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When and why do we say c'est la sardine qui a bouché le port de Marseille?
Marseille, a ship, a very big sardine, and a stereotype
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Hungry, peckish, stuffed: 11 French phrases to do with food and eating
These phrases help to talk about one of the most important subjects in France - food
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Rugby vocabulary to know if watching the Six Nations in France
From un tampon to une cathédrale, understand the meaning of key French rugby terms
‘Labels’ may be helpful
FRANCE might seem to have an obsession with ‘labels,’ those logos that show if a product is home-made, as with Fait Maison in restaurants, but the aim is to ensure buyers get what they pay for.
So Label Rouge on meats, bread, cakes etc, shows they are superior quality and Appellation d’origine contrôlée on wine, cheese and sausages means they have been made in a certain way and region.
However, unlike the other two, Fait Maison is not regulated by law: any restaurant can use it but will face a fine for misuse.
Unofficial labels abound: Saveur de L’Année for foods or Médaille d’Or on wine are won in competition; Testé et Approuvé par les Seniors is for products tested as suitable for over-60s, and Finansol simply shows ethical finance products. With product scams on the rise, such labels are a gauge of past performance, not a guarantee.
This is just a glimpse of what is available in our 2017 Moving to France Helpguide, check out the other contents here.
