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It’s July 14th! France’s Independence Day falls just 10 days (and 13 years) after our own in the U.S., and the holiday incites as much national pride and festivity as does the 4th of July in the States.

Celebration •  Vocabulary

La Fête Nationale

La Fête Nationale, better known to us as Bastille Day, and sometimes simply referred to as le quatorze juillet in France.  The July 14th holiday commemorates the storming of the Bastille in 1789, an attempt to take la prise de la Bastille by force, free its political prisoners, and break into the stronghold of weapons.

The great prison break freed all of six or seven prisoners (none of them political) and didn’t quite yield the stockpile of weapons that was hoped for, but the event nonetheless lives on as the symbolic beginning to the long road of the French Revolution away from the monarchy and towards a constitution and the formation of the current governing bodies.

The spirit and foundation of the French Revolution eventually became the motto of France as a whole:

Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité!

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La Célébration

Paris is home to the largest Bastille Day celebration in the world. The day begins with the military parade — le défilé — down the Champs-Élysées. Members of all branches of France’s military file past as planes from the Air Force fly overhead. Parisians gather to watch the pomp and ceremony, and the parade reminds them of their country’s freedom and power.

Le quatorze juillet is un jour férié (a public holiday) in France. The French spend the day eating and drinking, activities which still represents freedom, equality and brotherhood. Saucisses (sausages), gâteaux (cakes), and vins effervescents (sparkling wines) are favorites on the holiday.

The night celebration is what most Parisians look forward to. They gather on the Champ de Mars, the park in front of the Tour Eiffel to wait for the firework show. The pyrotechnic/musical spectacle of feu d’artifice begins at 11pm and only lasts 30 minutes, but the quantity of explosions is quite impressive.  Some years, fireworks are even launched directly off the Eiffel Tower.

All in all, La Fête Nationale is a full-day celebration that commemorates an important date in French history.

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Vocabulaire

La Fête Nationale Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Bastille Day
le quatorze juillet Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	July 14th
la prise de la Bastille Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	the Bastille Prison
Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Liberty, Equality, Fraternity (Brotherhood)
le défilé Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	the parade
un jour férié Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a public holiday
un saucisse Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a sausage
un gâteau Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a cake
du vin effervescent Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	sparkling wine
le Tour Eiffel Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	the Eiffel Tower
un feu d’artifice Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a firework

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Food is a huge part of the tourist industry in France, and critics come from around the world to put chefs to the test and write reviews for high-end magazine. You don’t have to be a foodie, however, to enjoy well-made French food, and you don’t have to be wildly adventurous to sample some of the best that France has to offer.

The Ice Cream Shop • Ice Cream Flavors • Making Your Order

Ice cream is something that the French simply got right. Italian-style gelato was introduced in France by Catherine de Medici (as the legend goes) in the late 16th century, when she was married into the French royal family.

Most ice cream shops in France still serve ice cream that more closely resembles gelato (yum!) than the ice cream we are more familiar with Stateside.

Whether you’re in the city or on the beach, eating it out of a cone, a dish, or on a crêpe, ice cream is the perfect dish to accompany any summer vacation in France.

Glace means ‘ice cream,’ but it also means plain old ice. (Technically, the literal term for ‘ice cream’ is crème glacée, but no one uses that term.)

A sign indicating a Palais de Glace means ‘Ice Palace,’ not (unfortunately) ‘Ice Cream Palace.’ If you see a shop marked Glace à l’Italienne, don’t expect Italian ice cream; instead, you’ll find what we call ‘Italian Ice’ — a drink made with flavored syrup or fruit puree.

Le glacier - The Ice Cream Shop

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Glacier, like glace has multiple meanings. In the geological sense, it has the same meaning in French as in English. Context, though, is everything, and in this case it means ice cream maker or shop.

Here are the key words you’ll need to know when stepping into an ice cream shop:

La Glace	Ice Cream
la glace Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	ice cream
le sorbet Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	sorbet
une boule Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	one scoop
deux boules Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	two scoops
trois boules Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	three scoops
un cornet (de glace) Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a(n ice cream) cone
une coupe Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a dish

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Parfums de glace - Ice cream flavors

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Okay, now on to the myriad flavors!

Because French ice cream and sorbet is available is so many flavors — shops in beach towns like Nice have the widest selection — I have divided my lists by category: Classic (although perhaps not so typical in the U.S.), Fruit, and Unusual flavors.

Classiques Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Classic
arlequin Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	sprinkles (lit. “harlequin,” the clown)
canelle Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	cinnamon
caramel Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	caramel
chewing gum Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	bubble gum
chocolat (noir) Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	(dark) chocolate
guimauve Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	marshmallow
menthe Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	mint
meringue Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	meringue
nougat Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	nougat
pistache Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	pistachio
vanille Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	vanilla

All Flavors

Fruit flavors are more often than not indicative of a sorbet, but classic gelato is also made with fruit. There will usually be a separate area for sorbets, but when in doubt, you can always ask.

