Easter: Pâques

It's Easter or "Pâques" in French. In France, only the Monday following Easter is a public holiday. It's called "Le lundi de Pâques". So Good Friday ("le vendredi saint") is not a public holiday in France. We wish "Joyeuses Pâques", Happy Easter, to other people.

Easter is the most important celebration ("fête") of Christianity ("la chrétienté"). It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The date changes every year. 

The Easter egg ("l'oeuf de Pâques") is a gift ("le cadeau") given during Easter.

Seasons: les saisons

France has four seasons (la saison) as she is in the temperate zone (la zone tempérée).

To celebrate the return of spring, let's learn how to say the seasons in French: le printemps, l'été, l'automne et l'hiver.

The gender for all of them is masculine.

In the Northern hemisphere (l'hémisphère nord), Spring (le printemps) starts on March 21.

Summer (l'été) starts on June 21.

Autumn (l'automne) starts on September 21.

Winter (l'hiver) starts on December 21.

In the Southern hemisphere (l'hémisphère sud), Spring (le printemps) starts on September 21.

Summer (l'été) starts on December 21.

Autumn (l'automne) starts on March 21.

Winter (l'hiver) starts on June 21.

French idioms: "Avoir plusieurs cordes à son arc"

"Avoir plusieurs cordes à son arc". The equivalent in English is "to have several strings to one's bow". And it's also the word for word translation. The expression in both languages have the same meaning: to have more than one skill or to have several ways to reach a target.

This expression comes from the time when archers needed to have several strings for their bow in case it snapped.

Bonne année!

Happy New Year and all the Best for 2015!

Bonne année et meilleurs voeux pour 2015!

Most people in France would say "Bonne année et bonne santé!" meaning "Happy new year and good health!"

We talk a lot about new year's resolution as well. What are your resolutions for the new year? : "Quelles sont tes/vos résolutions pour la nouvelle année?"

People celebrate on the new year's eve and do the countdown too with bubbly champagne in hand and kiss/hand shake when midnight rings. With the modern technology, the networks are often jammed as everyone's calling or messaging their family and friends!

The 1st day of the year is a public holiday.