The Beautiful Villages of Provence 2024: Join our WhatsApp Provence Group for our Group Communications while in France

Thursday, May 16

Join our WhatsApp Provence Group for our Group Communications while in France

This is a repost of an article about WhatsApp that we posted a while back. We will use WhatsApp as our "primary" group communication tool while we are in France. By noon today (Thursday) you will receive a text from Theresa, (our VP of La Dolce Vita) with an invitation to join our exclusive Adventures To Provence WhatsApp Group. (if you've already downloaded WhatsApp, you'll receive the invitation from What'sApp)

WhatsApp ~ it's easy & it's free!

In Europe, everybody uses "WhatsApp"! It basically gives you free Texting and free Voice calls to anyone else who is on the WhatsApp platform... So while you're traveling with friends, and need to contact them, or you want to call or text from France back to the US, if you're calling someone else on the WhatsApp platform, it's free... It works great for having a Tour Group Text String while traveling abroad and we'll definitely want to create one for your group so that we can all easily connect with each other!

The important thing to understand about WhatsApp and similar platforms is that you still need an internet connection for it to be totally free... So if you're at The Villa, you'll have free unlimited wifi... But say you're in your car, and you use WhatsApp, you'll connect to the internet thru your cellular data plan...

If ya know, ya know... If you don't, were gonna send you to a site where you can learn all about it in just 3 minutes... Don't worry about all the advanced stuff this site will mention.

All you need to do is:

take a few minutes to watch the video
go to the App Store & download the App (it's free)
Get your friends & family to download the App

It's free & it takes just 2 minutes to download, and can save you a ton of $$$!

even if you're familiar with WhatsApp, this video

has lots of great info you may not be aware of

A little "Bonjour" goes a long way...

Mangeons ~ Lets Eat!
Bonjour (bahn-zhor) - Hello/Good Morning
S'il vous plaît (see voo play) ~ Please
Merci (mehr-see) - Thank You
Merci Beaucoup (mehr-see boo-coo) ~ Thank you very much
De rien (dur ree-ahn) - you're welcome
Toilettes (toy-lets) - Bathroom
Où (ew) - where
at this point, you should be able to say: "good morning! I'll have the ham & eggs please,... where is the bathroom? Thank you" (we call this "survival French")
Oui (we) ~ yes
Non (nuon) ~ no
Pardon (par-dune) ~ Excuse me
Je suis désolé (zjay swee dee-soul-lay) ~ I'm sorry
Je suis désolé, je ne parle pas Français ~ I'm sorry, I don't speak French
Parles-vous Anglais? (par-lay-vu awn-glay) ~ Do you speak English?
Je ne comprends pas (zha-na com-prah paw) ~ I don't undertand
Combien ça coûte? (com-bee-en saw coot) ~ how much does this cost?
Bonsoir (bone-swa) ~ Goodnight
quel est ton nom? ( kel ā toe nome) ~ what is your name?
Mon nom est (Moe no ā) ~ my name is...
Chaud (shoud) ~ hot
Froid (fraw) ~ cold
Gauche (goush) ~ left
Droit (der-wa) ~ right
Magnifique (mag-nif-fik) ~ Magnificent
E'tonnante (eh-toe-not) ~ Amazing
AU M (ou-em) ~ ATM
Aidez moi š'il vous plaît (ā-dee mahw see vu play) ~ help me please
Dieu te bénisse (du ta ben-neese) ~ God Bless you
Taxi ~ Taxi
Bon Jour... Un Cafe S'il Vous Plaît ~ good morning, a coffee please
Soirée (swar-ray) ~ party (we wanted you to know this word as we'll be having quite a few soirées at the Villa! ps: Harry we've got the band working on learning a couple Grateful Dead tunes, you old dead head!)
Je ne sais pas ~ I don't know
Je ne sais quoi ~ literally; i don't know what... but often used to express something (such as an appealing quality) that cannot be adequately described or expressed
Ave-vous (ah-vey voo) ~ do you have...
Je le prendrai (zhe le prawn-dray) ~ I’ll take it!
Comment allez-vous (koh-moh allay-voo) ~ How are you?
Enchantée ~ Nice to meet you
Pouvez-vous m’appeler un taxi, s’il vous plaît ? ~ Can you call me a taxi, please ?
Est-ce que vous pourriez prendre ma photo, s’il vous plaît ? ~ Could you take my photo, please?
Je vous dois combien ~ how much do I owe you?
à quelle heure est-ce que cela ouvre ? ~ what time does it open?
Comment dit-on ______ en français ? ~ How fo you say __________ in French?
Je suis là pour les vacances ~ I am here for vacation
Puis-je l’essayer ? ~ may I try it on?
Vous fermez à quelle heure? ~ what time do you close?
Je cherche un magasin pour… ~ I’m looking for a store for…
une épicerie ~ small grocery store
Je regarde seulement, merci ~ I’m just looking, thanks.
Où est la gare ? ~ where is the train station?
Pouvez vous baisser le prix? ~ can you lower the price?
Où est ... ~ where is...
un ~ one
deux ~ two
trois ~ three
quatre ~ four
cinq ~ five
six (seez) ~ six
sept (set) ~ seven
huit (wheat) ~ eight
neuf (nuff) ~ nine
dix (deese) ~ ten
bisou bisou ~ kiss kiss
épicerie ~ small grocery store
boulangerie ~ bakery
le marché ~ farmer's market
pâtisserie ~ pastry shop
un grand magasin ~ Department store
Crèmerie/Fromagerie - cheese shop

