I’ve already written extensively about my love of mushroom picking here on this blog but following a recent comment on Facebook by Judy McMahon, I wrote a guest post for MyFrenchLife on how to pick mushrooms safely.
How to pick mushrooms safely in France: 4 secrets
by Rosemary Kneipp, writing for My French Life – where you can discover France beyond the cliché with other curious, savvy francophile & French members.
If you’ve never picked mushrooms, you are definitely missing out on one of life’s great pleasures! You probably think that’s an exaggeration, but you only have to look at the ecstatic expression on my Aussie friend’s face when she found her very first wild mushroom in the Loire Valley to see what I mean (pictured right).
Maybe it’s our scavenging instinct coming out, but searching for, finding and eating mushrooms create an incredible feeling of wellbeing and satisfaction. While you’ve got your mushroom eyes on, you don’t think of anything else. It’s wonderfully relaxing – particularly if you live in the city. And when you suddenly spot one, usually trying desperately to blend in with the vegetation, you feel exultant. Read more
An Australian friend asked me recently exactly what bonne femme meant and whether or not it’s derogatory. A French friend of hers seemed to be using it all time and told her it has no real significance. Well, maybe that’s so in his vocabulary, but frankly, I wouldn’t like someone to call ME a bonne femme.
So why, you may ask, would being called what ostensibly means a “good woman” not be welcome? Well, I guess it’s because you don’t refer to people as bon in French in the English sense of “good”. To say, “she’s a good woman”, you’d have to say c’est quelqu’un de bien. You could also say C’est une femme bien but there is a slight nuance, more the idea of being nice rather than good. Des gens bien are nice or decent people rather than good. Un type bien is a nice guy or a nice bloke.
“She’s a good secretary” would be expressed as elle est très bien comme secrétaire. “He’s a good chap” would be c’est un brave type. C’est une brave femme could also mean “a good woman” in the sense of someone who overcomes obstacles, is hardworking and well-meaning.
So I asked Jean Michel about bonne femme, since he’s the Frenchie, but I didn’t get very far.
If you say sacrée bonne femme, he tells me, you’re referring to someone who’s annoying – or quite the opposite! Otherwise, he doesn’t really know.
C’est la bonne femme qui travaille à la boulangerie would seem to indicate that the person has a lot of character.
Perhaps calling someone a bonne femme is not particularly polite but isn’t exactly derogatory either. What do you think?
My friend then asked about nana, nénette and sacrée nana. No problem here. Nana is simply slang for girl, about the same register as chick. It can also mean girlfriend. Nénette is just an diminutive while sacrée nana can be negative or positive depending on the context.
And while we’re on the subject of women, we might take a look at some other expressions use to describe the fairer sex.
The first time I heard c’est une belle plante, I thought it was horrible, but I suppose it’s no worse than “she’s a fine specimen”. It refers to her figure rather than her face. It’s definitely positive in any case.
Gonzesse, on the other hand, is definitely derogatory and vulgar and saying that a man is une vraie gonzesse means he isn’t virile enough. It can also mean prostitute and a woman who is easily fooled.
Today I did something I know I am going to regret for the rest of my life.
Closerie Falaiseau, main house
A little background first. Our house in Blois, Closerie Falaiseau, where we will be moving permanently in October 2014, was built in 1584, just like a similar house on the left (the houses were built by two brothers). Apart from the main house, we have a barn, a former pigsty, an open sheltered area and a workshop on the left, and another barn and a little house, built much more recently in steps and stages, on the right.
The barn next to the pigsty; the little house is on the left
For the moment, we have divided the main house into two, upstairs and downstairs, and we are renting out the bottom part as tourist accommodation until we move. After that, Jean Michel is going to demolish the unattractive half of the little house, leaving the other half to form a double garage. He will then convert the barn behind it into a gîte (vacation rental).
The back of the little house on the right and the barn that will be renovated on the left
On the right of the little house, there are three modern homes, all built along the same lines, on quite large plots of land. Our neighbours are not keen gardeners and the area closest to the little house is rather unkempt. We recently had to ask them to lop part of their weeping willow which is threatening to damage the roof of our barn. There is an old wooden lean-to up against our barn inside their property.
