The 50 Best Blogs for French Majors & Francophiles

While it’s not as widely used as it once was, French is still an international language spoken by millions of people all around the world. Even if you don’t speak French, the country’s culture is so rich and legendary that writers, artists, cooks and everyday people strive to capture its je ne sais quoi. If you’re taking French college classes or just a lover of all things French, indulge in these blogs to help you improve your language skills, keep up with French news, and become an honorary francais or francaise yourself.

Language

Get help with your grammar, vocabulary and idioms here.

1. French Word-a-Day: Get three posts daily that teach you about everyday vocabulary words and little stories about French life.
2. French Language: Laura Lawless’ blog teaches French grammar and vocabulary, and offers some posts about traveling and French culture, written in French.
3. Naked Translations: Native French speaker Celine is a professional freelance translator from English into French. Read her blog to gain insight into the nature of her work and to improve your own understanding of the language.
4. Translator’s Musings: An English to French translator documents the horrors and hilarity of the job, and shares examples of translations that can help language students improve their own skills.
5. Canal Academie: This language learning website features streaming news, historical facts and more to help you broaden your vocabulary.

Literature and Film

Celebrate French films, books and art.

6. The Giants of French Literature: The Modern Scholar Blog’s podcast celebrates the giants of French literature.
7. Cinema dans la lune: Mathieu Tuffreau blogs for Le Monde to share movie reviews and news.
8. Maitresse: Lauren Elkin is a PhD candidate who has been living in Paris since 2004, and here, she writes about books, art and culture.
9. My French Film Festival: Keep up with what happened at this year’s French Film Festival.

Food and Wine

French cuisine is legendary, from its haute cooking styles to country, rustic foods. Get recipes and learn about wine making here.

10. French Letters: Learn more about the French attitude towards food, and get French recipes, too.
11. Southern Fried French: Experience what French food has to offer when you this South Carolina transplant’s blog.
12. 18thC Cuisine: This clever blogger cooks the way an 18th-century habitant would have eaten in France, after a mix of American and other cultures infused traditional cuisine.
13. La Tartine Gourmande: Browse recipes by topic, or scroll through past posts to discover fun little anecdotes expanding on French food culture.
14. Chocolate & Zucchini: This popular blog is written by Clotilde, who lives in Montmartre and loves writing about healthy but sometimes indulgent foods.
15. David Lebovitz: David lives the sweet life in Paris, writing cookbooks, foodie books and this blog, which also includes his favorite spots to eat in Paris.
16. My French Cuisine: This blogger actually lives and cooks in California, but the site is devoted to French cooking and even shares French food idioms.
17. French Revolution Blog: Even if you’re a busy American, you can afford the time to make simply chic meals by reading this blog.
18. Wine Terroirs: Learn about vineyards and wine tasting in France from this blog, written by a French photographer.
19. Made in Cantal: Browse recipes by main dish or to learn about restaurants, cheeses and the French style of cooking.

News and Culture

From keeping up with the news to browsing photo blogs, these sites celebrate what’s current in France.

20. Le Figaro: One of France’s leading newspapers, you can find a lot of news and opinion on Le Figaro’s blog.
21. L’Express: Browse this publication’s blogs for dynamic discussion on style, culture and more, from France.
22. French Politics: French translator and visiting scholar chair at Harvard’s Center for European Studies Arthur Goldhammer comments on French politics from an American viewpoint.
23. The Paris Blog: One of the most popular digests on Paris life, written in English, this is a great blog for anyone interested in real, daily life in the City of Love, not just expats.
24. 39Vaugirard.com: Travelers to France — and those wanting to keep up with daily life — will get helpful tips, including everything from iPad apps to new laws to environmental news.
25. French Friday Blog: This culture and entertainment blog selects the best magazine covers, commercials, campaigns and videos to highlight.
26. French Today Blog: This community blog features posts on day tripping, learning French, cooking and more.
27. French Culture: If you can’t get to France, read this blog, "the official website of the cultural services of the French Embassy in the United States." You’ll find French activities and food in cities like Houston, Miami, Boston and more.
28. Paris Breakfasts: This photographer uploads numerous photos of her adventures, from dog-watching at cafes to cheery national holidays.
29. Little Brown Pen: If you think Paris is a gray and dreary city, read this blog for vibrantly colored photographs of the city.
30. French News Online Blog: Jump in the debates in French politics and economics on this sometimes radical news blog.
31. France 24 Blogs: These English-language blogs comment on culture, fashion, international events, and more.
32. Des series et des homes: Keep up with French TV and entertainment here.
33. Observatoire de la Diversite: This blog intends to study the problems that France and Europe has with diversity.
34. Americanexpatinfrance’s blog: This blogger writes to help other American expats adjust to the French lifestyle.
35. La Coquette: American girl Elisabeth has returned to her roots and moved to France, writing about style, culture and shopping in Paris.

Study Abroad and Travel

From expat blogs to students abroad, these blogs will help you understand what it’s really like to live and travel in France.

36. Lost in Cheeseland: Besides restaurant reviews and commentary on life in Paris, read this blog for its interviews with Americans who’ve moved to France, which can help you make the transition too.
37. Invisible Paris: While this city is known for its impressive art history and museums, this blog celebrates the everyday signs and scenes that make it unique.
38. Partager Paris and more: If you’re new to Paris, you’ll find great hang-out spots to try, and if you’ve never been, you’ll still discover tips for throwing French dinner parties and more.
39. The Paris Sharing Blog: Learn about the vacation industry in Paris, including lodging ideas and more.
40. Paris Daily Photo: Let this blog inspire you to hurry up and move to Paris, already!
41. Why Travel to France: While this blog’s design isn’t very modern, it has an impressive archive of photos, locations, shopping, and other travel ideas for the entire country.
42. Julie’s Paris: Julie offers tips for Americans traveling to France, from taking enough money to trying out specialty spots.
43. chronicles dune frays: This Oregon-native now lives on the French Riviera and documents life there.
44. The Paris Traveler: From lodging tips to main attractions, this blog has clever ideas and informative recaps for travelers to Paris.
45. HiP Paris Blog: Whether you’re staying for a few weeks or a lot longer, the Haven in Paris Blog has tips on finding the perfect place to stay (or live), cooking ideas, living green, traveling and more.
46. La Belle in France: Stephanie writes about all the culture, beauty and opportunities in the Cote d’Azur.
47. City-Guide: French ELLE highlights the coolest things to check out in Paris and the surrounding areas.
48. La Vie en France: Paulina Karpis chronicles her Lyon, France study abroad experience for the blog Her Campus.
49. Lost in France Blogs: Get guides to living and traveling around the country, and read blogs from various expats who’ve made the move.
50. France This Way!: A UK expat writes about making the transition, learning French, traveling, discovering the country’s quirks and history, and meeting other expats.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 4th, 2011 at 8:42 pm and is filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.