Understanding The French Language Through Their Culture
When you think of the USA, hamburgers and junk food and beer comes to mind… Italy… pizza and pasta… England… fish and chips, but France? France conjures up dreams of freshly baked baguettes and croissants, glasses of ruby red wines and creamy fragrant cheeses, snails and foie gras. It just so happens that discovering French food and wine and taking time to learn French can be a perfect combination. Learning about the French culture through French cuisine and wine gives color and excitement to your French immersion stay at language schools- and it’s delicious!
Different Ways to Experience French Food and Wine
Eat at an Authentic French Restaurant
If French cuisine is thought of as a form of art, it owes this status to the diverse and rich production of its countryside. Every road leads to a splendid food – from the Basque country to Normandy, from Nice to Alsace, from Lyon to the Loire Valley. Eating is about immersing yourself in the local culture. Eating involves participating in a local ritual, sometimes a sacred event but most often a necessary human need. And for the student looking to taste culture through cuisine there are many choices. Often in bigger French cities, you can find restaurants that feature the cuisine of a different region – for example, an Alsatian restaurant in Paris. You can tour France without ever leaving the city where the language schools are.
“ ‘Food in France is still primarily about pleasure,’ says Mark Singer, technical director of cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. ‘Cooking and eating are both past time and pleasure.’ The French might start their day with bread, butter, jam, and perhaps something hot to …” ‘The social act of eating, is part of how we become human, as much as speaking and taking care of ourselves. Learning to eat is learning to become human.‘ ” (ideas.ted.com)
Profit from the chance to practice French sayings and food vocabulary. You can order food in French with the staff. They may be willing to help you with your pronunciation and even answer some of your questions on what certain words mean. Be adventurous! Tasting your way through a new vocabulary is a great way to learn French and culture. People are often welcoming when someone is trying to learn their language. Chances are, you’ll find assistance and maybe even new friends with this method.
Go to a Wine Tasting or a Wine Bar
Wine tasting in France is a truly amazing experience everyone who studies at French language schools or in a French immersion stay needs to try at least once. At its heart, wine is a beverage best enjoyed in the company of others. A little bit of wine knowledge goes a long way by opening doors to new flavors and styles. Exploring wine is an adventure. French wine makers and merchants are a fabulous source of wine expertise and love to share their knowledge with those who are curious. They can give you an unforgettable glimpse into French culture. They love to share their passion and stories. Explore different varieties and domains and regions.
Visit a Cheese Shop
“How can you govern a country which has two hundred and forty-six varieties of cheese?“
(Comment voulez-vous gouverner un pays qui a deux cent quarante-six variétés de fromage?)
Charles de Gaulle
Cheese is an integral part of the French culture and a source of great pride for the French. True cheese aficionados prefer their cheese at center stage. For them, a cheese course — presented after the main dish and before dessert — is the purest way to savor and celebrate milk’s gifts to the table. Every city in France has shops that specialize in cheese. A visit to one of these stores during a French immersion course is a wonderful chance to see some of the many varieties of cheese that may be new to you, but you can also taste before you buy. The cheese vendors are wonderful resources to discover new tastes and you can learn about how cheese is produced and the many different cheese regions and their specialties.
Shop at a French Marché
You can find a marché in most towns in France. Local producers of all kinds and varieties of goods from honey, fruits, olives, meats, vegetables and a multitude of colorful and seasonal produce. Vendors love to discuss their wares with their customers even sharing recipes and cooking advice. You can taste, learn new expressions and phrases for food and cooking, and practice your French that is taught at French language schools.
“Since 1411 France has had a system in place called the AOC — which stands for “controlled designation of origin” — to keep their food products up to the highest standard. France takes great pride and goes to great lengths to guarantee the quality of specialty and regional foods. From butter to lavender to lentils to honey, rest assured you’ve got the best and most authentic product if it’s got the AOC seal. “ (www.huffingtonpost.com)
Your French immersion experience can be taken to a whole new level when mixed with discovering the french food, wine, cheese, and culture of France. Bon appétit !! A votre santé !!