Author: Love France
-
The Beloved French Prank That Has Confused Foreigners for 500 Years
Every April 1st, something strange happens across France. Children arm themselves with paper fish, offices fill with wary glances, and the whole country becomes complicit in one of the oldest pranks in Europe.
-
The French Expressions No English Dictionary Can Fully Explain
From flâner to retrouvailles, these French expressions have no English translation — and each one reveals something true about how France sees the world.
-
French Surnames of Normandy: Origins, Meanings and Family Heritage
Discover the origins and meanings of French surnames of Normandy. Trace your Norman heritage through history, etymology, and ancestral villages.
-
Why Sunday Lunch in France Is About So Much More Than the Food
The French Sunday lunch can last four hours. Nobody minds. Here is what really happens at the table — and why this weekly ritual has never gone out of style.
-
Why the Lavender Harvest in Provence Is Over Before Most Visitors Arrive
The lavender harvest in Provence happens in a three-week window most tourists miss entirely. Here is what actually happens during harvest season and how to time your visit right.
-
The French Village Clinging to a Cliff That Pilgrims Have Climbed for 900 Years
Rocamadour is a medieval French village built into a sheer cliff face — a pilgrimage site for 900 years. Discover its Black Madonna, chapels, and canyon views.
-
The Wild Wetlands of Southern France That Most Visitors Drive Straight Past
Most visitors to southern France miss the Camargue entirely — a vast wetland of flamingos, wild white horses, and ancient salt marshes sitting at the mouth of the Rhône.
-
The Night Before Bastille Day That Every French Town Takes Seriously
On 13th July, fire stations across France open their doors for the bal des pompiers — a street party tradition most tourists never know exists.
-
The Forgotten Language of Southern France That Refuses to Disappear
The language of the troubadours once united half of France. Suppressed for centuries, Occitan is quietly making its comeback across the south.
-
Why France Closes in August and the French Wouldn’t Have It Any Other Way
Every August, France closes. Shops shut, cities empty, and the whole country quietly agrees to stop. Here’s the history behind it — and what it actually means for your visit.