Fruits	Fruits
ananas Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	pineapple
banane Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	banana
cassis Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	black current
citron Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	lemon
citron vert Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	lime
fraise Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	strawbeery
framboise Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	raspberry
litchie or lychee Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	lychee
mandarine Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	mandarin
mangue Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	mango
myrtille Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	blueberry
orange Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	orange
pamplemousse Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	grapefruit
pêche Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	peach
poire Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	pear
pomme verte Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	green apple
rhubarbe Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	rhubarb

All Flavors

The South of France is home to some very unusual ice cream.  Traditional flavors include herbs and savory ingredients not usually seen in a sweet desert.  If you’re feeling adventurous about ice cream, the French Riviera is the place to be!

Exceptionnel	Unusual
figue Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	fig
fleur d’oranger Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	orange blossom
lavande Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	lavender
olive noire Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	back olive
romarin Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	rosemary
rose Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	rose
thym Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	thyme
tomate basilic Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	tomato basil
vanille et poivre rose Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	vanilla and pink peppercorn

As hard as it may be to believe, there are probably a couple of flavors I forgot to mention (or have never come across myself).  Not to worry, though, the aesthetically pleasing displays (like the ones pictured in this section) make it easy to identify flavors visually.  Read on to practice placing an order.

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Au Comptoir - At the Counter

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Now you have all the necessary vocabulary for understand an ice cream menu! If you’d like to do better than gesturing wildly and speaking in slow, loud English (as though that makes it easier to understand a new language), familiarize yourself with a few of the following phrases so you can be prepared when stepping up to the counter.

Phrases Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Sentences
Une boule (deux boules, trois boules) dans une coupe, s’il vous plaît. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	One scoop (two scoops, three scoops) in a cone, please.
Un cornet à deux boules, s’il vous plaît. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Two scoops in a cone, please.
Je voudrais trois boules, s’il vous plaît, dans un cornet. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	I would like three scoops please, in a cone.
Deux boules au chocolat et une au fraise. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Two scoops of chocolate and one scoop of strawberry.

Once you’ve indicated how many scoops you want and whether you’d like a cone or a dish, you can simply point to or name the flavors you want (using the table above).

The more glaciers you visit, the more parfums you’ll be able to try, and the more practice you’ll get with your French phrases.  Get out there and eat some ice cream!

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Films are an integral art of French culture. France is famous for festivals, most notably the one at Cannes, and for producing edgy movies that are subtitled or dubbed to be replayed around the world.

If you happen to be in the right place at the right time to check out a film festival in France, you definitely should not hesitate to attend. Many film festivals present screenings with subtitles and feature films submitted from around the world.

Before you go, familiarize yourself with some vocabulary so you can effectively navigate a festival and choose films according to your taste. You can also learn some very simple phrases to help you express your opinion to any French-speaker after the show.

Film and Festival Vocabulary • Getting Around a Festival • Choosing a Movie • Conversation and Commentary

Film and Festival Vocabulary

Certain words are helpful to know in order to understand signs and simple conversations at a film festival. Have a look at this list, here, before going on to read the list of phrases below.

Vocabulaire Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Vocabulary
un film* Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a film
le cinéma Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	the cinema
une salle Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a (screening) room
le genre Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	the genre
le thème Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	the theme
un acteur Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	an actor
une actrice Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	an actress
le réalisateur / la réalisatrice Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	the director
une séance Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a showing/a screening
une projection Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a screening
prochain/prochaine Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	next
dernier/dernière Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	last

*Note that “film” in French, although spelled the same, is pronouned “feem.”  The “l” is not pronounced.

Look for prochaine and dernière on signs referring to the time of the séance so that you’re sure not to miss the next or the last screening.

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Getting Around a festival

Once inside a film festival, you’ll likely have questions about purchasing tickets, screening times, and costs. Look at the list below as a reference to help you in your queries.

Le Festival Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	The Festival
Où se trouvent les séances gratuites? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Where are the free screenings?
Est-ce que c’est accessible au public? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Is it accessible to the public?
Un billet coûte combien? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	How much does a ticket cost?
Est-ce que c’est la seule séance aujourd’hui? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Is this the only showing today?
La séance est dans quelle salle? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Which room is the screening in?
Puis-je voir le programme des projections? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Can I see the screening schedule?
La projection est au quel cinéma? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Which cinema is the screening at?
Il dure combien de temps? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	How long is it?

If you’re having a lot of trouble, you can always ask:

• Parlez-vous anglais? (Do you speak English?)

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If the answer is no, you can ask:

• Y a-t-il quelqu’un ici qui parle anglais, s’il vous plaît? (Is there someone here who speaks English, please?)

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Choosing a Movie

Some people aren’t picky about the movies they watch, but if you have any specifications about genre, be sure to voice them before buying a ticket.

