French lessons, events & trips
FRENCH LESSONS EVENTS & GIFTS
With the world on fire, we’re all looking for some escapism, and this breathtaking video offers just that. Katrina chanced upon Saint Laurent’s women’s summer ’26 show when looking to update the Club de culture *mode material – and she couldn’t resist sharing.
Staged against the backdrop of a twinkling tour Eiffel, the show is sheer perfection. Make sure you hang around for the glorious gowns at around the 8-minute mark. Sublime.
* fashion
How do those French girls get their bobs looking so chic? The answer, we suspect, is La Bonne Brosse. Launched in 2021 by friends and former beauty industry executives Flore des Robert and Pauline Laurent, the Parisian brand is taking on the iconic Mason Pearson with premium hairbrushes infused with that quintessentially French ‘*je ne sais quoi’.
With a signature twisted handle in biodegradable cellulose acetate (produced in France by the last remaining French acetate manufacturer), La Bonne Brosse (The Good Brush) brushes come in a rainbow of colourful, ergonomic designs. Made with sustainability in mind, they feature high-quality ingredients designed to pamper your *cuir chevelu and bring out the best in your strands.
Not sure whether boar, nylon or a combination of bristles is best? Take the online quiz to find your perfect match. They’re not exactly a steal at $272 at Mecca ($190 for la petite), but there’s luxury in every stroke.
La Bonne Brosse | Website and Instagram
Shop La Bonne Brosse at Mecca
*Indescribable quality | *scalp
If you haven’t stumbled across Leo Filipetti on social media, you’re in for a treat. The Melbourne-based French stand-up has earned himself a loyal and growing following for his hilarious reviews of Aussie supermarket *fromage.
Here’s one that might surprise you.
* cheese
I feel as though I’m developing a bit of a rhythm here with the French letters C and G. Make sure you’re sitting down before reading this next sentence:
It’s starting to make logical sense!
Let me explain.
Recently, we’ve been learning about how the sound of the letter C changes according to which vowel follows it. In cases where a forced change is required, the French use the c cédille (ç).
To summarise:
HARD C SOUNDS
after a, o and u
café
collège
cumin
SOFT C SOUNDS
after e, i and y
cent
merci
cymbales
FORCED SOFT C SOUNDS
use c cédille
ça va
garçon
reçu
After investigating the letter G, it seems there’s a pattern emerging.
HARD G SOUNDS
before a, o, and u
garage
golf
aigu (acute)
See the similarity? Hard C sounds are produced when followed by the same vowels.
SOFT G SOUNDS
before e, i and y
mange
gîte
gynécologue (think you can guess…)
Again, a soft C sound is produced when followed by the same vowels. Intéressant, non*?
Like the verb commencer, which uses a c cédille to soften the pronunciation of certain conjugations (compare je commence and nous commençons, for example), the verb manger also makes a small change in the spelling for the sake of the desired sound. This, by the way, is why these verbs are often called ‘spelling change verbs’. The name says it all and now hopefully you understand why. I don’t know about you, but once I know the “why” I find what I learn is much more likely to stick.
Take a look:
MANGER - to eat
present tense
je mange
tu manges
il/elle/on mange
nous mangeons
vous mangez
ils/elles mangent
Remember, the endings for regular -er verbs are e, es, e, ons, ez and ent, not ‘eons’.
UN PETIT PLUS*
Lastly, and very interestingly, on the subject of hard Gs, you’ll find many words that start with GU have another vowel directly after them. In fact, I’m unable to find a French word (not a loan word) that has a hard G sound where the GU start of the word is followed by a consonant. Here are a couple of examples:
guerre
guide
Guy*
(Note: the Y here is acting as a vowel, not a consonant).
Since French was a spoken language long before it was ever written down, and the words for “war” and “guide” already possessed hard G sounds, a sneaky little U was inserted between the G and the following vowel to preserve the hard sound when those words were transcribed. Clever, don’t you think? It’s as though the U is protecting the G and the other vowel (whether an E, an I or a Y) from getting too close and “ruining” the sound by softening it. Am I the only person to find that absolutely fascinating?
If so, I’ll just let that last sentence hang there and you can judge away. I stand by my feelings!
Interesting, isn’t it? Something extra
If you have a spare half hour, you might want to watch the absurd sapphic tragicomedy Two People Exchanging Saliva – (tied) winner of Best Live Action Short Film at this year’s Oscars. Shot artfully in black and white, largely at Galeries Lafayette (where filmmakers have been invited to film at night since 2021), the film is the vision of Bordeaux-born, Brooklyn-based Alexandre Singh and his Romanian American wife, Natalie Musteata.
