Sneak Peek into Le Nid: Ton endroit préféré pour des vacances en France

La campagne, une grande ville ou le bord de mer* – where do nos profs* prefer to visit when they head back to the Motherland? Find out with this month’s Sneak Peek into Le Nid*.

Katrina
Paris en août pour la paix.
Paris in August for the peace and quiet.

Angéline
Bordeaux pour aller visiter les vignobles en été.
Bordeaux to go visit the vineyards in summer.

Alexia
La Côte d'Azur.

Marion
L'île d'Oléron.

Alicia
Hyères-les-Palmiers.

Justine
J'adore le Sud de la France, cela me rappelle des souvenirs d'enfance.
I love the South of France, it brings back childhood memories.

*The countryside, a big city or the seaside? | *our teachers | *the nest

Verlan Slang Words

Keen to speak like a true French native? It’s time to master Verlan – a form of French slang created by inverting the syllables (or sounds) in a word. Un exemple*? Try cimer – the cool-kid way to say merci*.

Check out this article on the 15 Verlans words you should know. And be prepared to impress your French amis*.

*An example | *thank you | *friends

SWOON: Yvoire

With the nickname 'gem of the lake', Yvoire is a medieval French city bursting with charm. Adorning Lac Léman (Lake Geneve) in the department of Haute-Savoie in the southeastern French region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the 14th-century village is considered one of the country's plus beaux*.

A treat for historians and green thumbs, Yvoire is renowned for its beautiful springtime blooms and well-preserved medieval atmosphere. With cobbled streets and stone houses, remnants of fortified walls and the striking Chateau d'Yvoire, the village is picture-postcard perfect.

Not to be missed is Le Jardin de Cinq Sens (The Garden of the Five Senses) – a spectacular garden designed to engage all the senses.

*most beautiful

La Petite Histoire

If you've ever done a group lesson here at Lingua Franca, you've probably come into contact with La Petite Histoire*. A tale with the very humblest of beginnings, it winds up becoming a rollicking schlockbuster as you move up the levels and your French improves enough to handle the outrageous (some would say impossible) turns of events of the six young friends.

La Petite Histoire is currently only available to our students, however La Préquelle is for everyone’s enjoyment. Below, another instalment of this new series, Chapter 2 of the Advanced 2 level.

*The Little Story | *The Prequel

Après avoir passé quelques heures très agréables à boire du Pimm’s sur la terrasse, Robert est sorti de la cuisine pour nous appeler à dîner. Alors que nous nous installions autour de la grande table en chêne de la salle à manger, je me suis enfin sentie assez détendue pour prendre le temps d’apprécier où j'étais.

J’ai souri en regardant Anouk montrer à Beth ses dessins des canards qu’elle avait tellement aimés à Hyde Park. Beth avait la patience d’un saint, écoutant ma fille babiller dans un mélange de langage bébé en français avec quelques mots d’anglais ajoutés pour faire bonne mesure. De l’autre côté de la table, Amina a gloussé tandis que Michael la taquinait à propos de sa prononciation du mot « sheets » en anglais quand elle est arrivée chez eux il y a des années. Hervé regardait avec fierté, ne suivant pas totalement la conversation mais appréciant sa légèreté et le rire cristallin de sa femme. Robert, grand et élégant, faisait tout un spectacle en découpant le rôti de bœuf, transférant soigneusement les tranches sur les assiettes empilées devant lui et demandant à son fils Michael de les distribuer autour de la table.

Même si les images d’harmonie domestique devant moi étaient indéniablement charmantes, j’ai réalisé que c’était plus un sentiment que la scène elle-même qui me rendait si satisfaite. La chaleur avec laquelle les Proctor nous avaient accueillis chez eux était remarquable, surtout étant donné que leur seule vraie connexion était avec Amina.

Involontairement, mes pensées se sont tournées vers ma propre vie familiale, et j’ai pâli en réalisant que, bien que Jean-Louis et moi puissions facilement reproduire l’image de la famille parfaite, la chaleur et l’attention nécessaires pour compléter ce tableau n’étaient tout simplement pas là. À la place de la chaleur, il y avait de l’oppression, et à la place de l’attention, de la méfiance. Désespérée d’échapper à cette prise de conscience, j’ai levé les yeux et croisé directement les yeux bruns et liquides de Simon, qui a soutenu mon regard pendant un long moment, une expression de douleur traversant son visage avant que Michael n’attire son attention en disant : « Tiens, Si, celle-là est pour Leïla. Sauce à la menthe en extra. Papa pense que ça l’aidera avec son anglais. » Simon a souri à son père avant de me tendre l’assiette : « L’anglais de Leïla n’a pas besoin d’aide, fais-moi confiance. »

« Comment tu le sais, Michael ? » demanda Michael. « Tu es arrivé il y a à peine quelques heures et Leïla n’a presque pas dit un mot depuis que nous nous sommes assis. Vous avez eu une leçon d’anglais secrète dont nous ne savons rien cet après-midi ? »

« Non, bien sûr que non – » a commencé Simon, avant que j’intervienne.