They have a wire fence and a somewhat incongruous, expensive remote-controlled gate that was installed last year.
The first two panels erected between the wall of the little house and the neighbour’s gate
When we arrived last weekend, we were surprised to see that two panels of wood had been erected along the fence on the side near the stone wall of the little house. We initially thought they were going to continue the panels along the entire fence.
The enclosure, with the lean-to on the right which is up against our barn and the house that is going to be pulled down to form a garden for the gîte
But no, the panels were then continued at right angles to the first, ending at the lean-to. Strange. Then next thing we saw a wire fence WITH A GATE on the other side, forming an enclosure, the sort you keep poultry in.
The side panels seen from inside our property where the garden of the future gîte will be. Unfortunately they are higher than the stone wall which will be renovated and continued as far as the barn
Great! A chicken yard, just next to the future garden of the gîte. Noise, smells, etc. Not to mention the eyesore created by the wooden panels. How is this going to affect the popularity of our rental accommdation? We tried to find out more but the workers claimed they didn’t know why they were building the enclosure.
Looking down the street from the neighbour’s house towards ours
This morning, after phoning the local authorities and being told that there are no regulations about keeping poultry unless there are more than 50 birds, I decided to go and have a look. And lo and behold, the enclosure now contained a goose and a few chickens. The neighbour’s three children were standing watching them.
That is when I committed the fatal error. I took a photo of the poultry. For the blog. As I did so, I heard someone shouting, “What are you doing? You can’t take photos. It’s private property.” The mother marched down to the gate, repeating the same thing.
When she arrived, I explained that we were worried about having the poultry yard next to our future gîte. She said everyone else in the street had poultry yards and it was for the children. I said that I perfectly understood but wondered why it was on our side, when they had such a large property.
It seems the lean-to was originally built for that purpose and that they have had poultry cooped up in there for the last month. They’ve already lost two ducks. Well, they might all just die off, I thought.
Then she started on about the photo again, so I proceeded to take it off my camera. The problem was that I couldn’t really tell her I had taken it for my blog ! She told me that she herself was a very calm person but that her husband had a terrible temper and would be furious if he found out I was taking photos.
She also complained that the dormer window in the barn, which unfortunately for us fronts onto their property, prevents her from walking around in her nightie in the yard. Considering there’s only a wire fence, you’d wonder why that would matter! In any case, I apologised and said I hadn’t intended to offend her in any way.
I then went off to tell Jean Michel about the incredibly stupid thing I’d done. He said it was a pity but I shouldn’t worry. I went back to my planting and suddenly heard shouting. The neighbour’s husband was upraiding Jean Michel over the fence at the back of the house and threatening to go to a lawyer to stop me taking photos.
My heart sank. After he stormed off, I suggested I go and apologize but Jean Michel said I had nothing to apologize for. It wasn’t as though I was on his property or taking photos of his children. I could have kicked myself for being so stupid. “Don’t worry. C’est un caractériel“, he said, which roughly means he’s totally unstable.
But when we came home after shopping in the afternoon, the neighbour had parked his car in one of the two parking areas that Jean Michel has cleared in the vacant lot across the road that is non-constructible because it’s next to the Loire. Warfare has been declared!
This Wednesday, we’re staying in Paris. Australian blogger Jo Karnaghan from Frugal First Class Travel, whom I had the great pleasure of meeting up with during a recent trip to Paris,shares her latest find – three new shopping streets in Paris; well-known foodie Wendy Lyn from The Paris Kitchen, which I have just discovered, gives us ten excellent tips for reserving a restaurant in Paris, while published author Tom Reeves from Paris Insights takes us on a chocolate tasting. Enjoy!
THREE GREAT NEW SHOPPING STREETS IN PARIS
by Jo Karnaghan from Frugal First Class Travel, an Australian who loves to travel – especially in Europe – and who has gradually learned how to have a First Class trip on an economy budget, without missing out on anything!
When visiting Paris recently, I was keen to get out and discover some new places and experiences – all about making familiar Paris seem brand new. Part of that was exploring some new and different shopping experiences. I found three great shopping streets I’d never visited before that I’d love to share with you. Whether you are a serious shopper or just love a bit oflecher la vitrine (window shopping), I hope you find my finds as interesting as I did. Read more
Top 10 Restaurant Reservation Tips for Paris
by American “insider” Wendy Lyn from The Paris Kitchen™ , one of the ten top food guides in the world, who gives savvy, globe-trotting foodies local introductions and an off-the-beaten-path experience of Paris’ food scene.
