Sunday 28 June 2015

What are you doing on Tuesday night?

Come and join us for our 13th show of French drama this Tuesday upstairs at the Hen and Chicken. It's an interactive show, and you will get to meet French celebrities (or maybe people pretending to be them)!

The second part of the show is based on a reality tv show (une émission de télé-réalité) where the contestants (les participants) perform songs and the audience (le public) vote for who they think is best. Of course our versions are slightly different from the originals, but you might spot:
Catherine Deneuve photo from cc

Johnny Halliday photo from www.photorock.com
In the first part, you will meet a pretty tricky costumer (un client pas facile), weird cuisine and a revised version of the little red riding hood (le petit chaperon rouge).

So why not join our lovely audience of Alliance Française students and friends?

Upstairs at the Hen and Chicken (there is no lift, but please contact us if you need help going upstairs 0781 659 0609)
210, North Street,  Southville,
Bristol
BS3 1JF

8.30 pm
Entry £2 on the door

A mardi! 



Sunday 21 June 2015

What is the most significant event from these last 20 years?

In one of our French teachers' class, students were asked this question. One of them, Ingrid, gave this tongue-in-cheek answer:

A mon avis, l’événement le plus important de ces 20 dernières années est un moment qui a uni les gens et les a incité à devenir meilleurs. Cet événement a causé des émotions fortes et touché tout le monde.

Bien sûr, je décris la création de mon émission préférée, "The Great British Bake Off".

unir: to unite
devenir meilleur: to better


Ingrid carries on talking about how she put herself to the challenge (se mettre au défi) of baking more complicated or new dishes thanks to the programme; how she is glued to the screen (elle a les yeux rivés à l'écran) with her house mate (sa colocataire) every week. And how it's a good thing to talk about at work with her colleagues (ses collègues).

Of course we were just having a bit of fun, but what do you think is really the most significant event of the last 20 years (l'événement le plus marquant de ces 20 dernières années)?

Fancy joining our friendly students to learn French? Find out more...

Sunday 14 June 2015

Did you know that today was the last day of the cycle race called Le Critérium du Dauphiné?

What is le Dauphiné and where is it?
It is an old region of France created by les comtes d' Albin in the 11th century, they called themselves les dauphins ( le dauphin is the son of the French king) so the region was called le Dauphiné. It was an area in the East of France including Savoie to the North, it had its boarders with Italy to the East, with the river Rhône to the West and with Provence to the South. It became part of France in the 14th century. During the revolution in 1790, it was divided into 3 départements; l'Isère, la Drôme and les Hautes Alpes.


As you can see on the map, there are quite a lot of well-known towns such as Grenoble, Gap, Briançon, Valence and the famous ski resort L'Alpe D'Huez. Le parc des Ecrins is part of le Dauphiné, and is well known for its beautiful scenery and wild life.


You will also have heard of le gratin dauphinois, sliced potatoes baked in the oven with cheese and cream.
The cycle race, le Critérium du Dauphiné started in 1947, it always takes place in June, lasts one week, is very strenuous as it is so mountainous and is a good preparation for Le Tour de France.
It has just been won by Christopher Froome.
If you wish to know more about France and the French language, check our website for our various French courses, for more info...

Sunday 7 June 2015

Did you know that we are having another French cookery workshop in Bristol this week?

Last week's workshop got booked up very quickly so, as more people wanted to join, Isabelle, our French teacher and chef, accepted to run another one this coming Tuesday. This one is full too.
More info... to join a French cookery class this Summer.
Last week, I gave you some nouns related to cooking, this week, here are some verbs so that you can read a French recipe and understand it:

Préchauffer le four: wam up the oven
Disposer la pâte dans un moule: put the pastry in a tin
Laver et éplucher les légumes: wash and peel the vegetables
Couper les légumes: chop the vegetables


Faire chauffer l'huile/ le beurre: heat up the oil/ the butter
Laisser cuire: cook
Saler et poivrer: add salt and pepper
Mélanger: mix
Remuer: stir
Verser: pour
Mettre au four: put in the oven
Faire cuire pendant 30 minutes: cook for 30 minutes
Sortir du four: take out of the oven

The above would be useful to make a quiche for instance but you could find them in a variety of recipes, so have a look on the Internet and see what you could prepare for tomorrow night...... Good luck and enjoy!!!