34 Comments

HOW TO TELL WHICH SIDE OF A RIVER IS THE "RIGHT" OR "LEFT" BANK. Can't believe I didn't know this. You just look at the river, and point yourself in the direction the water/current is flowing. So looking in the direction that the current is flowing, the Right Bank is on your right-hand side. If you're looking at a map it's a bit more tricky, but you just have to look at where the river is flowing (as in--toward which other body of water is it flowing), and that tells you the direction of the current. Then if you orient yourself in the direction the current is flowing, the Right Bank will be on your right-hand side and the Left Bank on your left-hand side. Easy-peasy. Let me know if this is confusing in any way and I'll get Monsieur B to explain haha

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Happy to explain to you all rivers in France!

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Thank you! I have a question. Do you know the difference between « une rivière » and « un fleuve » ?

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“un fleuve” flows into an ocean/sea, an riviere into an other riviere or fleuve. It’s not a question of size!

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Jul 19
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haha

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Et La Vache qui Rit etait mon premier fromage français, aussi, il y a si longtemps. Je l'aime toujours. :-)

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Les français vont encore se moquer des américains qui ont débutés avec des Vache-qui-Rit et des Babybel, mais nous aussi nous avons commencés comme ça.

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des Babybel ! J'adore. J'ai vu dans le supermarché qu'ils ont fait pour les JO une édition limitée dans les couleurs du drapeau français ! (I love Babybel. I saw in the supermarket that they made a special edition for the Olympics in the colors of the French flag!)

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Pour les américains il y a aussi une version végane!

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c'est vachement (pun intended) interessant--même dans ces commentaires, il y a de nombreuses personnes qui, comme toi et moi, ont découvert la cuisine française grâce à cette Vache qui s'amusait hahaha

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Chapeaux!!!

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Merci :-) I am so happy it's over!!

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Bravo pour ta certification oénologique!!! Je savais que tu allais réussir! You wouldn't accept anything less! :-)

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Merci merci ! Je viens de recevoir mon certificat et mon épingle de revers aujourd'hui et je suis sur un petit nuage :-)

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Bravo! And clever writing :)

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Thank you so much—you made my day ❣️

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CONGRATULATIONS ON PASSING! French tests are so hard. Even the driver's license one!

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Merci and oh yessss!

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Congratulations! What fabulous news and such a well-earned accomplishment!! I so enjoy reading your posts and cheering you on virtually. It's pretty great to to see you not only meet, but also rise above, each new challenge that you tackle.

Your honesty is refreshing as the middle parts of journeys can be pretty messy and maddening for all of us. A sense of humor and a keen appreciation for the absurdity of life certainly helps.

Right there with you on the Midwestern food of my youth. Laughing Cow was pretty fancy compared to Kraft singles. (Blech.)

Looking forward to reading your future posts. Congrats again!

p.s. your food and daily life posts are equally enjoyable to read.

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Yay and YEE-HA, another Midwesterner who knows from Laughing Cow! By the way they even still have the same triangles here in France in the supermarché which shocked but delighted me :-)

Thank you for the good wishes and for your thoughtful and kind feedback. Well said on the « middle part of journeys can be messy and maddening for all of us » Amen !

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LOVE the description of your "childhood comme wine"! Gave me a chuckle. Ah, the frightening American "cuisine". I can relate, even if I did grow up in CA, with probably a bit more nature as an active participant. The iceberg lettuce got me.

A whole-hearted FELICITATIONS, on passing your exam...and with honors. Just the thought of that feat made me a little queasy.

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Merci for your comment which also made me giggle 😂 and frankly I was queqsy the whole time haha

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Congratulations! That's an amazing accomplishment!

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Merci Aunt Missy 🍷😘

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Félicitations!

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Merci beaucoup 😊 and thanks for writing a comment j’adore ❣️

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Brava!!! What a fabulous way to learn France, from the terroir, first. I just finished reading The Table Comes First by Adam Gopnik. About 3/4ths into the book (part memoir, part essay collection) he has a chapter on wines. I think you would find it interesting and very entertaining. If you undertake the entire book, I found the beginning slightly tedious but once was past the first quarter, the rest was really interesting and fun. He's such a good writer.

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Oh thank you twice! For the good wishes and for the book recommendation. I love his writing too. And thank you thrice (haha) for leaving a comment—this makes my day !!!! Greetings from Paris 😊

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Ohhhh so proud of you!! Congratulations! And such a great suspenseful post. I was getting flashbacks to your driving test and I’m so happy things turned out much better! Can’t wait to hear more wine stories!

But I need to know - about the left bank and the right bank! Isn’t it just that one’s on the left hand side and the other on the right?

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Thank you!! Yes I was getting flashbacks too haha. OK I will answer the river question in a separate comment so everyone can see it!

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I am enjoying your experience here in 🇺🇸! I feel blessed that I actually DID share a glass of du vin with you last month. FÉLICITATIONS! I didn’t doubt you for a second Bon weekend to you🍷

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Merci ! Yes sipping wine in Paris was so much fun! Bon week-end !

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Yes, please, do tell! And félicitations!

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Merci ! OK I am answering on the river question in a separate comment so everyone can see :-)

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