Advanced Audio Blog 4
The Advanced Audio Blog is a series entirely in French, spoken at natural native speed. In Season 4, Mike will tell you about some popular tourist destinations and regions in France, French holidays and more.
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Advanced Audio Blog 4

The Advanced Audio Blog is a series entirely in French, spoken at natural native speed and covering French culture, current events and much more! In Season 4, Mike will tell you about some popular tourist destinations and regions in France, French holidays and more. The transcript of each audio blog can be found in the comments section of each lesson.

Lesson # Title Topic Summary Cultural Fact Vocab
1 The French City of Lights Paris Location, population, history, beauty, tourism Social unrest fleuve
ville
floue
révolte
guerre
chef-lieu
gravement
commerce
malgré
épargner
2 Where to Find the Very Best French Food Lyon Location, harchitecture, history, culture, gastronomy Auguste and Louis Lumière, inventors of cinema vignoble
lieu de naissance
soie
lutte
chute
fondée
carrefour
3 It's Nice to Visit This French City! Nice Location, population, tourism, architecture, climate The English Walkway surnom
frontière
commune
principalement
(en) hommage (à)
bord de mer
4 You'll Find France's "Gigantic and Delicate Marvel" Here Strasbourg Location, population, architecture, history, religion The Notre Dame Cathedral rive
avoisiner
parlement
profondément
témoins
maison à colombages
vestige
édifice
5 Nantes Nantes Location, population, history To reunify with Brittany? côtes
partager
cible
château
héritière
épouser
léguer
6 Bordeaux Bordeaux Location, fame for vineyards, history, grape types Rock band Noir Désir peuplé
âge d'or
accroître
producteur
chiffre d'affaire
premier cru
7 France's Most Besieged City, Lille Lille Location, population, etymology, history of besiegement, modern renewal Cut-price market marécages
garnison
assiégé
déclin
secteur tertiaire
quartier d'affaires
pôle universitaire
8 Quench Your Thirst for France in Rennes Rennes Location, population, history, status as City of Art and History, architecture, landmarks Trans Musical Meetings tribu
rempart
parlement
reconstruit
incendie
fusées de détresse
notoirement
9 A French Gourmet's Delight, Dijon Dijon Location, population, history, development since the French Revolution, tourism, delicacies Dijon mustard fondations
époque
nécropoles
s'effondrer
puissant
concours
10 Joan of Arc's City in France, Orléans Orléans Location, population, status as City of Art and History, history, Joan of Arc New Orleans scéllé
destin
conserver
sacre
livrer
procès
11 Celebrate New Year's Eve in France New Year's Eve How to celebrate: big dinner party w/ champagne and foie gras, kiss under mistletoe, noise on the streets, gather on Champs-Elysée or under Eiffel Tower, eat King Cake (later, on Epiphany) The President's New Year's wish réveillon
dîner de fête
aube
gui
fêtards
chars
transmettre
Bonnes résolutions
12 Eating French King Cakes on the Day of Epiphany Epiphany Date and significance of the holiday, how to celebrate: eat King Cake, hide a charm inside one cake, crown whoever gets it King or Queen The frangipane (almond-filled) King Cake racine
païenne
de façon notable
Galette des Rois
partager
Fève (de galette des Rois)
symboliquement
désigner
13 Feast on Crêpes at This French Festival Candlemas Date, purpose, history; how to celebrate: carry a lit candle home (formerly), eat crêpes (now) The gold coin custom autrefois
commémorer
les ténèbres
chandelle
flambeau
cièrge
lointain
ancré
14 Get Fat During Mardi Gras in France Mardi Gras Date (relative to Easter); how to celebate: eat like crazy (plenty of crêpes) and revel in the streets before Lent Mardi Gras in New Orleans a lieu
Carême
fait référence
suspendues
s'abstenir
retirer
se déguiser
défiler (dans la rue)
15 Have You Experienced the First Day of April in France? April Fools' Day How to celebrate: stick a paper fish on someone's back; history of the holiday Public hoaxes plaisanterie
canular
se rebiffer
chambouler
tour pendable
congénère
profiter de cette occasion
16 Why Are You Hiding That French Egg? Easter Dates (variable with the moon); how to celebrate: paint, hide, and hunt eggs Real-life golden eggs Pâque
varier
pleine lune
renouveau
cueillette
subsister
vider
remplir
17 Do We Have to Work on Labor Day in France? May Day/Labor Day Date, paid vacation, history Lily of the valley jour férié/chômé
salariées
dénomination
consacré
conservé
apparition
revendication
tourner au drame
18 Music Day in France Music Day Date (summer solstice), history, concerts International popularity à travers
événement
Tenu
Publique
au delà
avoir lieu
s'être répandu
espaces publiques
19 Celebrate France's National Day with Fireworks and Parades National Day Date, history, parade, controversy Federation Day donner lieu à
défilé
feux d'artifices
Parlementaires
promulgée
personnalitées politiques
controverse
peloton
20 Honor the Departed on All Saints' Day in France All Saints' Day Date (and settlement thereof), distinction from All Souls' Day, grave visit, historical "spud holidays" Halloween d'où
confondre
soulager
défunt
cimetière
la récolte
patate
jadis
l'âme
21 The Louvre: France's Multicultural Art Headquarters The Louvre History, holdings Theft of Mona Lisa caractériser
forteresse
remodeler
répartir
prendre
le relai
consacrer
civilisation
antiquité
22 Notre Dame Cathedral: A Shining Legacy of Medieval Europe in France Notre Dame Cathedral History, layout, depictions What's happened at the cathedral témoignage
rosace
démolir
apparence
en raison de
rénovation
anticléricalisme
promulguer
23 Eiffel Tower: National Landmark of France The Eiffel Tower History, true designer, location, construction, offerings, key events From eyesore to icon mesurer
commémorer
légende
concepteur
ascension
niveau
effectuer
cesser
24 Pere Lachaise Cemetery: Paris's Most Fascinating Home of the Dead Pere Lachaise Cemetery Most visited cemetery, WWI memorials, location, history, motivation for construction (fear of corpseborne disease) Famous residents repos éternel
quartier
environner
agrémenter
brigands
édifier
hospice
expulser
25 See French Artistic Masterpieces at the Musee D'Orsay Musee D'Orsay Location, history, holdings, concerts What's on each floor héberger
créations
contenir
collections
impressionnistes et postimpressionnistes
également
explorer
nudité
nocturne