A Brief History of The French Open
There’s more to the story than red courts.
In America, the U.S. Open brings out the best in tennis talent, however we often forget that just 10 years after the first event that across the world, a tournament that holds equal prestige would begin.
The French Open is an annual tennis tournament held over two weeks in May and June. Established in 1891, The French Open has been played since 1928 on outdoor red clay courts at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France and is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments played each year.
The first winner of the Championship was the British player H. Briggs who was a member of Club Stade Français which entitled him to compete. French players were dominant in the early stages of the tournament, in particular Max Decugis, who won eight titles before the outbreak of the First World War.[10] Once the open became viable to international challengers in 1925, France's victory in the 1927 Davis Cup increased interest in the tournament and required a new stadium to be built.
Jack Crawford's victory in 1933 was the 1st time a foreign player had won the tournament since 1891. Following his victory, no French players won the title up until 1940, when the tournament was suspended following the outbreak of the WW2, though it was held unofficially under the name: Tournoi de France. Marcel Bernard won the first event after the end of the war in 1946; he was the only Frenchman to win the event before the advent of the Open era in 1968.
No one player dominated the event during this period until in 1968, when professional players were allowed to compete with amateurs as an official “open.” Previously only amateurs could compete in the Grand Slam tournaments.
Australian Ken Rosewall, was the first Grand Slam tournament to be played in the Open era. Michael Chang later became the youngest man to win the French Open when he beat Stefan Edberg in 1989. Prolific tennis phenom, Rafael Nadal won his first open in 2005 and held a streak until 2008. After losing to Robin Söderling in 2009, he regained his title from 2011 - 2014 and was defeated in 2015 by Novak Djokovic.
2005 marked Rafael Nadal's first French Open; he won four consecutive titles from 2005 - 2008. Nadal was beaten in 2009 tournament by Robin Söderling but regained the title in 2010 and defended his crowns in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. In the 2015 event, he was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Novak Djokovic.
As we move into 2019, Nadal plans to continue his streak starting in 2017 to continue building on his 11 championship wins. This year’s French Open will take place May 20–Jun 9, 2019 and can be streamed via the EuroSport website.
We hope you’ve enjoyed A Brief History of The French Open! Are you looking forward to watching the open in its native language this year? Our native instructors and culturally immersive group classes are sure to help you celebrate with every winning announcement! Click below to learn more.
French Wind Farms At Sea
Making clean energy out of their choppy seas.
The French are among those leading the way on renewable energy and new strides have been made as The European Commission announced that 4 French projects promoting electricity generation from renewable wind energy sources to be in line with EU State aid rules.
Photo: CleanTechnica
The Commission approved French plans to support 4 demonstration floating wind farms for producing electricity. The “Groix Belle Ile”project will be located in the Atlantic Ocean, while the other three projects (“Golf du Lion”, “Eolmed”, and “Provence Grand Large”) will be located in the Mediterranean Sea. The floating wind farms will each be composed of 3-4 turbines will be installed in the sea on floaters which are interconnected with each other and connected to land through an underwater cable.
The Commission's 2014 Guidelines on State Aid for Environmental Protection and Energy allow Member States to support the production of electricity from renewable energy sources at the least possible cost for taxpayers and without undue distortions of competition in the Single Market. The goal is that France will reach a renewable energy production level of 23% by 2020.
Do you think these French Wind Farms At Sea will be enough to help France become energy independent / dependent on renewable sources of energy? Join the conversation below!
The Fight for Fast Food Employment
The mayor of Marseille fights to keep a McDonald’s chain open to keep jobs in a poverty-stricken neighborhood.
The French government are not known for their support of American imported fast food. However, in one French city, both the mayor and residents are teaming up to fight the closure of one of the most famous American fast food chains in the world, McDonalds. The land of fine dining is no stranger to pushing back against the importing of junk food, but the residents of Marseille are now fighting a legal battle to keep a McDonalds franchise that has become a massive job provider from closing their doors.