Menu item of the day ~ reading French menus

Mangeons ~ Let's Eat!
petit-déjeuner ~ breakfast
déjeuner ~ lunch
Dîner ~ Dinner
œufs ~ eggs
jambon ~ ham
du jus d'orange ~ orange juice
fromage ~ cheese
salade verte ~ green salad
Vin (vahn) ~ Wine
vin rouge ~ red wine
vin blanc ~ white wine
Vin doux (vahn do) ~ sweet wine
Vin sec (vahn sech) ~ dry wine
Un verre de vin ~ a glass of wine
Une carafe de vin ~ a carafe of wine
Rosé (roe-say) ~ Rosé
Vin del la Maison (van del lay may-son) ~ House Wine
Jambon-beurre ~ this a very simple popular French sandwich of ham & butter on a baguette... it's delicious!
Moules Frites ~ mussels and fries (French fries)
Steak Frites ~ steak and fries
Bouillabaisse ~ traditional French fish soup infused with saffron, orange, thyme and chili
Boeuf Bourguignon ~ a hearty Provençal beef stew made with Pinot Noir (yum)
Coq-au-Vin ~ (literally rooster with wine) is a French dish of rooster/chicken braised with wine, lardons, mushrooms, and garlic
Croque monsieur ~ a very popular grilled ham & cheese sandwich you'll find on most all French menus... as iconic in France as the hamburger is to American menus
Croque Madame ~ the same as a Croque Monsieur, but with a fried egg added on top
Beignets de Fleurs de Courgettes ~ zucchini flower fritters, are a must-try savory dish from Provence. These fritters are made by dipping zucchini flowers in a batter made from flour, eggs, milk, and herbs before frying them until they are crispy on the outside. Zucchini flower fritters can be served as an appetizer or as a side to a main course. They are often stuffed with cheese or served with a side of aioli sauce for added flavor.
Pastis ~ an anise-flavored liqueur that originated in Marseille over 100 years ago. Its popularity spread throughout France, while retaining a special place of honor among the people of Provence. Typically mixed with water and served over ice before dinner to stimulate the appetite and encourage conversation, Pastis is not just a drink but an iconic symbol of Provençal culture and way of life.
PISSALADIÈRE ~ a savory tart... like a flat bread... The crust is typically made from bread dough, and there’s no sauce, the toppings are; caramelized onions, anchovies, and black olives.
RATATOUILLE ~ Ratatouille is a typical Provençal food that originated in Nice. This vegetable medley features eggplant (aubergine), zucchini (courgette), bell peppers (poivrons), onions (oignons), and tomatoes (tomates) cooked together in a savory sauce made with olive oil and herbs such as thyme and rosemary.
Frites (freetz) ~ (French) fries
Blanquette de Veau ~ A creamy veal stew made with lots of butter, cream, and carrots. Traditionally the stew is thickened with a roux. And typically it is served with rice. A favorite of the French
Tartiflette ~ This iconic French menu item is a luxurious potato dish made with melted Reblochon cheese, lardons and onion.. often shared as an appetizer
Coquilles Saint-Jacques ~ Gratinéed scallops: This luxurious scallop dish is made by poaching them in white wine, topped with mushroom purée, covered with a sauce made of the scallop poaching liquid. Quite often they’ll be topped with breadcrumbs and Gruyere before being flashed under a hot grill
