Winter is around the corner and we’re already feeling the cold air coming. Chilly days, wooly jumpers and coffee mugs will be part of your routine for a few months, and you will probably spend long evenings relaxing on your sofa covered with a furry blanket.
For those French language lovers willing to continue learning, adding some French vibes at home, will inspire you and will create a beautiful and stylish environment. Here are our suggestions to bring la petite France to your home!
Le coin de lecture
Reading is a great way to learn French from home if you make the effort to read a little every day. You can have a small shelf with some of your favourite books in French or collect some newspapers or magazines. You have endless topics you can choose from: la mode, les voyages, la déco, la musique, la cuisine, les sports… Select your favourite one, acquire a couple of magazines and put them on that little bookshelf. You could place a nice armchair next to it et voilà ! Your French-reading corner is ready!
You can also have a book in French on your bedside table. Who knows? If you fall asleep with a book in French in your hands, you might dream in the language… Did you know that if you start dreaming in the language you're learning, that means you're immersing yourself and internalizing the vocabulary?
La déco à la française
We invite you to turn your house, or just a little part of it, into a mini-France. And the good news is that it’s not difficult at all! Stick some posters on your walls with some inspiring phrases in French or lovely photos of those francophone countries you would like to visit. Decorate your living room or favourite space with a bouquet of flowers and some nice accessories such as a fancy sculptural piece, a chandelier or an ornate mirror.
If you are in love with the Parisian style and want to go further. Here is a video to inspire you.
Vive la musique !
There’s nothing better than listening to hours and hours of French to get the sound of the language in your head. Why don’t you play your favourite songs at home?. Apart from creating a nice francophone atmosphere, you will learn naturally. And if you don’t know a lot about la chanson française yet, French top 40 is a good place to start.
Are you an opera fan? Here is our suggestion: listen to the founder of Prêt à Parler Isabelle. Oui ! She is an opera singer and you can find some of her amazing performances here: https://www.youtube.com/user/IsabelleNicolas
La cuisine française
And of course, we cannot forget about the delicious French gastronomy! If your kitchen gives off the smell of France, everything will be easier. Get some cookbooks in French or print some recipes, and keep some French ingredients in your cupboards.
From time to time, enjoy an authentic petit-déjeuner that includes un bon café, un jus de fruits and one of the many wonderful pastries the French are so proud of (croissants, pains au chocolat, brioches...)
Do you have friends around? No problem. L’apéro is the answer. Every good apéro has something to drink such as wine or beer, and you can also serve a few snacks (cheese, charcuterie or salty bites).
Finally, if you want to organize a proper French dinner to impress your friends, your in-laws or even a ‘big cheese’, have a look at this blog post: https://pretaparler.ch/diner-a-la-francaise/
Some tasty food, your favourite French magazines, that lovely music in the background and French-inspired decoration around you. If you still need more motivation to carry on learning the language, the French Toolbox is for you. You don’t need to commit to any schedule, you can learn at your own pace, at the time and place which is most convenient for you. Just open your laptop from your favourite spot and enjoy!
Sonia
Foreign languages have always been an important part of Sonia’s life. After getting her degree in Arts and Graphic Design and a Master’s Degree in Education, she moved from her country, Spain, to England where she has been living for the last ten years. She has worked in international schools and companies, and in 2013 she founded her own language school.
This journey has left her with countless life lessons that she feels privileged to have learned first hand. She truly believes that learning a language can change you in ways you probably don’t imagine, and she tries to transmit this message across Prêt à Parler social media by creating powerful images and meaningful content.
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