Jean-Claude Gaudin, the mayor of Marseille, and the city’s senator, Samia Ghali, have joined the campaign even though they are at political odds. If McDonalds continues with a plan to close its branch in Saint-Barthélémy, a north Marseille neighborhood which is wrought by gang violence, drug trafficking and high unemployment, the senator has vowed to “oppose its presence throughout Marseille.”
With a staff of 77 people, the McDonald’s is the second largest employer in Saint-Barthélémy, which has an unemployment rate of 30%. This unemployment rate is more than three times the national average and has become revered in the community by employing school dropouts and youth desperate for work after serving prison terms. The franchise-holder, Jean-Pierre Brochiero, has stated that the restaurant has not been profitable, but that he obtained a court order last week suspending sales based on the grounds that he had failed to comply with a legal obligation to consult employees.
The radical French farmer, José Bové, made headlines by bulldozing a McDonalds in a protest against US taxes on Roquefort cheese nearly 20 years ago. This did not stop the rise of the the fast food giant which has become one of the most profitable restaurants of its kind in the French market.
We hope you've enjoyed The Fight for Fast Food Employment! Do you think this lawsuit will be effective at keeping jobs at home in Marseille? Join the conversation below!
The French Streaming Service War
An alliance between France’s three biggest TV networks to protect the country’s art against an onslaught of American entertainment.
France has long defended its ‘exception culturelle' with subsidies, quotas and tax breaks to protect French films, music and television from the ravages of a market economy. Now it is preparing to go to battle against the America-based streaming giant, Netflix.
France’s three biggest broadcasters have set aside their rivalry to form an unprecedented alliance to take on the American colossus with encouragement from the government.
France Télévisions, the state-owned public service network, is joining forces with the main private network, TF1, and M6 to launch a subscription service called Salto next year offering a catalogue of French TV shows and original content.
Despite the negative reception from state-subsidized local media when Netflix launched in France, the service has gained 3.5 million subscribers in the country. Salto’s initial £45 million budget is dwarfed by the £6 billion Netflix is spending on content this year with hopes that Salto can work as long as it doesn’t position itself as a competitor but as an alternative to Netflix. Salto will also need the green light from Brussels, to ensure that it does not breach EU competition rules. Despite their efforts to appease the French film industry by producing content exclusively for France, it didn’t save Netflix from being banned from the Cannes Festival, which ruled that its films could only compete if they had first been shown in French cinemas. In 2017, Netflix had 2 films nominated for the Palme d’Or award: Okja and The Meyerowitz Stories. Under pressure from the The Federation of French Cinemas (FNCF), festival organizers announced that in future only films with a cinematic release in France will be eligible for the prize and in 2018, Cannes officials banned Netflix from the competition. This all stems from The French cultural exception.
In France, cinema tickets are taxed and the funds raised subsidizes the country’s domestic film industry. Netflix’s distribution model would drain the French cinema of their funds. In addition, Under the organization’s regulations, a film must take no less than 36 months from cinematic release to its debut on an online streaming service which would be completely incompatible with Netflix’s business model. In spite of these setbacks, Netflix is continuing to produce more French-language series which will premier in late 2018.
We hope you've enjoyed learning about The French Streaming Service War! Do you think this will help or hurt the French cinema? Join the conversation below!
Origins of The Patrimony Days
Disneyland Paris is partaking in the cultural celebration this year, but how exactly did they start?
This coming fall, Disneyland Paris will participate in an event titled Patrimony Days: a national celebration of French culture and heritage. On September 15th and 16th, guests will be able to participate in an exclusive experience that focuses on history, architecture, gastronomy, and local artisans in addition to guided tours throughout the park. A mobile app has been developed to aid guests in learning about the inspiration behind Disneyland Park in an interactive way and will be available only for the two days of the event on both iOS and Android.