« Je suis désolée, Michael, je m’excuse d’être un peu silencieuse. Je pense que je suis un peu fatiguée, mais je profitais aussi simplement d’un moment de calme après tous nos déplacements des derniers jours. Ça fait vraiment du bien d’être ici, à profiter de ce moment en famille, même si je suis une intruse. »

« Ne sois pas ridicule, » a répondu Robert, en lançant un regard désapprobateur à Michael. « Michael aime juste taquiner son grand frère. Ne fais pas attention à lui. »

« Oui, désolé, Leïla, c’était juste pour rigoler. Tiens, laisse-moi t’en donner un autre pour me faire pardonner, » a dit Michael en me tendant le plat de pommes de terre rôties. « Avant que Simon ne les mange toutes, » il a ajouté, incapable de résister à une dernière pique.

J’ai souri faiblement et commencé à savourer mon rôti, bien décidée à me débarrasser des pensées intrusives qui me hantaient à propos de ma soi-disant vie parfaite à Paris.

After a very enjoyable couple of hours drinking Pimm's on the patio, Robert came out from the kitchen to call us in for dinner. As we settled in around the large oak table in the dining room I was finally relaxed enough to take the time to appreciate where I was.

I smiled as I watched Anouk showing Beth her drawings of the ducks she’d loved so much in Hyde Park. Beth had the patience of a saint, listening to my daughter babble on in a mixture of French baby talk and the odd English word thrown in for good measure. Across the table, Amina giggled as Michael teased her about her pronunciation of the word “sheets” in English when she first arrived at their home all those years ago. Hervé looked on proudly, not entirely following the conversation but enjoying its levity and his wife’s tinkling laugh. Robert, tall and handsome, was making quite a show of carving the roast beef, carefully transferring the slices to the plates stacked in front of him and instructing his son Michael to pass them around the table.
Though the images of domestic harmony before me were undeniably charming, I realised it was more a feeling than the scene itself that made me feel so utterly satisfied. The warmth with which the Proctors had welcomed us into their home was remarkable, especially since their only real connection was with Amina.

Involuntarily, my thoughts turned to my own home life, and I blanched as I realised that though Jean-Louis and I could replicate the picture of the perfect family with ease, the warmth and care required to complete the package was just not there. Instead of warmth was oppression and in place of care was suspicion. Desperate to escape this realisation, I looked up and straight into the liquid brown eyes of Simon, who held my gaze for a long moment, a look of pain passing across his face before Michael caught his attention by saying “Here you go, Si, this one’s for Leïla. Extra mint sauce. Dad reckons it’ll help with her English.”

Simon smiled at his father before passing the plate to me “Leïla’s English needs no help, trust me.”



“How do you know, Michael?” asked Michael. “You only arrived a few hours ago and Leïla’s barely said a word since we sat down. Did you two have a secret English lesson we don’t know about this afternoon?”

“No, course not - “ started Simon, before I jumped in.



“I’m sorry, Michael, I apologise for being a bit quiet. I think I’m a bit tired but I was also just enjoying being still for a moment, after all our moving around the last few days. It feels really good to be here, enjoying some family time, even if I am an interloper.”



“Don’t be silly,” countered Robert, shooting Michael a disapproving look. “Michael just loves to tease his big brother. Don’t pay him any attention at all.”



“Yeah, sorry, Leïla, just teasing. Here, let me give you another one to make it up to you,” said Michael, offering me the dish of roast potatoes. “Before Simon scoffs them all,” he added, unable to resist a final dig.



I smiled weakly and tucked into my roast dinner relish, determined to rid myself of the intrusive thoughts plaguing me about my so-called perfect life back in Paris.

How to Learn French - break it down

We’re going to take a detour this month as a recent trip across the border has given me a fresh perspective on French pronunciation.

A few weeks ago, a group of Chouchous* and I headed south into Northern New South Wales to work on our French. Locked away for a weekend in a beautiful wooden cabin allowed us the time to take a deeper look at the mechanics of French pronunciation.

I say this all the time, but I’m not sure it resonates with beginners particularly: French pronunciation is not that difficult. Granted, French has sounds that we in English do not have (and vice versa - ‘th’ for example), but once you know the rules of French pronunciation it is remarkable how uniformly those rules are applied. It is, in fact, quite rare to encounter exceptions. Even the notoriously-difficult-to-pronounce champagne capital of Reims deviates in only one aspect (the pronouncing of the final ’s’). The rest of the word follows the rules, je te jure*.

I think the problem lies not in my message but in my choice of audience. When people are first learning French, so much is new: different spelling, different sounds, different grammatical structures, different numbering systems (quatre-vingt-onze*, anyone?) that it’s simply a bridge too far for an overwhelmed brain to believe that French pronunciation is arguably much easier than English.

The Chouchous that came to the weekend immersion, however, had been at their French for a little longer and were therefore able to entertain this notion, at least.

