The Ranting Frenchologist

(n.) a sufferer of the syndrome commonly known as ‘Foreigner in France’, triggered by chronic exposure to Frenchness. Symptoms include bewilderment, long-winded outbursts, the derailment of normal reasoning and an inability to take anything, except humor, seriously.

Example: ‘David Jaggard is such a ranting frenchologist’.

29 11, 2013

Before France was France: what’s left of Lutèce

By |2014-02-01T16:45:16+11:00Nov 29, 2013|0 Comments

The Roman city was dubbed Lutetia, which the Gauls, who even then couldn’t be bothered to pronounce the final syllables of most words, immediately shortened to Lutèce. It spread out south from the Seine, covering the area now occupied by landmarks like the Sorbonne, the Jardins de Luxembourg and the restaurant Polidor, whose toilet dates from this period.

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