Calling for restaurant reservations can feel intimidating with the language barrier and time difference, but it doesn’t have to be.
While it is do-able to walk into a cute little corner bistro without reservations, if you are headed this way on a mission to eat through your list of Paris’ top spots, reservations are essential – even for a casual dining.
Thank you to all the Facebook fans, restaurant staff & clients who helped me create this top 10 list for making reservations in France.
One of the questions I’m most often asked is, “Why is it so hard to get a reservation? I don’t want anything fussy or expensive.” Read more
An Evening of Chocolate Tasting with Les Amants du Chocolat de la Couronne Parisienne
by Tom Reeves from Paris Insights, whose love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris and to write Paris Insights – An Anthology
One of the advantages of blogging about chocolate tastings is that one meets people who invite you to…more chocolate tastings!
“This is the best dining experience we’ve had in the Loire”, says Laszlo, halfway through the meal, and I breathe a sigh of relief.
Anda and Laslo
It’s always tricky choosing a restaurant for overseas visitors and I wasn’t sure which of our other favourites in Blois our lovely American/Hungarian/Romanian friends Anda and Laszlo had already tried. My Aussie friend Jane and I enjoyed eating on the terrace at Auberge de Launay in the summer of 2012, but Jean Michel and I have never been there together. It’s located about 20 minutes from Blois and 10 minutes from Amboise, just off the highway that runs along the Loire.
Auberge de Launay in the summer
The light, airy dining room is nearly full when we arrive, which is a good sign. The staff are very pleasant and keep coming back to take our order as we are so busy catching up that we don’t seem to be able to get round to even look at the menu.
Tasty nibbles
We finally order our drinks from a list of local fruit juices, wines and spirits. They come with some tasty little nibbles – a sort of puffy cheese stick and a light verrine.
John Dory tartare
For starters, we choose John Dory tartare and avocado purée, game pâté and wild mushrooms, and rillettes, a first for Laszlo. Rillettes are made with meat, usually pork or goose, finely chopped and cooked and preserved in fat. They are a speciality of Le Mans and Tours. I had the fish tartare and it was delicious.
Lamb shoulder
Our main courses are duck with aniseed and celery purée, suckling pig trio (ham, rillettes, fried pig fat) with Brussels sprouts (Jean Michel’s choice but a little rich!), and lamb shoulder with aubergine caviar. I am a little disappointed in the lamb because I didn’t know that effilochée means that the meat is shredded.
Cheese platter
Jean Michel and Laslo are having cheese. The platter of local cheeses all matured by Rodolphe Le Meunier at La Croix de Touraine, is very tempting. Laszlo is served first and chooses a blue-vein cheese. “You can have at least three”, I tell him, so he orders a couple more. Jean Michel proceeds to choose FIVE (my husband is a true gourmand!) so Laslo selects another one.
Ganache au chocolat
Anda and I are having dessert. We choose dark chocolate ganache and fig tart, both of which are very tasty.
At the sommelier’s suggestion we choose a bottle of saumur-champigny as everyone wants red.
Terrace in the summer
A little extra point to mention – free wifi, which we appreciated because Anda was able to show me some of her lovely photos on Laszlo’s iPad. I’m waiting to see her Loire Valley collection now particularly if they are like her Amboise at sunset!
Auberge de Launay, 9 rue de la Rivière 37350 Limeray, 33(0)2 47 30 76 82, info@aubergedelaunay.com
Closed Sunday, Monday lunchtime and Saturday lunchtime
Lunch menu:
Entrée of the day + dish of the day + coffee : €19
Entrée, dish and dessert of the day: €20
Dinner menu:
Main + dessert: € 22
Entrée + main: € 23
Entrée + main + dessert: € 27
Entrée + main + cheese: € 30
Entrée + fish + meat + dessert: € 39
Cheese platter: € 8.50
The history of Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second largest city after Sofia, spans 6,000 years and includes periods of Thracian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman occupation, all of which can be seen in its attractive architecture. The old town has been extensively renovated with many painted façades, particularly from the Bulgarian Revival period in the 19th century. Here are just a few examples.