We used a series of flashcards to group together different spelling combinations that produce the same sound. An example would be  would be the o in tomate* and the au in australien*. Once we had our groups, we then divided up some of the hardest French words to pronounce by sound. The true test came when we took on the French word for squirrel, écureuil (é / cu / reu / il) and I’m happy to report the Chouchous passed with flying colours.

So when I took a look at the list of words in my notes for the article this month and saw the word lieu*, I decided to take un petit détour*. We’ll look at the top five mistakes intermediate learners make in a future article. For now, I’d really like to show you how you can break down French words into sounds to pronounce them with a lot more confidence.

So, here we go. We’re going to learn two sound groups in order to be able to pronounce the word lieu like a pro.

The letter e in French is pronounced very similarly to the first two letters in the English word earth. Of course, if you know your French alphabet, you’ll already know the exact pronunciation.

Alternatively, we all know how to say the French word je, meaning ‘I’. This is the sound you’re after.

The colours are some of the first French words you learn as a beginner, and the colour blue is usually right at the top of the list. The eu sound is bleu is exactly the same as the e sound in je, and by extension, the ea sound in earth.

By the way, another member of the e sound group is œu. This strange little melding of the letters o and e is called the œ ligature in English and (cutely) l’e dans l’o in French (the e in the o). Think of words like œuf (egg), sœur (sister), bœuf (beef) and cœur (heart), among others.

For pronunciation purposes, it functions as a plain e and therefore the combination of œ and u is the same as the eu in bleu. Facile, non*?

Ici, meaning here, is another word we learn right at the start and je suis confiante* that you all know how to pronounce the i sound properly.

If you need un coup de main*, think of the i sound in the English words ‘big’, ‘lift’ and ‘tip’.

So, if we separate the word lieu into its two sound groups, you’ll have the following:

I’m pretty sure you can take it from here…

Bon courage*!

*Teacher’s Pets | *I promise | | *Easy, isn’t it? | *91 | *tomato | *Australian | *a little detour | *I am confident | *a hand | *Good luck

Voyage 2026: New Destination!

Get excited, foodies! We’re planning a fresh new location for our Lingua Franca *voyages in 2026 – a city regarded as the gastronomic capital of France that’s home to no less than 16 Michelin-starred restaurants.

Any ideas? This might help. On any given day, you might drink in the history of a city that was instrumental in *La Résistance, peruse the many traboules (hidden passageways) of the Old Town, admire Gallo-Roman ruins and sample produce from famous food markets such as Marché Saint-Antoine Célestins.

Hungry after your morning French lesson? *Pas de problème. You'll find satisfaction in local specialties like saucisson brioché, tarte à la praline and Salade Lyonnaise. Oops, we may have given the game away there…

Stay tuned for more information soon.

*travels | *The Resistance | *No problem

Paris Bouillons

Next time your stomach starts to rumble on a trip to Paris, make like the locals have been doing for over a century, and head to a French Bouillon for an authentic and budget-friendly meal.

According to an Urbansider article, “The first bouillons appeared in Paris back in 1855, when a butcher by the name of Pierre Louis Duval came up with a clever and innovative restaurant concept. To quickly and cheaply serve quality meals to the masses of blue-collar workers in the city centre, his restaurants had just item on the menu: a dish of meat and a broth, or ‘bouillon’.”

These restaurants reached the height of their popularity in the 1900s, with over 250 Bouillons feeding working-class Parisians. However, tastes shifted in favour of fancier bistros and eating establishments and, in 2000, only Bouillon Chartier remained.

Fast-forward to 2024, and a new crop of Bouillons are very much back in favour. Locals and tourists are drawn by the promise of affordable but tasty and traditional fare, like steak frites, egg mayonnaise and the namesake bouillon, served in stunning surroundings (Bouillon Pigalle is particularly striking).

Expect to part with $30 or less for a meal – *café and *un verre de vin included.  

Read more here.

*coffee | *a glass of wine

11 ways to say you're tired (that aren't fatigué)

Looking to spice up your French complaints? *Voici 11 expressive ways to say you’re tired (besides *je suis fatigué(e).)

*Nos conseils? Perhaps go to bed *plus tôt this evening.

*Here are | *I’m tired | *Our advice? |*earlier

Meet the Team - Alicia

Hailing from *Genève and fluent in French, Spanish and English, Alicia De la Fuente joined the Lingua Franca team *fevrier dernier.

A Brisbane resident since 2015, there is nothing our culture-loving *prof enjoys more than *un bon livre or being in nature.

If you haven’t crossed paths with Alicia in *le nid, you can learn more about her below.

*Geneva | *last February | *teacher | *a good book | *the nest | *narrow minds

Brets Potato Chips

Craving a salty snack during your French class? We’ll soon be stocking just the thing in La Petite Boutique – Brets Potato Chips. For now though, just ask your prof* and they’ll be happy to grab you a bag.

Based in Central Brittany and 100% family-owned since 1995, Brets partners with 285 local potato farmers in Brittany and the Auvergne to create a delicious range of premium French chips.

