Learning French in a Surprising Place

Thousands of young Americans are speaking French daily, in a place you wouldn’t expect: Utah. In a state better known for its vast open spaces and beautiful national parks, kids are chattering away in a multitude of foreign languages. It is part of Utah’s “dual language immersion” program, offered in French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, and Russian.

The program was launched in 2009 to help students integrate into the international economy. Today, over 65,000 students are enrolled in the language program, nearly 10% of all students in the state!

Read all about it in My French Life!

See Prehistoric Art by Torchlight

The Grotte Chauvet 2 is one of the wonders of France. Called “the cave of forgotten dreams,” it is the near-perfect replica of a grotto filled with paintings made more than 30,000 years ago—the oldest ever discovered. Not only is the art recreated, but the entire cave is replicated down to the smallest detail, with stalagmites and stalactites, and bear skulls scattered on the ground. Walking through it, and seeing paintings of lions and rhinos, is like stepping back in time.

And now there’s something new—tours by torchlight. Small groups are led by guides armed with torches, viewing the stunning artwork in their flickering light. Visitors can see the paintings as our ancestors did, with the works coming to life as the shadows play on the walls’ nooks and crannies.

Read all about it in Perfectly Provence!

 

Scrabble in France: Tile Twins

Thousands of French families hunch over their Scrabble boards every weekend, as it’s the country’s favorite board game. But did you know that French Scrabble is different from the English-language version? And that its highest-scoring word is the name of a Scottish tipple?

And…it’s hard to believe…the French Scrabble world champion doesn’t speak French!

Read all about it in France Today!

Amazing Prehistoric Art in France

prehistoric drawing cave of lascaux representation of a horse world heritage

Would you want to visit a fake cave? Isn’t that like going on the Matterhorn ride at Disneyland and saying you’ve been to Switzerland?

In France, the answer is non. The French have created brilliant reproductions of three caves full of prehistoric art, each one so perfect you think you are in the real thing.

First is Lascaux, with its famous pot-bellied horses and “Sistine Chapel.” Then there’s Chauvet, with its spooky bear skulls on the ground, staring up at the lions and rhinos on the walls. And now a new cave has been opened in Marseille, with paintings of—astonishingly—penguins! It seems that during the Ice Age, all sorts of surprising animals lived in and around France.

I’ve written up a description of these three amazing caves, any one of which could be a highlight of your next trip to France.

Read all about it in Frenchly!

A New Life in France: A Photographic Journey

Jamie Beck was a sought-out photographer working for top brands like Cartier and Veuve Clicquot. She had legions of Instagram followers and what seemed like a rich, fulfilling life. But something was missing.

As Beck tells us in her brilliant new book, An American in Provence:

“I had it all. A ‘dream life’ with a cool job, amazing clients, luxury trips, designer clothes, a cute little vintage Mercedes convertible, a house in the Hamptons, a French-looking apartment by Riverside Park, and I could eat at any restaurant I wanted, any night of the week in New York. Why on earth was I so unhappy?”

Beck realised that all the personal sacrifices required to “make it” were squeezing the life out of her. Photography fed a deep artistic need, but working for others year after year, adapting to their needs and their timetables, had extinguished her creative spark. She desperately needed a break.

And so she moved to Provence. And now has written a book about her life-changing experiences in this magical corner of France.

I really enjoyed An American in Provence, with its fabulous photos and compelling story. Read all about it in France Today!

A Holiday Gift for the France Lover in Your Life?

France has a long and rich literary tradition, and the country has won more Nobel Prizes in Literature than any other. But that doesn’t mean that all French books are stuffy and boring–there are plenty of ripping good reads coming out of France!

But where do you find them? One good place to start is by looking at the winners of France’s literary awards. Many of these winners later get translated into English and are widely available. I’ve read a number of these books and really enjoyed them.

There are six big French literary prizes and they’ve all just been awarded. I’ve written an article describing them, to give you an idea what they are all about. If you want to skip the article, here’s on thing to remember: the Goncourt Prize. It’s the biggest of the Big Six awards and the books that win this are almost always great.

Read all about it in My French Life!

8 Books for Francophiles to Lose Themselves In

A good book on your bedside table can offer refuge like none other. Whether you need to unwind for 30 minutes while your baby naps; you need to dream someone else’s dreams before bed; or you wake in the middle of the night and need to while away the wee hours; here are eight books you can lean on.

I was one of the Frenchly writers who was asked to contribute their favorites–both old and new–for you to consider for yourself or someone special in your life while colder weather descends.

Read all about it at Frenchly!

The Evolution of a Provençal Artist

15 years ago, Christian Detaux had finished his long career in the automotive industry and was itching to go back to his first love: art. As a young man, he had planned to pursue a career as an artist, enrolling in the prestigious Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. But then life intervened: he needed to work to support his family, and his artistic dreams were deferred.

But now Detaux could revisit those long ago dreams, and he looked for ways to begin. He liked to work with his hands and wanted to try carving stone, like the classical sculptors. He found a soft material to begin with, aerated concrete, and picked a model that would sit still as long as he needed: one of his shoes. His first try was a success.

From there it was on to harder stone, including the fabled Carrera marble. But Detaux wasn’t content with just stone. He wanted to expand his artistic capabilities, so he moved on to acrylic and then steel, creating larger and larger pieces. A full-sized horse? A 7-foot-tall Don Quixote? Yes!

Read all about this amazing artistic journey in Perfectly Provence!

Riad Sattouf and The Arab of the Future

Graphic novelist Riad Sattouf has lived a fascinating life. Born in 1978 to a French mother and a Syrian father, he spent much of his childhood in Libya and Syria before moving to France for his teenage years.

Sattouf dreamed of becoming a pilot, but his talent as a cartoonist took him in another direction. His first graphic novel (bande dessinée in French, or BD) was published when he was just 21, and he soon joined the staff of the famous French magazine, Charlie Hebdo. But it was his BD, The Arab of the Future, that catapulted him to nationwide fame, making him one of the most successful authors in France today. 

BDs are a big deal in France, much bigger than in the US. They are not comic books, but rather cover a wide range of subjects, from humor to history to politics and more. Remember Persopolis, the Oscar-nominated animated film? That started as a BD that sold more 2 million copies worldwide.

Sattouf’s Arab of the Future is now a series of five BDs, all of which have been translated into English. They are a fascinating look into two sometimes strange societies, including France’s!

Read all about it in Frenchly!

Château Chantilly: A Fabulous Day Trip from Paris

When tourists take day trips from Paris, it’s usually to Versailles or Fontainebleau or maybe Giverny. But a hidden gem is the Château de Chantilly. It’s as elegant as Versailles but more intimate, and is just a short hop from Paris.

The château and its vast grounds were the main estate of the Duke of Aumale, son of the last king of France and one of the country’s richest men. He donated it to the Institut de France in 1884 and it has been a tourist attraction ever since.

What’s there to see? Lots! There’s the château itself, in pristine condition, which houses one of France’s most important art collections. There are the exquisite gardens with their mile-long grand canal. There is the equestrian center with its racetrack and fabulous stables. And you can have strawberries with, yes, chantilly cream!

Read all about it in Frenchly!