Oriel windows are very common in Plovdiv, to provide maximum lightPetko R. Slaveykov HouseThe tower of the church of Saints Konstantin and ElenaThis house in Strumna Street has a series of oriel windows, making maximum use of light in a narrow streetHere you can see several different types of façadesAnother oriel window on the house of Louka BalabanovLamartine, the French poet, lived here for a short timeHindlyan house, one of the oldest and most richly decoratedThe ethnographic museumThe blue house
I don’t usually write about grammar. I learnt French at high school in Australia where we did a lot of grammar in both English and French and, believe it or not, it was something that appealed to me, a bit like maths somehow. However I have some friends who are having difficulty with the reflexive so I thought I might try to help.
We don’t have reflexive verbs in English, of course, which is probably why they pose problems to people learning French.
We wake up in the morning, get up, get dressed, comb or brush our hair and brush our teeth, without any help from anyone else and we wouldn’t dream of saying “I woke myself up, I got myself up, I got myself dressed, I combed my hair myself and I brushed my teeth myself”.
Yet that is what you have to say in French, je me suis réveillée, je me suis levée, je me suis habillée, je me suis peignée et je me suis brossé les dents.
I think most people get the concept, but have trouble organising where to put all those pronouns, especially when there is a second verb involved. I’ve been thinking about it and maybe the best rule of thumb is that the me, te or se and the nous, vous and se all have to be right next to the first person pronoun: je me, tu te, il/elle se, nous nous, vous vous, ils/elles se.
So if we go back to our verb from last week, s’embrouiller, we can’t say J’étais m’embrouillé because the me has to be next to the je. The sentence becomes Je m’étais embrouillé, although we’re much more likely to say Je me suis embrouillé (unless the second part of the sentence requires the imperfect, but that’s something else again).
Now, just to make things a bit more complicated, you need to make those past participles agree. Even the French often get this wrong, I’d like to point out. I always have my little Grevisse Le français correct so I can check if necessary.
So, the basic rule is that, with the auxiliary être, the past participle has to agree with the direct object if it’s before the verb. Well, this is the case here because me, te, se and so on are direct objects (or COD as the French say – complément d’objet direct). Je me suis coupée, ils se sont blessés, nous nous sommes habillées (if we’re all female) and nous nous sommes habillés (if there is at least one male).
On the other hand, in the case of je me suis brossé les dents, since it’s not me that I’m brushing, but my teeth, there is no agreement. . It’s because the direct object is after the verb. Other examples are elle s’est coupé le bras, nous nous sommes lavé les mains.
There are a few exceptions to this rule, but, frankly, unless you’re writing to be published, I wouldn’t worry too much : se nuire, se parler (parler à soi), se plaire (plaire à soi), se ressembler, se rire, se sourire, and a few more you’ve probably never heard of and will never need to use, i.e. ils se sont plu l’un à l’autre.
We leave our home exchange apartment in Sofia around 10 am. It’s a short walk to the central bus station. We go past a group of bystanders and see three men lying on their sides on the ground, hands handcuffed behind them and surrounded by police officers in front of a police station. I’m not brave enough to take a photo unfortunately. It’s the first sign of crime we’ve seen since we arrived.
The Lion Bridge
Our walk takes us past the Lion Bridge and along the first bike path we’ve seen too. It’s a very good bike path, much frequented by pedestrians and perfect for our roll-on bag. We only see one bike. We arrive at the very modern bus station. I buy the tickets (14 lev each) from a window on the right as you walk in and am served by the rudest person you could imagine. That, too, is a first in Bulgaria.
The pedestrian/bike path
I go to the Ladies (0.5 lev) and we make our way to platform 6 to take the 11 am bus. The buses leave every hour on the hour. We climb in and I am surprised to see there is no one down the back. We take the first two available seats together. The bus fills up and a very big, loud woman arrives and is obviously saying I’m in her seat. She shows us her ticket and we discover, to our surprise, that ours are numbered too! The lady behind us says to stay put and says something to the other lady who goes off to find another seat. We’re relieved because our seat numbers are not together!
