Experience Language: Experience Life!
Newsletter - January 2007

Bonjour and welcome to our January newsletter. Bonne lecture!

Note from the author: As many of you know, I have been away on maternity leave for the last few months. My little "choupinette" is now six months old, her name is Emilie (French spelling) and she is very cute. I'd like to say that she is fluent in French, but I guess it will take a little while longer! I wish you all "mes meilleurs voeux pour 2007". Hélène

In this issue:

New Year, New Destinations
"Mon chou" et "Ma puce"!
Les Français et les Animaux
Win Tickets to Vive la France in London
French Bank Holidays in 2007

New Year, New Destinations

We are pleased to introduce two new destinations this year, Lyon and Montreux.

The school in Lyon is located in a beautiful 19th Century building on the banks of the Rhône in the centre of town. It offers a standard course and an intensive course.

Click here for more details on courses in Lyon.

The school in Montreux is located in one of Switzerland's most famous tourist spots, on the banks of Lake Geneva near the beautiful lakeside promenade. It offers a standard course, an intensive course, a French for seniors course and a French and ski course.

Click here for more details on courses in Montreux.

For the launch of these two destinations, we are offering a 5% discount on course fees in both Lyon and Montreux for any booking made before 31st January 2007.

"Mon chou" et "Ma puce"!

What do a cabbage and a flea have in common? Well, believe it or not, both of these words are commonly used by the French as terms of affection: "Viens ici, ma puce", "C'est l'heure de manger, mon chou"!

Other terms of affection used are (ne vous moquez pas, s'il vous plait!):
Ma choupinette, mon coeur, mon trésor, mon roudoudou, mon chaton, mon lapin and many more.

Les Français et les Animaux

What is this fascination with animals? Not only do the French use names of animals to call children but they also compare many human actions to animal actions. Here are a few examples:

Quand les poules auront des dents - when the chickens have teeth (when pigs fly)
Donner sa langue au chat - to give your tongue to the cat (to give up answering a question)
Passer du coq à l'âne - to go from the cockerel to the donkey (to change topic of conversation)
Bavarde comme une pie - chatty like a magpie (very chatty)
Faire le singe - to do the monkey (to act the fool)

So next time you hear: "Mon chou, arrête de faire le singe!", you will know that the world hasn't got mad.

Click here to test your knowledge on animal expressions.

Win Tickets to Vive la France

We are pleased to announce that we have two free tickets to the Vive la France exhibition at London Olympia for Friday 19th, Saturday 20th or Sunday 21st January 2007. We are going to be giving these away to one lucky newsletter subscriber. To enter the competition, simply send your answer to the question below. Please include your full name and telephone number.

Question: What traditional cake do French people eat in January?

The closing date for entries is 14th January 2007. The winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries and notified by email or telephone on 15th January.

Vive la France is an annual travel and lifestyle show dedicated to France. For further information on the show or to book tickets, visit the Vive la France website. If you come, make sure to drop by and see us at Stand B54!

French Bank Holidays in 2007

Trouvez ci-dessous les jours fériés 2007: