Cultivate your French : Slow French, at the right pace.

CYF 074 — mercredi 19 mai 2021 — Une belle table pour un brunch entre amies

A few weeks ago, my friend Pauline showed me a book that she got for Christmas, a book about nice table settings, Chez eux. this book gave us the idea to build a podcast episode about setting a table.

If we were to set a table, we might as well have a lunch or a brunch on it! We took our agenda and decided about a date. Then we imagined our menu : something simple but nice, with flowers on the table.

That day, we first did some shopping. We bought some gariguetes (early strawberries), we bought some renoncules (buttercups in English says the dictionary) and a cherry tree branch. At the bakery, we bought a few croissants because you can’t imagine a brunch without any. 

For this episode, Pauline and I are in her kitchen. Everything is almost ready, it’s time to choose what plates to put on the table. Follow me in her cupboard! 

My name is Laetitia, I’m French, I live just outside Paris and I share with you a small slice of my daily life here in France. I have also been running the podcast One Thing In A French Day since 2006
All the information about the transcripts, notes and photos is available at www.cultivateyourfrench.com

 

CYF 073 — mercredi 12 mai 2021 — En passant à la boulangerie Archibald

Last week, on Friday, the weather was nice in Paris. My friend Anne-Laure and I had planned to have lunch in the Jardin des Plantes.

We also had an appointment with Matthias, the baker at Boulangerie Archibald, in the fifth arrondissement. I needed to take a picture of one of his bread for my next book. Matthias does not run a typical parisian bakery with croissants and baguettes. He only sells artisan breads and his bakery is open only in the afternoon. He’s successful in the neighbourhood and very well known now in Paris. 

This episode starts as Anne-Laure and I are at the bakery. Then, you will follow us on the boulevard Saint-Germain. 

 

My name is Laetitia, I’m French, I live just outside Paris and I share with you a small slice of my daily life here in France. I have also been running the podcast One Thing In A French Day since 2006
All the information about the transcripts, notes and photos is available at www.cultivateyourfrench.com

 

CYF 072 — mercredi 5 mai 2021 — Rencontre avec Djamel Cherigui

Last Saturday, I went to Nathalie Iris’s bookshop, Mots en marge, in La Garenne-Colombes. Nathalie suggests books to read on my other podcast One Thing In A French Day.

She’s a very active bookseller and she’s well-known in the neighbourhood. Her bookshop is located on the place de Liberté which is also the place du marché. 

She often organises « dédicaces », book signatures, and in June « la nuit blanche du livre » a book fair that finishes late at night and where you can meet famous authors. 

There was a book signature last Saturday and it was also the market day. 
I had bought and partially read the book of Djamel Cherigui, Sainte Touche, so I was happy to go to the signature. The style of the author is clearly too hard to read for someone who is learning French, but I think meeting an author is always interesting. 

I had my mic with me that day, and Djamel Cherigui agreed to talk about his work for the podcast.  

I was very pleased to talk to him because he’s a very nice man, and a true passionate of literature. He’s a kind of media hit in France because he’s very talented and because he runs a grocery in the North of France. It’s unexpected for a writer. 

So, today You are going to hear a short version of the interview with Djamel Cherigui. 

My name is Laetitia, I’m French, I live just outside Paris and I share with you a small slice of my daily life here in France. I have also been running the podcast One Thing In A French Day since 2006
All the information about the transcripts, notes and photos is available at www.cultivateyourfrench.com

CYF 071 — mercredi 28 avril 2021 — dégustation de macaron

We have been on holidays for two weeks. We were supposed to go one week in Brittany, but because of the new lockdown rules we were not allowed to leave. Our new circle has a diameter of 10 kilometers. A big part of Paris is in our circle. 

Pietro, my husband, had to work so the girls and I took our holidays « in Paris ». We did some nice things : having lunch « à emporter », walking rue Réaumur to watch the nice early 20th century buildings, going to the Jardin des plantes, visiting nice bookshops, etc.

And we did a « macarons » afternoon. We did not baked some macarons, we went to by some in famous places in Paris : Ladurée, Carette and Dalloyau. A macaron costs between 2,10 and 2,20 euros. It’s an expensive little cake. We have been nicely welcomed in Ladurée and Carette. But Dalloyau was quite different. The lady literally through the macarons in a paper bag with no respect for their fragility.

Back home, we organized a serious tasting. This is what you are going to hear in today’s episode. 

You are listening to Cultivate Your French podcast, ONE slow french episode every week. 
My name is Laetitia, I’m French, I live just outside Paris and I share with you a small slice of my daily life here in France. I have also been running the podcast One Thing In A French Day since 2006

All the information about the transcripts, notes and photos is available at www.cultivateyourfrench.com

 

CYF 070 — mercredi 21 avril 2021 — Le matin, au petit-déjeuner

Sometimes, we get very good at understanding a language. It’s the beginning of something new, something very pleasant and rewarding. The ear catches whole sentences, we get good at understanding videos on the Internet, movies in French etc.  

But sometimes, we set aside how to improve our speaking of that language. And I don’t think this is a good plan.

So, as in last week’s episode, today the aim is that you train yourself to talk. I have recorded this dialogue between my friend Marilyne and I. She stayed for the night and we meet in the kitchen at breakfast time.

Then, to make things more practical, you will also hear only her lines. With the other part of the dialogue left blank,you will be able to act as if you were me welcoming Marilyne in the kitchen and asking her questions about what she eats for breakfast. The dialogue is rather long, so you will play this game until the lines about the confiture.

In the transcript, I also give you some specific sentences about the breakfast and I encourage you to leave me an audio message about your breakfast. 