A surprising housing estate in the middle of nowhere
The trip itself, mainly along the motorway, is fairly monotonous and takes a little over 2 hours. When we get out, it already feels different from Sofia. The sun is shining and it’s a bit warmer. We find Yvan Vazov street and start walking the 15 minutes to our hotel. I immediately feel good in Plovdiv. The street is lovely and shady and there is a definite vibrancy in the air. It is less run-down than Sofia.
Our surprising bathroom
We arrive at the Romantica Hotel and the friendly receptionist takes us to our room. It was the last one available when I booked several days earlier and although there are twin beds, I was told they could be pushed together. Considering the size of the room, right next to reception, I might add, there isn’t much hope of that. But the real surprise is the bathroom. The toilet is IN the shower area with a curtain in front of the toilet. I’ve never seen that one before! Definitely not as romantic as its name.
The Hemingway
I like the look of the restaurant opposite, which is called Hemingway, so we decide to eat there. Our initial plan to sit on the very attractive terrace is thwarted by construction work just next to our hotel. Oh dear, I hope it doesn’t start too early in the morning.
Focaccia and spinach
When the waiter hears us speak French, he goes off to get another waiter who speaks excellent English (learnt from the movies) and a smattering of French. We order a couple of delicious vegetarian dishes and a glass of excellent wine. I choose some divine foccacia-like bread served in a paper bag. It’s the best meal we’ve had in Bulgaria so far, all for a mere 30 lev (15 euro) for the two of us. I’m liking Plovdiv more and more.
Main street leading to the old town
After lunch, we set off for the old town. But that will be another post!
Hemingway, 10 Gurko Street, Plovdiv. 9 am to 1 am. Tel 032 267350. Mobile 0894490636. http://hemingway.bg/en. office@hemingwaybg.net
So what’s on the agenda this Wednesday? Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris takes us to the Maison du Chou where she has discovered the lightest choux à la crème, while French Moments delights us with ten stunning photos of autumn in France. Meanwhile Carolyn from Holidays to Europe brings us some very useful tips for driving in Europe. Enjoy!
Something Sweet for Monday – La Maison du Chou
by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use
Whether it’s an unexpected glimpse of the Eiffel Tower as you round a corner or a chance encounter with a beloved friend in a bistro on the Île Saint-Louis, the best things in life are often unplanned and completely spontaneous. In Paris, I know exactly where to go for the most delicate macarons and the richest hot chocolate. What I didn’t know, at least not until yesterday afternoon, was where to find the lightest choux à la crème. If you would like to serendipitously discover these delightful cream puffs freshly filled with a mousse-like mixture of sugar and fromage blanc, stroll down Rue Bonaparte past the famous Deux Magots Café in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood of Paris. In your best flâneur style, casually turn right on Rue de l’Abbaye and left when you see the quaint Place de Fürstenberg. Read more
Top 10 Most Beautiful Photos of Autumn
by French Moments, a Sydney-based organisation with an international focus which promotes the French language and culture to English-speakers worldwide. Their French team is all about the language, culture and experience.
In this post we have compiled a selection of French Moments’ photos of autumn all taken in France’s North-East and Lyon.
Summer has now been replaced by autumn and the trees have put on a fabulous colour display with yellows fading to reds. Under the beautiful blue sky of an Indian summer or on a misty morning, the colours of autumn sometimes do not look as good in a photograph as they really do to the eye. Read more
Tips for Driving in Europe
by Carolyn from Holidays to Europe, an Australian based business passionate about sharing their European travel expertise and helping travellers to experience the holiday in Europe they have always dreamed of
When planning their travels in Europe, many Aussies are keen to hire a car for at least some of their trip but are, understandably, apprehensive about driving in large cities. Driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road can be hard enough, but navigating your way through busy streets that are often very narrow and one-way, can quickly raise the blood pressure. So, what do I recommend?
The rail network in most countries in Western Europe is excellent and it’s often the first choice of transport for travellers but for those wanting to visit more rural locations or countries where the rail system is a little less sophisticated (or barely exists, such as Croatia), driving is the next best thing. Read more
We’re very worried. Our guests have been telling us about large bees in the kitchen at Closerie Falaiseau that appear to be coming from the inside. When we arrive, the first thing I do is look for the bees. There are several dead insects in the birdbath but I can see instantly that they are not bees or wasps but hornets! Thank goodness no one got stung.
