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French culture

Bastille Day: Background & Vocabulary

Another July 14th is just around the corner. You may know it as Bastille Day, but here in France, it’s called “La Fête Nationale” or “le quatorze juillet.” What’s it all about? Simply put, it’s the date that marks the start of la Révolution française (the French Revolution) and represents the day on which France won her independence from the unchecked and absolute power of the monarchy.

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Polite French Phrases to Learn before Visiting Paris

7 Polite French Phrases to Learn before Visiting Paris

The French – Parisians, in particular – have a reputation for being rude. But the behavior that foreigners perceive as rudeness is often the result of cultural misunderstandings. To avoid any such misunderstandings, learn the following 7 French phrases before visiting Paris. With these phrases at the ready, we think you’ll see that Parisians are much more friendly than they’re reputed to be!

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French Easter Traditions, Vocabulary and Ideas for Celebrating in Paris

Joyeuse Pâques! Bonnes Pâques! Bonnes fêtes des Pâques! You will hear these phrases everywhere in France starting from Easter Sunday (or sometimes a day or so before), and lasting the whole week. Of course, these phrases are different ways of wishing someone a Happy Easter.

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Galette des Rois, a french tradition

Galette des Rois: A Sweet French Tradition

You thought the French food fest was over now that Christmas and New Year’s Eve were behind us? Think again. With the arrival of January comes a national obsession with the galette des rois – the “king cake.” If you’re in France, you’ve probably noticed this scrumptious-looking cake, usually topped with a golden paper crown,

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The Covered Passages of Paris: A Christmas Stroll

“Errer est humain, flâner est parisien.” To err is human, to stroll is Parisian. – Victor Hugo These words were true in the 19th-century and they’re true today. Nothing is more quintessentially Parisian than spending a lazy hour or two strolling through Paris’s streets, gardens, or along the banks of the Seine with no aim

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