French To Go

Aujourd'hui, je suis épuisée. Crevée. Usée. Morte de fatigue. Moi qui déteste faire du shopping, j'ai accompagné ma copine Céline pour faire ses achats du Black Friday sur Internet.  Cet épisode est l'occasion, pour vous, de pratiquer les vêtements, le vocabulaire de l'achat en ligne, et tout simplement d'écouter du français du quotidien.   La transcription en français est disponible sur le site w...

I've almost never missed the final of the tennis tournament Roland Garros… And actually, it has more to do with Rafael Nadal and my exams than with my real passion for tennis. The connection with the 14 time winner is obvious, but what about my high school (and future university) exams? Why does Roland Garros always bring back nostalgia? Listen to episode 56 to discover this particularity of the F...

A weekend with my colleagues is a good opportunity to talk about the challenges to create a good relationship between people working together... how difficult it is, how impossible it seems - if you ask my colleague Laurence. Listen to this episode to discover how I cope with this situation, and try to stay positive. The podcast French To Go is best for intermediate level and more. If you liked th...

The summer is coming... and in France it is definitely here! And together with it, the magazines and their covers, full of miraculous recipes to lose those last few kilos before the bikini at the beach. This episode starts with the messages the women get just before the summer holidays to have a perfect body, continues with the eating disorders, and ends by the poor young girls of today, dealing w...

You’ve celebrated Mother’s day recently. In France, we will celebrate our mothers on the last Sunday of May, and then our fathers in June, and then our grandfathers in October… Yes, it never ends in France ;-) But is it right to celebrate each parent separately like that or, since the family models have changed, shouldn’t we decide to celebrate the whole family on one specific day? This episode is...

La belle saison is coming: sunny and warmer days, national holidays and long weekends. And for the French, that means that the barbecue season is open. Nothing typically French, you would say… Well, wait to hear about what we eat and drink at a barbecue. Here again, discover some particularities of French culture, and on the way, learn new vocabulary and practice your French! The podcast French To...

The First of May is a national holiday in France. Did you know that? And yes, in 2022, it falls on a Sunday. And do you know what? There are more holidays falling on the weekend this year. Isn't that catastrophic? This First of May, Labor Day, is the opportunity to talk about national and religious holidays in France, and for you to discover the French tradition of “bridges”.  The podcast French T...

After our little game in episode 49, in which you had to decide who to invite or not to your holiday dinner, let’s hear about two of my friends, Caroline and Céline. They both have quite big families, but as you will hear, their situation is really different from the other. Listen and let me know in the comments how you spend your holiday dinners - with your family or friends? The podcast French T...

Let’s talk about holiday family dinner, and let’s be honest: it can be a nightmare sometimes to choose the right guests and be sure everything goes smoothly. The three holidays of this week - Easter, Ramadan and Passover, are a good opportunity to play a game together, and think about how to get out of a complicated and sensitive situation. Are you up to play with me? Listen to episode 49 and leav...

We went to help Fred move into his new apartment. Yes, it’s a tradition among our friends. But this time it was a little bit different. First we spent the whole weekend in Strasbourg. Second, Fred moved into an eco-district - quite a different life. Listen to this episode to learn more.   The podcast French To Go is best for intermediate level and more. Don’t forget to maximize your learning by ch...

April 3, 2022. Depending on when you are listening to this episode, and from where, you may have missed the most touristic run of the year, the Paris Marathon. Personally, I am a very amateur runner, but I admire all those (crazy ;-) people who are willing to suffer so much to get to the finish line. In this episode, I’m talking about the marathon, the runners, and some funny and smart facts about...

March 26, 2022 at 8:30 pm: thousands of cities around the globe participated in the Earth Hour and turned off the lights. Monuments, cities, companies, but also citizens. I usually don’t like “one day commemorations” or “awareness days”, and I explain again why in this episode. But talking to Fred, the ecologist per excellence, changed my perception of this global event. All my questions and thoug...

