-
Learning French: when and why do we say il y a anguille sous roche?
Find out which Franco-American celebrity used this phrase in a TV interview
-
Learning French: when and why do we say entre chien et loup?
Use this saying to describe the moment after sunset
-
Eight examples of French romanticising everyday language
From death and black eyes to cooking and moving forward, French has a way of romanticising life
‘Usine à gaz’: this French phrase describes a big, complicated system
Yes, it means a gas plant, but we look at why it can also express something incomprehensible

Une usine à gaz can be translated as a complicated way of working or a labyrinthine system.
Read more: ‘Casse-tête’: this French phrase is a conundrum or head-scratcher
Translated literally, une usine à gaz means a gas plant or factory.
This expression dates to the French industrial revolution in the 19th century.
During this period in France, gas factories started being built in industrial zones.
Typically they were composed of complicated systems of pipelines and crank handles that were incredibly difficult to understand.
You can imagine a maze of pipes twisting and turning.
Hence the use of une usine à gaz to describe any incomprehensible system.
More specifically, it can be used to criticise a system that is big, expensive and complicated, but ultimately does not serve much purpose.
Related articles
‘Montrer patte blanche’: French fairytale phrase for trustworthiness
‘J’en ai marre’: if you are fed up of something use this French phrase
How to access French language lessons for fun or a CEFR certificate