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08/23/2024

FRENCH PHRASE OF THE DAY...

"Faire la grasse matinée" - roughly pronounced fair lah grass mah-tee-nay - translates as ‘do the fat or greasy morning’.

Surprisingly, it doesn’t have anything to do with a full English breakfast, but rather it means ‘to sleep in’ or ‘to have a lie-in’, depending which side of the Atlantic you’re from.

Note that 'faire la grasse matinée' is often shortened to 'faire la grasse mat'.

This expression is an old one, going back to at least the 16th century, when 'dormir la grasse matinée' was used.

Despite a popular misconception about the physical effects of staying in bed all morning, linguists believe that the use of the word 'grasse' had more to do with the ‘thickness’ or ‘softness’ of deep sleep.

That means that 'faire la grasse matinée' is well entrenched in the French lexicon, so feel free to use it in any situation, but if you want a synonym you could also say 'dormir t**d' (‘sleep late’).

Use it like this: On fait toujours la grasse matinée le dimanche. - We always sleep in on Sunday.

Au lieu d’aller au travail, elle a décidé de faire la grasse matinée. - Instead of going to work, she decided to have a lie in.

08/22/2024

FRENCH PHRASE OF THE DAY...

"Pendaison de crémaillère" - roughly pronounced pahn-day-zon duh cray-my-air - is French term for housewarming party, though it literally translates to 'trivet hanging'.

It tends to be shortened to 'crémaillère' only, so you might hear 'Je fais ma crémaillère ce soir!' - 'My housewarming is tonight!'

As for the origins of the phrase, it originated in the Middle Ages. Centuries ago, when the construction of a house was finished, it was tradition to invite everyone who helped build the house for a meal.

Hosts then cooked using a heavy pot they would hang on a notched trivet or rack in the chimney - called a 'crémaillère'. This item was the last to be set up, and it marked the moment the family would really begin living there.

'Crémaillères' were essential in homes until at least the 19th century, but these days, the term has stuck around despite the use of modern ovens, stoves and microwaves.

Housewarming parties are usually thrown within the first few months after moving in. The festivities involved in the 'crémaillère' depend on the person hosting - they might throw a big party or perhaps host a buffet-style dinner for close friends.

Some people host the party as soon as they move in, while others wait until the home has been fully furnished and decorated.

If you are invited to one, know it is customary to bring a gift for the host, like a candle, a plant or small decorative items, kitchen utensils or simply a nice bottle of wine.

If you are hosting one in a shared building, you may want to leave a small note for your neighbours informing them you'll be having people over, or consider inviting them. This might be a good moment to plug into your local community.

Use it like this: J'organise ma pendaison de crémaillère mardi. J'espère que vous pourrez venir ! - I am hosting my housewarming party on Tuesday. I hope you guys can come!

Sarah fête sa crémaillère ce soir, mais je n'ai pas encore eu le temps de lui acheter un cadeau. - Sarah's having a house-warming party tonight, but I haven't had time to buy her a present yet.

08/21/2024

FRENCH PHRASE OF THE DAY...

"À la louche" - roughly pronounced ah lah loosh - translates as ‘by the ladle’ or ‘a ladleful’.

You might see this in an old cookbook or as a spoken instruction when cooking with a French person, but the phrase is not only reserved for the kitchen.

'À la louche' can be used in plenty of other circumstances, and it has been around since the Middle Ages.

Colloquially, it is a way to say ‘approximately’ or ‘roughly’, giving the image of someone scooping soup or another liquid with a ladle, even though it is not a precise measuring tool. One person’s ladle might be significantly larger (or smaller) than another’s.

There are several synonyms for 'à la louche' in French, including 'environ', 'à peu près', 'en gros', 'plus ou moins' and 'approximativement'.

As for the word 'louche', which English speakers might recognise as a way to refer to a person with semi-questionable morals. 'Louche' does have a second meaning in French besides ‘ladle’. It can also be used to describe someone or something that ‘is not clear or honest’.