We have *quatre saveurs appétissants:

• Originale – classic potato chips seasoned with the renowned Guerande salt from France.

• Camembert – made with Camembert from Normandy in western France for a rich, creamy taste.

• Jura – made with 100% PDO Comté from the French Jura. 

• Cèpes – crinkle-cut chips with a porcini mushroom flavour.

And, good news – you’ll get to try before you buy in your first lesson back for Term 4. *Bon appétit!

 *teacher | *four appetising flavours | *Enjoy!

How to Learn French - low-hanging fruit.

Nearly every day, I have people telling me they’re good in bed.

While I’m up for a bit of sex positivity in everyday life, I’m not sure I need to hear quite so often what wizards people are entre les draps*.

So how do they come to tell me that? Read on…

It really is the most innocuous question that unleashes the boasting from our Chouchous*:

Ça va* ?

There is a whole host of mild and discreet responses to that enquiry, and yet our keen students seem to default to:

Je suis bon, or
Je suis bonne.

Whether you’re male or female, the message you’re sending is clear. You are good (at it) and it doesn’t take a lot of mental gymnastics to work out what ‘it’ is.

The clue to the best answer lies in the question itself. Ça va literally means how are you going, so stick to the verb aller in your reply. Je vais bien, merci tells the person you’re going well, and that’s probably the limit of what they want to hear about you anyway.

PS, you can also say (among many other options):

Ça va.
Ça va bien, merci.
Bien, merci.
Très bien, merci.

In the last article, we reminded you not to pronounce the ‘s’ on the word ans (years). Now we’re going to ask you to focus on the verb, because unlike English where we ‘are’ our years, the French ‘have’ theirs.

J’ai 28 ans.

Literally: I have 28 years.
Colloquially: I’m 28.

When talking about your daily routine, you may be tempted to say dans le matin for ‘in the morning’. For example:

Dans le matin, je fais de la meditation.

However, you really don’t need the word dans. It’s surplus to requirements as le matin means ‘in the morning’ all by itself. So say instead:

Le matin, je fais de la meditation*.

By the way, this is also true for le soir (in the evening) and l’après-midi (in the afternoon).

When it comes to talking about your weekends, the same rule applies.

No need to ever say sur le weekend thinking it means ‘on the weekend’. Le week-end (note the hyphen in French) will suffice.

Le week-end, j’aime sortir avec mes amis*.

We covered this a little while ago, but it does bear repeating. Once you’ve tamed your response to ça va by answering je vais bien instead of je suis bon(ne), you probably will want to respond in kind by asking the other person how they’re going.

Remember, it’s not:

Et tu ?

It is always:

Et toi ?

Unless you’re speaking to someone in a formal manner in which case it would be:

Et vous ?

Next time, we’ll look at some more advanced errors people make, but I really hope you’re finding it useful to clean up these petite bêtises* along the way.

À très bientôt*.

*between the sheets | *Teacher’s Pets | *How are you going? | *In the morning, I meditate | *On/At the weekend, I like to go out with my friends | *silly mistakes | *See you very soon

La Petite Histoire

If you've ever done a group lesson here at Lingua Franca, you've probably come into contact with La Petite Histoire*. A tale with the very humblest of beginnings, it winds up becoming a rollicking schlockbuster as you move up the levels and your French improves enough to handle the outrageous (some would say impossible) turns of events of the six young friends.

La Petite Histoire is currently only available to our students, however La Préquelle is for everyone’s enjoyment. Below, another instalment of this new series, Chapter 1 of the Advanced 2 level.

*The Little Story | *The Prequel

Un sentiment de panique m'envahit alors que Claire regardait entre nous deux avec impatience. « Désolée, vous vous êtes déjà rencontrés ? Je ne me souviens plus si c’est le cas. »

Je sentais le regard de Simon sur moi tandis que je tordais nerveusement le torchon autour de ma main, espérant paraître détendue.

Finalement, j'ai réussi à dire timidement : « Non, nous ne nous sommes pas rencontrés… Je ne crois pas, » j’ai ajouté faiblement. J’ai vu les sourcils de Simon se lever et j’ai immédiatement rougi.

« Non, bien sûr que non. J'oublie toujours, Leïla, c'est ta première fois ici, non? Eh bien, voici mon charmant beau-frère, Simon. Simon, voici Leïla, la charmante belle-sœur d’Amina, » dit Claire en riant, et la tension est tombée. J’ai poussé un petit soupir de soulagement.

« Enchanté, Leïla, » dit Simon d’un ton raide. « Vous profitez de votre séjour ici ? »

« Oui, beaucoup, merci. C'est ma première fois ici et je me sens si chanceuse de pouvoir enfin rencontrer la famille anglaise d’Amina. J'ai entendu parler de vous depuis si longtemps et tout ce qu'elle a dit est vrai. Je comprends pourquoi elle se sent si bien ici. »

« Et maintenant, tu as enfin rencontré Simon, donc tu connais toute la famille. Je suis sûr que vous vous entendrez très bien. » Finalement, Simon a souri et j’ai senti tout mon corps se détendre. J’ai posé le torchon sur le comptoir.