The dead hornets in the bird bath
When Jean Michel cleaned the bedroom fireplace when we first bought the Closerie, he discovered an enormous, fortunately empty, hornets’ nest, so he immediately assumes that the hornets must be in the kitchen chimney. Sure enough, we can see a lot of activity around the top of the chimney stack.
The hornets nest that fell out of the chimney stack in the bedroom fireplace
But the fireplace in question is completely closed off with a board at mantle level. We check it thoroughly and can’t see any way the hornets could possibly be getting from the chimney stack into the kitchen. They must be coming through an open door or windows.
The kitchen fireplace
We call the fire brigade who explain that early autumn, especially when it’s mild, is a favourite time for hornets. They tell us we should call a company specialising in désinsectisation. We check out the yellow pages and start searching for someone who can come next day at the latest as we have new guests arriving on Saturday.
The first ladder in place
After calling several numbers, we get a positive response from Mr B. who turns out to have been born and bred in our neighbourhood in Blois, Les Grouets. He says he can come late afternoon the next day. We’re relieved.
Mr B. taking up the second ladder
He turns up with his van and ladders and starts setting them up. He has a regular alumium telescopic ladder and two wooden ladders to climb across the roof without damaging the slate. He sets up the aluminium ladder then climbs up with one of the wooden ladders in his hand. He places it flat on the roof then puts the second wooden ladder next to it.
Mr B. checking out the fireplace
After that, he climbs up the first wooden ladder then pulls the second one up so that it is an extension of the first. Now he can get to the chimney. No harness of any sort we notice. He has a look at the chimney and says it has a concrete plug that is somewhat deteriorated and is letting the hornets get in.
Mr B.’s protective overalls
He climbs down. “Yes, a belt would be good”, he says, and gets one from the front seat of his van. I’m wondering what the belt’s for. Maybe to tie the two ladders together ? He then proceeds to thread it through the loops of his jeans ! “That’s better”, he says. “I have some overalls”, he explains to no one in particular, “with a mask and everything, but once you put them on, you can’t see anything. No much point.”
Mr B. taking his spray cans up the ladder
Armed with four large spray cans (two instant insecticides and two softer environment-friendly ones), he climbs back up the ladder and over to the chimney. He starts spraying the hornets that are clustered around the top. I have to confess it seems very amateurish to me.
Mr B. spraying inside the chimney
Let me know if you see any coming from behind, he says. So, there we are, standing on the ground, watching out for any hornets that might attack him, and when one comes along, he sprays it. It’s a family business, he explains, handed down from father to son, so I suppose he knows what he’s doing. “I like it up here”, he says.
Mr B. climbing up the roof with his second lot of spray cans
He comes down for more ammunition. Jean Michel sees a hornet rapping on the kitchen window. Since everything is clean for our next guests, I volunteer to go and let it out since I can take my rubber clogs off easily. I walk in and can hear a very loud buzzing noise. It seems to be coming from above me.
Writhing hornets on the kitchen floor
“Watch out”, says Jean Michel, sounding very alarmed. “Don’t panic”, says Mr B. And I look down. The floor is covered in writhing hornets. I get a terrible fright and leap out of the way. How on earth did they get in ?
The hole in the corner of the fireplace through which the hornets were passing
It turns out there is a small space between the wall of the fireplace and the board closing off the chimney. That’s where the hornets are getting out ! Mr B uses his environment-friendly spray to finish off the ones on the floor and his potent spray near the hole they are getting through.
A writhing hornet up close
I get the broom and sweep them all up. Mr B. climbs up his ladder again to get rid of the last few stragglers. We check there are no more in the kitchen and he packs up his gear, promising to come back again next day if there is any more activity. But his sprays have done the trick and the hornets are gone.
If you’ve never picked mushrooms, you are definitely missing out on one of life’s great pleasures! You probably think that’s an exaggeration, but you only have to look at the ecstatic expression on my Aussie friend’s face when she found her very first wild mushroom in the Loire Valley to see what I mean (pictured right).