Genres Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Genres
Je voudrais regarder… Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	I would like to watch…
une comédie Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a comedy
un drame (historique) Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a (historical) drama
un film d’époque Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a period film
un film d’épouvante Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a horror film
un film d’aventure Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	an adventure film
un film d’action Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	an action film
un film à suspense Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a thriller
une comédie romantique Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	romantic comedy
un court métrage Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a short film
un long métrage Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a full-length film

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Conversation and Commentary

It doesn’t take much to be able to express a simple opinion about a film. The French tend to appreciate any effort made in their language, so even if you’re with English-speaking people, whipping out a French phrase or two about the film you’ve just seen could win you serious points.

Le film Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	The film
Le film est… Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	The film is…
Le film était… Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	The film was…
C’est… Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	It’s…
C’était… Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	It was…
L’actuer principal était… Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	The lead actor was…
L’actrice principale était… Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	The lead actress was…
bon/bonne* Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	good
très bon/bonne Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	very good
magnifique Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	magnificent
fabuleux/fabuleuse Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	fabulous
bizarre Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	strange
intéressant/intéressante Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	interesting
mauvais/mauvaise Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	bad
horrible Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	horrible
affreux/affreuse Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	awful

*All adjectives listed masculine/feminine, when applicable.  “Film” is masculine in French.

Words like “magnificent” and “fabulous” may seem a bit over the top in English, but in French, they’re used fairly commonly.  What we see as hyperbole or exaggeration are is more standard in French.  They might find it a bit boring to know how often we use the words “good” and “fine” to describe things.

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“So, where’s the Cannes Film Festival being held this year?”

-Christina Aguilera
(She’ll never live that one down.)

Le Festival de Cannes

As most of us are well aware, the Festival de Cannes is an annual film festival held in the town of (you guessed it!) Cannes, France.  The event takes place each year (usually in May) at the Palais des Festivals et de Congrès, recognizable during the festival by its red carpet/steps, hoards of badge-wearing media, and an influx of celebrities and film moguls.

Public Access •  Admission to Venues •  In Order of Appearance

When and Where

This year (2010), the festival will take place May 12-23 with private (read: celebrity/film industry/media types) events throughout each day, and public events in the evenings.

As mentioned in an earlier post, Tim Burton will be heading up this year’s Feature Film Jury as President.  He will lead the committee in judging the 20 films that have been selected for La Compétition, each hoping to win the prestigious Palme d’Or.  Films in the running will be screened at the Grand Théâtre Lumière, which is inside the Palais and not accessible to the general public.

***WARNING*** to celeb-seekers/paparazzi: The steps of the Palais will see a lot of star action, but heed this information from the official Festival de Cannes website:

Important: Admission to the Steps, Palais, Festival and Marché du Film theatres is strictly forbidden to anyone with camcorders, cameras, Webcams or any other audiovisual recording device. Mobiles must be switched off. It is completely forbidden to photograph, film, record or retransmit the screenings by any means. Any violation is subject to possible prosecution.

Of course, in order to violate this rule, you’d first have to be admitted into any of these spaces, which (as you’ll see below) is pretty unlikely.

Although public events are few and far between, plenty of the festival takes place outside the Palais.

Un Certain Regard, a smaller and separate competition, originated as a way for unusual films from all over the world to be screened (out of competition) during the famous festival.  In 1998, the Prix Un Certain Regard was created, a prize awarded by a one-person jury to the winner of this competition.

All films in this category are screened la salle Debussy (no public access) and at day-after screenings at la salle Bazin.

Other events include les courts métrages en Compétition (short films in competition), which are also screened at la salle Debussy and compete for the Palme d’Or du court métrage. La séléction Cinéfondation is a competition with submissions of short- and medium-length films from film schools the world over; these films are screened at la salle Buñuel. Les films Hors Compétion (Out of Competition) screen at various theaters, none of them open to the general public.

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Public Access

Le Cinéma de la Plage (The Cinema on the Beach) is the ultimate (and pretty much only) public event at Cannes. It is free and runs on a first-come, first-served basis. There are as many tickets available as there are seats, so get there early to secure yourself a spot.

During the festival, le Cinéma de la Plage kicks off at 8:30pm with a live musical act. The films usually begin around 9:15pm, and did I mention it’s free?

The beach in questions is along the Promenade de la Croisette, just down the road from the Palais.

An official schedule of Cinéma de la Plage events and films will be released a week before the festival.

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Admission to Venues

So, let’s face it, you are so not getting into most of these events; I mean, unless you’re famous, or a much more convincing liar than I am. You’ve got the Cinéma de la Plage to console you, but just for fun, here are the requirements for entering the following venues:

Le Grand Théatre Lumière

• Screening: la Compétition, les films Hors Compétition
• Entry requirements: official Badge or Invitation

La salle Debussy

• Screening: Un Certain Regard, les courts métrages en Compétition
• Entry requirements: official Badge

La salle Buñuel

• Screening: la séléction Cinéfondation, Cannes Classics
• Entry requirements: official Badge

La salle du Soixantième

• Screening: les Séances spéciales, les séances du lendemain (La Compétition and les films Hors Compétition)
• Entry requirements: official Badge

