223 — Monet, Zola et la gare Saint-Lazare (3/4) — mercredi 31 juillet 2024

Today we're back with French cheesemonger Augustin Denous. He's the author of a fascinating little book about cheese, which I recommend you get if you want to understand all the different aspects of cheese. Last week, Augustin gave us his definition of a good cheese. In his book, he explains that cheeses have seasons, so I asked him what his favourites were for late autumn. That's the subject of this episode.  In the notes accompanying the transcript, we'll see how Ausgustin talks about Comté in particular. I'll also suggest a sentence for you to repeat, as it's a very powerful exercise for improving your spoken French. You can send me your phrase on the podcast answering machine.  So to cultivate your French for cheese, the slow way, I invite you to subscribe.  www.cultivateyourfrench.com  

On my way back from the Jura, in a shop in Beaune, I came across a little yellow book that caught my eye: Le bon fromage. I looked through it and was immediately won over. Above all, I thought of you, dear listeners. At last, a simple, interesting book that opens up new perspectives and explains a whole host of things: from the importance of the meadow, to the composition of a cheese platter, not forgetting how it's made, the different regions of France, and so on. All in very accessible, yet enriching, French.  The author of this book runs two shops in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris. His name is Augustin Denous, and he's a very nice man who likes to share his knowledge and experience, so he agreed to talk to us about good cheese.  Today's episode is an extract from that interview, in which Augustin gives us his definition of ‘good cheese’, after specifying that a good cheese is one that brings us emotion, whether it's an industrial or artisan cheese.  In the notes accompanying the transcript, we'll look at how Augustin constructs this definition and how this construction can be useful in other circumstances. A link will also give you access to the whole episode and its transcript published on One Thing In A French Day.  So, to Cultivate your cheese knowledge, the slow way, I invite you to subscribe.  www.cultivateyourfrench.com

— We should go and meet our MP. I think your listeners would be interested!  Pierre had an excellent idea.  After contacting our MP, his parliamentary assistant, Shéri Diop, suggested that we meet at the Assemblée Nationale for an interview.  It was very impressive to have an appointment in such a beautiful building and to be welcomed so warmly.  Mr Juvin was mayor of La Garenne-Colombes for many years before being elected as a Member of Parliament. He has been an MP since 2022. His electoral district covers Bois-Colombes, La Garenne-Colombes and Courbevoie. In civilian life, he is a professor of medicine and is currently head of the emergency department at Georges Pompidou Hospital in Paris.  He welcomed us to his office. In this episode, I invite you to listen to the part of the interview in which Philippe Juvin explains his role as an MP.  In the notes accompanying the transcript, we will look at how Mr Juvin constructs a very clear speech and how he goes about it.  You will also find a link to the audio and full transcript of this part of the interview, in which he goes on to explain the differences and similarities between the role of mayor and that of MP.  www.cultivateyourfrench.com  

The house was silent and I wondered what Lisa was doing that Sunday afternoon. I could already see her laughing at a Squizzie video on YouTube. Now that I know what she was doing, I think she was sighing, but it wouldn't be long before she was laughing. Lisa was reading for her French class.  In the notes that go with the transcript, I'll give you a quick introduction to the author of the text she was reading and some very famous lines. We'll also look at Lisa's sentence construction when she tells me the story of the play and we'll see how to use this construction to talk about a character by explaining its intentions. This will be applicable in everyday life, of course!  www.cultivateyourfrench.com  

Are you familiar with the Vendée Globe race? It's a solo round-the-world yacht race on a small boat, a monohull. A race without assistance! It's what we call a ‘sick race’. Every four years, the participants set off from Les Sables d'Olonne, in Vendée, and arrive in Le Sable d'Olonne after sailing around the world from west to east.  Pietro is very fond of this race, and has been taking part virtually for several years. What exactly do I mean by ‘virtually’, that's what you're going to find out in this episode, among other slightly wacky things. In the notes accompanying the transcript, you'll find three useful and natural expressions in French, with examples. We'll also take a closer look at what the little word ‘bien’ can change in a sentence. Especially when you're investigating, my dear Watson.  So, if you want to cultivate your French, not virtually, but the Slow and at the right pace way, I invite you to subscribe to the transcript at www.cultivateyourfrench.com  

On Friday, I met up with my friend Anne-Laure for lunch at a cute little restaurant in La Garenne-Colombes. To warm us up, we ordered tea. ‘Let it steep for two minutes’, said the lady in the restaurant. Everything changed when I removed the tea bag. Fortunately, as they say in French, ‘le ridicule ne tue pas’.  In the notes accompanying the transcript, we're going to play around with switching certain sentences from indirect speech to direct speech, because it's very useful to know how to do that when you're telling someone something, a little adventure that's happened to you, for example. We're also going to identify some pronouns to see how they're used in the sentences in the episode. It's a good opportunity to pick up some automatic patterns, both when you're listening and when you need to express yourself.  So if you want to cultivate your French, the Slow Way, I invite you to subscribe. www.cultivateyourfrench.com  

As I prepare this episode, we still don't know the result of the US elections. I hope this episode will give you a break from the stress of the election campaign.  Last week, we were in the Jura mountains. We went for a walk with Eric Wolff, a naturalist guide, around the village of Etival. After climbing ‘Le Mont Paradis’, where we were able to observe a number of different plant species, we went back down a wooded path to look for animal tracks - there were traces of wild boar.  In the notes that accompany the transcript, there will be photos of the walk, but we're also going to look at a word that occurs three times in the text, but in different contexts. If you have time, I'll suggest that you send me a mini-story about the wolf or a phrase to repeat on the podcast answering machine.  So, to cultivate your French, the slow way, I invite you to follow in the footsteps of the wolf, er, of the other subscribers. www.cultivateyourfrench.com  

After going to the bakery, in last week episode,  two days later, I went back to Bécon, this time to withdraw money from the ATM. Lisa was with me. Perhaps she'll tell us about her cinnamon roll?  In the notes that accompany the transcript, you'll find an assortment of super-practical phrases about withdrawing money from an ATM. Yes, yes, you also need to know how to speak ATM French!  So if you want to cultivate your French and have a nice assortment of words about withdrawing money, I invite you to subscribe.  www.cultivateyourfrench.com  

Today's episode is a live recording. I recorded it on Monday morning on my way to do an errand. The recording starts outside my building. It's a chance for you to hear some totally natural French, as well as a real dialogue at the bakery.  In the notes that accompany the transcript, we'll look at all the expressions that are typical in this dialogue and how you can use them.  So, to cultivate and improve your French at the boulangerie, the slow way, I invite you to subscribe to the transcript. www.cultivateyourfrench.com  

On Saturday nights, we eat a slice of homemade pizza in front of the TV. But not on Sunday evenings. this Sunday, Lisa suggested we watch something. By the time we'd agreed, Pietro's soup was ready. We watched a live political debate on France 5. The subject of the debate was the importance of ecology in the new government. There were a few sighs at the beginning of the programme, but by the end we were all hooked.  In the notes that accompany the transcript, we'll make a list of practical phrases for debating or expressing your opinion. It's always useful in a discussion.  So if you want to improve your French, the slow way, and debate in French, I invite you to subscribe.  www.cultivateyourfrench.com