Coquelicot

If you have ever wanted to see behind the scenes at a market or a bakery, Ouiinfrance has several videos for people like us. One of them is called 4am at a French bakery. Diane, the blogger, has made videos of bakers and pastry chefs making croissants, cake, and macarons. The experts show how and give tips and then Diane gives it a go. Fun and useful for when confinement is over and we all open boulangeries-patisseries.

Her newest one is at an indoor market in Cholet. She talks to a cheesemonger, a baker, and a wineseller. She says subtitles are available so I’ll turn those on when I watch it a second time.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSV...Lx4vyAt1CQ5CGw

And if you’re trying to improve your French, for the last three weeks Geraldine of Comme une française has been reading Sleeping Beauty aloud, the original version from the 17th century. You might think that archaic French wouldn’t be of much use, but there’s not a lot of it and she points it out so we can ignore it.

What’s very useful for me is listening to her pronunciation, having the liaisons pointed out, learning some new vocabulary and how to replace old French phrases with modern versions.

She does this live at 7:15pm Paris time, every night, and then the video is available on youtube. We’re nearing the end of La belle au bois dormant and I hope she finds another fairy tale to take us through.

Here’s a link to part 21 but all the episodes are still available on youtube. If you only know the Disney version, this one is apparently different.


Is there anything online you’re aware of that can keep us in touch with France while we plan our next trip?

cheska15

Coquelicot I’m a member of the Aussies in France FB group, and that helps keeping in touch with the day to day life in France, as I love to hear what people are buying in the small markets that are open.

When we return we will do the nine week road trip through the Loire Valley and Northern France we didn’t get to do this time. But then again I would love to return to Provence and explore that area a bit more. Then there is the Luberon area as well. So many places.

I will be watching anything I can over the next few months of lockdown and winter, and your suggestions are wonderful as always. Hope you are keeping well.

rhon

We have been watching a series called Les 100 Lieux qu'il faut voir on Youtube. It goes for about an hour and visits different regions. It is in French of course, but they put a map up and go to different parts of the region. We have quite enjoyed the ones we have seen - a mix of areas we have not visited as well as places we have. Of the latter, it has made us realise that despite our research, we have missed things in places when we were there. And it is also adding to the places we want to visit.
We also regularly watch the French news on TV. At the moment it is all Coronavirus of course. It is dominating everything.
Have a nice Easter. It will be very quiet.

cheska15

rhon this sounds perfect to watch today as it is cold and rainy I will set myself up this afternoon with wine in hand, pen and paper. I’m sure my husband will live another list of places to go lol

lrice

We‘re watching a series called “Call My Agent” and we love it! Also, going through French cookbooks, following photographers on Instagram and a couple of podcasts:

https://www.thesimplyluxuriouslife.c...ench-inspired/

https://joinusinfrance.com/

kerouac

I will propose my own little postcard from Paris from a couple of years ago.

gooster

Like others, I enjoy watching the Les Carnets de Julie sur YouTube. For me, it's a terrific blend of cuisine and travelogue and a view in the daily life of the people of each region. I'll add the "Les 100 Lieux qu'il faut voir" to the rotation as well. I've enjoyed watching the Canal+/BBC joint production of War of the Worlds, 1/2 in French and 1/2 in English. I've been trying to see which French series or film to binge next.

Coquelicot

cheska, I like the idea of a facebook group of Aussies in France. That would be fun to follow on a daily basis. I went to take a look but you have to sign up and I am still, maybe the last person in the world, resistant to facebook.

rhon, I'm surprised you learned of things you missed in the areas you've already visited. From your reports, I always thought you did an impressive job of seeing everything there was to see. Do you think you'll return to some of your previous areas and pick up what you didn't see--as well as adding new places?

lrice, I second Call my agent. I love the characters and can't wait for the next series, but it can't be shown internationally till the whole series has been broadcast in France so it's a long wait. I also like Join us in France and will take a look at your other link.

kerouac, thanks for the look back at normal times. All your videos show that Paris is much more than the well-known tourist draws, as well as what it's like to live there.

rhon, I hadn't heard of Les 100 lieux and tried it out last night. Very enjoyable. Were you the person who mentioned the crime series set in different parts of France? We started watching that since series 1 is available this month for free.

gooster, we have been catching up on old French films through Netflix and I'm sorry to say I'm not as impressed with Nouvelle Vague directors as I should be! Have you seen Visages villages aka Face places by Agnes Varda and JR?

Here's a link to Loire Valley Time Travel's post today. They aren't able to give tours now, so today's post describes what they would have been showing today's client. The top photo is Chedigny, where Rhon and I almost met in 2014 (I think?)

https://loirevalleytours.blogspot.com/

Stay well, everyone.

rhon

Yes, 2014. I was not the one who mentioned the crime series set in France. I have not really looked at what is available on Netflix here in Australia. We have a free to air station here in Australia which has a lot of European shows and we have watched quite a few. It also has the French news each day - the one we watch when we are in France. I am waiting for the next series of The Bureau, but as you say, will probably have to wait until it has aired in France. There are some others set in France but reading the blurb, some sound a bit too gritty for me. I have enjoyed the slightly over the top series based on Agatha Christie stories and set in 50's France. I would have to look up the name. They are amusing and slightly spoofy.