La salle Bazin

• Screening: les séances du lendemain (Un Certain Regard), Press screenings
• Entry requirements: press or day-after screening Badge

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In Order of Appearance

le Festival de Cannes - Cannes Film Festival

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le Palais des Festivals et de Congrès - Palace of Festivals and of Congress

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la/en Compétition - The/In Competition

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le Grand Théâtre Lumière - (Same in English, lit. The Big Light Theater)

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la Palme d’Or - Main competition prize (lit. The Golden Palm Leaf)

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Un Certain Regard - (Same in English, lit. a Certain or Clear Look or Glance)

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le Prix Un Certain Regard - the Prize Un Certain Regard

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la salle Debussy - The Debussy Theater (lit. room)

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la salle Bazin - The Bazin Theater

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les courts métrages en Compétition - Short Films in Competition

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la Palme d’Or du court métrage - Short Film Prize

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la séléction Cinéfondation - The Cinefondation Selection

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la salle Buñuel - The Buñuel Theater

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les films Hors Compétition - Films Out of Competition

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le Cinéma de la Plage - the Cinema on the Beach

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la Promenade de la Croisette - (Cinema on the Beach location)

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la salle Soixantième - The Soixantième Theater (lit. The 60th Theater)

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les Séances spéciales - Special Screenings

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les séances du lendemain - Day-after Screenings

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In the States, May Day means classrooms full of elementary school students simultaneously weaving paper baskets, constructing tissue-paper flowers to put inside, and (after school) placing the baskets on a doorstep, ringing the doorbell, and running away while leaving behind the home-made surprise.

This tradition of flower-giving began in France as a way of marking the arrival of spring with the gift of un muguet, or a lily of the valley, on le 1er (premier) mai.

The lily of the valley has long been viewed as a symbol of luck in France.  As early as the 16th century, then-King Charles IX received the fleur as a porte-bonheur (good-luck charm).

The tradition of giving the flower on the 1st of May began at the beginning of the 20th century and continues today.  Many French citizens, young and old alike, give a lily of the valley as un cadeau (a gift) to celebrate the holiday.  The French government now even allows the sale of le muguet tax-free on 1er mai.

Vocabulaire	Vocabulary
une tradition Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a tradition
un muguet Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a lily of the valley
le 1er (premier) mai Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	May 1st
une fleur Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a flower
une porte-bonheur Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a good-luck charm
un cadeau Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a gift

La fête du Travail et de la Concorde Sociale

In France, as in many other countries, May Day has come to be synonymous with la journée internationale des travailleurs, la fête des travailleurs,  la fête du Travail, and the official name in the  title above.  However it’s referred to, and in its various forms and translations, May Day is an observed labor day in France.  In the U.S., we celebrate our Labor Day in September, but May 1st has long marked a day of protests, marches and strikes for les droits des ouvriers (workers’ rights) across the world.

As mentioned in an earlier post, the French are a people proud of their willingness to protest and affect change.  The decisions to create an 8-hour workday, to make May 1st (initially) une journée chômée (a public holiday), and then (later) to make it un jour férié chômé et payé (a paid public holiday) were all thanks to the civic action of the French people.

In typical French fashion, May Day remains a holiday that celebrates both the beauty of Spring and the heartiness of the people.

Vocabulaire	Vocabulary
la fête du Travail et de la Concorde Sociale Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Labor and Social Harmony Day
la journée internationale des travailleurs Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	International Workers’ Day
la fête des travailleurs Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Workers’ Holiday
la fête du Travail Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Labor Day
les droits des ouvriers Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	workers’ (manual laborers’) rights
une journée chômée Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a public holiday (day off work)
un jour férié Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a public holiday
un jour férié chômé et payé Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a paid public holiday (no work)

Beauvais Airport (BVA) is the third and smallest international airport serving Paris (the other two being Charles de Gaulle and Orly).  You won’t land there if you’re flying from North America (or anywhere outside of Europe or Morocco), but if Paris is a secondary destination and if you plan to travel within Europe, you may very well have to get to and from the town of Beauvais.

The “Paris-Beauvais Airport” is a bit of a misnomer.  Ryanair commissioned the construction of the airport and remains its primary airline.  If you don’t know about Ryanair (and I didn’t before moving to Europe), it is a budget (and I do mean budget) airline based in Dublin that serves most European capitals small airports located at least an hour outside of most European capitals.  (See my post on the airline for more details.)  They name the airports by the nearest destination city and sometimes include the real location, i.e. “Hamburg-Lübeck” (which is neither in Hamburg nor Lübeck) and “London-Gatwick.”

The Paris-Beauvais is, in fact, located in a small town on the outskirts of Beauvais (which is in turn on the outskirts of Paris) called Tillé.  Short of a taxi ride that will cost you well over 100€, there is really only one way of getting to and from BVA: the shuttle bus.

