Roman Provence

Posted on May 26, 2021 by Keith Van Sickle

Way back around 50 B.C., Julius Caesar conquered Gaul (now France) and the area remained part of the Roman Empire for the next five centuries. Today there are Roman sites all over France, but the best are in and around Provence. In fact, ‘Provence’ comes from the Latin ‘Provincia Romana’, the name of the large Roman province along the Mediterranean coast.

Whether it’s Nîmes with its magnificent temple, Arles with its arena, or Orange with its theater, you can find many reminders of the greatness that was Rome. And let’s not forget the Pont du Gard aqueduct, as tall as an 18-story building!

Follow me as I take you on a tour of Roman Provence in My French Life!

Will French Singers Dominate at Eurovision?

Posted on May 20, 2021 by Keith Van Sickle

This coming Saturday, May 22, could be a red-letter date for the French language, because that’s when the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest will be announced.

Two of the favorites — France and Switzerland — are both represented by acts singing in French. Another favorite, Malta, has a song with a French title. Is French having a moment?

For those of you not familiar with Eurovision, it’s a continent-wide song contest that goes back to the 1950s. Each country selects an act, which performs an original song, and the winner is chosen via a complicated voting system. Hundreds of millions of viewers tune in to the Eurovision Finals, making it the Olympic Games of music.

Besides normal songs performed by normal singers, Eurovision has a long tradition of kitsch. Who can forget the Bearded Lady? Or the dancing gorilla? Or my favorite, the man running inside a hamster wheel?

Learn more about this year’s Eurovision and see videos of some of the best acts in France Today!

Who are the 10 Greatest French People of All Time?

Posted on May 12, 2021 by Keith Van Sickle

Picking a list of “greatest French people” is impossible. How do you define greatness? How do you compare a king to a scientist to a philosopher?

This hasn’t stopped people from trying. In 2005, a French television survey asked viewers this question, with dubious results — Charlemagne was ranked behind a soccer player! A study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology identified the best known French people, but fame is not the same as greatness. And then there are the lists of top French monarchs, French inventors, French writers, etc.

I decided to create my own list, based on who has had the greatest influence on France—usually positive, but sometimes negative. I combined the resources above with an informal survey of French friends, including business people, professors, scientists, and artists.

Check out my Top 10 in France Today!

The Five Republics of France

Posted on April 28, 2021 by Keith Van Sickle

You may have heard of the “Fifth Republic of France” and wondered what it meant. Hasn’t France been a republic since long ago, back when they stormed the Bastille and all? Well, yes and no.

After King Louis XVI lost his head, a republic was indeed proclaimed – a rather bloody one. It didn’t last long and today is referred to as the First Republic. It was followed by a series of governments – empires, monarchies, and more republics, all the way up to today’s Fifth Republic. There were plenty of crises along the way, a coup or two, and more prime ministers than you can shake a stick at.

There’s never a dull moment when it comes to French politics! Enjoy a fun little history lesson and learn about the five republics of France in The Good Life France.

The Animal Kingdom of Provence

Posted on March 24, 2021 by Keith Van Sickle

Let’s say you are strolling through a French village and come across thousands of sheep bleating in the streets. Or maybe you see horses with flowers in their manes. Or perhaps you are startled by French cowboys charging past with a bull in their midst. Where might you be?

You are probably in Provence.

The people of Provence have a deep respect for nature and for the animals that have long been integral to their rural life. And they maintain their traditions, many of which have to do with animals. Enjoying them is one of the most interesting parts of a visit to Provence.

What are these traditions? Let’s look at a few in My French Life!

10 Surprising Anglophones Who Speak French

Posted on March 17, 2021 by Keith Van Sickle

Parlez-vous français? (“do you speak French?”) For most of us the answer is non, but there are more people who have mastered the language than you might expect.

Some you might already know about, like Jodie Foster and Serena Williams. But how about Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II? Or her Prime Minister, Boris Johnson?

Check out this list of surprising French speakers in France Today. And be sure to watch the funny video of a famous actor speaking French…and then being graded by a group of French teachers!

Finding That Perfect French Novel

Posted on March 10, 2021 by Keith Van Sickle

Are you looking for a great new book to read? Then consider trying a French novel. Books that have won the prestigious Prix Goncourt (Goncourt Prize) are a good place to start because most have been translated into English. Some have even become movies, like The Perfect Nanny and The Life Ahead, recently made into a Netflix film starring Sophia Loren.

What’s not to like about the Goncourt? It’s got class! (winners include Simone de Beauvoir and Marcel Proust.) It’s got controversy! (non-winners include Albert Camus and Colette.) And sometimes the prize committee gets hoodwinked, like the time they awarded the Goncourt to an author that didn’t exist.

Find your next great read at France Today!

Legends of Provence

Posted on February 24, 2021 by Keith Van Sickle

The world is rich with legends. We still dream of Camelot and King Arthur’s court. We hope to one day find El Dorado and its streets paved with gold. And who wouldn’t love to take a dip in the Fountain of Youth?

Provence, too, has its legends.

Is it true that a terrible monster once lived in the depths of the Rhône River? Did a saint poke his finger in a rock and cause wine to pour forth? And what’s this about Mary Magdalene living out her days in Provence?

Read about these and other legends in My French Life!

Living in Provence and Why We Love It

Posted on February 17, 2021 by Keith Van Sickle

Annette Charlton is an Australian woman who bought a house in France on her very first trip to the country–true story! Now she’s a part-time Frenchwoman, as she and her family spend part of the year in Brittany. If you haven’t already visited her wonderful website A French Collection, I encourage you to take a look.

Annette asked me to write about what Val and I love about our part-time life in Provence. There was so much to say that I had to keep myself from running on and on–there are the markets, the charming villages, the stunning landscape, and so much more. Best of all are the people, some of our best friends on earth. Whenever we are away from Provence, we long to return.

If you’d like to know what we love about Provence, take a look at this article that I wrote for Annette.

Popular French Baby Names

Posted on February 10, 2021 by Keith Van Sickle

When you think of classic French monikers, names like Brigitte and Jacques come to mind. But do French parents still give their kids those names?

Some of today’s most popular names are what you’d expect, like Chloë and Jules—it doesn’t get more French than that! Others, like Noah and Adam, reflect the country’s long Catholic heritage. Mohamed makes the list in a nod to French citizens with North African ancestors.

But there are some big surprises, like the number one girl’s name. Wonder what it is? Check it out in France Today!

Life in Provence

Keith Van Sickle

Category Archives: Culture