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The trou normand. A very old custom which consists of drinking a glass of calvados in the middle of a festive meal. And it's also found in other regions of France. It's less and less common, and has been modified over time, but the tradition of the trou normand is still very much alive. There are also other regional 'holes' to discover with Monsieur de France.
It seems that the cocktail was invented in the United States, where the word appeared in 1803. If we consider that a cocktail is a mixture with an alcohol base, France has invented many cocktails. From the simplest, which can be found in a café, such as the "mauresque" or the "perroquet", to the most elaborate, such as the "marquisette", the "soupe angevine" or the Punch Lorrain.
The Phrygian cap is one of the great symbols of the French Revolution and, more broadly, of the French Republic. It caps Marianne (the Republic) and is also the origin of the "phryges", the mascots of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Originally, the cap was worn by freedmen of the Roman Empire, in other words, those who had been freed from slavery. It was this history that led the Parisian "sans culottes" to make it their symbol at the time of the Revolution, because it symbolized the accession to Liberty.
It was the Greeks who invented the Olympic Games over 3,000 years ago, but it was a Frenchman, Pierre de Coubertin, who resurrected them after they had disappeared. The initiator of the modern Olympic Games, and thus of PARIS 2024, he knew what he was talking about, as he was a great sportsman himself. Meet a man who left his mark on the history of mankind.
Quinces are a little-known fruit today, but our grandmothers loved them. They used to make delicious quince jelly in autumn. Here's the recipe from Monsieur de France.
French expressions
France
what does "à vos souhaits" (to your wishes) mean in French?
Jérôme Prod'homme
"A vos souhaits!" (to your wishes" is what we say in France to someone who sneezes in our presence. It's an old expression from the Middle Ages, and Monsieur de France tells the story.
French expressions
France
What does "on n'est pas sortis de l'auberge" mean in French?
Jérôme Prod'homme
Overwhelmed with work, or not seeing the end of a problem for a long time to come, French people sometimes say "on n'est pas sortis de l'auberge" We didn't get out of the inn to say "we're not out of the woods". The expression has a long history, dating back to the 15th century. And the inn is not at all, but not at all, a hostelry. In fact, it's a prison.
Mulled wine is a must at Christmas markets. It can be famous when it's well made, and Monsieur de France will give you this recipe, along with tips and tricks for making a good mulled wine to enjoy at home.
"Etre en grève" means to be on strike, so not to work in order to protest and make demands. This expression is very old, but it didn't have the same meaning in the beginning. To be on strike was even to look for work.
You and me, when we meet a man we don't know, we call him "monsieur". But why? With Monsieur de France, discover the origins of commonly used French words and expressions...