La Navette •  From Paris to BVA •  From BVA to Paris •  Personal Experience

La Navette (The Shuttle Bus)

The navette departs west Paris from a bus depot near the Porte Maillot métro station.  (Click here to download a free métro map.)

The trip between Porte Maillot and BVA takes about an hour and 15 minutes.  The ticket costs 14€ one-way.  Tickets used to be available for advanced purchase online (saving you the trouble of having to stand in a line), but for “technical reasons,”  the web service has been suspended until further notice (as of November 2009).

In the meantime, tickets may be purchased at the bus depot, in the arrival lounge of BVA, or from the vendor outside the airport who will be stationed near the bus, itself.

Vocabulaire	Vocabulary
Aéroport Paris-Beauvais Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Paris-Beauvais Airport
la navette Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	the shuttle bus
le métro Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	the subway
ligne une Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	line one
direction Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	towards
Porte Maillot Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	[métro station]
La Défense Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	[métro station]
Château de Vincennes Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	[métro station]
aller simple Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	one-way
aller-retour Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	round-trip

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From Paris to BVA

If you are traveling from central Paris to BVA, you will want to take métro ligne une (line 1) direction (towards) La Défense.

When you get off the métro at Porte Maillot, you will see an overpass, over it a large shopping center, and across from the shopping center a bus depot.  This is where you will catch the navette.  (There is also a large hotel nearby called Concorde Lafayette, for a point of reference.)

Refer to the bus timetable on the Aéroport Paris Beauvais Tillé website to find out exactly when to catch the navette for your particular flight.  As a general rule, buses leave the depot 3 hours and 15 minutes before the flight depature time, leaving about a 2-hour window upon arrival and the airport.

There will be many buses at the depot, but the ones preparing for departure will have signs in the front window indicating the the flight destination (i.e. -  Glasgow, Madrid, Dublin).  This way, you will know which bus to get on and when.

Phrases Utiles	Useful Phrases
Excusez-moi, mais où est la navette pour aller à l’Aéroport Beauvais? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Excuse me, but where is the shuttle bus for Beauvais Airport?
Je voudrais un ticket aller simple, s’il vous plaît. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	I’d like one, one-way ticket, please.
Nous voudrions trois tickets aller-retours, s’il vous plaît. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	We’d like three round-trip tickets, please.
Pardon, je vais au (Dublin, Madrid, Glasgow), est-ce le bon bus? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Excuse me, I’m going to (Dublin, Madrid, Glasgow), is this the right bus?

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From BVA to Paris

Beauvais is a very small airport (as I recall, there are only five or six gates), and there’s only one way to exit.  When you go out the doors, the navette will be waiting to the right.

As mentioned above, you can either buy your bus ticket in the arrival lounge (just before exiting) or once outside, just by the bus.

Buses generally depart the airport about 20 minutes after a flight arrives, giving passengers enough time to collect baggage, buy a ticket, and board.

The bus will deliver you back to the depot at Porte Maillot, and you will be able to see the big M sign for the métro across the road.  From there you can get on ligne une (line 1) direction (towards) Chateau de Vincennes

Phrases Utiles	Useful Phrases
Où est la navette pour aller à Paris, s’il vous plaît? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Where’s the shuttle bus for Paris, please?
On voudrait deux tickets, s’il vous plaît. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	We would like two tickets, please.

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Personal Experience

I have to say (and this is my completely biased opinion), I hate the Beauvais Airport.  Part of this stems from my hatred of Ryanair — their lack of organization and customer service –  but despite that fact that it is a very small airport, I have never proceeded through check-in and security quickly.  On the contrary, counters tend to be understaffed, and long lines for security and passport check stretch out the door as employees wander through the crowd calling one flight at a time to come through.

As with most Ryainair flights at most airports, passengers must walk through gate doors, down and outside the airport, across and the tarmac and up steps onto the planes (removing the boarding tunnel is one of their numerous cost-cutting measures).  This seems like a very romantic idea until it starts raining or snowing.

After about a dozen attempts at flying to and from Beauvais to save money, I realized it just wasn’t worth it.  Usually, when taking into account the extra 28€ (total) and the hour and 15 minutes (each way), it’s just not worth it to me.  The price ends up being about the same as a ticket from a closer airport, and I’d rather pay a little more for a shorter journey.

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On January 26th, director Tim Burton was announced as the President of the Jury for the 63rd Festival de Cannes in 2010.  He will be just one of hundreds of thousands of film industry professionals and cinema fans who will flock to the beautiful French Riviera city to take part in the festival from May 12th to the 23rd.

If you’re planning to attend, and you don’t yet have all of your accommodation and travel sorted out, you’d better either be stinking rich or very resourceful.  As it is, most events are entirely restricted from the public, with passes only provided for members of the film industry and the press.

For more on limited public events and the authoritative guide to attending the Cannes Film Festival, check out Cannes - A Festival Virgin’s Guide.  Just for fun, I used their hotel finder to see what it would cost to check in on the 1tth and out on the 24th.

