This page is a collection of random, fun and/or useful stuff that I'd like to share with you. If you'd like to comment, it's also a chance to have a French-related conversation outside of class. Say what you want, as long as it's within the realm of Frenchiness.
Let's Talk Frenchy!
November 4, 2009
This is cool! Take a virtual tour of the Cave of Lascaux!
In the 1940's a group of teens discovered this cave by accident, and came across some of the best prehistoric paintings ever found. The cave became a huge tourist attraction, but by 1963 the increased carbon dioxide levels from all those visitors was causing too much damage to the paintings. The cave was closed to the public, and now the only way to see the paintings is to be among the chosen few who are permitted entrance. Of course there's Lascaux II, an exact replica of the original site, or you can just click here.
April 24, 2009
'Vous me dégoûtez!" Not really, it just goes with this face. Let la Joconde (or Mona Lisa) help you remember a few adjectives. Or just go mess with her
March 23, 2009
This French "génie" knows what you're thinking! Pick a famous person and through a series of "oui" and "non" questions, the génie will guess who you're thinking about. He didn't get Danny Kaye (neither would most of you) but he got all the current famous people I could think of, and a number of dead ones. He can even get fictional characters, but that's a little trickier since some of our fictional characters are different. (We sometimes read different books and watch different TV shows.) Anyway, try it out, practice your French and stump the génie! Akinator, le génie du Web
March 23, 2009
Do you want to improve your French and also learn more about French culture? There's a terrific blog and podcast you should check out, called "One Thing in a French Day". The author, whose name is Laetitia, makes a weekly podcast about, you guessed it, one thing. She speaks and writes in French, but since it's aimed non-native speakers, she speaks reasonably slowly and clearly. You can visit her website to follow along and sign up to receive her podcast (also available on itunes). Very cool!
October 31, 2008
Voici Halloween, c'est ça Halloween! Sing along with the citizens of Halloween, la ville du crime! C'est ça Halloween! posted 10/31/2008 2:18 PM
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October 12, 2008
Check out these cool 360° views of Paris. Kind of makes me dizzy, but it's still cool.
September 14, 2008
I'm sure many of you have heard of (or even visited) FreeRice, where you can help curb world hunger while simultaneously practicing English vocabulary skills. What, you haven't tried it? Well, for every correct answer, FreeRice makes a donation to the UN World Food Program, and I know you can get a lot of right answers. But why would I have a link to FreeRice in the "Let's Talk Frenchy" section Chez Sousbois? Well because now FreeRice includes other subjects, including French! So go learn more French and help the hungry at the same time. FreeRice FRENCH! posted 9/14/2008 8:45 PM
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September 14, 2008
Love French (mais oui, bien sûr) and Disney movies? Did you know you can find clips of your favorite Disney movies in FRENCH floating around in cyberspace? Here's a link sent in by Catherine M-K of her favorite (the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Do you have one I should add here too? Catherine, je te remercie pour ce clip! Les Cloches de Notre Dame posted 9/14/2008 6:19 PM
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August 27, 2008
Attention armchair travelers! Go to Geobeats and check out this video (and plenty of others while you're at it). I must be hungry, because I chose to link to this one about visiting a parisian boulangerie-pâtisserie. Gotta love the guide, Sophie, and her obvious love of good treats! See it here!Geobeats posted 8/27/2008 12:44 AM
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March 25, 2008
Ever wonder how many French people actually have the same French name as the one you chose? Maybe you want to find out the favorite colors, supposed characteristics and average age of the people who share your name. If so, click on the link below and see what you can discover! Best of Prénoms posted 3/25/2008 4:44 PM
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March 12, 2008
On March 11, 1978, the king of kitsch, Claude François (Cloclo to his gazillion fans) died in a bizarre accident involving broken lamp and a bath tub. I'm sure if he had given the matter some thought, Cloclo might have considered waiting to repair that lamp until AFTER exiting the tub, but being obsessively tidy, he apparently couldn't relax with that broken bulb staring him in the face. His death came as a complete shock to the nation, (I couldn't resist that one, sorry) and I've no doubt that Claude François memorials occurred all over France to commemorate his death and his many contributions to French popular music. Follow the links below for Cloclo mania!
February 14, 2008
A perfect song for Valentine's Day coupled with a clever animation.
Here are the lyrics: See if you can follow along!
À quoi ça sert l'amour ?
