Our House is Certainly Not in Paris (33 page)

To paraphrase Humphrey Bogart in
Casablanca,
‘We'll always have Cuzance.' And so, the years will continue to unfold, and so the work will continue. Each return will bring a renewed celebration of friendship and celebration of all that we love about
vive la
France.

Driving on the
autoroute
to Brive, there is a sign to Paris. Every time I see it, it never fails to thrill me. However, what I also know, whenever I see the sign, is that Paris is 500 kilometres away. While I adore Paris above all other cities, it's true – our house is not in Paris. And for that, I am glad.

Fin

• My Mumma.

• Dave, who read
Our House is Not in Paris
, while we were in Cuzance, to ‘be with us in spirit'.

• Ros and Kerry – colleagues, friends, my trusted first readers,
très merci beaucoup
.

• To Georgia, and the Hughes family,
très merci beaucoup
for taking care of
petite
Henri – and loving him.

• My ‘library children' and their parents, both now and from the past; – thank you all so much for your interest, support and encouragement with both my books.

• To our friends and family who have already shared our
petite
corner of France and those who will one day stay with us in Pied de la Croix.

• To all my readers,
merci beaucoup
for sharing our French adventure, some of you, for the second time. Thank you ever so much for your interest in our continuing journey on the other side of the world.

• Melbourne Books – for the opportunity to publish my second memoir.

• And of course most of all, Stuey, who doesn't just dream but makes dreams come true. (And all before turning fifty!) And of course, your superb proofread, the map and glossary.
Merci encore
– for simply everything.

To Stuey:

‘He said. Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.'
Mark Twain

And you did. And you do. And you will.

A

abricot
- apricot

amie
- friend

amis
- friends

amuse-bouche
- bite-sized hors d'œuvre

andouillette
- tasty French sausage

anniversaire
- anniversary/birthday

apéritif
- pre-dinner drink

appétit
- as in bon appetit

armoire
- wardrobe

arrêtez-vous
- stop

artisan
- tradesman

assiettes
- plates

attention
- be careful

au revoir
- goodbye

auberge
- inn

autoroute
- motorway

Avez-vous... ?
- Do you have... ?

B

baba au rhum
- rum baba (tasty dessert)

baguette
- French stick

bain
- bath

bal
- honey

beaucoup
- lots of/many

beurre
- butter

blanche
- white

bon courage
- good luck

bon/bonne
- good

bonhomie
- good naturedness

bonjour
- hello

bonne nuit
- goodnight

bonne soirée
- have a good evening

bonsoir
- good evening

bouche
- mouth

bougie
- candle/spark plug

boulangerie
- bakery

boules
- bowls

bourg
- town

bricolage
- hardware shop

brioche
- brioche, sweet bun

brocante
- antique shop

bureau
- office or desk

C

café
- coffee or cafe

campagne
- the countryside

canard
- duck

canicule
- scorching heat

caramélisé
caramelised

caravane
- procession

Carrefour
- a supermarket chain

carte
- card/map

castine
- fine gravel

cave
- cellar

cèpe
- tasty wild mushroom

cerise
- cherry

chaise
- chair

chalet
- chalet

chambre d'hôte
- bed and breakfast

chapeau
- hat

château
- castle

chaud
- hot

chic
- stylish

chien
- dog

chocolat
- chocolate

chocolatier
- chocolate maker

chou
- cabbage or sweetheart

citron
- lemon

civilisation
civilisation

clafoutis
- clafouti, baked fruit dessert

coiffure
- hairdresser

colon
- settler

combien
- How much... ?

commune
- commune, district

confit
- food preserved in fat

confiture
- jam

connards
- idiot

coucou
- colloquial hello

couleur
- colour

couper
- to cut

couple
- couple

couture
- dress making

crème brûlée
- custard dessert

crème glacée
- ice cream

crêpe
- crepe

croissant
- tasty French pastry

croix
- religious cross

cuisine
- kitchen

D

dégustation
- tasting menu

déjeuner
- lunch

demi
- half

département
- French regional department

derrière
- behind

désolé
- sorry

deux
- two

digestif
- after dinner drink/liqueur

dîner
- dinner

dinette
- informal meal

droit
- right

E

école
- school

enchante
- delighted

encore
- again

encroyable
- incredible

enfant
- child

escargot
- snail

espadrilles
- rope-soled sandal

espresso
- short black coffee

Etam
- department store

euro
- European currency

excusez-moi
- excuse me

F

famille
- family

farine
- flour

fatigue
- tired

ferme
- shut/closed

fermier
- farmer

fête
- celebration

ficelle
- string

fin
- the end

fleurs
- flowers

flûte
- long loaf

foie gras
- duck or goose liver

forge
- blacksmith's forge

fosse septique
- septic tank

fraise
- strawberry

frange
- fringe (hair)