Turns out my imaginary trip to Cannes would cost me a minimum of 220€ a night, which is slightly outside of my real-life budget, so I’ll have to be content to watch the action from afar.

Last week, the official poster was revealed on the festival’s website, featuring a luminous (buh-dum-ch!) Juliette Binoche, magic paint brush in hand and coy smile on lips.

The 2009 festival was infamously interrupted by workers’ strikes (the french love nothing more than their manifestations and grèves); screenings had to be canceled when protesting electric workers shut off power.  A certain amount of scandal also arose when a wheelchair-bound director, pass in hand, was not permitted to enter the red carpet area.

The official list of films for the 2010 festival will be revealed on April 15th, and in the meantime, I will keep you posted with more amusing and scandalous stories from past festivals, practical advice for visiting Cannes, and what to say if you do happen to run into Juliette Binoche and want to pay her a compliment (a bad example, I know, as she speaks perfect English).

Vocabulaire	Vocabulary
Festival de Cannes Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Cannes Film Festival
une manifestation Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a demonstration/protest
(faire) la grève Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	(to) strike

Orly is one of three international airports in Paris (and its environs), the other two being Charles de Gaulle and Beauvais.  Beavais is the furthest from Paris, and does not serve flights arriving from North America.  (It is a very small airport that is mainly used for Ryanair flights within Europe, but more on that later.)

I have never landed at Orly, but it is a common arrival airport for U.S. flights, and as with CDG, the airport is a ways outside the center of Paris, and there are several options (ranging in price and convenience) for getting into the city.

NOTE: Anyone elderly, not entirely able-bodied, or handicapped should avoid the métro.  Unfortunately, it is horribly handicap-inaccessible and the only way of getting through it is by going up and down lots of stairs.  Consider yourself warned.

• By Orlyval and RER B
  
• By ADP Shuttle and RER C
  
• By Shuttle Bus (les car Air France)
• By Orlybus [UPDATE on expected delays]
• By Taxi
• By Limousine
• By City Bus

By Orlyval and RER B:

Taking the RER and métro from Orly airport is very simple, and the journey to the center of Paris only takes about 35 minutes.  Orly has its own métro line, the Orlyval, that stops just in front of each terminal (Orly Ouest and Orly Sud), and connects directly to RER Line B, which will take you right into the heart of Paris.

• Click here to download a free RER/métro map.

• If boarding at Orly Sud, all trains will be departing in the right direction.  If boarding at Orly Ouest, be sure to board the train running towards RER Line B, Antony station.  (See figure below.)

• At Antony station, change to RER Line B, direction Mitry-Claye or direction Roissy-Aéroport Charles de Gaulle; the line doesn’t split until it is well north of central Paris, so either route will get you into town.

• DO NOT go direction St.-Rémy-lès-Chevreuses, or you will end up in the banlieues, south of Paris.

• The first train departs Orly at 6 a.m. and the last departs at 11 p.m.; trains leave every four minutes at peak hours.

• The current cost of a combination Orlyval/RER ticket to Paris is 9.85€ for adults, 4.90€ for kids aged 4 to 10.

• Tickets can be obtained at RATP/Orlyval machines in both terminals, but they ofter require coins (which most newly-arrived foreigners won’t have on hand) or bank cards with a special chip (not present in North American cards).

• The billeterie (ticket office) is probably a better bet.  See useful phrases below for tips on purchasing tickets.

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Phrases Utiles	Useful Phrases
Où puis je prendre l’Orlyval, s’il vous plaît? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Where can I catch the Orlyval, please?
Je voudrais un ticket à Paris, s’il vous plaît. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	I would like one ticket to Paris, please.
Deux billets adultes et un billet enfant, s’il vous plaît. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Two adult tickets and one child, please.
Merci! Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Thank you!

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By ADP Shuttle and RER C:

There is a second RER option that is even cheaper, if a bit less convenient for reaching the center of Paris.  There is an ADP Shuttle Bus (navette) that stops at both terminals and brings passengers to Pont de Rungis station for RER line C.  The journey takes around 40 minutes — 15 for the bus and 25 for the RER.

The disadvantage of this route is that the RER C only runs through the Rive Gauche (Left Bank, or south side of Paris).  If trying to get north of the Seine, you would certainly have to hop on the métro or grab a taxi in town.

• Buses marked “Paris par le train” depart from each terminal every 15 minutes from 5 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

• When the bus reaches Pont de Rungis station, take RER C direction Pontoise, direction Versailles (Rive Gauche or Chantier, or direction St-Quentin en Yvelines. Any other direction will take you away from Paris.

• The current cost of a ticket into Paris is 6.20€ for adults (2.50€ for the shuttle bus and 3.70€ for the RER) and 4.35€ for kids (2.50€ for the shuttle bus and 1.85€ for the RER).

• Again, tickets are best purchased in person.  See phrases below.