Use it like this: Ne notez pas cela par écrit, c'est juste mon estimation à la louche. - Don't put that in writing, it's just a rough estimate.

Il m'a dit que les réparations coûteraient à la louche €150. - He told me that the repairs would cost around €150.

08/20/2024

FRENCH WORD OF THE DAY...
"Destitution" - roughly pronounced deh-stih-to-see-ohn - is a ‘false friend’ with the English term. In French, it does not refer to extreme poverty, but rather it is defined as “the action of removing or depriving someone from their office, job or function”.
It is also defined as “the most serious disciplinary action taken against a ministerial official or certain civil servants.”
Most of the time when you hear 'destitution' used it would be to discuss the impeachment of a president.
So far, no French president has ever been impeached, and the constitutional article allowing for the process was only added in 2007.
In order to impeach a French president, there is a lengthy parliamentary process that requires the agreement of more than two thirds of both legislative chambers.
Use it like this: Le sénateur a proposé l'idée de la destitution du président. - The senator proposed the idea of impeaching the president.
J'aimerais qu'une procédure de destitution soit engagée. Ce président se comporte comme un dictateur depuis trop longtemps. - I would like to see an impeachment proceeding invoked. This president has acted like a dictator for too long.

08/19/2024

FRENCH PHRASE OF THE DAY...

"Septième art" - roughly pronounced seht-ee-ehm arr - translates as the ‘seventh art’. In France, this is a way of referring to cinema and film.

As such, you might hear people discussing the ‘seventh art’ during a film award show, such as the Césars or the Cannes film festival. It may also come up when a renowned actor has made headlines - usually expressed in print as 'le 7e art'.

The French have a strong love for 'le septième art', the country of the Lumière brothers and the French New Wave.

Philosophers have been trying to classify different forms of art for hundreds of years, but Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel’s 19th century ranking seems to have stuck around, particularly in France.
Hegel initially categorised the five major art forms as architecture, sculpture, painting, music, and poetry.

Later on, others added to the ranking to include art forms that were popularised in the 20th century such as cinema, radio and television while 'la bande dessinée' (graphic novels and comic books) were added in ninth place.

France’s ministry of culture has also got involved with classifying art forms, and in 2006 they officially recognised video games as the 'dixième art', or tenth art.

Use it like this: L'acteur légendaire est l'un des grands noms de l'histoire du septième art. - The legendary actor is one of the great names in the history of cinema.
Des passionnés du septième art se sont réunis pour le festival du film. - Fans of the cinema gathered together for the film festival.

www.europeanamericantravel.com

08/19/2024

FRENCH PHRASE OF THE DAY...

"Avoir la dalle" - roughly pronounced ah-vwar lah dahl - is slang for 'I'm very hungry'. Normally, people say 'j'ai très faim' to describe feeling famished, but this is a more colloquial way to go about it.

As such, you wouldn't hear a fancy French lady say 'j'ai la dalle'.
The origin of the phrase goes back to medieval times, and it has nothing to do with the Indian lentil dish (that is spelled 'dal', not 'dalle').

The French word 'dalle' was first used in the 14th century, when it was a term for ‘mouth’ or 'throat', according to the French web dictionary l’Internaute.

The expression 'avoir la dalle' came much later, sometime during the 19th century.

Another expression including dalle is 'avoir la dalle en pente', which means being able to drink a lot of alcohol. You might also hear someone say 'crever la dalle', which also means 'I'm starving'.

Aside from using the word dalle, the French language has several other ways to describe being hungry. You can also try the expression 'crever de faim' (also quite colloquial), or the less informal options of 'mourir de faim' (dying of hunger) and 'avoir un faim de loup' (hungry as a wolf).

Use it like this: J’ai la dalle, on va bouffer? - I’m starving, let’s eat?
J'ai la dalle, je vendrais ma grand-mère pour un tic-tac - I'm so hungry, I'd sell my grandmother for a Tic-Tac.