Paroles et Musique: Michel Emer 1962
note: duo: Edith Piaf et Théo Sarapo
Théo : A quoi ça sert l'amour ? On raconte toujours Des histoires insensées. A quoi ça sert d'aimer ?
Édith : L'amour ne s'explique pas ! C'est une chose comme ça, Qui vient on ne sait d'où Et vous prend tout à coup.
Théo : Moi, j'ai entendu dire Que l'amour fait souffrir, Que l'amour fait pleurer. A quoi ça sert d'aimer ?
Édith : L'amour ça sert à quoi ? A nous donner d' la joie Avec des larmes aux yeux... C'est triste et merveilleux !
Théo : Pourtant on dit souvent Que l'amour est décevant, Qu'il y en a un sur deux Qui n'est jamais heureux...
Édith : Même quand on l'a perdu, L'amour qu'on a connu Vous laisse un goût de miel L'amour est éternel!
Théo : Tout ça, c'est très joli, Mais quand tout est fini, Il ne vous reste rien Qu'un immense chagrin...
Édith : Tout ce qui maintenant Te semble déchirant, Demain, sera pour toi Un souvenir de joie !
Théo : En somme, si j'ai compris, Sans amour dans la vie, Sans ses joies, ses chagrins, On a vécu pour rien ?
Édith : Mais oui ! Regarde-moi ! A chaque fois j'y crois Et j'y croirai toujours... Ça sert à ça, l'amour ! Mais toi, t'es le dernier, Mais toi, t'es le premier ! Avant toi, 'y avait rien, Avec toi je suis bien ! C'est toi que je voulais, C'est toi qu'il me fallait ! Toi qui j'aimerai toujours... Ça sert à ça, l'amour !...
January 11, 2008
Okay, so the Flight of the Conchords are not French, but they prove just how far you can get with a year of high school French and a few stereotypes. I'm totally Foux da fa fa, are you?
October 25, 2007
Check out this mystery of la cimitière Père Lachaise and le Mausolée Strogonoff Demidoff. Was (Is?)this princess more than just a simple rich girl? Le mystère Strogonoff posted 10/25/2007 5:52 PM
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October 24, 2007
This is kind of cool, that is, if you like random music filmed in public places. Follow this link to the blogothèque where you can view and download videos of "concerts to go". See and hear musicians singing and strolling all around Paris. And these aren't just a bunch of unknowns (well, some of them probably are). Visit the site and you're sure to find links to bands you know and love. Of Montreal, the Shins, the Kooks(!) some Frenchy bands and a whole bunch of others I never heard of. Very fun.
September 14, 2007
K-K-K-K-Kanada! Visit the official site of Loco Locass, a québécois hip hop group that advocates the separation of Quebec from the rest of Cananda. From this site you can download a couple of songs and a video, "La censure pour l'échafaud". The song is hard to understand, but it's still a fun one, even if you don't get all the political and cultural references. Or many of the words. I like it.
September 7, 2007
Check out the observations of an american living in rural France at La France Profonde. Visit the blog of bcinfrance (who used to teach at OHS) and see what's new. Or oftentimes, what's old.
August 31, 2007
Follow the link below to see a real American Lesson according to a very funny French comedy group, "Les Deschiens". And yes, they know they're not really speaking English--it's just an impression of how Americans look and sound to them.
June 21, 2007
This is not for the faint of heart, but it's a pretty funny flash movie. You have the power of the click, so you can see it at your own pace. You'll probably want to watch again and again. If you can take it. Alban Fait du Vélo posted 6/21/2007 5:09 PM
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May 17, 2007
I confess, I love Jacques Higelin. I didn't used to, but then I saw him in concert and got converted. He's been around since the 60's and is quite theatrical in all of his incarnations. You may see him as kind of a creepy old dude, but he's actually a pretty cool guy. I gotta love him! (But not like I love Yves Montand.) Here's what Wikipedia has to say about his career:
Jacques Joseph Victor Higelin (born 18 October 1940 in Brou-sur-Chantereine, Seine-et-Marne, France) is a French pop singer who rose prominence in the early 1970s. Early in his career, many of Higelin's songs were effectively blacklisted from French radio because of his controversial left wing political beliefs, and his association with socialist groups. He and his wife, Kuelan, are the parents of three children, including musician Arthur H and actor Ken Higelin.
