249 — A quoi songeaient les deux cavaliers dans la forêt — mercredi 5 février 2025

Lisa had a French assignment due on Sunday evening. She had to choose a poem from Book IV of Victor Hugo's Contemplations and then send in a ten-minute audio file in which she presented the poem, explained her choice, read the poem and finally suggested a parallel with a painting. All the poems in the collection deal with the same subject: the disappearance of Victor Hugo's daughter, Léopoldine, and how sad this death made him. The poem Lisa chose was entitled ‘A quoi songeaient les deux cavaliers dans la forêt’ (‘What were the two horsemen thinking about in the forest’). It was Sunday afternoon and I wanted to take a nap after my Nordic walking session, but Lisa wanted to read me her assignment before recording it. She was annoyed because she hadn't found a painting, but a piece of music to go with it. In the notes accompanying the transcript, we're going to look at liaisons in French. When do we do them? When don't we? And so on. Liaisons are particularly important in poetry, because they sometimes make it possible to obtain the required number of feet, for example to form an alexandrine. But what about in everyday life? We'll be comparing the liaisons in today's text and in Victor Hugo's poem. So to improve your French liaisons, the Slow way, I invite you to subscribe to the transcript. www.cultivateyourfrench.com

Last week, I visited the offices of the newspaper Le Monde. I had an appointment with Nabil Wakim, the journalist who runs the podcast Chaleur humaine. It's a podcast that takes an expert but relaxed look at the various issues surrounding climate change, with expert guests. Each episode takes the form of a question. For example, the last episode was entitled ‘How can we save the Mediterranean Sea? I met Nabil Wakim at the Human Heat Ideas festival last December. I was there with my daughter Micaela, who is particularly interested in the subject of climate change. We had a chance to talk to him and he agreed to be interviewed. So we met last week. I chose a passage in which he talks about the French approach to climate change.  In the notes that accompany the transcript, we'll look at the way Nabil Wakim constructs his answer to make it clear: he makes oppositions, he uses adjectives of different intensities, and so on.  So, to cultivate your French, the Slow way, I invite you to subscribe.  www.cultivateyourfrench.com

I hadn't really followed the story. Of course, I knew that transport fares were going to change in the Ile-de-France, that the price of a ticket outside Paris was going to be a single rate of 2.50 euros. I imagined some sort of magic ticket that would allow me to go further than Bécon if I suddenly changed my plans.  Then, one day when we were coming back from Nordic walking, Thierry mentioned the Navigo Liberté. The Navigo is a pass, with a photo, that allows you to travel throughout the Ile-de-France region for a single monthly or weekly rate. It's a season ticket. Until now, I didn't move around enough to take it. But we're going to talk about this in this episode. In the notes that accompany the transcript, we'll look together at three expressions or turns of phrase that are natural in French. We'll also notice which tense I use and how I compose my sentence when I give Pietro some advice in this episode.  So, to improve your French and learn how to give advice, I invite you (‘advice from a friend’) to subscribe to the transcript.  www.cultivateyourfrench.com  

Last week, I told you about our trip to the bakery before going to the theatre. We arrived at the theatre half an hour before the play was due to start. It was very busy, and the play was a great success. We showed our tickets and settled in. You could say that there was a performance before the performance when you take the time to watch or listen to what's going on around you. That's what this episode is about.  In the notes that come with the transcript, we'll look at three natural turns of phrase in French and we'll also look at a series of practical phrases for talking about theatre.  I'll also suggest that you send me a booking for an upcoming play at the Théâtre Saint-Martin by leaving me a message on the podcast answering machine.  So, to cultivate your French for cultural life, the slow way, I invite you to subscribe to the transcript.   www.cultivateyourfrench.com

On Friday 27 December, Pietro and I went to see La serva amorosa at the Porte Saint-Martin theatre. The theatre was built in two months on the orders of Marie-Antoinette. It is magnificent. The play is a very beautiful play by the Italian author Goldoni. It was performed by great actors, including Isabelle Carré in the lead role, that of Coraline. Before going to the theatre, we took a walk along the Canal Saint-Martin and stopped to buy a bite to eat at Du pain et des idées, one of the most famous bakeries in Paris. They make Pain des amis, a sourdough bread. It was almost closing time, but there was still a bit of choice.  In the notes accompanying the transcript, we'll note all the interesting expressions in this ‘bakery scene’. We're going to have fun varying them a little to discover new ones and get ready to buy bread at the boulangerie in French.  To practise your boulangerie French the slow way, Slow does not only mean slow pace, but also mindful learning, I invite you to subscribe to the transcript. www.cultivateyourfrench.com

Dear listeners, I wish you all une très belle et heureuse année 2025. I wish you a wonderful year filled with the joy of learning another language, opening up to another culture and meeting new people thanks to French! And, of course, good health.  In today's episode, we take a look back at our New Year's Eve party. We were invited to dinner at the house of our friends Isabelle and Thierry, who live in a house in Colombes.In the notes that accompany the transcript, we'll be trying to make resolutions to find our way around French in 2025, we'll also be getting curious by taking a closer look at the wine mentioned in this episode and finally, there'll be a phrase to repeat out loud! On ne perd pas les bonnes habitudes ! So, to cultivate you French in 2025, I invite you to subcribe to the transcript and get all the positive effects all the full experience. www.cultivateyourfrench.com

There's a giveaway with the podcast at the moment to win books, you'll find all the details in the latest podcast blog post.  I invite you to take part!  By the way, I'd like to thank you for all the messages I've already received, it's so exciting to read you and find out what you like about the podcast.    This year, as usual, we celebrated Christmas: Christmas Eve on the 24th, opening presents on the 25th in the morning and lunch with a beautiful poultry, a lovely cheese platter and a bûche!  We like to prepare a home-made bûche. It's always a bit stressful because from one year to the next I can never remember which recipe I used for the biscuit.  This time, I used the Savoie biscuit recipe and everything seemed to go well.  In the notes accompanying the transcript, I'll suggest a routine to improve your listening comprehension based on the podcast. I'll also be inviting you to share yours!  Of course, there will be a few Christmas photos and we'll take a look at three very natural French expressions.  To cultivate your French, the slow way, I invite you to subscribe to the transcript!  www.cultivateyourfrench.com  

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