À ce moment-là, une voiture est arrivé dans l'allée. « Ce doit être eux ! » a dit Claire, « Je vais sortir et les aider à décharger. Vous deux, vous pouvez apprendre à mieux vous connaître.» Claire s’est dirigé vers la porte d'entrée et dès qu'elle était hors de portée de voix, le visage de Simon a changé.

« Pourquoi tu as dit ça, Leïla ? » il a chuchoté furieusement. « Pourquoi tu n’as pas dit à Claire que nous nous connaissons déjà ? »

« Je ne sais pas, Simon. Je ne suis pas sûre. Je pense juste que j’ai paniqué, » j’ai avoué en détournant le regard.

« Pourquoi paniquer ? Qu'est-ce qui pourrait te paniquer ? Ne vois-tu pas que c'est une incroyable coïncidence ? Comment n'avons-nous pas compris le lien ? C'est fou, et maintenant tu viens de mentir à ce sujet ! À quoi pensais-tu ? »

Mon visage m’a trahi lorsque l’image de mon rêve a traversé mon esprit. Nous deux, sous un arbre, si détendus en compagnie l’un de l’autre, la main de Simon effleurant tendrement mes cheveux derrière mon épaule.

Voyant mon visage rougir, Simon a semblé se radoucir. « Leïla, allez. Dis-moi. Pourquoi as-tu compliqué les choses ? Pourquoi n'as-tu pas simplement dit la vérité ? »

« Oh Simon, je ne sais pas ! Je ne suis pas sûre, je sentais juste que je ne devais pas l’admettre. » Je l’ai regardé d’un air suppliant.

« Admettre quoi, Leïla ? Que nous nous connaissons ? Ce n'est pas un crime de connaître des gens, Leïla. »

« Non, je sais, mais ce n’est pas seulement ça. Je suis ici avec ma famille… » Ma voix s’est éteinte alors que je cherchais une manière de m’exprimer.

« Qu'est-ce que ta famille a à voir avec ça ? Nous n'avons rien à cacher, n’est-ce pas Leïla ? »

Je ne pouvais pas croiser le regard de Simon.

« N’est-ce pas Leïla ? Si c’est le cas, je dois savoir ! »

« Maman, je peux avoir un verre d'eau, s'il te plaît ? » a demandé Anouk en entrant dans la cuisine, se frottant les yeux. Je dois te dire, je suis toujours heureuse de voir ma fille, mais cette fois-ci son timing était absolument parfait.

A sense of panic took hold of me as Claire looked expectantly between the two of us. “Sorry, have you met before? I can’t remember if you have.”



I felt Simon’s eyes on me as I twisted the tea towel around my hand nervously, hoping I was projecting a nonchalant air.



Finally, I managed to squeak out: “No, we haven’t…I don’t think,” I added weakly.

I saw Simon’s eyebrows raise and I blushed immediately.



“No, of course you haven’t. I always forget, Leïla, this is your first time here, isn’t it? Well, this is my lovely brother-in-law, Simon. Simon, this is Leïla, Amina’s equally lovely sister-in-law,” with that, Claire laughed and the tension broke. I breathed a small sigh of relief.



“Nice to meet you, Leïla,” Simon said stiffly. “Are you enjoying your time here?”



“Yes, very much, thank you. It’s my first time here and I feel so lucky to finally be able to meet Amina’s English family. I’ve heard about you for so long and everything she’s said is true. I can understand why she feels so at home here.”



“And now you finally get to meet Simon, so you know the whole family. I’m sure the two of you will get along very well.” Finally, Simon smiled and I felt my whole body relax. I placed the tea towel on the counter.



Just then, a car pulled up in the drive. “That’ll be them!” said Claire, “I’ll go out and help them unpack. You two can get to know one another.” Claire walked towards the front door and as soon as she was out of earshot, Simon’s face changed.

“What on earth did you say that, Leïla?” he whispered furiously. “Why didn’t you tell Claire we already know one another?”



“I don’t know, Simon. I’m not sure. I just think I panicked,” I admitted, looking away.



“Why would you panic? What is there to even panic about? Can’t you see this for the incredible coincidence that it is? How did we not figure out the connection? This is crazy, and you’ve now just lied about it! What were you thinking?”



My face betrayed me as the image from my dream flashed into my mind. The two of us, under a tree, so relaxed in one another’s company, Simon’s hand tenderly brushing my hair behind my shoulder.



Seeing my face redden, Simon seemed to soften. “Leïla, come on. Tell me. Why did you make this so complicated? Why didn’t you just tell the truth?”.



“Oh Simon, I don’t know! I’m not sure, I just felt as though I shouldn’t admit to it.” I looked at him pleadingly.



“Admit to what, Leïla? That we know each other? It’s not a crime to know people, Leïla.”

“No, I know, but it’s not just that. I’m here with my family…” My voice trailed off as I searched for a way to express myself.



“What’s your family got to do with it? We’ve got nothing to hide, have we Leïla?”.