Set in a world where kissing is punishable by death and *les achats are paid for with slaps (cue: painting on bruises to suggest wealth), it’s a dystopian diversion that explores themes of consumerism, desire and repression.
* purchases
Ever wondered what your favourite chien is called in French? Wonder no more. Here’s a cheat sheet to some of the most popular canine breeds (les races de chiens) – and stay tuned for *les chats (coming soon).
* dog breeds | *cats
Great news for you, chouchous. By learning French with us, you’re not just gaining a new skill and *des amis – you’re giving your cognitive health a long-term boost.
A new study from Rush University Medical Centre in Chicago has found that engaging in activities such as reading, writing, or learning new languages could reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by almost 40 per cent.
Read all about it here (and give yourself a little pat on the back).
* friends
Born in Orléans in 1975, Laure Calamy is one of France’s best-loved *comédiennes, best known for her breakout role as the lovelorn and libidinous assistant Noémie in the hit Netflix series, Call My Agent!
Equally adept at dramatic and comedic roles, Calamy trained at Paris’s prestigious Conservatoire National Supérieur d’Art Dramatique and began her career in theatre before branching out into TV and film.
Her first big screen nod came in 2021, when she won the César Award for Best Actress for her screwball role in AFFFF favourite Antoinette dans le Cévennes (My Donkey, My Lover & I).
After last year’s moving festival outing in My Everything, playing a single mother of a 30-year-old son with cerebral palsy, Calamy is taking a lighter turn in the comedy *Classe Moyenne (The Party’s Over ).
* actresses | *Middle Class
After being ubiquitous in the ‘80s and ‘90s, then being relegated to the back of the bathroom cabinet, the*chouchou (or scrunchie) is back – with a decidedly chic twist.
Created by French-born, WA-based entrepreneur Camille Collison, Kmellia is an Insta-famous hair accessories brand that specialises in luxurious knitted chouchous*.
Choose from *le petit ou le grand in classic colours, starting from $49.90.
* scrunchies (yes, it’s the same word we use for our Teacher’s Pets!) | *the small or large
If you’re keen for a French comprehension challenge, *Le nécessaire à culture is a great Instagram account to follow for Culture, Histoire & Savoir (Culture, History & Knowledge.)
From Pourquoi Bordeaux est devenue la capitale du vin? to Boucicaut, l’inventeur du shopping, you’ll learn something new while testing your listening skills.
* The Cultivation Kit | * Why did Bordeaux become the wine capital? | * Boucicaut, the inventor of shopping
If you happen to find yourself in Paris this *Pâques, may we suggest you make a beeline to Cedric et la Chocolaterie. Opened in October last year by celebrated pastry chef Cédric Grolet, the cocoa-themed concept store is a feast for the senses that would delight Willy Wonka himself.
This New York Times article explores how Grolet’s meteoric rise has ruffled a few feathers amongst the old guard.
Cedric et la Chocolaterie
33 avenue de l’Opera, 75002 Paris
Du lundi au dimanche, 11h - 19h
Instagram
* Easter
In a previous post I talked about a huge déclic* I had when I learned that the letter C behaves as it does in English, changing sound according to the vowel that follows it. The irony was that I had never considered this in my native language before coming across it in French!
Today we’re going to look at the effect of my second-favourite French accent, the C cedilla (or c cédille, as it’s known in French).
Even if you’re new to French, you’ve almost certainly seen this quirky little mark hanging off the bottom of the letter C, like a number five without its lid.
The c cédille is used when the French want to force a pronunciation change. That is, when they want to soften a hard C. Remember how we spoke about hard C sounds when the C is followed by an A, O or U, as in the words café, collège and cumin? In those instances the soft C sound is created naturally. However, if you want to get autoritaire* with a C sound that precedes one of these three vowels, you’ll need to call in the help of the ç cédille.
Here are some examples, most of which I’m sure you’ve seen before:
ça va
garçon
reçu (receipt or received)
And some more:
façade
leçon
déçu (disappointed)
If you’ve done a bit more French than the average ours* you may have also seen it pop up in certain verbs conjugations. Again its sole purpose is to soften a C sound which would otherwise be hard given the letter that follows it. Here’s an example:
COMMENCER - to start
present tense
je commence
tu commences
il/elle/on commence
nous commençons
vous commencez
ils/elles commencent
This is true for other verbs, such as placer*, lancer* and avancer*, among others. Hopefully that will bring some logic to what often appears as pure caprice* with your conjugation spellings.
Enjoy!
