Posts Tagged ‘French visit’

Back to the Normandy region: what are the culinary specialties?

Jeudi, septembre 24th, 2020

I told you! I love France, teaching French, sharing my love of French and I LOVE food. So, here we are. What do we eat in Normandy?

Well, excellent food.

Do you know camembert?

As you know, France is a huge country for cheese. French people cannot live without cheese. We eat cheese everyday. Cheese, bread and wine. What Else do you need to be happy?

And one of the most famous French cheeses is “le camembert”. It is not strong (unless you forget it at the bottom of your fridge for a few weeks), and it does not smell so strong. When you visit France, you must try “un camembert”. This cheese is so famous in France that you will find it everywhere, in any region, in any supermarket or food shop. It’s a “must-taste”, really.

Do you know that this cheese is also excellent melted on boiled potatoes. It’s gorgeous, gorgeous. And do you know that Camembert is also the name of a village in Normandy?

Yes!

Camembert, check this link to learn more about this lovely village. And while you are at Camembert, you should pay a visit to la fromagerie Durand, the last camembert cheese maker in the city of Camembert. You cannot miss this one!!

But the Normandy region is not only famous for its camembert cheese, it is also famous for many dairy products like cream and butter. And these ingredients are widely used in the traditional cuisine of this region.

Another thing you will find everywhere in Normandy: apples. Orchards of apple trees, everywhere and cows! With all these apples,people make calvados a very strong alcohol and cider  (in the Bretagne region too).

So, as soon as you can come and visit France, you have to visit Normandy (and many other regions too…!), try a camembert and drink some cider.

Have a beautiful day, talk to you soon,

Normandie falaises etretat

Vocabulary : vocabulaire

Voc BlogPost spécialités culinaires normandie

Cheese : du fromage

Food : la nourriture

A speciality : une spécialité

Potatoes : des pommes de terre / des patates

Famous : célèbre

An apple : une pomme

A virtual tour of some of the most famous French cathedrals

Jeudi, septembre 17th, 2020

Today, I am taking you to another region of France. Let’s have a virtual visit of one of the most beautiful cathedrals of France : the cathedral of Reims.

La Cathédrale de Reims vue du ciel:

http://www.cathedrale-reims.fr/Explorer/Le-monument-vu-du-ciel

On YouTube, type: “Cathédrale de Reims: l’intérieur en couleur”

The Reims Cathedral is located in the Champagne region (yes, champagne!!). This is a very important place regarding the French History as it is in this cathedral that the kings of France were crowned (and not in Paris). It’s an amazingly beautiful monument and it is definitely worth a visit, even if right now it is most probably a virtual visit.

The cathedral de Reims has two towers but no “flèche”. Usually, cathedrals have “une flèche”. Une flèche is the architectural name of a long and slender spire placed on the church (or cathedral) roof. I could not find (yet) a virtual visit of the “flèche” of a cathedral but I will keep looking because it is worth a visit.

I remember as a kid, we used to visit many cathedrals during our holidays and of course, we would visit the “flèche”. It was a “must-see” and no elevator of course!

I remember the beauty of the view as you walk the stairs in the “flèche” and at the same time, you can enjoy the view because “flèches” are carved… so it’s like walking to the sky. It’s an amazing feeling.

But, the truth is, so many tourists got stuck inside the “flèches” of the French cathedrals because they were scared of heights AND so many rescue teams were fed up with this kind of intervention that nowadays, most of the “flèches” are closed to the public… It’s a shame but I understand why it happened.

Anyway, enjoy this virtual visit to one of the most famous French cathedral.

I’ll be back very soon with new virtual visits to France.

Have a beautiful day,

 

Just for « le plaisir des yeux », here is another beautiful church. Not so famous but look at the scenery surrounding it. Amazing isn’t it?!

Eglise Voiron

Even in a medium size city, you’ll find architectural wonders, you do not need to go where everybody does… Enjoy the privilege of a relaxing visit!

 

Vocabulary / vocabulaire

Vocabulaire BlogPost visite virtuelle cathédrales

French History : l’histoire française

the king : le roi

Crowned : couronné

A crown : une couronne

Holiday : vacances

Be scared of heights : avoir le vertige