Annecy: France’s exciting outdoor capital

As the Pearl of the French Alps, Annecy is arguably one of the most diverse destinations in all of France – and maybe even in Europe. Nestled between majestic mountains and the gentle shores of Lac d’Annecy, this charming place is the perfect base for mountain lovers and water sports enthusiasts. With its stunning Old Town full of historic sights, quaint cafés, and lovely townhouses, history buffs and romantics are sure to get their fix as well. If none of these pique your interest, the huge number of exciting annual events the city hosts surely will. It’s impossible to be bored here!

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Which French do you speak?

French is such a diverse language and its speakers can prove to be extremely creative. Did you know, for instance, that different French speakers use different words to count, that some of them grow up using French words that have a different meaning to that in Standard French, or that they use different idioms depending on where they come from? Well, if you’re interested to know more about the French spoken outside of France, I gladly invite you to read further.

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Vichy – wellness in the heart of France

The beautiful Auvergne region awaits! Vichy is a special spa town with friendly locals located in the heart of France. It overflows with authentic French culture and is surrounded by incredibly beautiful countryside. It’s known as a spa resort because of the many thermal springs in and around the city.

Vichy is the ideal place to learn French whilst discovering the gorgeous French countryside – and why not take advantage of the hydrotherapeutic facilities available in the city while you’re at it?! For a total well-being package, there are lots of exercise and sporting opportunities on offer. Don’t delay: experience Vichy for yourself!

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Shut Up and Go with Apple Languages!

Many of you may already know that we have recently teamed up again with our good friends at Shut Up and Go – this time we’re providing an incredible two weeks of *free* language tuition in France or Spain to the lucky winner!

WHO?

Shut Up and Go was first set up by the itchy-footed duo that is Jo Franco and Damon Dominique over 10 years ago, as a way to share their experiences. Originating with Youtube videos documenting their travels, the pair now have over a million followers across various social media platforms. They’ve also grown the partnership. Now a core team of 4 with over 20 regular contributors, Shut Up and Go provides advice and guidance on what not to miss on your own journey, how to make the most out of your time in any of the hundreds of locations the team have visited, and even about learning new languages. Their Spunky Word of the Day is similar to our own Weird Word Wednesdays, giving viewers the opportunity to learn vocabulary as they browse.

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The French language

Did you know that March 20^th is the United Nations’ ‘French Language Day’? It has been recognised on March 20^th every year since 2010 and celebrates multilingualism and cultural diversity.

To celebrate, here are some interesting facts about the French Language:

French is one of the United Nations’ official languages. The other five official languages of the United Nations are Arabic, Chinese, English, Russian and Spanish.

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My top six places to eat in Toulouse

Hello everyone! In this article, I will be sharing with you my favourite places to eat at in my hometown, Toulouse!

Toulouse has a lot of history, a friendly culture, the most beautiful scenery and some of the most beautiful architecture I have seen. Delightful squares in the centre of the city, small streets running through the houses and plenty to look at in the busy yet relaxed capital of France’s southern Occitanie region. Not to mention the people who are helpful and very charming 😉

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Bordeaux – one of my favourite cities in Europe!

Hello everyone! Having Bordelais (Bordeaux) blood and having lived there for quite some time, I thought it is time write a blog post about things to do in Bordeaux. You might not know what to do with a day or two in one of my favourite cities in Europe. Or, you may be lucky enough to attend a French language course for one week or more.

We have previously written about insider tips, but I want to give you suggestions about my favourite places in Bordeaux to eat and fun things to do. So without further ado, let’s start!

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Gastronomic specialties of southern France

Hello everyone! This post is going to be all about gastronomic specialties from Provence and a little bit beyond. I love food and have been about a bit. You might say that I know a thing or two about the gastronomy in this region!

I grew up in a town in the Var region called Grimaud, which is about an hour and a half away from Aix-en-Provence. My paternal grandmother is from Toulon in Provence. My paternal grandfather grew up in Strasbourg and his family was from Bordeaux. My grandparents on my mother’s side are from Toulouse but have German origins.

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A Day in Paris…the Parisian way!

Hello everyone, Maria here! Today, I am going to write about how to spend a day in Paris the Parisian way, which means avoiding all sorts of mainstream tourist attractions where no real Parisian visits. In fact, many Parisians dread the Champs-Elysees, Eiffel Tower or Louvre. They even pray to never have to set foot in one of these places and some even find them tacky and cheesy.

My guide will include everything from breakfast to dinner as well as all sorts of morning and afternoon activities to make the most of your time in Paris. Full addresses and example prices are listed at the end of this post.

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Why Paris is the perfect place to learn French

I love France’s capital! It’s that simple! The alleged city of love has so much to offer. Paris is a great city to immerse fully in the French language and culture and of course the best place to be in contact with real Parisians.

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