I couldn’t meet Simon’s eye.

“Have we Leïla? If we have, I need to know!”


“Mum, can I have a glass of water, please?” Anouk asked as she entered the kitchen, rubbing her eyes. I have to tell you, I’m always happy to see my daughter, but on this occasion her timing was absolutely perfect.

Best French Films of the 21st Century So Far

Next time you’re drawing a movie night blank, dig into this list of the best French films of the 21st Century (so far) for inspiration. Whether you’re drawn to the drôle*, prefer les films au suspense* or can’t go past une histoire d’amour*, with 24 titles ranked in ascending order, there’s something pour tous les goûts*.

*funny | *thrillers | *a love story | *for every taste

Fun French Expression: Arrête ton char!

Have a friend or family member who can’t help but fib (or raconte des salades*)? Then the French expression “Arrête ton char!” is one to keep up your sleeve.

Directly translated as “Stop your chariot!”, the familiar expression can be used in place of “Come off it!”, “Stop messing around!” or “Give me a break!”. Essentially, it's the verbal equivalent of an eye roll.

Utile, non*?

*lie/ tell tall tales | *Useful, no?

L'Origine du Monde (Dear Mother)

“When Jean-Louis' heart stops beating, he must confront his Oedipal issues — and ask his mother an unthinkable question — or he'll be dead in three days.”

If you’re looking for a light-hearted French comedy, we recently received a recommendation from one of our students. Starring and directed by Laurent Lafitte, Dear Mother or L'Origine du Monde* had our chouchou* “laughing so hard she couldn’t breathe.”

Sound good? You can stream Dear Mother on Netflix or view la bande annonce* here.

Petit avertissement (small disclaimer): for the relatively broad-minded.

*The Origin of the World | *teacher’s pet | *the preview

Recette: Aligot

Searching for the ultimate indulgent side for your next dinner party – calories de damned? Then look no further than the creamy, cheesy, carb-laden French dish, aligot* (or cheesy mashed potatoes).

From pommes de terre fondants* to Pommes Anna* and tartiflette, the French are masters at elevating the humble spud to dizzying gustatory heights. And silky, stretchy, garlic-infused aligot – a speciality of the Aubrac region in the south of Auvergne – is a decadent taste sensation.

Just make sure you’re prepared for an arm workout as this side requires A LOT of stirring.

Tip: The recipe calls for tomme fraîche d'Auvergne – a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese that can be hard to source. If it’s not on offer at your local cheesemonger, Gruyère and Comté make good substitutes.

Bon appétit*!

Merci au Marmiton pour la recette*.

*cheesy mashed potatoes | *fondant potatoes | *Potatoes Anna | *Enjoy! | *Thank you to Marmiton for the recipe.

Carette

Lovers of hot chocolate will tell you no trip to Paris is complete without a trip to the iconic and opulent Angelina Salon de Thé on Rue de Rivoli. But another contender for the best cup in town is the equally Insta-famous, Carette.

Founded in 1923, Carette has three bustling locations. However, the original and most popular outpost is at Place du Trocadero – making it the perfect spot to visit after taking your happy snaps of la Tour Eiffel*.

With art deco-inspired interiors and une terrasse* perfect for people-watching (and filming TikToks), the café is renowned for its silky hot chocolate, served with copious amounts of freshly whipped cream.

Not as thick as Angelina’s chocolat chaud* (which almost requires a spoon), Carette’s viral hot chocolate is said to be a little sweeter. According to some, it’s the crème de la crème*. But we’ll leave the taste testing up to you.

*the Eiffel Tower | *a terrace | *hot chocolate | *the very best

La Petite Histoire

If you've ever done a group lesson here at Lingua Franca, you've probably come into contact with La Petite Histoire*. A tale with the very humblest of beginnings, it winds up becoming a rollicking schlockbuster as you move up the levels and your French improves enough to handle the outrageous (some would say impossible) turns of events of the six young friends.

La Petite Histoire is currently only available to our students, however La Préquelle is for everyone’s enjoyment. Below, another instalment of this new series, the final chapter of the Advanced 1 level.

*The Little Story | *The Prequel

« Au revoir ! Amusez-vous bien ! » Les enfants et moi faisons signe au reste du groupe depuis le jardin devant la maison de Robert et Beth. Les anciens parents d'accueil d'Amina emmènent Hervé et Amina à Stonehenge pour la journée. Finalement, Michael, l'ancien frère d'accueil d'Amina, décide de les accompagner pour faire office de guide non officiel. Comme promis, Claire, la femme de Michael, doit arriver dans environ une demi-heure pour pratiquer un peu d'anglais avec moi autour d'une tasse de thé.

« Allez les filles, à l'intérieur. C'est l'heure de votre sieste du matin. Allez hop. » dis-je en les faisant entrer dans le cottage.

Trente minutes plus tard, la sonnette retentit. « Pile à l'heure, » pensai-je en ouvrant la porte. Claire sourit sur le pas de la porte, un Tupperware à la main.

