Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Patricia has unearthed some very interesting, obscure French laws. For example: "Any woman wishing to dress like a man must request permission from the police department." Thankfully, no one obeys these antiquated laws!
Difficulty: Beginner
France
The first of April is the day of hoaxes, pranks, and jokes. In France, the tradition is to hang paper fish on people's backs and shout, "Poisson d'avril!" (April Fish!).
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Patricia takes a close look at some old French laws that are still on the books but no longer enforced. For example, it's technically forbidden to name one's pig "Napoleon."
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
This video on Nogent-sur-Marne focuses on the town's beautiful architectural heritage, from the Royal Palace Cinema, to the Art Nouveau houses, to the Coignard mansion and its gardens. Daniel concludes with a discussion of the song that made Nogent famous, "Le petit vin blanc" (The Little White Wine).
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Along the banks of the Marne, Daniel gives us some more insight into the town of Nogent-sur-Marne, including a few real estate tips and a brief biography of Jean Sablon, a famous crooner of French chansons who was born in the town.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
We continue our walk around the little town of Liverdun, perched on a rock spur near the Moselle river. Françoise tells us about its collegiate church and the legend of Saint Euchaire.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
In addition to housing the second largest port in the Paris region, Nogent-sur-Marne also includes a promenade dedicated to the "accordion queen" Yvette Horner and a square named after the famous Corsican singer Tino Rossi. The latter is located on the Marne River's "Île de Beauté" (Island of Beauty), which is also a nickname for Corsica.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Nogent-sur-Marne is a charming town that has been the home of many celebrities, including the scientist Marie Curie and the singer Charles Trenet. Daniel shows us some of the town's beautiful landmarks, including the Baltard Pavilion and the Passerelle des Arts.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Lionel is in Liverdun, a small town in the Lorraine region that dates at least to Roman times. Burial grounds called tumuli have been discovered in the area around the Moselle river, which loops around the town.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
We continue our visit to Liverdun with Françoise and Lionel who will show you inside the collegiate church of Liverdun. It once housed the relics of Saint Euchaire, which were looted during the Revolution. Now all that remains is the statue of the saint with his head... in his hands!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Gérard tells us about the city of Antibes where he was raised. He also sings a song about Jacques Audiberti, the renowned playwright, novelist, and poet, who was born in the city.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Françoise talks to Lionel about the Church of Liverdun. Built in 1184, the church is distinctive for its two superimposed doorways: an original Romanesque one, and a Baroque one added in the eighteenth century.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Gérard will tell you about the history of Antibes, an ancient city with a fascinating past. One of the oldest cities in the region, it was built by the Phocaeans before Roman times.
Difficulty: Beginner
France
Patricia explains the importance of dictation exercises for learning French. Now an essential teaching tool in the classroom, dictation was originally a pastime for French nobility. The author Prosper Mérimée created a dictation exercise for Empress Eugénie that stumped even the brightest intellectuals. Think you can beat them? Try it yourself here.
Difficulty: Beginner
France
Patricia continues her series on the feast of Candlemas, which in France is centered around the crêpe. Due to its round shape and golden color, the crêpe was a symbol of the sun in pagan times.
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