*realisation | *bossy | *bear | *capriciousness
It is often said that learning a second language improves your mastery over your mother tongue. A few years ago, and very late in my French-learning, I learned a French pronunciation rule that helped me understand why I pronounced certain English words in the way I did. Ça a fait tilt*, I can tell you!
So here it is. In French, when the letter C is followed by the vowels A, O or U, a hard sound is produced. For example:
café
collège
cumin
However, when a C is followed by the vowels E, I (or Y for that matter), a soft sound results. Like this:
cent
merci
cymbales
The bit that blew me away? It’s exactly the same in English. Think about it:
cat
cotton
cut
but
century
city
mercy
Tell me I’m not the only person who didn’t know this! I suspect I’m not alone.
This also made the function of the c cédille (or c cedilla in English) so much clearer. That is, when the French have a word that has a soft C sound where the C is followed a vowel that usually produces a hard C, they add a ç to soften it. For example:
ça va
garçon
reçu
Ça a du sens*? I hope so.
I think that even if it’s not crystal clear right away, it will become so as you start to notice more and more examples in your workbooks. I hope, too, that as this idea firms up in your head, it will help you to feel more confident in pronouncing French words you’ve not previously seen.
Believe it or not, the rules of French pronunciation are rarely broken (I promise!) so go ahead safe in the knowledge that if you apply the rules above, you’ll almost always be right.
*It clicked | *Does that make sense?
If your Sundays are spent frantically washing, grocery shopping and meal prepping for the week ahead, the French would tell you, you’re doing it wrong. In France, productivity has no place in your day of rest, with many shops closed – and nobody up in arms about it.
Intentionally languid, low-stress and filled with family, food and aimless strolls, French Sundays are an institution. Brunch plans? Far too much pressure. Sleep in instead, then savour a croissant.
To-do lists are out, and daydreaming is in. Other approved activities include browsing farmer’s markets, doing a puzzle while listening to music and, *bien sûr, making time for some romance.
Here's how to have the perfect French Sunday.
* of course
Putting a chic twist on ‘80s new wave and punk tracks from the likes of Joy Division, The Cure and Depeche Mode, French musical project Nouvelle Vague (New Wave) is headed back to our shores. For one night in only, they’ll bring their bossa nova-style covers to the Tivoli in Fortitude Valley.
Not familiar? Get a taste of their sultry vibe below.
Tickets start at $99, and *les portes ouvriront at 7 pm on October 1st. We’ll see you there
Nouvelle Vague
1 October, 2026
The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley
Grab your tickets
* doors open
Fancy levelling up your next cultural outing and challenging your French listening skills? We have just the thing.
The Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) and Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) offer free gallery highlights tours – conducted *en français. Visit the website for times and brush up on your art vocab before you book.
French Language Guided Gallery Tours
QAG & GOMA, South Brisbane
10:15-11am, selected dates
Book here
* In French
Not for *les allergiques, Mon Chat Pitre (My Foolish Cat) is France’s first ‘purring bookshop’, found in the Aix-en-Provence. Opened in 2021 by passionate animal advocate Solène Chavanne, the bookshop is the permanent pouncing ground of several rescue cats – and, sorry, no, you can’t take one home.
France has the highest pet abandonment rate in Europe, and this unique bookstore draws attention to the plight of overwhelmed shelters, while also offering a wide selection of books of every genre.
If your idea of an afternoon well spent involves patting cats, sipping coffee and perusing pages, this might just be the purrfect destination on your next trip to France.
Read more here.
Librairie Mon Chat Pitre
13 Rue de Montigny, 13100
Aix-en-Provence, France
Follow on Instagram
* the allergic
For lovers of French literature, one of the most anticipated films of the upcoming Alliance Française French Film Festival is undoubtedly L’Etranger (The Stranger) – François Ozon’s take on one of the most-read French novels around the globe.
Ranked number one on Le Monde’s 100 Books of the Century list, The Stranger is Albert Camus’ first foray into absurdism, telling the tale of a mysterious expat, Mersault, who is unwittingly drawn into a murder on an Algerian beach.
Set in 1930s French Algeria and sumptuously shot in black and white, the auteur’s faithful adaptation of the 1942 classic has received numerous accolades, including the awards for best film, best actor (Benjamin Voisin) and best cinematographer at The Lumiere Awards – France’s answer to the Golden Globes.
Sonia Jones
This year, we’re partnering with the fabulous Sonia from Sonia Jones Travel for our trips. So who better to tell us about hotspots and hidden gems to visit – *en France et à l'étranger?
We spent five minutes with Sonia and left with a serious case of wanderlust.
‘My must-do for a visit to Paris - zipping around the city in a vintage Citroen!’
‘Me in Japan - my Japanese is much better than my French haha.’
