Symbols of Paris

Today we'll talk about the symbols of Paris. We'll talk about (two by two) Arc de triomphe , Blason de Paris (arms of Paris), Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, Flat of Paris, motto of Paris "Fluctuat nec mergitur", Sainte Geneviève, patron saint fo the city of Paris, Roofs of Paris, Fountains  of Wallace,  Moulin Rouge,  the Seine and finally, the Eiffel Tower, . A story about each of these Parisian symbols for you to discover or rediscover this city full of mysteries.

Arc de Triomphe

Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile (The Arch of Triumph of the star) often simply called Arc de Triomphe (the Arc de Triumph), built in 1806-1836 by order of Napoleon is located in Paris's 8th arrondissement, on the "Place de l'Étoile", at the western end Champs-Elysées Avenue."Place de l'Etoile" forms a huge roundabout with twelve avenues breakthroughs in the 19th century under the leadership of Baron Haussmann, prefect of the department of Seine. These avenues "radiate" star around the place, including the  Kleber Avenue, "Avenue de la Grande Armee", "Avenue de Wagram", and the best known, "the Avenue des Champs-Elysées". Pavers of different colors draw on the floor instead of two stars whose peaks reach for one in the middle of avenues, the other between avenues.

Anecdote: Arc de Triomphe are engraved the names of the most famous generals of wars of the Revolution and of the Empire . Yet, General Hugo, Victor Hugo 's father, has been forgotten! While Turreau, the butcher of the Vendee figured. Funny story, right?

The arms of Paris

The arms of Paris, in its current form, the date 1358, when King Charles V gave the arms sowed by "fleurs de lys".Its blazon is: « De gueules  à la nef équipée et habillée d'argent voguant sur des ondes du même mouvant de la pointe, au chef d'azursemé  de fleurs de lys d'or »The ship shown is the symbol of the powerful corporation Merchants water (the Nautes), very important in the city during antiquity. The motto of the city, "Fluctuat nec mergitur" ("It floats but does not sink"), is also a reference to this boat.In its full representation, it also includes decorations that the city was authorized to include in his arms,  "La Légion d'Honneur "(the Legion of Honour ), the Cross of War 1914-1918  and the Cross of Liberation. It is surmounted by a gold mural crown with five towers, and right sidebar of an oak branch and a laurel left. The motto is typically listed below.

Anecdotes: Albert Uderzo was inspired in 1993 to draw the arms of the Tartar-Gaudran, a small town on the border of Ile-de-France.

The coat of arms was also used for the logo of the 1924 Summer Olympics which were held in Paris.

Because of the services rendered by pigeons during the siege of Paris in 1870, Edgar Quinet suggested that a pigeon is symbolized in the arms of Paris at the top of the mast of the ship.

Here are the first two symbols of Paris! Following soon!

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French stereotypes

What do you think about the sentence "The Frenchman with a beret and a baguette under his arm" ?... it's a cliche (stereotype)! Talk about stereotypes and prejudices about French people today! Separate fact and fiction! 

Common stereotypes on the  French people: 

The French (s): 

• Love culture, especially their heritage (watch out those who criticizes one of their monument!) 
• Work a little and are lazy, as they have many holidays, RTT ... 
• Moan a lot. 
• Are womanizers. 
• Are arrogant / selfish / pretentious. 
• Do not know / do not want to speak English, and  like only the French language. 
• Are cold and not friendly with foreigners. 
• Are cheapskate. 
• Eat well and balanced 

All these stereotypes are from more or less known, and often come from common stories among our nations (conflicts between England and France for example ...). The stereotype of the French would dirty 17th century where hygiene was more precarious, and where people covered tricks (perfume, makeup, wigs), to hide the dirt. Note also that many stereotypes relate to Paris, because it is a major tourist city. It should be noted that, although a majority of these stereotypes are outdated or completely wrong, some of them are true, and the best way to realize is to see in circumstances!

Please watch this video:

For more information about clichés, you can go to: http://www.cedric-villain.info/cliche/index_cliche_en.html

To go further: 

What are two foods that characterize the French cuisine?
What are the characters  that represent France? 
What is the most famous French monument?
What other prejudices do you know about French people?
What is the most popular sport in France? 
Please  reply by comment if you want!