You are listening to Cultivate Your French podcast, ONE slow french episode every week. 

My name is Laetitia, I’m French, I live just outside Paris and I share with you a small slice of my daily life here in France. I have also been running the podcast One Thing In A French Day since 2006.

All the information about the transcripts, notes and photos is available at www.cultivateyourfrench.com

 

CYF069 — mercredi 14 avril 2021 — Acheter des macarons pour offrir

It’s a great thing to improve your understanding skills, you feel more confident and it’s almost the basic of a language. You understand what people tell you in French. Sometimes, we are so focused on understanding that we almost forget to improve our speaking.

When you understand enough, you have to prepare yourself for the next step which is « talking in French ». Yes, talking! Never forget to talk, it’s important ! But, you have to be ready. To train yourself to your next visit to France, today’s episode and next week’s episode are about talking in French. 

Today, you will buy some macarons. Yes, don’t you remember that you have to offer a box for your friend’s birthday? There is so much choice in the shop, which flavours are you going to choose?  

Are you ready? You are in Paris, the pâtisserie is lovely, the window is full of colourful macarons.  

First you are going to hear the dialogue between my friend Marilyne, who plays the seller, and myself, the customer. 

Then, to make things more practical, you will also hear only the seller lines. With the other part of the dialogue left blank,you will be able to act as if you were the customer at the macaron shop!

In the transcript, we study some sentences particularities and I challenge you to leave me an audio message, you ordering by phone in French some lovely macarons. 

You are listening to Cultivate Your French podcast, ONE slow french episode every week. 

My name is Laetitia, I’m French, I live just outside Paris and I share with you a small slice of my daily life here in France. I have also been running the podcast One Thing In A French Day since 2006

All the information about the transcripts, notes and photos is available at www.cultivateyourfrench.com

 

CYF 068 — mercredi 7 avril 2021 — Chez Pauline, le bureau devient une chambre

Last week, I paid a visit to my friend Pauline. She’s expecting her third child. It means that her husband and her need to create a third room in their house. They are going to turn the room, that is now her private room with her desk and where she does Pilates, into a child room.
The first step that she told me about is to remove all the furnitures : a sofa, a desk, two bookcases. 

Pauline lives in a house built in the beginning of the twentieth century. So in the room that we are talking about there are mouldings on the walls and  a wooden floor. 
What are her projects for this room in terms of decoration? This is what you are going to hear in today’s episode. 

You are listening to Cultivate Your French podcast, ONE slow french episode every week. 
My name is Laetitia, I’m French, I live just outside Paris and I share with you a small slice of my daily life here in France. I have also been running the podcast One Thing In A French Day since 2006
All the information about the transcripts, notes and photos is available at www.cultivateyourfrench.com

CYF 067 — mercredi 31 mars 2021 — Démontage de la grue

You know that there is a big construction site in front of our building. Last week-end some workers dismantled one of the tower cranes. It was crane number 3. There were 5 cranes on the site. 
I was wondering how they would do this. I had imagined that maybe an helicopter could be involved. No, of course, they used another crane. I was able to witness all this show as it started early in the morning, before my kung-fu class. 
Two men got on the jib of the crane to take apart the counterweights. It was breathtaking to watch! 
I was surprised that it went so fast. A lorry was expecting down the crane and received the different parts. 
The disappearition of this crane is the first sign that things are now different on the construction site. Another part of the story begins. This is what you are going to hear in today’s episode. 

My name is Laetitia, I’m French, I live just outside Paris and I share with you a small slice of my daily life here in France. I have also been running the podcast One Thing In A French Day since 2006

All the information about the transcripts, notes and photos is available at www.cultivateyourfrench.com

 

 

CYF 066 — mercredi 24 mars 2021 — Balade dans le 17e

This morning Lisa had an appointment with a cardiologist in the 17 th arrondissement. Nothing serious. 
The 17 th is not far from our home. We walked to Pont de Levallois and took the métro there, line 3. This morning there was no barges on the Seine when we crossed the bridge. I love when there are péniches. it’s a little game that I invented : le jeu des péniches. If you see one, you win. if you don’t see any, you lose. Well, we lost this morning. 
Lisa and I got off at Wagram station. We were early for the appointment, so we opened our eyes and watched what was around us. This is what you are going to hear in today’s episode. 

My name is Laetitia, I’m French, I live just outside Paris and I share with you a small slice of my daily life here in France. I have also been running the podcast One Thing In A French Day since 2006

All the information about the transcripts, notes and photos is available at www.cultivateyourfrench.com

 

CYF 065 — mercredi 17 mars 2021 — Coup de pouce vélo avec Fabrice Lorant

When the first lockdown ended in France, in May 2020, the government created the « coup de pouce », the little help if you prefer. It’s a financial help to encourage people to use their bike more often. 
This period was incredible for the use of bikes in cites. New cycles lanes were created in a few days around Paris. We could see teams of workmen painting the yellow lines everywhere. Including in our neighbourhood. 
Last week, a neighbour of mine, Bin, and a friend of mine, Maryam, both suggested that I use the « coup de pouce » for my bike. To benefit from this measure I called Fabrice, the repairman they both knew. 
My appointment was this morning. Fabrice is a repairman that comes to your home. He has everything with him. 
When we met, he happily told me that he would do his best to improve the brakes of my vintage Peugeot bike. This is where the episode starts today. 

My name is Laetitia, I’m French, I live just outside Paris and I share with you a small slice of my daily life here in France. I have also been running the podcast One Thing In A French Day since 2006
All the information about the transcripts, notes and photos is available at www.cultivateyourfrench.com