‘My favourite sunset anywhere in the world - Antibes!’
Why your love of travel?
My father loved to travel, and he instilled a passion for exploring in me! I took my first overseas trip when I was 2 and have never stopped! I love how travel exposes you to different cultures, food (very important!), languages, history and people.
Favourite hidden jewel in France?
I have a few! Hands down BEST gem is the Albert Khan Museum and Garden in Paris – most Parisians don't even know about it!
It’s a lovely, low-key escape from the busy centre of Paris, with beautiful gardens inspired by Japanese, English and French styles. The museum houses an extensive photo collection from Albert Kahn’s travels around the world in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is absolutely fascinating!
I'm also a huge fan of the French Riviera in December – sunny days, perfect weather for a rosé, Christmas decorations and no crowds! Antibes is always my pick, but Old Town Nice and Cannes are also fabulous this time of year.
And maybe it isn't so hidden, but the Christmas Tree at Galleries Lafayette in Paris is an absolute must-see if you're travelling there in December!
What’s the most surprising place you've ever travelled to?
Luang Prabang in Laos – a quiet town that is a blend of religion, history and daily life. Wandering the streets and admiring its golden temples, rising early for morning alms, exploring the vibrant markets, the way the Mekong winds through the town. Beyond the town, there are incredible caves, waterfalls, bear sanctuaries and beautiful scenery. It ended up being one of my favourite spots in Southeast Asia!
Any time you've ever felt scared travelling?
Sure – it comes with the territory, particularly when travelling solo as a woman. One of the things we really focus on for our clients (and ourselves when we travel) is minimising risk, whether that’s knowing when to prearrange transfers, choosing the right neighbourhoods to stay in, sharing practical personal safety tips for higher-risk destinations, or flagging cultural sensitivities that can unintentionally increase risk, like photography etiquette, clothing choices or public displays of affection.
Is there a place you'd return to time and time again?
Italy and Japan. I have connections with both countries, and travel to both regularly, yet every time I experience something different – a region, a town, a neighbourhood. I love getting under the skin of a destination, and when you speak a bit of the language somewhere, it opens doors and allows you to live more locally.
The most romantic thing to do in France is…
Head to Trocadéro to watch the sparkle of the Eiffel Tower on the hour each evening. It might be an obvious one, but it really is something special.
Beyond Paris, I love Provence for a romantic escape. Beautiful accommodation, incredible food and wine, wandering hilltop villages and markets, sweeping views, and sipping French rosé all day.
The travel accessory you couldn't live without?
Noise-cancelling headphones and an eye mask. I can sleep anywhere with them!
Best place to buy luggage?
July Luggage is gorgeous, lightweight, great quality and easy-to-spot colours. Antler is also fantastic and durable. Whatever you do, don't buy a black Samsonite and expect to spot it easily on the carousel!
Packing cubes – yes or no?
Yes! Always! Every size, shape and colour!
Do you have a favourite travel memoir or book?
I actually love fiction based around travel. Two recent favourites that happen to be set in France are The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris by Daisy Wood and The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods.
What souvenir do you always bring back from France?
You mean other than the extra kilos I somehow acquire from eating my weight in macarons, cheese and bread?
I love jewellery and scarves. France is perfect for a pair of earrings or a beautiful scarf – chic, timeless, and easy to pack. I’ve also brought home gorgeous drawings and prints, and lavender products from Provence.
*in France and overseas
SJT Team
About SJT
Sonia Jones Travel is an award-winning, boutique travel agency specialising in tailored travel experiences. Based in Bardon, Brisbane, the team of five takes a hands-on, detail-focused approach to travel planning. They arrange itineraries across Australia and the globe, from family getaways and cruises to bucket-list adventures, independent rail journeys, guided tours, and slower, immersive travel.
Bonjour* !
In the last How to Learn French post we looked at the sonorous French sound, ‘ch’. A joy to pronounce, we’re lucky that it’s a common sound so you’ll have plenty of practice in perfecting it.
A less common sound in French, though, is a hard ‘ch’ as in the English word ‘cheese’. So rare, in fact, that it doesn’t really exist. It wasn’t until the French started borrwing words from other languages that they even saw the need for such a sound. Since it didn’t exist, they set about inventing it, by popping a ‘t’ in front of the ‘ch’ to mimic the pronunciation of those foreign words.
Though it can look a little strange, don’t be afraid of it. Just ignore the ‘t’ and proceed with a ‘cheese’ sound and you’ll be on your way!
The following words have all been borrowed from other languages. See if you can work out which ones.
tchao
tchèque
tchécoslovaque
tchador
tchadien(ne)
tchat
*Hello