On va faire du sport? Non, j'ai trop la dalle - Let's work out? No, I'm too hungry.

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08/18/2024

The French have developed an entire cultural tradition around the idea of an afternoon snack. It's called "le goûter" - roughly pronounced luh goo-tay - and here's what you need to know about it.
With all those patisseries and viennoiseries tempting the tastebuds in high street boulangerie after boulangerie, there can be little wonder that France - which takes food very seriously - has also invented the correct time to eat them.

Let us introduce you to the cultural tradition of 'le goûter' - the noun of the verb “to taste”, and a cultural tradition in France dating back into the 19th century, perhaps even as far back as the Renaissance ... allowing for the fact that people have snacked for centuries, whether or not it had a formal name.

It refers to a very particular snack time, usually at around 4pm daily. This is the good news.

The bad news is that, officially, 'le goûter' is reserved for children. This is why many schools, nurseries and holiday activity centres offer it and offices don't. The idea is that, because the family evening meal is eaten relatively late, this mid-afternoon snack will keep les enfants from launching fridge raids, or bombarding their parents with shouts of, “j’ai faim!”.

Most adults, with their grown-up iron will-power, are expected to be able to resist temptation in the face of all that pastry, and live on their three set meals per day. 'Le grignotage' - roughly pronounced luh green yo tahj - snacking between meals - is frowned on if you're much older than your washing machine.

But, whisper it quietly, but just about everyone snacks ('grignoter'), anyway - a baguette that doesn’t have one end nibbled off in the time it takes to travel from boulanger to table isn’t a proper baguette. Besides, why should your children enjoy all the treats?

We’re not saying ignore the nutritionists, but if you lead an active, reasonably healthy lifestyle, a bite to eat in the middle of the afternoon isn’t going to do any harm.

It’s a relatively light snack - we’re not talking afternoon tea here. Think a couple of biscuits, a piece of cake, a pain au chocolat (or chocolatine, for right-thinking people in southwest France), piece of fruit, pain au lait, a croissant, yoghurt, compote, or a slice of bread slathered in Nutella.

Things might get a little more formal if friends and their children are round at the 'goûter' hour - a pre-visit trip to the patisserie may be a good idea if you want to avoid scratching madly through the cupboards and don’t have time to create something tasty and homemade.

'Le goûter' in action: Pour le goûter aujourd’hui, on a eu un gâteau - For snack today, we had some cake.

Veuillez fournir un goûter à votre enfant - Please provide an afternoon snack for your child.

J’ai faim! Je peux avoir un goûter? - I’m hungry! Can I have a snack?

08/17/2024

DOGS, CAFÉS, BARS, AND RESTAURANTS IN FRANCE...

There is no law that directly bans dogs from cafés, bars, or restaurants. However, it remains at the discretion of the management of individual venues to decide whether they allow dogs to enter.

Most are likely to say yes – they want your custom, after all – but they are within their rights to refuse and it's polite to ask.

In practice it's very common for people to take dogs to a bar or café, especially if you're sitting outside on the terrace - if you're on a crowded terrace make sure you watch where you are stepping, you don't want to accidentally tread on anyone's tail.

The nicer servers will routinely bring a bowl of water for your furry friend along with your order, but remember that it's up to you to keep your pet under control.

Bars, cafés or restaurants are legally required to allow guide dogs or assistance dogs accompanying anyone with a valid disability card. For hygiene reasons, even guide dogs are not allowed in food preparation areas, and must be kept under control.

Guide dogs are less common in France than they are in the UK, so you may need to specifically explain that your dog is a registered guide dog or assistance dog, and show a disability card.

www.europeanamericantravel.com

08/16/2024

FRENCH PHRASE OF THE DAY...

"Haut-le-cœur" - roughly pronounced oh luh kerr - translates as ‘up the heart’ or ‘top the heart’.