« Qu'est-ce que c'est ? » demandai-je, grimaçant à cause de mon anglais basique.

« Des scones bien sûr ! On ne peut pas prendre une tasse de thé sans eux. Après tout, tu es en Angleterre, » plaisanta-t-elle en entrant dans le hall.

Quelques minutes plus tard, nous sommes installées à la table de la salle à manger, une tasse de thé à la main.

Notre conversation commence lentement. Je trouve que je peux comprendre la plupart de ce que Claire me dit, mais quand il s'agit de répondre, les mots ne sortent pas comme je le veux. Claire parle très clairement et soigneusement, donc je n'ai pas l'impression que mon cerveau se bloque comme cela arrive parfois pendant nos cours à l'université. C'est plutôt que je me sens si à l'aise en sa présence et que j'ai tellement de choses à dire, mais chaque fois que j'ouvre la bouche, je me rends compte que je ne sais pas comment le dire en anglais. C'est très frustrant.

Claire doit sentir quelque chose, car après quelques minutes, elle me dit : « Leïla, je ne veux pas t'insulter, mais quand j'ai appris l'allemand au lycée, je me souviens très distinctement que notre professeur nous a félicités juste avant nos examens finaux en disant que nous étions maintenant capables de parler allemand au niveau d'un enfant de huit ans. Nous étions dévastés ! »

Je souris à ma nouvelle amie. « Je ne suis pas du tout insultée, Claire, tu es gentille de penser à mes sentiments. J'adorerais pouvoir parler comme un enfant français de huit ans. Ils peuvent dire beaucoup de choses ! »

« Ouf ! » dit-elle. « D'accord alors, voici ce que notre professeur nous a dit. Puisque tu es maintenant un enfant de huit ans, fais semblant de parler à quelqu'un d'encore plus jeune, peut-être à ton petit frère ou ta petite sœur. Cela t'aidera à simplifier ton langage et donc tu seras plus susceptible de trouver les mots. »

« Ça me va, Claire. Merci. » Je suis étrangement soulagée de ne pas avoir à formuler des phrases sophistiquées. Nous parlons de nos familles, de nos lieux de croissance et de nos goûts et dégoûts et, au fil des minutes, je me sens de plus en plus ouverte avec elle. Devoir simplifier mon langage au niveau d'un enfant semble avoir l'effet de clarifier mes sentiments sur ma vie, qui, pendant ce voyage au moins, ont été quelque peu confus. Même ainsi, je suis aussi surprise que Claire lorsque, en réponse à sa question sur ma vie idéale, ma réponse est « voyage, aventure et amour ».

Un peu choquée, Claire dit : « Mais tu n'as pas déjà ça, Leïla ? Je veux dire, tu es ici, non ? »

« Oui, c'est de l'amour dont je parle, » j’ai avoué, les larmes aux yeux.

« Qu'est-ce que tu veux dire ? » demande doucement Claire en baissant sa tasse de thé.

Juste à ce moment-là, la sonnette retentit. « Je me demande qui cela peut être ? » dit Claire en se levant de la table. « Je vais ouvrir, Leïla, mais si jamais tu veux continuer cette conversation, fais-le moi savoir. »

« Ça ira, » dis-je rapidement, « mais merci. Laisse-moi débarrasser ces tasses. »

Je suis entrée dans la cuisine pour rassembler mes pensées, m'agrippant à l'évier et prenant quelques respirations profondes pour essayer de me calmer. Je devais être complètement perdue dans mon petit monde. Quelque chose doit expliquer mon choc total lorsque, quelques instants plus tard, j’ai entendu une voix masculine que j’ai cru reconnaître, suivie immédiatement par Claire entrant dans la cuisine et disant : « Leïla, est-ce que tu as rencontré Simon ? »

“Bye! Have fun!”

The children and I waved goodbye to the rest of the gang from the front garden of Robert and Beth’s house. Amina’s former host parents were taking Hervé and Amina to Stonehenge for the day. In the end, Michael, Amina’s former host brother, had decided to go along, too, to act as unofficial tour guide. As promised, Claire, Michael’s wife, was due to arrive in about half an hour to do some English speaking practice with me over a cup of tea.

“Come on girls, inside. It’s time for your morning nap. Scoot.” I directed as I ushered them inside the cottage.

Thirty minutes later the doorbell rang. “Right on time,” I thought, as I opened the door. A smiling Claire was on the doorstep, Tupperware in hand.

“What is it?” I asked, wincing at my basic English.

“Scones of course! We can’t have a cup of tea without them. You’re in England, after all,” she joked as she stepped into the hall.

A few minutes later we were settled at the dining room table, cups of tea in hand.

Our conversation started off slowly. I found I could understand most of what Claire was saying to me, but when it came time to respond, the words just wouldn’t come out the way I wanted them to. Claire spoke very clearly and carefully, so I didn’t get the feeling of my brain freezing as I sometimes used notice during our lectures at uni. It was more that I was so comfortable in her presence and had so much to say, but that each time I went to open my mouth I realised that I had no idea how to say it in English. It was so frustrating.