Patrimony Days (also titled European Heritage Days or EHD) is a joint action of the Council of Europe and the European Commission that involves all 50 signatory states of the European Cultural Convention under the motto: Europe, a common heritage. The annual event includes opportunities to visit buildings and monuments that are not normally accessible to the public and aims to widen access to and foster architectural and environmental heritage.
The event began in France in 1984, with La Journée Portes Ouvertes and in 1985, in Granada, at the 2nd European Conference of Ministers. It was at this time that the French Minister of Culture proposed that the project be internationalized under the Council of Europe. The Netherlands held their first Open Monumentendag in 1987 followed by Sweden and Ireland in 1989, then Belgium and Scotland in 1990. It wasn’t until 1991 these events were united as European Heritage Days at the initiative of the Council of Europe, supported by the EU, and finally in 2010, all 50 signatory states of the European Cultural Convention agreed to participate.
References to European and French culture are abundant at Disneyland Paris from the fairy tales that inspired classic Disney films to the architectural style that honors French sites, along with the art of food that is represented in its numerous restaurants.
We hope you've enjoyed learning about the Origins of The Patrimony Days! Planning a trip to experience the magic of Disneyland Paris during this special celebration? Our culturally immersive classes taught by native instructors will ensure you are able to experience the Patrimony Days to the fullest! Click below for more info!
Home to the Letters of Love
France, the birthplace of the loterie d’amour, has a long history of celebrating La Saint-Valentin.
As the birthplace of the “language of love” and the loterie d’amour, or “drawing for love,” France has long celebrated Valentine’s Day - La Saint-Valentin - as the day for lovers.
It is claimed that the first Valentine’s Day card originated in France when Charles, Duke of Orleans, sent love letters to his wife while imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1415, and although card giving is not as popular as it once was, it has been replaced by another wonderful gift - treating one’s significant other to the wonders of the French cuisine.
One of the oldest Valentine's Day traditions in France placed men and women in houses that faced one another where they would take turns calling out to one another and pairing off. Men who weren’t satisfied with their match could simply leave a woman for another, and the women left unmatched gathered afterward for a bonfire. Eventually, the government passed down a decree officially banning the observation of this custom.
The French also came up with reasons to celebrate based purely on nature. One of the theories for why Valentine’s Day is observed specifically on February 14th is that birds and other animals paired off and mated in the middle of February and in France, there was a popular notion that birds start the process of mating around the middle of the second month of the year. Thus, the reason that lovers all over the region started exchanging romantic notes around this time (as they began to consider it opportune for them to do the same).
Today, the French celebrate Valentine’s Day like many others around the world by exchanging cards, small gifts, words of affection, and especially fresh flowers to show their love for one another. Oh, and wonderful French food. Lots of wonderful French food.
Imagining a romantic La Saint-Valentin? While we can't transport you to France, Home to the Letters of Love, we'd love to celebrate with you in NYC with a FREE event! Click below to gain access.
The Most Painted Woman in the World
She captured the minds and hearts of the greatest painters of her time, all while advertising her love of women.
If you had to guess what connected Pablo Picasso, Raoul Dufy, Tamara de Lempicka, Marie Laurencin, and Francis Picabia, other than their status as highly respected artists, would you know where to start?
If the name Suzy Solidor comes to mind...
you might be on the right track.
In addition to being featured in works by each of these greats, she is aptly dubbed:
The Most Painted Woman in the World.
Born Suzanne Louise Marie Marion in 1900 in the Pie district of Saint-Servan-sur-Mer in Brittany, France, Suzy made her name as a prominent singer and actress and opened / owned a popular chic nightclub called La Vie Parisienne. In her cabarets, The Most Painted Woman in the World would sing about not only her desire for women but what she would do to them in explicit detail. The idea that she was mainstream was a wonder in and of itself. As she became more and more famous for her brash antics (imagine an early 1900s Kardashian), fierce opposition to social norms, and openness about being a lesbian, she was able to easily set the terms of her sittings. She would be given each of the thirty-three portraits of herself to hang in her club - a la the most grand Instagram selfie feed to ever exist.
