Vivre en France
Intermediate (B1)Living in France, or dreaming of it.
Opens 🧪 Series Test A, on episodes 1 to 10. Tests B and C cover 11 to 30.
Visiting France is one thing. Living here is a completely different sport. 🥖 Vivre en France is 39 scenes of ordinary French life: the supermarket checkout, the phone plan, the hairdresser, the laundry that never ends and the heating that dies in January. Each one is a real conversation in the French people reach for when the day goes sideways, full of the words no textbook bothers to teach you.
I built it for intermediate learners who live in France, are moving here, or stay long enough for daily life to happen in French. If the 🗼 Paris Series was the holiday, this is the life after it. It's my most useful series, and I'll defend that over dinner.
Afterwards you'll follow the plumber on the phone, the train ticket, a first date, a house hunt, the emergency dentist, the call to the police after a break-in and the morning after a flood, with the words that get you through them: se débrouiller, on se les pèle, du coup. Every scene stands alone, so start with whatever life is throwing at you this week.
How a lesson works
Every episode of 🥖 Vivre en France is a full lesson. Here is what came with La dégustation de vin. Each one is also an episode in 💜 The Private Podcast, and the free weekly episode is on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
- The dialogue, at three speeds
Native speed, 🐢 Slow Audio and ⚡ À la parisienne.
- Transcript and translation
Every line in French, then in English, so nothing stays a blur.
- Key Vocab
From this episode:
le sommelier = wine waiterune gorgée = a sipavaler = to swallowcracher = to spit - Notes on the French people actually say
From this episode:
c'est du lourd ✨ = this is awesomej'ai failli = I almost - Two exercises
Fill in the blank, then Translate.
- A writing prompt
« Quelle est la meilleure dégustation de vin que tu aies jamais faite ? »
All 39 episodes
In the order they came out. Each title opens the episode on Substack.
- 01Faire sa valise
- 02La dégustation de vin
- 03Dire l'heure
- 04Nettoyer la salle de bain
- 05Faire du vélo
- 06Faire le lit
- 07Apprendre une autre langue
- 08Les nombres - CompterFree to try
- 09Prendre une douche
- 10Prendre soin d'un proche
- 11Le Chauffage en Panne
- 12Une Soirée au Théâtre
- 13Le grand rangement
- 14Le Brossage des Dents
- 15Dans la Cuisine
- 16Au Supermarché
- 17Les Forfaits Téléphoniques
- 18À la bibliothèque
- 19Dans La Cuisine 2
- 20Six Nations
- 21L'Achat d'un Billet de Train
- 22La Saga Sans Fin du Linge
- 23Chez le coiffeur
- 24Vol Raté
- 25Dans les Vignes
- 26S'occuper d'un Bébé
- 27Survivre Après une Inondation
- 28À la recherche d'une maison
- 29Le Golf
- 30Premier Rendez-vous
- 31Un pique-nique en plein air
- 32Au Supermarché 2Free to try
- 33Un Incendie
- 34La Douche en Panne
- 35Appeler la Police - Cambriolage !
- 36Tennis
- 37En Croisière
- 38Les Services Publics
- 39Urgence Dentaire - Prendre Rendez-vous
Listen to a real episode
The first minute of La dégustation de vin 🍷. Éthan and Élise taste a Chardonnay and wonder why some wines cost so much.
The highlighted phrases are the ones the lesson explains.
- C'est du lourdvery colloquial: this is awesome
- la viticulturewine growing
- une gorgéea sip
- chêneoak
- mâcherto chew
- ÉthanÉlise, tu as déjà goûté ce Chardonnay ? C'est du lourd !Élise, have you tried this Chardonnay yet? It's awesome!
- ÉlisePas encore, mais j'ai hâte d'y goûter. Le sommelier disait que ce vin provient d'un terroir exceptionnel. Tu sais, les Romains ont apporté la viticulture ici il y a des siècles.Not yet, but I can't wait to taste it. The sommelier said this wine comes from an exceptional terroir. You know, the Romans brought viticulture here centuries ago.
- ÉthanVraiment ? Je ne savais pas ça. Tiens, prends une gorgée et dis-moi ce que tu en penses.Really? I didn't know that. Here, take a sip and tell me what you think.
- ÉliseMmm, c'est divin ! Le bouquet est tellement complexe. Je sens des notes de fruits tropicaux et une touche de chêne.Mmm, it's divine! The bouquet is so complex. I can smell notes of tropical fruits and a hint of oak.
- ÉthanN'oublie pas de le "mâcher" comme un steak. Le sommelier a dit que ça aide à libérer toutes les saveurs.Don't forget to "chew" it like a steak. The sommelier said it helps release all the flavors.
- ÉliseTu as raison. C'est incroyable comme le goût change ! Mais dis-moi, pourquoi certains vins sont-ils si chers ?You're right. It's amazing how the taste changes! But tell me, why are some wines so expensive?
- ÉthanApparemment, ça dépend de plusieurs facteurs : la rareté, la réputation du domaine, les techniques de vinification...Apparently, it depends on several factors: rarity, the reputation of the estate, winemaking techniques...
Tap any line to jump to it.
What readers say
A perfect way to learn & improve without sounding like a Rosbif when in France.
J'aime les conversations normales. Les personnes qui parlent pourraient être mes amis. Merci !
Reading small little stories in colloquial French is wonderfully helpful and something too often overlooked in courses. Most of us want to learn so that we can one day converse with native speakers and for this, we need to understand their everyday speech. Merci beaucoup!
Questions, answered
Who is 🥖 Vivre en France for?
Intermediate learners, especially anyone who lives in France, is moving there, or stays long enough for daily life to happen in French.
Do I need to go in order?
No. Every scene stands alone: go in order, or pick whatever life is throwing at you this week.
Is the series free?
Two episodes are free to try. The rest is a members' series, part of the 💎 Premium Program. Premium starts with a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
What comes with each episode?
The dialogue at three speeds, the transcript and translation, Key Vocab, notes on the French people actually say, two exercises and a writing prompt.
Can I listen on the go?
Yes. Every lesson is also an episode in 💜 The Private Podcast, with ⚡️ Live Transcript. The free weekly episode is on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Not sure it's your level?
Take the free listening test: eight clips, about two minutes, and you'll know where you stand. Find your French level.