By Sarah-Claire Jordan We are now in the last weeks of the Tour de France, the world-famous annual bicycle race that started this year in the Netherlands on July 4th. There are 22 teams participating this year, with 32 different countries represented. The race has many stages, including mountainous terrain, flat terrain, and everything in […]
By Sarah-Claire Jordan The National Library of France, better known as the Bibliothèque nationale de France or BnF, is one of the oldest and largest libraries in Europe. The building itself is located in the capital of France, Paris, and holds a copy of everything published in France. The mission of the National Library of […]
By Sarah-Claire Jordan Belgium is a country in Western Europe that is essentially stuck between two language worlds: the Germanic and the Romance. It can be regionally and linguistically divided into roughly two areas, that of the north and south. The northern region is home to a Dutch-speaking population, while the south speaks French. However, […]
By Sarah-Claire Jordan Louisiana has always been a fascinating area of the U.S. in terms of culture, heritage and people. It is the ultimate melting pot, mixing Native American, French, Spanish, and African influences to create something new and unique. This uniqueness is beautifully expressed in the music, food, and art that the people of […]
By Sarah-Claire Jordan French has always been considered one of the most proper languages, with a strict set of grammar and pronunciation rules that must be followed. This doesn’t mean that its history isn’t full of mixing dialects and the borrowing of words and rules from other languages. Just like most other Romance languages, French […]
So there is no resemblance to cacophony perhaps English speakers should stress the first syllable of Francophonie. This oblong word is the alliance of French speaking countries around the world who probably find their language exquisite sounding. Francophonie has members across all continents, but Belgium and Canada have a special status and it’s not for […]
The mirrors and fenders of cars are gleaming from the sunlight in the first row of a parking lot. Your car has made it to the beach in Miami but all the parking spaces seem to be occupied. One quick look at the license plates and your frustration has found its scapegoat, dozens of cars […]
The Pyrenees mountains between metropoles Barcelona and Bordeaux, Toulouse and Bilbao, are quite modern, juggling tourists, pilgrims, winter athletes, and the principality of Andorra between its peaks. However, the spotlight over this region has exposed in the foothills and the valley of Ossau, on the French side, a tradition quite different than those aforementioned. Unlike […]