When heard aloud, you might think someone is saying ‘oh my heart’, as the ‘haut’ is pronounced like ‘oh’.

In reality, it means to gag or retch from nausea, so you might hear it used when a person feels like they are about to vomit.

Similarly, it can be used more figuratively, as a way to express disgust or repulsion. If someone says “cela me donne des haut-le-cœur,” that is another way of saying “That disgusts me”.

It is similar to the French phrase 'mal au coeur', which means to feel nauseous or sick to your stomach.

Be careful not to confuse 'haut-le-cœur' with 'haut les cœurs', which is an expression dating back to the Middle Ages and means ‘to keep spirits up’ or ‘to move forward with great enthusiasm’.

As for why the heart is implicated in matters of the stomach, it is possible that this is due to confusion in the 13th century between the Latin word ‘cor’ (heart) and the Greek word ‘cardia’ (meaning both the opening of the stomach and the heart).

The Greek word is where we get the word 'cardiac' to refer to heart-related medical matters, and if you want to talk about heart problems in French you would say 'les problèmes cardiaques' or 'les maladies cardiaques' (heart disease).

Use it like this: Il s'est déplacé vers le bord du bateau et a semblé avoir des haut-le-cœur. C'est peut-être le mal de mer. - He moved to the edge of the boat and seemed to gag. It’s possibly seasickness.

Je ne peux pas regarder cette horrible émission sans avoir des haut-le-cœur. Elle me dégoûte. - I cannot watch that horrible TV show without retching. It disgusts me.

08/15/2024

SIT AT A TABLE OR STAND AT THE BAR?...

I recently posted about drink etiquette in France and a reader commented about something that was mentioned in the post.

Namely that many bars have a different price scale depending on whether one orders a drink at the bar or while occupying a table, ordering from a server.

The reader observed that most places in small towns and rural areas, there is no price difference. I personally have nearly always seen price differences, even in rural France.

I live in Paris, where there is definitely a price difference. If one orders from a server, the price is higher, since one has to compensate for the server's wage.

`Have you ever noticed such a price difference?

08/14/2024

FRENCH WORD OF THE DAY...

You'll see "l'Assomption" - roughly pronounced as lah-somp-sion - a lot at this time of year. It refers to the Christian festival marking the day when the Virgin Mary ascended into heaven. In English the festival is known as Assumption or 'the Assumption of the Virgin Mary'.

And references to the August 15th festival - which is a public holiday in France, hence even non-Christians getting excited about it - are pretty much all that this word is used for in day-to-day French chat.

What doesn't it mean?

If you want to refer to 'making an assumption' in everyday life - i.e. coming to a conclusion without evidence - you would use the French words 'supposition' or perhaps 'hypothèse'. Both these words refer to something that you think is true, but you aren't sure or lack evidence.

'Supposer' - to assume - is a classic 'er' verb, but if you want to talk about 'making an assumption' you use the verb faire e.g. 'il fait une supposition' (he makes an assumption).

You can also use the verbs 'présumer' (to presume something) or 'imaginer' (to guess) if you want to say that you think something is correct but you aren't completely sure.

For example: J'ai supposé que le magasin serait ouvert le dimanche, mais je me suis trompé - I assumed that the shop would be open on Sundays, but I was wrong.

Supposer, c'est stupide - It's stupid to assume.

But what about the French verb 'assumer'?

This is a classic 'faux ami' (false friend) and doesn't mean assuming at all, it in fact means to admit or to accept something.

You might hear people using it to take responsibility for something, especially something controversial or unpopular.

Macron: J'assume totalement la réforme des retraits - Macron: I take total responsibility for the pension reform.

08/13/2024

FRENCH PHRASE OF THE DAY...

"Le week-end prochain" - roughly pronounced luh week end pro-shehn - translates as ‘next weekend’ in English.