Foie Gras ~ a pate Made from the liver of a deliberately fattened duck or goose; very popular dish in France
Qu’est-ce que vous nous recommandiez? ~ What would you recommend?
Une table pour quatre, s’il vous plaît. ~ A table for 4, please.
Le menu, s’il vous plaît ~ The menu, please
Je voudrais une bière ~ I would like a beer
Nous avons une réservation pour Straka à 20 heures ~ We have a reservation for Straka at 8 p.m.
La carte des vins, s’il vous plaît ~ The wine menu, please
Avez-vous...? ~ Do you have...?
Je suis allergique to... ~ I am allergic to...
Le Menu ~ what English speakers know as the fixed price menu or a set menu. It’s a set price for two or more courses. This can be a less expensive way to order your food. It is also known as la formule. The term “prix-fixe” is ironically not used in France.
Je vourdais une table sur la terrace/près de la fenêtre ~ I’d like a table on the terrace/near the window
Horaires d'ouverture/ferméture ~ Opening/closing times (usually found on the door outside). Note that many restaurant kitchens in Paris close after 2pm and 10pm and restaurants often close their doors entirely between 3 and 7 pm
Un autre verre de Rose s'il te plaît ~ another glass of Rosé please
Quelle est la spécialité du jour ? ~ What is today’s special?
Une carafe d’eau s’il vous plaît ~ a jug of tap water, please (note: in France they must legally provide tap water if you ask for it, so if you're not interested in bottled water, just ask)
Parfait. Merci beaucoup ! Au revoir. ~ That's fine, thank you very much... goodbye
Non merci ~ no thank you
Dégustation ~ tasting
entrée ~ appetizer/starter
plat d'accompagnement ~ side dish
dessert ~ dessert
Plat principal ~ main course
Potage ~ Soup
le plateau de fromages ~ the cheese course
Vichyssoise ~ a soup of potatoes mixed in butter and flavored with herbs, it’s a soup perfect for a hot summer day
Crème Brûlée ~ the ultimate French dessert - a custard for those with a sweet tooth, the beautiful velvety texture and gorgeous burnt color of this lovely dessert is a sight to behold and a wonder to taste.
Rognons de veau ~ Calf's kidneys... A dish for adventurous eaters, often served with a mustard sauce

Our Goal and Our Mission

At Adventures to Tuscany, our goal is to totally exceed your expectations in every possible way. It starts with our experience... We've personally been touring Europe for over 38 years and we're in our 23rd year of organizing our Tour Groups. We're honored & proud that so many of our guests who have traveled with us choose to do it again, and again... and sometimes again & again!... We know our success depends on providing you with the very best value and the very best travel experience you've ever had. We work hard to do that and we hope you are already recognizing that! Our hope is that you are impressed enough to tell your family & friends... and we hope you'll consider traveling with us again... If we can improve your experience in any way, please let us know. ~ Tommy & Terese