Festivals in France

Ecole des Trois Ponts specialises in French Language Courses and French Country Cookery Courses for adults looking for a relaxed setting and good food in a convivial, family atmosphere. It is set  in an C18th chateau near Lyons in France.

 

St Jean Festival (June 24th) -
 La Saint-Jean (le 24 juin)
The Festival of St Jean is held on June 24th for the summer solstice. An ancient celtic festival that was later adapted to the Christian calendar, it marks the end of summer. A tall, vertical fire is prepared using long planks of wood and the fire is set at sunset. Then participants dance around the fire and the more courageous jump over or through the embers. For a long time the festival had fallen into disuse but it has taken on  new life in recent years when friends and family gather together to share a meal. The convivial atmosphere allows people who don't know each other or who haven't seen each other for a while to create ties that are getting more difficult to maintain in today's modern life. A  meal that goes well with the St Jean festival is a "Leg of Ham cooked in Hay" (see recipes and photos below) 

 

stjean8.jpg (20014 octets)

 stjean2.jpg (16658 octets)

stjean4.jpg (25317 octets)

 stjean5.jpg (21838 octets)

stjean7.jpg (17092 octets)

stjean6.jpg (22179 octets)
Questions en français:
1. Question: Quand est-ce que la fête du St Jean a lieu?
Réponse: La fête du St Jean a lieu le 24 juin au moment de la solistice d'été.
(When is the festival de St Jean held? It is held on June 24th at the time of the summer solistice)
2. Question:   Combien du temps ça prend pour faire cuire le jambon au foin?
Réponse: Le jambon est pret quand on y pique une aiguille à tricoter et qu'elle en ressort sèche.
(How long does it take to cook a "Leg of Ham cooked in Hay"? It is cooked when you stick a knitting needle into the ham and the needle comes out dry)
Grammar note:
Combien de temps ça prend... ?  (How long does it take?)
1. Combien de temps ça prend pour aller de Paris à Lyon en TGV?
Ca prend 2 heures en TGV
(How long does it take to get from Paris to Lyons by Super fast Train?  It takes 2 hours.)
2. Depuis combien de temps étudiez-vous le français?
Je l'étudie depuis 3 ans. 
(How long have you been studying French? I've been studying for 3 years)
3. Combien de temps pensez-vous rester en France?
Je pense rester 1 mois.
(How long do you plan to stay in France? I plan to stay a month)
Cultural differences
When French people go on a picnic it is not a small affair. They take a whole meal with them from the pre-dinner drinks right through to the after dinner drink.
Here's a cool picnic drink. Half fill a small plastic bottle with pastis (aniseed drink), lie it on its side in the freezer, when you're ready to leave on the picnic take it out of the freezer and fill the rest of the bottle with water. By the time you arrive at your picnic ground the pastis will have melted just enough to have a cool pre-dinner drink. 
Don't forget to take a table cloth, paper plates and real cutlery. Then when you get to the picnic site set up on a table (if you think there won't be a table at the site, TAKE a fold-up table WITH YOU)

 [Home Page | French Courses | Cooking Courses | Group Courses  Family activities ]


Ecole des Trois Ponts,
Chateau de Matel,
42 300 Roanne, France.
Tel : [33] (0)477 71 5300,
Fax : [33] (0)477 70 8001

e-mail :3ponts2@wanadoo.fr

 
Deutsch Version


Version Francaise

Copyright © 1996-2007 [Ecole des Trois Ponts]. All rights reserved.