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"!
The first of May has been an annual public holiday in France, known as La fĂȘte du travail (labour day) since 1948. It also marks a beautiful tradition “la fĂȘte du muguet” (lily of the valley festival). Back on 1 st May 1560, King Charles IX of France was presented with a bouquet of muguet ( lily of the valley ) as a lucky charm. The king appreciated the gift so much that he decided to gift a bunch of lily of the valley to the women of his court every year on the 1 st May. The gesture became more commonplace at the beginning of the 20 th century with men presenting the flowers to women to show their affection. Today, it has become traditional to give a sprig of the blooms (or send a card) as a token of love or friendship and good luck to close friends and family members. For just one day each year, the French government allows the tax-free sale of lily of the valley on the street to promote this tradition. I rememb...
The world’s most famous cycling race began this weekend but did you know there is more to the Tour de France than bikes and Lycra! Surrounding the race itself is a carnival atmosphere of floats, live music and free products from sponsors. The towns, villages and hamlets on the route will spend months preparing for their 30 seconds of fame as the riders race through and then spend years talking about the day the Tour came to town. I still remember, at Junior school – only a few years ago…, being allowed to line the pavement outside the school to watch the tour go by! The stages often pass through some of the most spectacular and often rarely seen parts of France. So even if you aren’t into cycling, it is worth watching the race to enjoy the stunning scenery. Want to find out more about the race itself? Then read on! The Tour de France was created in 1903 by Henri Desgrange, a cyclist and journalist. The famous race attracts thousands of enthusiastic cycle followers and usua...
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