'Weekend' is one of the most common anglicisms that was imported into French (although it's spelled with a hyphen in France). In the francophone regions of Canada, however, the language purists scorn anglicisms and say 'fin de semaine' (or FDS).

But while 'le week-end' is pretty easy to translate, it's the prochain bit that can lead to miscommunications with French people.

In French, 'prochain' literally means next. There is not the same distinction between ‘this’ (upcoming) versus ‘next’ (of the following week).

As such, 'le week-end prochain' is more akin to ‘this weekend’ by Anglophone standards.

If you want to say ‘next Saturday’ in the English sense - ie the Saturday after this one - you would not say 'samedi prochain', but you could say either 'samedi en huit' (Saturday in eight days) or test out 'samedi de la semaine prochaine' (Saturday of the next week).

The same pattern applies for all days of the week; let's say that it's Monday and a French person refers to 'mercredi prochain', they mean the Wednesday in two days' time, not the one in nine days' time.

All of this should be taken with a grain of salt though - the English language is constantly influencing French, and more French people have adopted the ‘this vs. next’ way of speaking that is done in English.

As such, the best thing to do is to clarify the exact date. You could say 'le samedi 5' (Saturday the 5th) or 'le 5 mars' (March 5th) to avoid a misunderstanding.

Use it like this: Je vais au festival de musique le week-end prochain et je dois faire mes valises rapidement car je prendrai le train demain pour arriver un peu plus tôt. - I am going to a music festival this weekend. I have to pack my bags quickly because I’m taking the train tomorrow to get there a little early.

Nous avons eu un malentendu lorsque j'ai inscrit la fête sur le calendrier pour le week-end prochain. Je pensais qu'il voulait dire dans 11 jours, plutôt que dans quatre jours. - We had a misunderstanding when I put the party down on the calendar for next weekend. I thought he meant 11 days from now, rather than in four days.

www.europeanamericantravel.com

08/12/2024

FRENCH PHRASE OF THE DAY...

"Jour férié" - roughly pronounced djor fair-ee-ay - is the equivalent of ‘bank holiday’ or 'public holiday' in English. A 'jour férié' might mark a civil, religious or historical event.

The phrase combines the word 'jour' (day) and 'férié', which comes from the Christian Latin ‘feriatus’ or ‘day of celebration’.

A 'jour férié' is the opposite of a jour ouvré (working day). You might commonly see it on parking signs, telling you that a zone is pay-parking 'sauf dimanche et jours fériés' (except on Sundays and public holidays).

As for the number of 'jours fériés' in a given year in France, that depends.

The common answer is that France has 11 'jours fériés' per year, ranging from the religious (Ascension and Assumption) to the secular (May Day and commemorations for World War I and II).

However, if you live in one of the three 'départements' in the historic Alsace-Lorraine region then you get two extra days - St Stephen's Day (December 26th) and Good Friday (the Friday before Easter).

The other caveat is that some holidays change date each year, while others stay the same and occasionally fall on a weekend, meaning you might lose the day off, depending on your company’s rules and the sector-wide agreement you fall under.

You might also hear people combine the phrase 'jour férié' with 'faire le pont', which means to take off an extra day after a public holiday to build yourself a long weekend.

Use it like this: J'attends avec impatience le jour férié. Je vais faire de la randonnée. - I cannot wait for the public holiday. I am going hiking.

Les résultats peuvent mettre un certain temps à arriver, car jeudi prochain est un jour férié. - The results might take a while to come through, remember that Thursday is a public holiday.

www.europeanamericantravel.com

08/11/2024

MARIE ANTOINETTE NEVER SAID, "LET THEM EAT CAKE"...

Marie Antoinette’s most famous line has echoed for more than 200 years, reportedly adding fuel to the fire of France’s revolution. The only problem is the French queen’s supposed declaration is a myth — historians don’t think Marie Antoinette ever said, “Let them eat cake,” after being told her subjects had no bread.

