French Voices Podcast | Learn French | Interviews with Native French Speakers | French Culture Jessica: Native French teacher, founder of French Your Way

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This interview is taking you to Ardèche, that (so) beautiful part of France where I used to spend the summer holidays as a child. Meet André Rouy aka « Dédé l’Ardéchois » and discover the history of the train network in Ardèche – the only French département which doesn’t operate any more trains. Dédé and the Association VIADUC 07 worked to protect that heritage. Dédé wrote several books and created a train museum which opened on the 30th anniversary of the last train running through Ardèche. He built it all himself, with humour as well as a unique way to optimise his small space. What can you see in the museum? Listen to find out!

Vocab List

Ardéchois,e (n) / ardéchois,e (adj) = from the Ardèche regioncharbon (nm) = coalcharrette (nf) = cart, barrowcheminot = railway workerdesservir = to stop at, to serve, to lead todévisser = to unscrew, detachélu,e (n) = elected member/representativeembranchement (nm) = junctionexposition (nf) = exhibitionferroviaire (adj) = related to the rail/railwaygîte (nm) = holiday cottage, vacation rentalmaquette (nf) = small-scale modelminerai (nm) = oreorthodontie (nf) = orthodonticspassage à niveau (nm) = railroad crossingpatrimoine (nm) = heritagepneu (nm) = tyrereconversion professionnelle (nf) = career changevis (nf) = screw

Links and Resources



http://ardeche-gites.fr/dede-lardechois/

museedutrain.fr

https://www.facebook.com/andre.rouy

FV 055 : Real Life Stories around the Beginning of Railway in Epernay: https://frenchvoicespodcast.com/episode55

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In this second part of my interview with Manolo we will talk about his confrérie (a society of people who get together to perpetuate a tradition, a skill): la Confrérie des amateurs de Sagarno de la Bidassoa. This society is currently under process to be part of the Unesco intangible cultural heritage list. Learn the reasons behind the decline then the revival of the art of making “vin de pomme”, the types of apples used for the process, the amount of wine produced by the fellowship. You’ll also find out why drinking wine gives you headaches!



Thank you Mike for putting me in touch with Manolo! If you too know someone who would be a fantastic guest for French Voices, someone with a passion they would love to share, please get in touch!

Vocab List

aléas (nm plur) = hazards, vagaries, contingencies, risks

ascenseur social (nm) = social mobility

cahier des charges (nm) = (bill of) specifications

casse-croûte (nm) (fam) = snack

confrère (nm) = colleague ; fellow, brother

confrérie (nf) = brotherhood, fellowship ; association, society, guild

filer entre les doigts (de qn) = to slip through (sb)'s fingers

grosso modo = roughly

moine (nm) = monk

prendre l'apéro (fam) = prendre l'apéritif = to have an aperitif

pressoir (nm) = press

regain (nm) = renewal, revival, resurgence ; rise

rentable = profitable, money-making

revendiquer sa basquitude = to claim one's basque origins

soufre (nm) = sulphur

valoir le coup = to be worth it

verger (nm) = orchard

Links and Resources



Page Facebook : Bidasoako Sargadozaleen Kofradia

French Voices episode 74 : "La Fine Mousse – the world of craft beer"

Live workshops are back!



More information and bookings open on my events page: https://frenchyourway.com.au/events



If you can’t attend, don’t worry: you will receive the replay video as well as the worksheet and answers.



Upcoming events:



Dictée en français / French dictation



Sunday May 22nd at 9pm Paris time.



Imparfait vs passé composé



Thursday May 26th at 10pm Paris time.



Check out my events page



Subscribe to my newsletter to receive special discount codes for the workshops.



Looking forward to working with you!



Jessica

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This 2-part interview with Manolo will take you to the heart of the French Basque country (Pays Basque), its heritage and its tradition of making “vin de pomme” (also known as “sagardo”, or “sagarno”), which is not the same as the apple cider from Normandy.

The start of the conversation will help you locate the Pays Basque and understand its strong sense of identity. People still wear the beret, speak basque (which is a language in itself, not related to French), play local traditional instruments that the rest of France probably never heard of. Listen to find out how talking about music naturally led us to talking about apples (yes, there’s a link!). By the way, do you know where apples originally come from? What’s the difference between “vin de pomme” and “cidre”? In other words, what’s the difference with how the Basque and the Norman people process their apples? The answers are in this episode.

We’ll talk about the fermentation process of course. We’ll also see why the properties of the sagardo / vin de pomme made it the daily drink on board the ships in the old times.