As a result of this persona, La Vie Parisienne became one of the trendiest night spots in Paris. Her fame allowed her to continue operation even throughout the Nazi occupation of France, as it was just as popular with the German soldiers as it had been for French citizens.
After her death in 1983, forty of her favorite paintings were hung in a museum in The Grimaldi Castle Museum in Haut de Cagnes where they are still on display ranging from her youth to her later years where she took on the monicker, The Admiral.
Want to stay ahead of the curve just as French superstar Suzy Solidor once did?
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3 Reasons Why Stromae Matters to French Culture!
Stromae is taking the world by storm. Read about his impact on Francophone culture.
It is likely that you have never heard of Stromae before, but the Belgium-born pop icon is quickly breaking ground in the U.S. in ways that no other French singer has before. Since his number one hit in 2009, Alors on Danse, he's gained a huge following in Europe and, more recently, in North America. Since reaching number one, he's collaborated with producers like Kanye West (who remixed Alors on Danse) and toured music festivals like Coachella and SXSW. It's no easy task crossing the ocean in the music industry, but he is one musician that is bringing pride to French culture and we are here to tell you why. We hope you enjoy 3 Reasons Why Stromae Matters to French Culture!
1. He Promotes the Joie De Vivre
While many pop singers in modern culture are looking for ways to stand out, Stromae is reaching within. Just take a look at his interpretation of the song L’amour Est un Oiseau Rebelle from the famous opera Carmen. This video critique on social media is his clever way of creating a musical protest towards the over consumption of online living. Instead of sitting on Instagram all day, he would prefer that we focus on more real-life experiences. For example, maybe having a delightful meal with friends, a simple glass of wine with a lover, or strutting a perfectly tailored outfit amidst a busy city street. All of these things, living and experiencing life, is of most importance to French culture. It's the Joie De Vivre!
2. He's A Sophisticated Artist
Of the primary interests in French culture, Art would be among the top. Whether discussing Art or critiquing it, the French pride themselves on having a strong sense of sophistication. While some forms of Art are more celebrated than others, when focusing on the music genre, hiphop (which Stromae has a strong background in), the French are typically not satisfied with the flood of music videos focused on bling-bling and male dominated themes that objectify women. Stromae eventually took a stand to 'backseat' his hiphop career after no longer being able to get behind the message of what the genre promotes. When asked in an interview by Ebony Magazine, "Why did you abandon your hiphop career?," he responded:
It’s an important school for me, hiphop music, and still today. But I had this problem, the meaning problem of hiphop music. In the music that we know in Europe is mostly this kind of bling-bling hiphop, with naked women and limousines and stuff. And even if I was a big fan of the rhythm, the groove, I had a problem with the meaning. So all the time, I was criticizing this style. So my manager said to me, “OK, why are you all the time criticizing the music and talking about only the music? If you are not happy actually, just change.” [laughter]
And he was so true. So I was like, “OK, maybe.” It’s a good inspiration for me, the groove and stuff, but maybe I have to talk about something, real life actually. And he told me like, “Why you don’t try just to explain something about the real life?” And I was like, no, it’s gonna sound cliché. Talk about love, it’s always the same kind of… And actually, I discovered it’s not the way. (Source: ebony.com 'Stroma Invades America' interview)
Take a look at his music videos Quand C'est or Papaoutai below and you will immediately get the sense of how this artist is making a huge statement while maintaining integrity, authenticity, and poise. His sense of sophistication (while staying current and relevant to pop music) is what's making a huge impact on the French culture.