Researchers point to two main plot holes in the quote’s supposed backstory, the first being its phrasing in English. In fact, the French queen is supposed to have said, “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche,” or “Let them eat brioche,” a reference to a decadent bread made with eggs and butter.

The second problem is that the outline of the tale predates Marie Antoinette’s reign. At least one similar story cropped up around the 16th century in Germany, wherein a noblewoman suggested the poorest citizens in her kingdom eat sweetened bread.

However, the first person to print the line about brioche was likely Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a French philosopher who mentioned the story around 1767 in his book Confessions, attributing the comment to a “great princess.”

Rousseau’s text was published when Marie Antoinette was still a child in Austria, though it’s possible the story inspired French revolutionaries decades later, and was repeated with the addition of Marie Antoinette’s name as propaganda against the French monarchy. Yet there is no historical evidence (aka printed materials) that proves the queen ever uttered the phrase.

While Marie Antoinette was known for her excessive spending, some historians say the centuries-long smear to her reputation has long overshadowed her philanthropic side. As queen, she established a home for u***d mothers, personally adopted and cared for orphans, and even sold the royal flatware in 1787 to cover the cost of grain for impoverished families — all activities befitting a benevolent ruler who just so happened to love shopping.

08/10/2024

DRINKING ETIQUETTE IN FRANCE...

A drink at the bar in France is cheaper than a drink at the table. And it’s customary to wait until everyone has arrived before you take your first sip whether that’s one person – or 50! When drinking with French friends, it’s considered polite to clink glasses. And there are a few rules when doing so – first you must keep eye contact with everyone as you clink your glasses, and second you should wait for everyone to finish clinking and staring into each other’s eyes before you drink. It doesn’t matter if it’s alcohol or a non-alcoholic drink.

And if you’re wondering why the French require you to look into their eyes as you toast each other – it’s said that failure to do so will result in seven years of bad luck – or bad s*x! It’s said this custom goes back to the middle ages when you had a drink with someone and you didn’t know if they were friends or enemies and might poison your drink so you watched them intently to make sure they didn’t slip something horrible into your drink!

And finally when you have a drink in France with a friend or family It’s common to say “À ta santé” or just “santé”, which means to your good health and you answer by saying “à la tienne” – to yours. And if you’re wanting to be a bit more formal, like with your boss, you say “à votre santé” – to your good health, answered by “à la vôtre” – to yours! Or keep it simple “tchin-tchin” which is like cheers!.

08/09/2024

FRENCH WORD OF THE DAY...

"Témoin" - roughly pronounced tay-mwan - is most commonly translated as ‘witness’, so don’t be surprised if you hear this word quite a lot when watching crime dramas in France.

The verb 'témoigner' is to witness or testify you have seen something. There is also a legal status known as 'témoin assisté' - this is someone who is the subject of a 'plainte' and for whom there is some evidence to suggest their guilt.

But there are some other applications of this word too. Most notably, a 'témoin' plays a very important role when getting married in France, arguably more important than the symbolic ‘maid of honour’ or ‘best man’.

In France, this person (or people, as there can be up to four) will certify the legitimacy of the union between the couple, and they make that official by signing the marriage registrar.

As the civil marriage ceremony is required in France to be recognised by the government, anyone you know who is getting married will have to choose at least one 'témoin'.

Unlike civil marriage ceremonies in the UK or US, however, in France your witnesses must know you, you cannot simply pick random people off the street to witness your marriage.

And then the word has some other historic meanings too - if you went back in time to witness a duel, you would see a 'témoin' present as well. This is the person who served as a type of referee, outlining the conditions of the duel.

Use it like this: Je vais choisir Chris comme témoin. Il est mon ami le plus proche depuis des années. - I am going to choose Chris as the witness for the marriage. He has been my closest friend for years.

Je serai témoin dans cette affaire. J'ai vu le crime se produire devant mon appartement. - I will be a witness in the case. I saw the crime happen outside my apartment.