frites
- chips

fromage
- cheese

G

gâteau
- cake

gauche
- left

gendarme
- local police

girouette
- weather vane

gîte
- B&B

glace
- ice

grand(e)
- big/large

grange
- barn

gratuite
- free

H

halles
- covered market

herbes
- weeds

hibou
- owl

I

île flottante
- meringue and custard dessert

Intermarché
- a supermarket chain

J

j'aime
- I like/I love

jambon
- ham

jardin
- garden

je
- I

Je m'appelle
... - My name is...

je t'aime
- I love you

joli
- pretty

jour
- day

journal
- newspaper

journée
- day

jours
- day (when counting)

jus
- juice

L

l'addition
- the bill at a café/restaurant

l'année
- year

l'histoire
- history

l'omelette
- popular breakfast

la
- the (feminine)

la chaud
- hot

la coiffure
- hairdresser

La Dépêche
- Regional newspaper

la grange
- barn

lapin
- rabbit

le
- the (masculine)

le cave
- cellar

les
- the (plural)

les herbes
- weeds

les mouches
- flies

lettre
- letter

liqueur
- liqueur

lycée
- high school

M

macarons
- macarons

maçon
- builder or stonemason

madame
- Mrs

mademoiselle
- Miss

magnifique
- magnificent

Maire
- Mayor

mairie
- town hall

maison
- house

maitre
- ruler, master

maman
- mum

maquis
- French resistance

marchands
- shopkeeper, stallholder

marche
- walk, march

marché
- market

matériaux
- materials (building)

méchoui
- spit roast lamb

melon
- tasty French fruit

menu du jour
- today's menu

merci
- thanks

merde
- vulgar as exclamation

mère
- mother

moi
- me

monsieu
- Mister

mouches
- flies

mousse
- mousse

musée
- museum

N

noir
- black

noix
- walnut

non
- no

nous
- we

nouveau
- new

nuit
- night

O

objets
- objects

oui
- yes

outil
- tool

P

pain
- bread

pantalons
- trousers

pastis
- an alcoholic aniseed beverage

pâté
- pate

pâtisserie
- cake shop

pêche
- peach or fishing

Périgord
- an area in south-west France

personnes
- people

petit(e)
- small

pharmacie
- chemist

pièce
- piece

pied
- foot

piscine
- swimming pool

place
- place

plage
- beach

plat du jour
- dish of the day

plombier
- plumber

poisson
- fish

pomme
- apple

pompier
- fireman

pont
- bridge

portable
- mobile phone

poste
- post office

poulet
- chicken

Préfecture
- administrative area

prieuré
- priory

problème
- problem

prochaine
- next

produits
- products

projets
- projects

promenade
- to take a walk

prunier
- plum tree

R

rapide
- fast

refuses
- to refuse

régionaux
- regional

rénovation
- renovation

rénover
- renovate

résistance
- the French resistance

rillettes
- rustic pate

robe
- dress

S

salle de bain
- bathroom

salon
- lounge

sanglier
- wild boar

sapeurs-pompiers
- fire brigade

sauvage
- savage, uncivilized

seigle
- rye

septique
- septic tank

soirée
- an evening function

solde
- a sale

soleiel
- sun

soufflet
- bellows

sucrer
- sugar

supermarché
- supermarket

T

tabac
- tobacconist's shop

tarte
- tart

thermique
- thermal

timbre
- postage stamp

toilette
- toilet

tomate
- tomato

toute
- all

très cher
- very expensive

troc
- second-hand shop

trois
- three

truffe
- truffle

U

un chausson aux pommes
- apple turnover

V

vacances
- holidays

vanille
- vanilla

vide-grenier
- car-boot sale

vie
- life

vieux
- old

vive
- long live

voilà
- there is... / there are...

voiture
- car

vous
- you

villages
- villages

Published by Melbourne Books

Level 9, 100 Collins Street,

Melbourne, VIC 3000

Australia

www.melbournebooks.com.au

[email protected]

Copyright ©Susan Cutsforth 2013

Series 1: Our House is Not in Paris (December 2012)

Series 2: Our House is Certainly Not in Paris (November 2013)

Series 3: Our House is Definitely Not in Paris (2014)