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14th July, national celebration in France, what is really being celebrated?

14th July, national celebration in France, what is really being celebrated?

by SLImmersion / French Courses / French Culture / No Comments / 12 July 2017

The 14th July is very often associated with the storming of the Bastille in 1789. It was indeed in the morning of that day that an angry crowd seized this prison-fortress and brought its destruction. However, it was a year later on 14th July 1790 that another event took place, the Festival of Federation. Besides being the first anniversary of the fall of the royal prerogative, this marked the national merging of the regional units of national guards, formed in each of the French provinces.

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France’s Music Festival

France’s Music Festival

by SLImmersion / French Culture / No Comments / 20 June 2017

The 21st June, day of the summer solstice (the longest day of the year), is the day of the festival of music. The festival exists all over the world but did you know that its origin is French?! … And a bit American! In 1976, the American musician Joel Cohen, who was working at Radio France, put forward a special programme of music for the 21st June and the 21st December (for the two solstices). In 1981, Jack Lang, the Minister for Culture, made it an official holiday in France. Continue reading →

May – Aix-en-Provence – an ancestral tradition: the Festival of the tabor

May – Aix-en-Provence – an ancestral tradition: the Festival of the tabor

by SLImmersion / French Culture / Tourism in France / No Comments / 19 May 2017

From 20th to 28th May, Aix-en-Provence continues an ancestral tradition with the Festival of the tabor, a musical instrument which is emblematic of Provence. From throughout Provence, and also from the Drôme, Gard and Hérault departments, some 200 tabor players gather on Cours Mirabeau simply for the pleasure of playing together, virtuoso players and beginners alike.

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A poem about May

A poem about May

by SLImmersion / French Courses / French Culture / No Comments / 19 May 2017

De Guillaume Apollinaire (1880 – 1918), un superbe poème traversé par le temps nostalgique et un amour malheureux

Le mai le joli mai en barque sur le Rhin

Des dames regardaient du haut de la montagne

Vous êtes si jolies mais la barque s’éloigne

Qui donc a fait pleurer les saules riverains

Or des vergers fleuris se figeaient en arrière

Les pétales tombés des cerisiers de mai Continue reading →

Reading French and pronunce it … How many “mai” could you heard in this article ?

Reading French and pronunce it … How many “mai” could you heard in this article ?

by SLImmersion / French Courses / French Learning Tips / No Comments / 13 May 2017

Below you will find an article in French to play on words and also practice pronunciation. It is very poetic! But it needs some translation, that you will find first 🙂

In May (mai), do as you please, the saying goes. Embrace it (admettons)! To make a start (entamer) this May, put (mets) my words on the table to scatter it (parsemer) with scarcely eaten (consommés), seasoned dishes (parfumés), too soon shut away (enfermés) but not past their sell-by date (perimés). This May 2017, do not put back (remets) with two hands what you can do with just one, without scattering (semer) or counting (sommer) unfortunates with a cold (enrhumés). I am charmed (charmé) by the aroma (fumet) of those regrets which you pass on (transmets) without peace pipe (calumet) or pill (comprimé).   Continue reading →

Les mots du mois

Les mots du mois

by SLImmersion / French Culture / French Learning Tips / No Comments / 13 May 2017

Mai, mois du muguet, mois de de la fête des travailleurs, mois du temps des cerises et mois des champs en fleurs.

Pourquoi la tradition d’offrir du muguet ? Cette tradition date de 1560, le chevalier Louise de Girard de Maisonforte a offert un brin de muguet, au roi Charles IX, en visite avec sa mère Catherine de Médicis dans la Drôme. Dès le 1er mai 1561, le roi se met alors à distribuer des brins de muguet aux dames de la cour en leur disant: «Qu’il en soit fait ainsi chaque année». La coutume était née !

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Mars et la poésie

Mars et la poésie

by SLImmersion / French Culture / No Comments / 18 March 2017

Ce mois qui fait le pont entre l’hiver et le printemps, plus tout à fait l’un mais pas encore vraiment l’autre, a inspiré nombre de nos poètes. Nous vous proposons ici le joli poème d’Alfred de Musset (poète et dramaturge ; 1810/1857)

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Mars : Un peu d’histoire

Mars : Un peu d’histoire

by SLImmersion / French Culture / No Comments / 18 March 2017

Henri Coëffier de Ruzé d’Effiat, marquis de Cinq-Mars, né en 1620, était un favori du roi Louis XIII. (1610-1643). Ce fils de Henri IV, devenu Roi de France à l’âge de 9 ans, eut comme Premier Ministre le Cardinal de Richelieu qui, par son absolutisme, fut la cible de nombreuses conspirations. Précisément, le Marquis de Cinq Mars, favori du Roi et couramment appelé « Monsieur le Grand » car il était Grand écuyer de France, vit son ambition contrariée par Richelieu. Il choisit alors d’organiser lui aussi une conspiration contre le puissant Premier Ministre du Roi. Mais elle échoua. Louis XIII et Richelieu firent arrêter les conjurés à Narbonne et les firent juger. Cinq Mars fut décapité à Lyon, sur la place des Terreaux, le 12 septembre 1642.

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