08/08/2024

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08/08/2024

BREAD ETIQUETTE IN FRANCE...

France is the home of delicious sauces and every meal comes with bread - so is it OK to use the bread to mop up the last morsels of sauce from your plate?

In some countries, using bread to 'mop' your plate is considered rather uncouth. In the UK, for example, polishing your plate in this fashion might (if you're somewhere posh) be met with raised eyebrows or an ironic command to 'leave the pattern on the plate'.

In France, this action is more common, in fact there is even a verb to describe 'mopping up sauce with bread' - it is 'saucer' - pronounced saw-say - and mopping your plate in this way is 'saucer son assiette'.

So does that mean it's OK?

Well, it's certainly widely seen - if you're eating in a restaurant you can virtually guarantee that the meal will come with a basket of sliced baguette, unless you're somewhere very posh indeed (think Michelin-starred dining).

You might be surprised that the another custom is to leave the bread on the table, rather than the plate. Although I have seen bread plates on the table in a few restaurants.

The bread is also supposed to be eaten as an accompaniment to the starter and the main course and if the meal has a lot of sauce it's very common to see people using their bread to mop it.

Some meals - like 'moules marinières' - virtually demand a bit of bread mopping otherwise that delicious wine/garlic/herb sauce will go to waste.

If you're having dinner in a French home it's not unusual to see people mop up the sauce with their bread and it can even be seen as a compliment to the cook; their sauce is so delicious you don't want to waste a single drop.

And when is it not OK?

But if you are in a public place like a restaurant, French etiquette manuals you will find some that suggest that in 'polite' company, it's better to avoid the 'saucer'.

Although even here it tends to be a suggestion rather than a command, such as this one which comments: "It is recommended not to mop your plate, however if the sauce is divine you could discretely put a small piece of bread on your fork and use it to mop up."

By the way, it is perfectly acceptable in a restaurant to request more bread, when one has finished the first basket.

08/07/2024

FRENCH PHRASE OF THE DAY...

"Proche du peuple" - roughly pronounced proe-sh doo puh-pluh - translates directly as ‘close to the people’.

It is mostly used to describe politicians or leaders who are considered ‘men (or women) of the people’. In the US, you might call this person an ‘Average Joe’ or someone who is 'down to earth'

This might be someone who comes from a humble background although not necessarily - the key is that the person would appear genuine and sincere, not elitist or out of touch with ordinary people.

You might also see this word paired with the term 'populaire' in French. While this can mean 'popular' in the sense of being well-liked, it is also used to describe a movement or person who comes from a working class background.

In France, 'proche du peuple' is certainly seen as a compliment - such as these farmers at France's Salon de l'Agriculture discussing which politicians they see as being 'proche du peuple'.

You might also see this phrase used when describing someone who has an affinity or connection to a certain group.

For example, a celebrity might be 'proche du peuple coréen' - someone who has close links or a sincere friendship with the Korean people.

Use it like this: Il a un discours politique proche du peuple. Il ne cherche pas à être trop complexe ou intelligent. - His political messaging is in touch with everyday people. He doesn't try to be too complex or intelligent.

Le candidat a une image proche du peuple, notamment par sa façon de s'habiller de manière informelle. - The candidate has a down-to-earth image, particularly with his informal way of dressing.

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Welcome to European American Travel

First, let me introduce myself. I have been in the travel business for over 40 years... I have worked for travel agencies, tour operators and even airlines. I hold Expertise Certificates from the Netherland Tourist Board, the French Government Tourist Board, the Italian Tourist Board, Alitalia Airlines, the Austrian Tourist Board and the European Travel Commission.

Personally, I have lived in or visited for business or pleasure nearly every

European country. I speak several languages and over the years have developed a strong relationship with hoteliers, tour operators and tourism officials.

Allow me to share my knowledge with you; benefit from my connections.