Higelin's entertainment career began at age 14, when he left school to work as a stunt double. While playing a number of small roles in various motion pictures, Higelin was taught to play the guitar by Henri Crolla, an Italian film composer. By the early sixties, Higelin was attending the René Simon drama school, where he won the François Perier award.
For two years starting in 1961, Higelin served in the French military. Upon returning to France, he resumed his cinematic career, but increasingly began to focus on music over film. By the end of the decade, he was also very active in the artistic underground in Paris, and he began to channel his music towards radical militancy. He began attracting popular attention through his live concerts, typically held in smaller venues, and released his first solo album, in 1971. By the middle of the 1970s, Higelin had become one of France's most successful musicians, and he remains influential to this day.
Here are some links to some of his videos available online: Rousse au Chocolat
March 4, 2007
Thanks Jason, for introducing us to Kamini! This wannabe hip hop artist doesn't sing about life in the city, but about his life in rural France. It's funny, but also makes a point about experiencing racism. This song became a hit on the internet, and Kamini was offered a recording contract. Click on the links to watch the video, visit his official website or sing along with the lyrics posted 3/4/2007 11:55 AM
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February 14, 2007
Here's a site where you can hear the same lovely song sung in your choice of languages. Listen to the English version first, then try to imagine what words you'd hear in French, (or any of the other possible languages). Really, it's more fun than it sounds.... :-) Love Song Generator posted 2/14/2007 6:51 PM
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February 4, 2007
I revisited a wonderful site called "slow travel" the other day. It's all about the pleasure of taking time to discover the areas you visit, rather than doing a speed tour of famous monuments and sites. The website is well organized and the section about France is chock full of worthy information! Check it out, and when you do,make sure you visit the photo section!
December 31, 2006
Ever wonder what the places you're learning about actually look like? Or maybe you have an address of a home or business in France, and you'd like to get a good idea of where it is. Visit les PagesJaunes: Photos de Villes website and you can do just that. Explore a little! Pretty cool. Les Pages Jaunes posted 12/31/2006 2:00 AM
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November 29, 2006
Avez-vous déjà vu? This series of short animated films is shown in France between commercials as a clever ploy to get people to keep watching. You never know when exactly one might turn up, or if it will be worth seeing, but it's a small risk. Here's a link to "l'oeuf" I'm sure more will follow.
November 28, 2006
Holy kitch factory, Batman! Here's a link to a 60's era video of the stylish Serge Gainesbourg and the legendary Brigitte Bardot. Words included. BAM! CRAK! POW! Comic Strip posted 11/28/2006 1:59 AM
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November 21, 2006
Here's a picture of a marchand watching the world go by his Paris épicierie. For more pictures of the capital city, check this link: Paris Pics posted 11/21/2006 9:36 PM
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November 20, 2006
What's the first thing people think of when they think of France? I'm guessing it's Paris, and by extension, the Eiffel Tower. I'll never forget my first real glimpse of that most emblematic monument. Racing through Paris in the back of a taxi, the Tower suddenly came into view. My heart skipped a beat and then everything seemed to shift into slow motion. A pretty cool moment, definitely one worth having. Until you can visit it in person, how about visiting the official Eiffel Tower website? Check out the 360º view. C’est genial! If you visit, send me a postcard! La Tour Eiffel posted 11/20/2006 11:08 PM
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November 19, 2006
I found this sort of Pythonesque bit by a comedy group called "les inconnus" who, despite their name, are very well known in France. I know you'll be able to understand when the "English" are speaking, (it's sort of new French) but listen well to the Frenchies and see what you can catch. It's all in good fun. Vive Thierry la France! posted 11/19/2006 11:19 AM
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November 15, 2006
When it comes to finding Frenchy stuff, technology is definitely our friend. Every day I find new French music--well, mostly I find old French music--but it's new in the sense that I didn't have it until just now. So here's a link to another fun one BELLEVILLE posted 11/15/2006 7:15 PM
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November 14, 2006
So it turns out I'm not so good at this blogging thing, but in case anyone is here to visit, check this link for JORDY. And I thought the nightmare was over....
October 11, 2006
It's true, French is very cool! What's something you love or want to learn more about? I love French food. And traveling in France. And French people. And cheese. And I love some French music and many French movies. And Quebec is pretty loveable too. How about you? posted 10/11/2006 3:35 PM
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Chez Sousbois Olympia High School 1302 North Street Olympia, WA 98501