3. He's A Cultural Ambassador For French Speaking Countries
Rarely in the U.S. do we find a celebrity pop star singing in French. In fact, I can't think of any besides Lady Gaga who randomly throws a French (or German) word here-or-there into her lyrics. More than just being a popular music icon, Stromae is maintaining authenticity through his writing and performing music en Française - even as he breaks into new markets like the U.S. He is getting tons of attention for this and, while I may be slightly biased here, this use of French language is what is making him a super star. Even though writing music and performing it in French is natural for him, Stromae's stardom is raising awareness about French language and culture to Americans. The themes within his records are relative to his cultural influences and his lyrics portray a 'European mentality.' For many Americans who have yet to visit Europe, this presence is only creating more awareness about French speaking cultures and helping Americans to embrace them.
Now that you know a little bit more about Stromae, check out his music online via YouTube, iTunes, and more and continue to take notice of his career growth in the United States. One great way to learn French is to listen to French music, so we suggest adding a few of his tracks to your playlist. Are you already a fan of Stromae and have a favorite song? Don't forget to share it in the comments section below! Interested in more French language and culture? Sign up for one of our Group Classes or Private Lesson to advance your French skills. Bonne journée!
8 Funny French Observations About The U.S.A.
Here’s a tongue twister: what do you think the French think about you?
Part of understanding another culture is stepping back and getting to know your own culture better. In order to help facilitate this introspective, we thought to round up a few outside perspectives about the U.S.A. from some blunt and honest French travelers who have some interesting observations to share from their journeys. I hope you enjoy these 8 Funny French Observations About The U.S.A.!
1. Prepare for Friendliness Overload & lots of hugging
"Our custom is to kiss before, during, and after each social encounter, with 1, 2, 3, or 4 kisses. This is not the custom in the United States. For a friend, we will hug, with a great tapping on the back and a big smile. For colleagues, greet with a good handshake. Americans have a firm handshake, so do not hesitate to grind their knuckles. It is also a sign you have confidence in yourself.
Be prepared for an onslaught of friendliness. You may be approached by a stranger on the street asking you where you got your coat. Passersby's greet each other cheerfully on the street. Your neighbor may compliment you on the curve of your muscles, and the cashier at the supermarket may ask you what you are doing this weekend (and the three cases of rosé you've purchased)." [Source]
2. Bigger Is Better
"Everything is bigger. Every subject is a big drama. Everything they want to build is huge." [Source]
3. Walk Signs Will Cause Anxiety
"Crossing the road as a pedestrian is not always easy, you often have to wait for ages. When the white man is on, you can cross. And then a stressful countdown shows the time remaining for you to cross, sometimes only a few seconds to cross large avenues." [Source]
4. Always Compliment a Child or a Pet (Even If They Are Ugly)
"Rejoicing in the presence of children or pets. This is the correlation of "smile to strangers," it is mandatory to have a smile or a little "how cute" tilt to your head if you come across a child or pet. Even if they are ugly." [Source]
"Also, if you are running errands and drop off your pants at the cleaners or pop into the supermarket... know that leaving children alone, whether at the home, in the car, or the hotel is frowned upon, even prohibited." [Source]
5. Work, Work, Work
"In France, we choose life over work. We also choose strikes over work, but Americans work too much." [Source]
6. Pluming Has No Logic
"I still have not understood how it is that in my American sink I have, in addition to the tap, a flexible head (as in a French shower) to rinse the corners of the sink but in my shower / tub which is three times larger, I have a fixed head on the wall! No logic!" [Source]
7. They're Loud
"Commercials in the United States are always yelling at me." [Source]
8. Public Restrooms = No Privacy
"If you want privacy (in a public restroom), no chance. There are no real walls, only partitions that do not even go to the ground. So you can see the shoes of your colleagues, hear all the noises ... And even the doors do not help much. You can see the faces of the occupants through the slits in the doorway." [Source]
Are you French and have some observations to add to our 8 Funny French Observations About The U.S.A. post? Be sure to leave a comment down below and share this post using #jplingo @jplinguistics. Don't forget to check out our French Private Lessons & Group Classes by visiting www.jplinguistics.com!