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Speaking English

Hello everyone

I hope you're right! 

I finally decided to write only in English, it's easier for me and for you . I can write more information too. However, this blog is for everyone, whether French, English or another speaking !! 

My English is not perfect so I apologize in advance for the atrocities of languages ​​that I could use. 

So enjoy your visit!

Croissant

Hi everyone! 

So today, talking about a theme around a picture and a story: the croissant! This is one of the great symbols of France. It is essential to talk about it. 

Coucou tout le monde! 

Alors, aujourd'hui, parlons d'un thème autour d'une image, et une anecdote: le croissant! C'est l'un des grands symboles de la France. Il est incontournable d'en parler.

What is croissant? "It is a pastry made ​​of puff pastry specific waiver, the croissant dough, which includes yeast and a large proportion of butter (wikipedia)." 
But, incredibly, and that can break a myth ... the croissant would not be invented in France but in Austria ("Kipferl" ancestor of croissant). 
The first croissants were sold at 92, rue de Richelieu in Paris between 1837 and 1839 when the Austrians August Zang Schwarzer and Ernest have opened a Viennese bakery. 
But it is the French bakers who, in the late 19th century, reinvented by replacing the brioche dough with a pastry. This transformation without touching the particular shape of crescent (moon), changed in taste and growing has become a typically French delicacy. Hence also the origin of the word "pastry" (Vienna) or "viennoiserie" . 


Another version would be in 1683 when the Ottoman army was defeated at the siege of Vienna bakers in the city have made ​​these cakes to symbolize victory because the crescent was the symbol of the Ottoman flag. 


Now you all know about the famous crescent. Tell us where you ate growing better and what you think of these stories !!

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Qu'est-ce que le croissant? "C' est une viennoiserie à base d'une pâte levée feuilletée spécifique, la pâte à croissant, qui comporte de la levure et une proportion importante de beurre (wikipedia)."
Mais, chose incroyable, et qui peut briser un mythe...le croissant ne serait pas inventé en France mais en Autriche ("kipferl" ancêtre du croissant).
Les premiers croissants ont été vendus au 92, rue de Richelieu à Paris, entre 1837 et 1839, quand les Autrichiens August Zang et Ernest Schwarzer y ont ouvert une boulangerie viennoise.
Mais ce sont les boulangers français qui, à la fin du 19e siècle, l’ont réinventé en remplaçant la pâte briochée par une pâte feuilletée. Cette transformation, sans toucher à la forme particulière du croissant (de lune), a tout changé au niveau du goût et le croissant est ainsi devenu une  gourmandise typiquement française. D'où aussi, l'origine du mot "viennoiserie" (Vienne).

Une autre version serait qu'en 1683 lorsque l'armée ottomane fut repoussée lors du siège de Vienne que les boulangers de la ville ont fabriqué ces viennoiseries pour symboliser la victoire, car le croissant était le

symbole du drapeau ottoman.


Vous savez tout désormais sur le fameux croissant. Dites-nous où vous avez mangé le meilleur croissant et ce que vous pensez de ces anecdotes!!

Wine in France

In each article, I'll try to talk about different products. Today, talking about wine. There is a wild variety of wines! And all wines are not from France. I will describe the best known or to be discovered. Dans chaque article, je vais essayer de parler de produit différent. Aujourd'hui, parlons du vin. Il existe une variété folle de vins!  Et tous les vins ne viennent pas de France. Je vais vous décrire les plus connus ou qu'il faut découvrir.

First, what's wine? "It is an alcoholic beverage made ​​by fermenting grapes, fruit vines (including Vitis vinifera). The transformation of grapes into wine is called vinification. The study of wine is wine." The best known area for wine is Bordeaux. It is even a beautiful city to visit. But the main vineyards are areas (with their wine): Bordeaux (St Emilion), Beaujolais (St Amour) Bourgignon (Chablis), Pays de la Loire (Chinon), the Rhone Valley (Hermitage), Alsace (Riesling). There are, of course, many others in France. 
Tout d'abord, qu'est-ce que le vin? "c'est une boisson alcoolisée obtenue par la fermentation du raisin, fruit des vignes (dont Vitis vinifera). La transformation du raisin en vin est appelée la vinification. L'étude du vin est l'œnologie." La région la plus connue pour le vin est Bordeaux. C'est même une belle ville à visiter. Mais les principaux vignobles viennent des régions (avec leur vin): Bordeaux (St Emilion), Beaujolais (St Amour), Bourgignon (Chablis), Pays de la Loire (Chinon),  Vallée du Rhône (Hermitage), Alsace (Riesling). Il en existe, bien sûr, bien d'autres en France.

