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Natacha is a young Frenchwoman qui "a la patate" and a contagious passion for improvised play. She's the founder, coach, and one of the improvisers / actresses of The French Loop, a theatre company based in Melbourne. (If you also live in the area and would love to practice your French and have a go, Natacha welcomes non native speakers too, hint hint!).

In this first episode, we're discussing how Natacha pivoted to deal with the Covid-crisis, at a time when her classes could not operate normally and people needed entertainment. We'll also talk about her background and the history of the art of improvisation (which I was surprised to hear was very popular in Australia)!

 	https://www.thefrenchloop.com
 	The French Loop on Facebook

Vocab List
B A BA, b.a-ba (nm) = the ABC, the basics
carcan (nm) = constraint, rigidity, confinement
c'est chaud! (fam.) = it's tight / a close-run thing / a tall order ; heated (tense)
crève-cœur (nm, adj) = heartbreaking; heartbreaking situation
humour noir (nm) = black humour, dark humour
improvisateur, trice (n/adj) = improviser
joute verbale (nf) = verbal jousting, parring match
la petite souris = the tooth fairy
lâcher prise = to let go, to give in
levée (nf) = lifting, removal
niveau de langue (nm) = register, language level
personnage (nm) = character
piocher = to draw (a card); to pick up
rebondir = to bounce back
rigoler (fam) = to have a laugh
sur le tas = on the job, in the filed ; as you go along
tournée (de spectacle) (nf) = (show) tour

FV 124 INTERVIEW: (Part 1) Drama company The French Loop with Natacha

Learn French: Listen to native French speakers share their story and passion. Discover a bit of French culture

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This interview is taking you to Ardèche, that (so) beautiful part of France where I used to spend the summer holidays as a child. Meet André Rouy aka « Dédé l’Ardéchois » and discover the history of the train network in Ardèche – the only French département which doesn’t operate any more trains. Dédé and the Association VIADUC 07 worked to protect that heritage. Dédé wrote several books and created a train museum which opened on the 30th anniversary of the last train running through Ardèche. He built it all himself, with humour as well as a unique way to optimise his small space. What can you see in the museum? Listen to find out!
Vocab List
Ardéchois,e (n) / ardéchois,e (adj) = from the Ardèche regioncharbon (nm) = coalcharrette (nf) = cart, barrowcheminot = railway workerdesservir = to stop at, to serve, to lead todévisser = to unscrew, detachélu,e (n) = elected member/representativeembranchement (nm) = junctionexposition (nf) = exhibitionferroviaire (adj) = related to the rail/railwaygîte (nm) = holiday cottage, vacation rentalmaquette (nf) = small-scale modelminerai (nm) = oreorthodontie (nf) = orthodonticspassage à niveau (nm) = railroad crossingpatrimoine (nm) = heritagepneu (nm) = tyrereconversion professionnelle (nf) = career changevis (nf) = screw
Links and Resources

http://ardeche-gites.fr/dede-lardechois/
museedutrain.fr
https://www.facebook.com/andre.rouy
FV 055 : Real Life Stories around the Beginning of Railway in Epernay: https://frenchvoicespodcast.com/episode55

FV 134 : Dédé l’Ardéchois (Part 1): local heritage and history of the railway

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In this second part of my interview with Manolo we will talk about his confrérie (a society of people who get together to perpetuate a tradition, a skill): la Confrérie des amateurs de Sagarno de la Bidassoa. This society is currently under process to be part of the Unesco intangible cultural heritage list. Learn the reasons behind the decline then the revival of the art of making “vin de pomme”, the types of apples used for the process, the amount of wine produced by the fellowship. You’ll also find out why drinking wine gives you headaches!

Thank you Mike for putting me in touch with Manolo! If you too know someone who would be a fantastic guest for French Voices, someone with a passion they would love to share, please get in touch!
Vocab List
aléas (nm plur) = hazards, vagaries, contingencies, risks
ascenseur social (nm) = social mobility
cahier des charges (nm) = (bill of) specifications
casse-croûte (nm) (fam) = snack
confrère (nm) = colleague ; fellow, brother
confrérie (nf) = brotherhood, fellowship ; association, society, guild
filer entre les doigts (de qn) = to slip through (sb)'s fingers
grosso modo = roughly
moine (nm) = monk
prendre l'apéro (fam) = prendre l'apéritif = to have an aperitif
pressoir (nm) = press
regain (nm) = renewal, revival, resurgence ; rise
rentable = profitable, money-making
revendiquer sa basquitude = to claim one's basque origins
soufre (nm) = sulphur
valoir le coup = to be worth it
verger (nm) = orchard
Links and Resources

 	Page Facebook : Bidasoako Sargadozaleen Kofradia
 	French Voices episode 74 : "La Fine Mousse – the world of craft beer"

FV 133 : (Part 2) The “vin de pomme” from Pays Basque

Live workshops are back!

