us probably haven’t been eating ‘real’ pukka paella on our Spanish sorties?
British residents in France must now have a carte de séjour but this is not a substitute for a passport.
