France Archives - French Your Way

FYW 139 : (PART 2) Back to school: childhood memories

October 4, 2017 by Jessica Leave a Comment

This is the second episode about celebrating teachers and pupils alike as they are going back to school in France. I'll also some personal childhood memories with you, in both French and English so you can practice your French listening skills and learn some new vocabulary! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Le cartable = the school bag Les fournitures scolaires (f) = the school supplies un toboggan = a slide un poêle = a wood-burning stove un lit pliant = a foldable bed une sieste = a nap un porte-manteau = a coat hanger un chausson = a slipper une … Read More →

French presidential election: 12 facts about the election process in France

April 23, 2017 by Jessica 2 Comments

France is in turmoil right now ; the French presidential election is certainly no news to you; however it is a good opportunity to (re)discover the French voting process and enrich your vocabulary. The French presidential election process in 12 facts: 1.The French President is elected for 5 years. This 5-year term is called "le quinquennat". 2. Before the year 2000, the French President was elected for a seven-year term in office. This was called "le septennat" (as in "sept"/7). 3. The French President is elected "à la majorité absolue" (= absolute majority). This means that he needs to … Read More →

FYW 105 : A must-see in Paris: le Panthéon

February 8, 2017 by Jessica Leave a Comment

If you haven’t already done so, I strongly suggest you go check out the Panthéon on your next visit in Paris! Listen to why I loved it...and learn a few words and facts along the way! Vocabulary and Spelling of the French Words mentioned in this episode Un mausolée = a mausoleum Aux Grands Hommes la Patrie Reconnaissante = For Great Men the Grateful Nation La patrie = homeland, motherland Etre reconnaissant,e = to be grateful Le Pendule de Foucault Emouvant,e = moving LINKS and RESOURCES http://www.pantheonparis.com Episode 33 : How to Tell if a French Noun is Masculine or … Read More →

Tips for driving in France

March 25, 2016 by Jessica 2 Comments

Guess what?! I didn't write this article! My husband did :-) He had been wanting to write a post about driving in France since we last went in summer 2014 and he had to learn how to drive...not only on the right-hand side of the road but some rules may be confusing to you (at least if you are Australian). Driving in France started as a scary experience! The first time my husband tried driving (= conduire) in France, we decided to borrow my mum's car and just drive around the block for him to get a first feel of the car. I was in the back seat (le siège arrière), my brother was in the … Read More →

Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince)

January 25, 2016 by Jessica 6 Comments

As a movie version of world-famous fiction « Le Petit Prince » (« The Little Prince ») was released not so long ago, I wanted to take the opportunity to write a little bit about what is one of my favourite books. This article is a bit different from the articles I usually publish, as I chose to write in French and in English to give you the opportunity to practice your reading skills in French. After reading, please let me know if you liked this format/this activity: I could do it more regularly in the future! About "Le Petit Prince" - bilingual article Le Petit Prince d’Antoine de … Read More →

Melbourne French Festival “Paris to Provence” 2015: another great edition!

December 2, 2015 by Jessica 2 Comments

The best Festival for lovers of all things French! End of November marks a very exciting time of the year for all French lovers: “Paris to Provence”, Melbourne French Festival is on at Como House and Gardens (South Yarra). This year, I had cancelled my participation as an exhibitor due to my pregnancy (I’ve just entered the third trimester!), which gave me the opportunity to enjoy the festival as a visitor. You may already have seen some of the Melbourne French Festival pictures that I’ve posted on my Facebook and my Instagram. Talking about pictures, I won second place at the photo … Read More →

FYW 041 : Paris Attacks

November 18, 2015 by Jessica Leave a Comment

I didn’t feel like recording a “normal” episode this week – just wanted to express my sorrow after the Paris attacks in the night of November 13th. I will give you some French vocabulary related to the attacks that you would have heard/read in the news (so be warned, they are sad words!) In the show notes I’ve included photos I took in our city of Melbourne on the night following the Paris attacks – a few monuments were lit in blue, white and red. Photography is an important means of expression to me and it was my way to show my family and friends in France that I was somehow with them, and … Read More →

FV 024 : A Year as an Au Pair in Australia

September 15, 2015 by Jessica 3 Comments

A working holiday visa is the perfect way to travel and be able to work to finance your trip or simply to learn the language. That’s what Sabine is doing: she is currently working as an au pair in a family in Sydney. Sabine will tell us why she decided to go to Australia, how she found her host family and what her typical day is like. She’ll also share her plans of travelling. If you have some suggestions and tips for Sabine to enjoy the travelling part of her stay in Australia, you’re welcome to use the comment section at the bottom of the show notes. Stay tuned after the interview if you … Read More →

FV 023 : Behind the Scenes of SBS French Radio with Christophe Mallet

September 1, 2015 by Jessica Leave a Comment

Have you ever heard about the Australian radio called SBS? Wherever you are in the world, you can listen to it live or in podcast (so, it’s very good for more French exposure!). SBS broadcasts in many languages including French, and a few weeks ago, I met Christophe Mallet, the executive producer for the French program. He invited me and gave me a tour of the studios. I also attended a live broadcast and got interviewed about French Voices podcast. (You can listen to this short interview too, the link is in the shownotes below). In today’s episode, Christophe and I switched roles and I … Read More →

FV 022 : Marie Aubinais, the Author of “Petit Ours Brun” stories for French Children

August 15, 2015 by Jessica Leave a Comment

Meet Marie Aubinais, author of Petit Ours Brun stories. Every French toddler knows this famous childhood character! Marie will tell us how she became the author of Petit Ours Brun, how she chooses the topics of the stories, what inspires her and also what challenges she needs to take into account when writing for her very young audience. Last, but not least, Marie will also raise awareness about the importance of exposing children to books from an early age. Episode Timeline [04 min 24 sec] History of Petit Ours Brun: the birth of a childhood hero [07 min 35 sec] How Marie started to write … Read More →