What better way to kick off Valentine’s Day weekend than with a bit of culture from the country where love and chocolate reign supreme.
Welcome to the third edition of French 5, where I share a glimpse into what I love about France through language, places, food and drink, arts and culture, as well as a random fun fact. I will also highlight one blog or social media account that features French content. If you have any feedback or ideas of what you’d like to see or who should be featured, please leave your comment below.
*Please note this article contains affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase.
01 Language || C’était le coup de foudre
Love can be electrifying, especially when it’s love at first sight. Literally translating to a flash of lightning, the expression “le coup de foudre” is used to describe falling in love suddenly for a person or a place. For example, if you’re like me and instantly fell in love with France, you could say, “J’ai eu le coup de foudre pour la France.”
02 Place || Village de Saint Valentin
Did you know there’s a town in France called Saint Valentin? Located in the Loire Region, this little town has a big heart. Dubbed “The Village of Love,” this town takes their namesake seriously. During the month of February, red hearts abound. Lovers flock to this town for a weekend of festivities, with many couples choosing this spot to renew their wedding vows. The Saint Valentin post office even has special valentines cards to send to the one you love.
03 Food & Drink || Le Chocolat des Français
France is known for its love of chocolates. In fact, France was the first country to introduce chocolate in Europe. One chocolate brand I’ve always enjoyed is Le Chocolat des Français. To be honest, it was the artwork on the packaging that first caught my eye - it’s bold, colourful and so French! Once I tasted the chocolate, I was hooked. Top it off with the fact that the bars are produced in France, are non-GMO, organic and palm oil-free, they make a cute gift or a nice treat for yourself. Make sure you check out their Valentine’s day chocolate duos.
04 Arts & Culture || Exchanging Valentines
It’s no surprise that the concept of exchanging Valentine’s Day love notes was started by a Frenchman. Following the battle of Agincourt in 1415, France’s Duke of Orléans penned the first Valentine to his wife while imprisoned in the Tower of London. The letter reads: “Je suit desja d'amour tanné Ma tres doulce Valentinée” which translates to “I am already sick of love, my very gentle Valentine.” This letter is currently preserved in the British Library.
05 Fun Fact || Love locks
Prior to the infamous love locks being taken off the Pont des Arts in 2015, the 700,000 locks weighed roughly 45 tonnes. That’s nearly the equivalent of 20 elephants. It’s no wonder a section of the railing eventually collapsed under the weight. While lovers can no longer display their affections by affixing a lock to the Pont des Arts in Paris, there is no shortage of other memorable activities couples can do in the City of Love.
Follow Friday || @ahedgehogtravels
Alix (yes, we have the same name!) and Hugo are a lovely American-French couple based in Paris. They have an awesome blog and a beautiful Instagram feed where they share international recipes, travel tips and more. They even have a digital dessert recipe book (currently on sale until Sunday!) featuring 15 sweet step-by-step recipes straight from their Parisian kitchen. This would make a great Valentine’s Day gift!
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To read all previous editions, visit our French 5 webpage.
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