Phrases Utiles	Useful Phrases
Où puis-je prendre la navette “Paris par le train” s’il vous plaît? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Where can I catch the “Paris by train” shuttle, please?”
Puis-j’acheter mon billet ici? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Can I buy my ticket here?

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By Shuttle Bus (les cars Air France):

The Air France shuttle usually takes about 30 minutes to get from the airport to Paris, but the time is quite variable depending on traffic.  Any time you’re traveling on roads rather than rails, you’re bound to encounter this problem.

The advantage of the shuttle bus is ease of travel.  You don’t have to make any changes or connections to get into Paris (though you’ll probably have to hop on the métro or grab a taxi once you’re in town, in order to get to your final destination) and the cost is nearly the same as taking the Orlyval and RER.

As noted above, the métro is no picnic for anyone with heavy baggage, and taking the Air France transport is another way of avoiding that.

• Les Cars Air France depart from both terminals every 30 minutes.

• There are two routes, each of stops at Gare Montparnasse

1. Line 1 terminates at Invalides and runs from 6:15 a.m to 11:15 p.m.
2. Line 1* terminates at Charles de Gaulle - Etoile and runs from 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

• Cost: 10€ one-way; 16€ round-trip; 5€ for kids aged 2-11; free for kids under 2

• The shuttles have under-bus storage for large luggage.

• Even if you do catch the shuttle, you will likely have to change to the métro or catch a taxi in town to reach your final destination; all of the above stops are at or very near métro stations of the same names

• You can reserve tickets in advance here (scroll to Car Air France at the bottom of the page) or simply buy a ticket from the bus driver on the day of travel.

Phrases Utiles	Useful Phrases
Où puis-je trouver les cars Air France? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Where can I find the Air France shuttles?
Je voudrais aller à la [Gare Montparnasse, Place de l'´Etoile, l'Hôtel des Invalides]. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. Est-ce que c’est la bonne ligne? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	I would like to go to the [various stations, stops]. Is this the right line?
Il a moins d’onze ans. / Elle a moins d’onze ans. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	He is under 11 years old. / She is under 11 years old.
Il a moins de deux ans. / Elle a moins de deux ans. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	He is under 2 years old. / She is under 2 years old.

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By Orlybus: 

[UPDATE from le site RATP: Beginning April 1, 2010, roadworks on highway A6b, projected to last one year, will cause regular delays in the Orlybus route.]

This is the RATP (Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens) bus, run by the company that operates the métro and the RER.  Other than the expected delays, it’s a reliable and inexpensive way to get to and from the airport.

• The first bus leaves Orly Sud at 6 a.m. and Orly Ouest at 6:02 a.m.; the last buses depart at 11:20 p.m and 11:32 p.m., respectively.

• The bus terminates at Denfert-Rochereau and stops at Dareau-Saint Jacques and Porte de Gentilly along the way (all with métro stations).

• The cost of Orlybus is 6.40€

• Tickets are purchased on the bus, on the day of travel

Phrases Utiles	Useful Phrases
Où puis-je trouver l’Orlybus? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Where can I find the Orlybus?
Je voudrais quatre billets, s’il vous plaît. Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	I would like four tickets, please.

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By Taxi:

This is the most expensive way to reach your final destination in Paris, but it will guarantee you the most direct arrival (though not necessarily the quickest.

One good option is to use one of the above means to get into Paris, and then catch a taxi to your final destination once you’re in town.  This will be much cheaper than taking a taxi in from so far outside the city.

• A taxi from Orly to the center of Paris will cost you from 30-50€.  At night and on Sundays and holidays, the rates go up by 15%.

• Read the post on taking taxis in Paris to find out more about common fees and fare and learn useful phrases to catch a taxi in the city.

• You may have to stand in line at the airport to catch a taxi, but never accept a ride from someone who offers to take you out of turn!  This person is not a legal taxi driver!

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By Limousine:

So, a taxi isn’t good enough for you?  You want to spend even more money and still possibly get stuck in traffic?  Call me old-fashioned (or, you know, way too poor for this option), but the whole limo thing really isn’t for me.  It must be for someone, though, so here’s the information, in case that someone is you.

• With a reservation, a limo will cost around 115€ from Orly to Paris; if you don’t have a reservation, you can tack on an extra 85€

• For inquiries and reservations, call 0033 (0)1 40 71 84 62; such a fancy service will surely have service in English.

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By City Bus:

For those adventurous souls and budget, budget travelers, there is always the city bus.  A true adventure, as this bus doesn’t stop once or twice, but all over the place.  If you have your destination written down, you may be able to ask the driver for help when you get on, but don’t expect them to speak English.  If you plan to take the bus, know the route ahead of time, that way you can ask the driver to tell you when the bus has arrived at a certain spot.