More information and bookings open on my events page: https://frenchyourway.com.au/events

If you can’t attend, don’t worry: you will receive the replay video as well as the worksheet and answers.

Upcoming events:

 	Dictée en français / French dictation

Sunday May 22nd at 9pm Paris time.

 	Imparfait vs passé composé

Thursday May 26th at 10pm Paris time.

Check out my events page

Subscribe to my newsletter to receive special discount codes for the workshops.

Looking forward to working with you!

Jessica

FYW : Live workshops are back! May 2022

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This 2-part interview with Manolo will take you to the heart of the French Basque country (Pays Basque), its heritage and its tradition of making “vin de pomme” (also known as “sagardo”, or “sagarno”), which is not the same as the apple cider from Normandy.
The start of the conversation will help you locate the Pays Basque and understand its strong sense of identity. People still wear the beret, speak basque (which is a language in itself, not related to French), play local traditional instruments that the rest of France probably never heard of. Listen to find out how talking about music naturally led us to talking about apples (yes, there’s a link!). By the way, do you know where apples originally come from? What’s the difference between “vin de pomme” and “cidre”? In other words, what’s the difference with how the Basque and the Norman people process their apples? The answers are in this episode.
We’ll talk about the fermentation process of course. We’ll also see why the properties of the sagardo / vin de pomme made it the daily drink on board the ships in the old times.
As you may have understood by now, this interview is all about culture, traditions, heritage, history, about understanding how trade, routes and human exchanges played a central role in the diversity of it all. Last but not least this interview is Manolo sharing his passion with you. We hope you enjoy it.
Vocab List
alambic (nm) = still [alcohol production]baleine franche (nf) = right whalebarrique (nf) = barrel, caskbroyer = to grind, crushclocher (nm) = bell towercontrée (nf) = region, landcouvre-chef (nm) = hat, headgearcroupir = to stagnate [water], to rotfoulage (nm) = pressing, treading, crushingfouler (vt) = to tread, trample, pressfût (nm) = cask, barrel, keghistoire/querelle de clocher = community/parish rivalry ; storm in a teacupmorue (nf) = cod, codfishmûrir = to ripenprendre une pâtée (fam) = to take a thrashingtaquiner = to tease
Links and Resources

Page Facebook : Bidasoako Sargadozaleen Kofradia
French Voices episode 52 : "Champagne Producing with Tristan Hyest"

FV 132 : (Part 1) The “vin de pomme” from Pays Basque

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Betty Levanqué really is an incredible woman, I would even call her a wonder woman. I’m truly in awe at everything she’s done so far in her life, her stamina, her strength; she’s an inspiration to work hard, be present for your family, love people, give back to others when you can. Betty studied hard, even while becoming the other of a very premature baby with a disability and later on resuming her studies and taking up three courses in three different universities the same year at age... 40. She founded an association to help orphans in Vietnam (where her background is), the food bank of New Caledonia where she lives (banque alimentaire de Nouvelle-Calédonie), owns a real estate agency (Le Café Immobilier) as well as a popular café in Nouméa (Boops Café), and is the president of the APESA, an association supporting business managers burning out and at risk of committing suicide.

The least we can say is that Betty is profoundly humane and committed to making a difference in people’s lives. This is a long, inspiring, feel good interview.
Vocab List
avoir les pieds sur terre = to be grounded
bénévolement (adv) = voluntarily
claquettes (nf plur) = flip flops, slide sandals
cursus (nm) = course, curriculum
gaspillage alimentaire (nm) = food waste
invendu (nm) = unsold article
natte (nf) = mat
néon (nm) = neon light, fluorescent light
orphelinat (nm) = orphanage
remettre (qn) sur les rails = to put (sb) back on track / on the right path
Links

 	Le Café Immobilier (Facebook)
 	La Banque Alimentaire de Nouvelle-Calédonie
 	Boops Café (Facebook)
 	Apesa NC
 	Follow my Dream
 	French Voices, episode 126: (Part 1) Representing Belgium abroad: the work of a consul
 	French Voices, episode 127: (Part 2) Representing Belgium abroad: the work of a consul

FV 124 INTERVIEW: (Part 1) Drama company The French Loop with Natacha

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