“That’s bad French.” It is a phrase we hear far too often, usually directed at Québécois, Acadian, Haitian, African, Cajun, Franco-American, or other regional varieties of French. Ironically, these comments often come from people who do not even speak the language. Behind this idea is the belief that there is one “correct” French and that all other forms exist somewhere beneath it on a linguistic hierarchy. But language does not work that way. French Has Never Been Just One F

The concept of an afterlife is common among humanity’s many cultures. The idea or hope that there's something waiting for us after death is something that has crossed most people's minds at least once. It makes our inevitable ends feel at least a little less frightening and brings comfort during times of grief. Nain Rouge in a City of Detroit Parade It's a concept that's present in many religions, with some strings attached, of course. There is an afterlife, and it is as won

March, as many of you may know, is Le Mois de la Francophonie , a month to celebrate the cultural richness, diversity, and globality of the Francophone world. Throughout this month, follow alongside us as we take you to three global cities, exploring La Francophonie in real time. Kicking off Mois de la Francophonie in Marrakech On March 1 st , I found myself in a hotel in the heart of Marrakech, Morocco, waiting for La Mois de la Francophonie to begin. Maybe it’s not w

This city in France is well known for its medieval architecture and its wonderful “rillettes”, but for people passionate about cars, the international race of the 24 hours of Le Mans is probably the most famous. Le Mans is situated at the Northwest of France; it is a city with 145 000 inhabitants but every year for a week during the month of June, it becomes an international hub. Old Painting of the Cathédral in Le Mans Created in 1923, the first race of the 24 hours of Le

A Pheasant In the Bidosa river as it flows into the Bay of Biscay, there lies an island about 10 meters from the Spanish bank of the river and 20 meters from the French bank. It is called Ile de Faisans , meaning 'Pheasant Island,' but there are no pheasants living there. You may think that's a little odd, yet by far the strangest thing about this island is that its nationality changes every six months. Though this strip of land is only about 200 meters long and just 40 mete

When you think of Auguste Rodin, where does your mind go? Probably to Paris. Rodin is indeed one of the most well-known French sculptors in history. There is an entire Museum in Paris (Le Musée Rodin) dedicated to his life’s works and his personal history. But there’s a second major collection of Rodin’s works… In California? Indeed, the largest collection of Rodin sculptures outside of Paris is housed in the Cantor Arts Center on the campus of Stanford University. I took a

Across humanity's relatively short existence, it is rare to find something that unanimously exists in every culture on Earth. Cultures across the world express themselves through a variety of mediums, such as food, language, art, and this post's topic: mythology. Every culture on this planet has creatures that go bump in the night – something that exists only in your peripheral vision, and stories to explain how the world works. Some exist for lessons, some for warnings, and

French is well known for its wines, many different regional wines, such as Bordeaux, Champagne, and, of course, the Beaujolais Nouveau from Beaujeu. Beaujolais nouveau is a relatively unique and very seasonal wine. It is a young wine, enjoyed after only a few weeks of fermentation. This delightfully fruity drink is celebrated as a marker of the end of the year's harvest. While parties are held all over the world, nowhere else are the festivities as great as at Les Sarmentelle

The French influence in the United States extended not only to the New England area but also to the Middle Atlantic as well. One name...