Claire must have sensed something, because after a few minutes she said to me. “Leïla, I don’t want to insult you, but when I learned German at high school, I remember very distinctly our teacher congratulating us just before our final exams, saying we were now able to speak German at the level of an eight-year-old. We were devastated!”

I smiled at my new friend. “I’m hardly insulted, Claire, though you’re kind to consider my feelings. I’d love to be able to speak like an eight year old French child. They can say a lot!” 

“Phew!” she said. “Okay then, here’s what our teacher told us. Since you’re now an eight-year-old, pretend you’re speaking to someone even younger, maybe your little brother or sister. It’ll help you simplify your language and therefore you’ll be more likely to get the words out.”

“Sounds good to me, Claire. Thank you.” I was strangely relieved to not have to formulate sophisticated sentences. We covered our families, where we grew up and our likes and dislikes and as the minutes wore on, I found myself opening up to her more and more. Having to simplify my language to the level of a child seemed to have the effect of clarifying my feelings about my life, which during this trip at least, had been somewhat confused.

Even so, I was as surprised as Claire was when in response to her question about my ideal life, my answer was ‘travel, adventure and love’.



Slightly shocked, Claire said: “But don’t you have that already, Leïla? I mean, you’re here aren’t you?”



“Yes, it’s the love part I’m talking about,” I admitted, tears welling in my eyes.

“What do you mean?” Claire asked gently, lowering her tea cup.



Just then the doorbell rang. “I wonder who that is?” Claire said, getting up from the table. “I’ll get the door, Leïla, but if you ever want to continue this conversation, you just let me know.”



“I’ll be fine,” I said quickly, “but thank you. Let me clear these cups.”



I went into the kitchen to gather my thoughts, holding onto the sink and taking a few deep breaths in an effort to calm self. I must have been completely lost in my own little world. Something has to account for my total shock when a few moments later, I heard a male voice I thought I recognised, followed straight away by Claire walking into the kitchen and saying: “Leïla, have you met Simon?”


SWOON: Lac d’Annecy

Located in the Haute-Savoie region of southeastern France, près des Alpes françaises*, Lac d'Annecy is a popular destination touristique* that attracts around 2.5 million visitors annually. And celebs such as actor Jean Reno who owns property in the area.

Spanning approximately 27.5 square kilometres, the alpine lake is renowned for its crystal-clear waters, often cited as the cleanest in Europe, and surrounded by picturesque mountains that lure nature lovers all year round.

With equipment rentals dotting the shoreline, it’s the perfect spot to indulge in water sports like paddleboarding, kayaking and sailing – or take it easy with a scenic boat tour. Prefer to stay on dry land? There’s a 42-kilometre-long bike path and numerous hiking trails to keep you occupé(e)*, including Mont Veyrier and La Tournette.

For less adventure and plus de culture*, head to Annecy at the lake’s northern tip. Dubbed the ‘Venice of the Alps’, the charming medieval town is home to winding canals, châteaux* and historic architecture. Plus, a vibrant cultural and dining scene accessible by train from Paris and Lyon – and less than an hour’s bus ride from Geneva.

*French Alps | *tourist destination | *busy | *more culture | *castles

Famous French brands: Repetto

With the recent resurgence in popularity of that early 2000s staple, the ballet flat, what better time to spotlight the iconic French company that does it best: Repetto. In ballet and fashion, few names hold as much prestige as Repetto – known for its craftsmanship, enduring style and star-studded following.

La marque* was founded in 1947 when Rose Repetto set out to create the perfect ballet shoe for her son, celebrated dancer Roland Petit. Her handmade shoes quickly gained a reputation for their comfort and quality, achieved with a unique “stitch and return” technique that ensures flexibilité* and an unparalleled fit.

Repetto shoes soon shod les pieds* of other renowned dancers, including Rudolf Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov, with the brand providing ballet shoes for the Opéra National de Paris to this day. However, it wasn’t until a fortuitous pairing that the brand’s reputation truly took off.

In 1956, an ascendant star, Brigitte Bardot, commissioned a pair of ballet flats, the "Cendrillon," for her film And God Created Woman. The shoes became an instant success – and a style signature of B.B.

In the early 2000s, Repetto ballet flats were the footwear du jour, popularised by celebrities like Kate Moss and Amy Winehouse wearing them on repeat. And while Carrie Bradshaw would never be seen without her towering heels, Sarah Jessica Parker regularly embraced Repetto flats as a chic and comfortable alternative off the screen.

Other admirateurs* over the years have included French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg, who loved the Zizi style designed for dancer Zizi Jeanmaire, and Karl Lagerfeld, who often sent models down the runway in Repetto.

Today, the company produces various footwear styles, ready-to-wear clothing and accessories. However, it’s Rose's chic and comfortable ballet shoes that have earned Repetto an enduring iconic status.

Learn more of l’histoire de Repetto* here.

*The brand | *flexibility | *the feet |*fans | *the story of Repetto