Today we're not going to talk about choux, but about sous (money). Cultural differences are sometimes also differences in financial culture, as my friend Pierre explained to me about mortgages. It's his job, and he knows the French banking industry very well. He's going to compare a few aspects of mortgages in France and the United States. The first difference is that there is no credit score in France. In this episode, Pierre will tell us about a second difference, and then a third.

In the notes that accompany the transcript, we'll look at three useful expressions and then you'll find a list of simple phrases for talking about rates that go up, down and up.

If you'd like to improve your French, the slow way, also about finance culture, I invite you to subscribe to the transcript at www.cultivateyourfrench.com

On Saturday morning, I had tea near the station with Anne-Laure. We were sitting on the café terrace, slightly in the sun. It was lovely!

- So what are you doing this weekend?’ asked Anne-Laure. I explained that I had to go to Paris, to a luthier in the 11th arrondissement, to get Felicia's viola da gamba fixed. The luthier's workshop was located in a typical passageway in this district.

Perhaps you remember a flânerie with Anne-Laure in that area two years ago? It reminded me that the luthier was not far from a patisserie whose speciality we had discovered, le chou à la flouve, a plant that gives a taste of vanilla and caramel when infused in a crème pâtissière. I offered to bring Anne-Laure some choux.

Did I find any? You'll find out when you listen to this episode in French.

In the notes that accompany the transcript of the episode, I'll focus on three typical French expressions and we'll play with questions, questions to awaken our curiosity and take the time to wander with the language.

So to cultivate your French, the Slow way, but also your curiosity, I invite you to subscribe. www.cultivateyourfrench.com

Last Thursday, Géraldine and I headed off to Normandy to spend the day. We arrived early in Trouville, by the sea, to see an exhibition dedicated to the painter Augustin Rouart. On the train home, I asked Géraldine how she liked the exhibition. You'll hear our conversation in this episode.

In the notes that accompany the transcript, we'll take a look at three natural French expressions used in this episode, as well as suggestions for grammar lessons to brush up on and a link to the whole interview with Géraldine and its transcript, of course! So to make the most of this escapade in Normandy, Slow style, I invite you to subscribe to the transcript.

www.cultivateyourfrench.com