We did watch the Perigord Tricolor one and it spent time around Brantome and Hautefort which we visited in 2008 - seems so long ago - and we had hoped to return to some parts from our base in the Correze this year. So I think, hopefully, we will return to some places we have already visited when this is all over.

Take care.

gooster

@coquelicot - I've seen Visages Villages, yes. The late Agnes Varga and JR made quite the odd couple. I remember seeing the faded poster on the building in Bonnieux and then saw the film about six months later.

kerouac

For a more Parisian take on Agnès Varda, you might want to see her film of reminiscence Les Plages d'Agnès, much of which takes place in her home street of rue Daguerre, which was filled with sand for the occasion.

MaineGG

And Varda by Agnès (2019), her final and farewell film. Tops off an amazing body of work.

Coquelicot

Le bonheur was the first one I saw by Varda but back in those days, directors' names meant nothing to me. When we lived in Philadelphia there were two repertory movie theatres and we saw so many great films on the big screen. I think we've seen everything of hers except The world of Jacques Demy, so I just now put it on my Netflix saved list and ordered One sings the other doesn't to rewatch it.

kerouac, I think you're the person who made me aware of Faces places. I appreciate your encyclopedic knowledge of world film.

Coquelicot

Geraldine Lepere recently finished taking us French learners through The belle au bois dormant and then moved on to the nanofiction of Patrick Baud, very short amusing tales with a twist. He's a clever writer. She started doing this March 19 and hasn't missed a day. I've always enjoyed her short videos but this is even more useful to me and I feel like I'm learning a lot. She has a warm, encouraging manner that I appreciate. Half an hour is a manageable length for me.

I've been watching programs from some of the series that several of you recommended above. At home here we're into gardening at the moment. Maybe I'll look for French garden shows next.

rhon

Coquelicot, you have probably seen Monty Don's French Gardens, but I will mention it anyway. We watched it a few years ago, but I might try to find it again. I enjoy some cooking shows, but they are not easily found. We are fans of Rick Stein and he has a new series but it has not made it to our free to air screens here yet. I loved his barge trip along the canal de Midi from 10+ years ago and have it.

We have not watched anything for a couple of weeks now. We are feeling a bit low, and P in particular is very pessimistic about getting to France for a while. If we were younger, it might not be so bad, but as we approach 70 in a few years it seems a long way off.

Anyway, take care. You are doing a good job at keeping our spirits up during this time.

cheska15

It is wonderful that regulars here are keeping our spirts up.
rhon it is normal to feel a bit flat, and I have come out of a bad patch of feeling like all my dreams have come crashing down. In fact if I was really honest I would say I have been downright miserable. The thought of possible self isolation on entry and departure doesn’t do much to help. It is worrying as you get older. What I’m doing is reading TR on areas to be included in our trip, and hoping that we can get where we want to be in 2021.

StCirq

coquélicot, google jardins français vidéos and you'll find lots of interesting things. I like the Visites Privées series, but they're not of much practical use unless you're landscaping a château!

rhon

Sometimes things accumulate. It was our grandson's 4th birthday yesterday and we are usually there, but he lives in Sydney, a long way away. It was cold and windy here. But a glass of red wine in front of the fire while we watched Les carnets de Julie lifted our spirits. We were delighted to see her visit the village of Eus in the Pyrenees Orientales where we had a gite in 2008. Today is a beautiful day here and we are both healthy. So we are grateful. We will continue to be hopeful for 2021.
Take care everyone.

TDudette

Brava, Coquelicot for starting this thread! Yes, rhon, it would be easier to cope with travel delays if we were younger. Sigh.

Coquelicot

Belated happy birthday to your grandson, rhon. Are you able to keep in touch by facetime or zoom or somehow? I’ll look for that Julie video and then I’ll check out your TR that includes Eus.

Cheska, I think we’re all up and down, down and up. That’s the new normal during this abnormal time. I hope by now you have a comfortable routine worked out.

It looks like Australians are doing a good job keeping the virus limited. I predict Australians and New Zealanders will be the most sought-after foreign travelers when the rest of the world opens up again.

Have any of you come across an old science series called C’est pas sorcier? It was once very popular and some of the shows are on youtube. The host, Jamy, has started a youtube channel during the confinement. He does a very short video each day on a different science topic under the title “Une capsule de déconfiné.” I like the way he ends each program–“We are all still confined, but we remain in touch.” It sounds better in French.

He’s got quite a lot of fans from C’est pas sorcier and now I’m a fan too.

Geraldine Lepere just did her 20th program of Patrick Baud’s nanofiction, really short tales with a twist. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. All her programs are on Youtube under the title Comme une française.

Just when I think I can finally speak French better than a cat, along comes Parole de Chat on youtube and I realize I was wrong. I will say, I don’t swear as much as these cats do, but I’m learning. Some of the short videos on Parole de Chat are hysterical–at least the ones with English subtitles are.

I wish a happy Mother’s day to all of you who are mothers.