An alphabetical introduction to France (part 1 - A-M)
For those of you who have never visited France, or are planning a first trip, here is a light-hearted but handy alphabetical run-down of trivia that it might be useful to know.
A is for….Asterix the Gaul, a pugnacious little fellow who completely encapsulates the French personality. Created as a cartoon character by Albert Uderzo nearly fifty years ago, his ongoing battles with the Roman Army in 50 BC have entertained a generation of readers world- wide.
B is for …boules, a game played mostly by men, in dusty village squares the length and breadth of the country. Played with heavy metal balls, the rules to a non-French bystander are pretty obscure but don’t let this alarm you as you will rarely be invited to join in.
C is for… cassoulet, a type of bean stew found in multitudinous restaurants in the southwest of the country. The ingredients can vary from town to town, but Toulouse sausage is a vital part of the dish, along with ‘lingot’ beans ( a dried bean of the haricot variety, grown around Tarbes). Duck, lamb or pork is added depending on which town it is being served in.
D is for… De Gaulle, the famous wartime leader who directed the Free French from exile in London, and returned to become France’s first post- WW2 president. Equally famous for persistently saying ‘Non’ to Britain’s application to join the EU (or Common Market as it was then) in the 1950’s.
E is for… Eiffel Tower. Constructed in Paris in 1889 by Gustave Eiffel, it is without doubt the most iconic symbol of the French capital. Previous to that, in 1885, Eiffel had collaborated with the sculptor Frederic Bartholdi to design the frame work of the Statue of Liberty in New York harbour.
F is for… frites, otherwise known as French fries or chips. A plate of freshly cooked frites and Archachon mussels is a marriage made in heaven.
G is for… Gerard Depardieu, France’s most famous modern actor, who has successfully made the transition from French cinema to a worldwide audience.He was a USA Academy Award and BAFTA nominee in 1991 for ‘ Cyrano de Bergerac’, whilst the year before (1990) he won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival for the same film.
H is for… hôtel de ville, or town hall. These imposing buildings are found in the centre of all French towns and are home to the bureaucracy that runs France. Tourists have been known to try to book a room, or order a round of drinks from the enquiries desk. The word ‘hôtel’ in this instance does not mean what it implies.
I is for… Ile de France, the first major liner to be built after the WW1, she was the largest passenger carrier afloat, and with her ultra-modern Art Deco fittings was the epitome of French chic. Her maiden voyage,in 1927, was from Le Havre to New York.
J is for…Jaques Tati (b.1907, d.1982) As both a director and an actor his portrayals of an inept man struggling to come to terms with modern society were classics of French film making from the late 1940s to 1971.Although considered to be the embodiment all things French, Tati was actually of Russian descent.
K is for…képi, a military cap with a flat, circular crown and a peak. Famously worn by city ‘gendarmes’, the French Foreign Legion, and almost permanently by General De Gaulle during WW2
L is for…lingerie, a delightful French word redolent with naughtiness, which has attained standard usage in the English language when describing fancy underwear. Contrary to it’s image of frilly, lacy sexiness, the literal translation of the word is actually ‘linen wear’.
M is for… Monet (b 1840, d.1926) The father of Impressionism, Claude Monet was a prolific painter and his works have been reproduced on everything from posters to coffee mugs. Probably best known for his many impressionist paintings of water lilies.
Part 2 is available HERE