I’ve never really understood why it is so important to know that French is the fifth most spoken language and the second most taught language in the world. French Week got me thinking about why we learn foreign languages, and how to stay motivated along the way. Listen to this episode if you want some tips about setting an intention and… the most important: what is the link between learning French...

This week’s episode started with Caroline and one of her misadventures: last week, she had a flat tire. She was lucky, my husband was here to help her. But her reaction, and her complete ignorance regarding cars, led me to some thoughts and research about what women want and need for their car. A good opportunity for you to revise some daily vocabulary! The podcast French To Go is best for interme...

March 8th. International Women’s day. Céline is a strong feminist, and her engagement is an inspiration for this episode. Listen and discover some facts about the situation of women in France, awareness-raising campaigns, and of course learn or revise some vocabulary and practice your listening skills. The podcast French To Go is best for intermediate level and more. Don’t forget to maximize your...

Since 1993, French parents have almost all the liberty regarding the first name they choose for their child. Lately, it has led to some kind of chaos, with many very original first names, renewed old ones or deliberate changes in spelling. Listen to my opinion about first names and why it is really important not to choose one lightly. This episode is an opportunity for you to discover some cultura...

The ceremony of the 37th Victoires de la Musique (the French music awards) was held on February 11, and it is a good opportunity to talk about French music, and about our relationship to music and favorite singers. Ypu will hear about nowadays music and maybe discover your next favorite French singer! The podcast French To Go is best for intermediate level. Don’t forget to maximize your learning b...

Valentine's Day coming this week is a good opportunity to talk about the good and bad reasons to celebrate this lovers' day. Listen to the original way I celebrated Valentine's day, and boost your knowledge in French: learn new vocabulary, practice your listening skills. And remember: listen more to speak better! Don’t forget to maximize your learning by checking the transcription and translation...

Caroline asked me to exercise with her last week. Yes, Caroline who used to run everyday before her pregnancy and even practice boxing. And me, who'd rather sit on the armchair and enjoy a good book. Listen to this episode to discover our plan, what I agreed to do and why, and how we ended the week.  This episode is a great opportunity for you, listeners with an intermediate level to practice your...

Last week was my birthday!  Isn't there a better occasion to talk about how we celebrate birthdays in France? And of course to tell you about Fred - who doesn't celebrate his birthday, and Caroline for whom every event, small or big, is an opportunity to gather friends and family, eat, dance - to celebrate! This episode is best for A2 level (intermediate) and for all those of you who learned Frenc...

In this episode, I share the story of Céline’s week in a ski resort in the French Alps, how she did enjoy a romantic stay with her boyfriend although he is a serious skier and she is a complete beginner. A good opportunity for you to revise or learn some vocabulary about skiing and discover new French expressions, but also imagine ski vacations in France. Don’t forget to maximize your learning by...

All those sensations, those moments when we experience pleasure, feel joy and pride, all those simple pleasures make our life so enjoyable. Have you ever thought that some of those universal simple pleasures may differ from one country to another? Listen to our lists of small pleasures, and more specifically to our French ones, and learn how and when to experience simple pleasures while learning F...

Celebrating the Epiphany in France, on January 6, is the best way to ruin your New Year's resolutions. You just need a galette, some children who don't like bitter food, some strange tradition and you're set. Do you want to know more about how we celebrate this holiday in France? Listen to this episode and discover a new side of the French culture. And as always, listening to this podcast will hel...

The holiday season is this time of the year when you discover (or understand) some behavioral patterns among your friends and family: the way they eat, the way they plan the coming year and their positive or negative look at life. Meet my husband and my daughter, my friends Fred and Céline and guess where I stand among them.   Listening to this episode will be a good opportunity for you to learn o...

Practice your French by listening to this episode about gifts and even receive one! This special episode is all about giving, kindness, thinking about friends and family members and wanting to make them feel happy - yes, by giving them a present.  And the first gift I’m talking about is the gift I will be sending to one of you, dear listeners. Yes, on Monday, December 19th, 2021, I will hold a lot...