Articles
Gibet (Gallows) of Montfaucon
This building (53 rue de la Grange aux Belles) in the 10th arrondissement may not seem frightening at first glance, but it's built on the site of the famous Gibet de Montfaucon in Paris (Gallows of Montfaucon). According to the official Paris historical plaque, "Here...
Metro Dog
This doggie got off the metro at the same stop as I did and I followed him onto the escalator (NO, I was not stalking him). He was definitely Monsieur Cool, no leash, no need to tell him where and when to go. And when the people on the left above him cleared...
You Can Call Me Charlie…or Waldo…or Wally…or Willy…or
Like the Smurfs (or Schtroumpfs), other beloved characters from children's literature have different names. In France, Waldo is known as Charlie. But his birth name is Wally. He was created by Martin Handford in Great Britain in 1987. Wally has travelled all over the...
A patient dog
This sweet dog was waiting in the rain, tied to une bite (or bitte, I've seen different spellings) de trottoir, next to une rôtisserie of aromatic roasted chickens and ducks: Poor guy was in front of une boucherie waiting for his owner. How's that for patience...
Embellishment or Street Art?
On a small, unassuming building by the Canal Saint-Martin... I almost missed this detail... It's not graffiti...this has been applied, not painted. It's not trompe-l'œil. So how would it be classified (other than by adjectives like clever, amusing)? First...
Notre-Dame Window Washing
Ever wonder how they wash the windows at Notre-Dame? The yellow device is une grue, a crane, like we call it. The French word for fear of heights is l'acrophobie (f).
Marché aux Chevaux
I walked by this creperie: and then doubled back... what was down that alleyway? Is that a horse's head on the building? Yes indeed-y! But this doesn't look like the usual horse butcher shop (boucherie chevaline), so what's the story? A little research reveals that...
Found French
What does this photo have in common with the next photo? Both show une punaise. Yes, a punaise is both a bedbug and a pushpin or thumbtack. It's also a verb (punaiser means to pin or tack something up).
Smurf = Schtroumpf
Did you know that the Smurfs are Belgian and actually named Schtroumpfs? Yes, like Tintin, the Smurfs were created by a Belgian. Georges Rémi created the Tintin empire, but it was Belgian cartoonist Pierre Culliford, pen name Peyo, who gave birth to the...
French Quiz
Which of the following photos depicts a pair of 'tongs'? Answer: It depends on the language. In English, it's the metal hinged tool of course. But in French, les tongs (fem, pl) are flip-flops or thongs.The metal device is called pince à aliments (fem,...
Birth Order
Recently I watched the French film A Christmas Tale by director Arnaud Desplechin with actresses Catherine Deneuve and her real-life daughter Chiara Mastroianni. The film did not make a big impression on me, but one word in it seized my attention: cadet. They...
Trompe l’œil
If you're alert while walking about Paris, you might notice walls painted with three dimensional images designed to give the illusion of reality. Often there are painted windows in an attempt to improve the look of the side of a large building without windows or other...