• Cost: 1.60€

• Bus 183 leaves Orly Sud (then stops at Orly Ouest) beginning at 6 a.m. ending at 8:40 p.m. on weekdays

1. The bus terminates at Porte de Choisy (métro station) in the 13e arrondissement, the south of Paris
2. The bus leaves every 30 minutes
3. The journey takes at least 5o minutes, depending on traffic

• Buses 285 and 292 also serve the airport, but only go as far as the southern Paris suburbs, so you don’t want to catch them.

Phrases Utiles	Useful Phrases
Où puis-je prendre le bus numéro 183? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Where can I catch bus number 183?
Je voudrais aller ici [indicate written location]. Pourriez-vous m’indiquer quand on sera là? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	I would like to go here [indicate location]. Can you tell me when we get there?
Est-ce le dernier arrêt? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Is this the last stop?

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Related Posts:

• Going from Charles de Gaulle to Paris
• Taking a taxi in Paris

Happy Easter!

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As in many other countries in the world, Easter is a holiday observed in France by both religious and non-religious people.  France is still a largely Catholic country, and even those who don’t regularly attend mass throughout the year will go to church on Easter Suday, or Pâques.

Many French traditions are similar to those found in English-speaking countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, but there are some unique traditions to mention:

Les cloches de Pâques

In France, Easter treats are delivered to children on Sunday morning by bells (cloches), specifically flying church bells.

This may seem silly to a society used to their Easter treats being laid (literally or otherwise) on their hearth by an anthropomorphic bunny, but like many now-secular traditions, les cloches de Pâques derive from a religious tradition.

In France (and Belgium), the church bells are silenced from (Holy/Maundy) Thursday (jeudi saint) through Saturday, as a sign of mourning.  Somewhere along the line, this led to the idea that the bells fly away from their bell towers to Rome for those few days, and fly back on Easter morning, sounding and dropping (with impeccable aim) goodies for the boys and girls below.

Les œufs de Pâques

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As in the U.S., Easter eggs (les œufs de Pâques) make very popular Easter basket fillers (both in dyed/hard-boiled and chocolate fashion).

The egg is a symbol of fertility (as is the rabbit, as it turns out) from antiquity, and eggs were once forbidden for consumption during Lent (le Carême).  Their association with Easter came both from the Spring Solstice and the breaking of Lent.

Chocolates in the form of lambs (agneaux) and bells (cloches) are also common.

Vocabulary

Vocabulaire	Vocabulary
Pâques Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Easter
les cloches de Pâques Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Easter bells
une cloche Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a bell
un œuf de Pâques Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	an Easter egg
les bonbons Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	candy
les chocolats Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	chocolates
le lapin de Pâques Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	The Easter Bunny (not a French tradition)
un lapin Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a rabbit
un agneaux Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a lamb
le Carême Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Lent
le jeudi saint Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Holy Thursday
le vendredi saint Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	Good Friday

I know, I know, April Fools’ Day was last week, but the French version is just too funny not to mention.

In France, April Fools’ Day is known as poisson d’avril, or the fish of April.

Where we’re more apt to employ whoopi cushions and plastic spiders, French youth have a different tradition: schoolchildren will stick a paper fish on someone’s back, hoping not to be discovered.  (Using the old ‘kick me’ sign tactic of a pat on the back and saying something along the lines of,  ‘We’re such good friends!’ seems to be an effective method.)

When the paper fish is discovered, the perpetrator yells, “Poisson d’avril!“  April Fish!

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This farce (prank) is most common among young kids.  Adults are still prone to coming up with their own blagues and plaisanteries (jokes).

April Fools’ (or Fish) Day is, in fact, a French tradition dating back to the (at least) 16th Century.  No one knows exactly how it began, though there are several theories.

According to one legend, until the 1564, the New Year was celebrated in April.  The then-king of France, Charles IX, made the rather arbitrary decision (as kings were wont to do) to to set the New Year on January 1st.  Okay, it wasn’t totally arbitrary, it did have something to do with the days getting longer, but still.  It was then said that anyone who still celebrated the New Year on April 1st was a fool.  However, references to poisson d’avril have been cited as far back as the 14th century, most notably in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, so this rather regal theory may be debunked.

The tradition could also be associated with Lent, during which the consumption of meat is forbidden.  As fish was and is often consumed in its place, and as April 1st falls near the end of Lent, people (perhaps driven a bit mad by over consumption) began playing fish-related pranks.  One such jest may was to offer someone a fake fish.  Falling for the prank made one a fool.

The beginning of April also falls under the zodiac sign of the Pisces, the fish.  Pisces is the twelfth and final sign of the zodiac calendar, marking the end of the year and supporting the first theory of a New Year being celebrated around that time.

In any case, the origins are a bit fuzzy, but they are certainly French.  Now’s the time to start planning for next year.  Put away your super glue, your rubber rat and that fake pile of poo.  Let next April Fools’ Day be April Fish Day everywhere!

Vocabulaire	Vocabulary
poisson d’avril Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	April Fools’ Day
une farce Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a prank/practical joke
une blague Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a joke
une plaisanterie Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.	a joke