As you may have understood by now, this interview is all about culture, traditions, heritage, history, about understanding how trade, routes and human exchanges played a central role in the diversity of it all. Last but not least this interview is Manolo sharing his passion with you. We hope you enjoy it.

Vocab List

alambic (nm) = still [alcohol production]baleine franche (nf) = right whalebarrique (nf) = barrel, caskbroyer = to grind, crushclocher (nm) = bell towercontrée (nf) = region, landcouvre-chef (nm) = hat, headgearcroupir = to stagnate [water], to rotfoulage (nm) = pressing, treading, crushingfouler (vt) = to tread, trample, pressfût (nm) = cask, barrel, keghistoire/querelle de clocher = community/parish rivalry ; storm in a teacupmorue (nf) = cod, codfishmûrir = to ripenprendre une pâtée (fam) = to take a thrashingtaquiner = to tease

Links and Resources



Page Facebook : Bidasoako Sargadozaleen Kofradia

French Voices episode 52 : "Champagne Producing with Tristan Hyest"

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Betty Levanqué really is an incredible woman, I would even call her a wonder woman. I’m truly in awe at everything she’s done so far in her life, her stamina, her strength; she’s an inspiration to work hard, be present for your family, love people, give back to others when you can. Betty studied hard, even while becoming the other of a very premature baby with a disability and later on resuming her studies and taking up three courses in three different universities the same year at age... 40. She founded an association to help orphans in Vietnam (where her background is), the food bank of New Caledonia where she lives (banque alimentaire de Nouvelle-Calédonie), owns a real estate agency (Le Café Immobilier) as well as a popular café in Nouméa (Boops Café), and is the president of the APESA, an association supporting business managers burning out and at risk of committing suicide.



The least we can say is that Betty is profoundly humane and committed to making a difference in people’s lives. This is a long, inspiring, feel good interview.

Vocab List

avoir les pieds sur terre = to be grounded

bénévolement (adv) = voluntarily

claquettes (nf plur) = flip flops, slide sandals

cursus (nm) = course, curriculum

gaspillage alimentaire (nm) = food waste

invendu (nm) = unsold article

natte (nf) = mat

néon (nm) = neon light, fluorescent light

orphelinat (nm) = orphanage

remettre (qn) sur les rails = to put (sb) back on track / on the right path

Links



Le Café Immobilier (Facebook)

La Banque Alimentaire de Nouvelle-Calédonie

Boops Café (Facebook)

Apesa NC

Follow my Dream

French Voices, episode 126: (Part 1) Representing Belgium abroad: the work of a consul

French Voices, episode 127: (Part 2) Representing Belgium abroad: the work of a consul

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Betty Levanqué really is an incredible woman, I would even call her a wonder woman. I’m truly in awe at everything she’s done so far in her life, her stamina, her strength; she’s an inspiration to work hard, be present for your family, love people, give back to others when you can. Betty studied hard, even while becoming the other of a very premature baby with a disability and later on resuming her studies and taking up three courses in three different universities the same year at age... 40. She founded an association to help orphans in Vietnam (where her background is), the food bank of New Caledonia where she lives (banque alimentaire de Nouvelle-Calédonie), owns a real estate agency (Le Café Immobilier) as well as a popular café in Nouméa (Boops Café), and is the president of the APESA, an association supporting business managers burning out and at risk of committing suicide.



The least we can say is that Betty is profoundly humane and committed to making a difference in people’s lives. This is a long, inspiring, feel good interview.



In this episode we’ll start with Betty’s Vietnamese background - this is essential to understand the values of merit, work and endurance that are ever present in her life story. Betty’s name and identity changed when she was 6 years old. Learn interesting facts about Vietnamese names.

Vocab List

au chevet (de qn) = at [sb]'s bedside

avoir plusieurs cordes à son arc / avoir plus d'une corde à son arc = to have more than one string to one's bow

dépayser (qn) = be a break of [sb]'s routine, be a change of scenery

doudoune (nf) = down / winter / puffa jacket

guichetier, ière (n) = ticket salesperson

hypokhâgne (nf) = intensive foundation degree in literature

khâgne (nf) = literature foundation course

métissé,e (adj) = mix-race

parler à bâtons rompus = to talk about this and that, to jump from one topic to another

patronyme (nm) = surname, family name

prépa / classe préparatoire (nf) = preparatory class

sauter / passer du coq à l'âne = to jump from one subject to another

trame (nf) = outline

Links



Le Café Immobilier (Facebook)

La Banque Alimentaire de Nouvelle-Calédonie

Boops Café (Facebook)

Apesa NC

Follow my Dream