Angelus fron St Emilion

Hermitage from the Rhône Valley

There are different names: PDO: Protected Designation of Origin, PGI: Protected Geographical Indication and "Vin de France" - VDF. 
There are three main types of wine, known by: pink, white, red. If white grapes give only white wines, red or black grapes can produce three colors. In this case, the gradient is generally in the different stages of a process known as maceration.

Il y a différentes appellations: AOP : Appellation d’origine protégée, IGP : Indication géographique protégée et "Vin de France" - VDF. 
On distingue trois grands types de vin, connus de tous : rosé, blanc, rouge. Si les raisins blancs ne donnent que des vins blancs, les raisins noirs ou rouges peuvent produire les trois couleurs. Dans ce cas, le dégradé correspond globalement aux différentes étapes d'un procédé que l'on appelle macération. 

AOP

IGP

Wine is one of the few consumer products to be able to maintain and especially to improve with the  time, but we must not forget that the vast majority of wines are made to be drunk very young. For others, life expectancy ranges from several years to several decades. During this process, the wine undergoes changes under the action of oxidation, which is a measured contact between wine and air. Very clear in his youth, a white wine will evolve into shades of yellow, brown and amber to a very pronounced. Conversely, red wines will lose intensity: from purplish, they become ruby, tile color then orange. The pace of these changes depends on the type of wine but also storage conditions.

Le vin est l'un des rares produits de consommation à pouvoir se conserver et surtout à pouvoir se bonifier avec le temps même s'il ne faut pas perdre de vue que la grande majorité des vins sont faits pour être bus très jeunes. Pour les autres, l'espérance de vie oscille de quelques années à plusieurs décennies. Durant ce processus, le vin subit des transformations sous l'action de l'oxydation, qui est un contact mesuré entre le vin et l'air. De très clair dans sa jeunesse, un vin blanc va évoluer vers des tons jaunes, puis ambrés jusqu'à un brun très prononcé. A l'inverse, les vins rouges vont perdre en intensité : de violacé, ils deviennent rubis, tuilés puis orangés. Le rythme de ces transformations dépend du type de vin mais également des conditions de stockage.

In conclusion, I invite you to taste each type of wine to choose the one you prefer. During a meal or in the evening is excellent! I will deal with wine in depth in another article later (I do not want to give you too much information now !!). I hope you liked this article and this made you to know better about wine in France.

En conclusion: je vous invite à goûter chaque type de vin afin de choisir celui que vous préférez. Lors d'un repas ou en soirée c'est excellent! J’approfondirai sur les vins dans un autre article plus tard (je ne veux pas trop vous donner d'informations maintenant!!) J'espère que vous avez aimé cet article et qu'il vous a appris des choses sur le vin en France.

Welcome to 'Made in France' blog

Hi everyone !!! 
Welcome to my blog "Made in France".
I created this blog for you to discover French products, gift, ideas, expertise! 
I would like to share with you the richness of French culture! 
I introduce myself a little: I'm Amandine, parisian girl studying international trade. 
I write each article in English and French, perhaps in other languages ​​from time to time (Korean or Japanese I know a little). 
Feel free to give your opinion!


Coucou tout le monde!!!
Bienvenue sur mon blog "Made in France"
Je crée ce blog pour vous faire découvrir des produits, des cadeaux, des idées, du savoir-faire français! 
J'aimerais vous faire partager la richesse de la culture française! 
Je me présente un peu: je suis Amandine, parisienne étudiant le commerce international. 
J'écrirai chaque article en anglais et français, peut-être en d'autres langues de temps en temps (coréen ou japonais que je connais un peu).
N'hésitez pas à donnez vos avis !