An other fascinating French idiom! "Tomber dans les pommes" literally translates as "to fall in the apples"! - What it actually means is to "pass out/to faint"!
Pâques (Easter ) is one of the most important holidays in France and is celebrated with a traditional family gathering. Food is, of course, the main focus of the celebration with l’agneau pascal (roast lamb) taking centre stage. If you are walking around a French supermarket at Easter time, you might wonder why there are les cloches de Pâques ( chocolate bells ) alongside the more familiar eggs. Traditionally, church bells ring every day of the year to invite faithful to attend the Mass. The only exception is in the run up to Easter, when they do not ring between Good Friday and Easter Sunday to commemorate the death of Christ and his resurrection. Myth has it that during this time, the bells fly to Rome to be blessed by the Pope. The bells return the evening before Easter Sunday and randomly drop treats for children. On Sunday morning someone will shout “ les cloches sont passées ” (the bells have gone by) and the children run outside on the hunt for chocolate ...
The b lue plaque commemorating the stay of the Emperor Louis Napoleon III in King Street (St James) is the earliest surviving plaque in London . The use of the colour blue was rare and not often repeated at the time as it was expensive to produce. It is actually the only blue plaque installed during the recipient's lifetime. Following the fall of the Second French Empire in 1870 and exiled from France, Napoleon III (Bonaparte’s nephew), his wife Eugénie and their son the Prince Imperial sought refuge in England. The family eventually took residence at Camden Place in Chislehurst where the Emperor spent the rest of his life. He was consequently buried at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Chislehurst. Following the death of the Prince Imperial at the age of 23, the grief-stricken Empress Eugénie set about to establish a monument to her family and founded St Michael Abbey in Farnborough as a mausoleum for her husband and son. The abbey featured an Imperia...
Départements et Territoires D’outre-mer. A thousand miles from mainland France, in the heart of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, lay amazing and unusual locations: the French overseas territories. Lush vegetation, spectacular panoramic views, beautiful white sandy beaches, mountains and waterfalls await you in this very different aspect of France. The Départements et Territoires D’outre-mer ( the overseas Departments and territories ) refer collectively to all territories under French sovereignty outside mainland France. They are considered an integral part of France and overall cover 12 time zones. All citizens living in overseas French territories can vote in the elections and have representation in the French parliament. They include: The islands of Guadeloupe , Martinique , Saint Martin , Saint Barthelemy , Saint Pierre and Miquelon (Atlantic Ocean) Reunion Island , Mayotte , The French Southern and Antarctic Lands (indian Ocean) French P...
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