Once Upon A French
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French and English services language services.
🍺 One local beer. One classic French expression.
While wandering through La Rochelle, I spotted this clever brewery slogan:
“Un malt nécessaire.”
It’s based on the French expression un mal nécessaire, which means “a necessary evil.”
By replacing MAL with MALT—the main ingredient in beer—the brewery turns a familiar French expression into the perfect beer slogan. Clever!
💬 Et vous? What’s your mal nécessaire? Tell me in the comments!
🍦🍪 Lingo Pic #8 | The COOLKIE!
First came the BROOKIE 🍪🍫 (Brownie + Cookie).
Then came the CROOKIE 🥐🍪 (Croissant + Cookie).
And now… we’ve spotted the COOLKIE! 🍦🍪
One of my favourite things about English is how creative it can be. New words appear all the time by blending two familiar words into one. They’re called blend words (or portmanteau words), and food is full of them!
This summer in La Rochelle, and teamed up to create the COOLKIE—a delicious cookie and ice cream creation that definitely deserves a place in the Lingo Pic family.
Now it’s your turn, Edmonton! 🇨🇦
Which local ice cream shop should create the Edmonton COOLKIE?
Tag your favourite ice cream shop below! 👇🍦
Merci for inspiring our Brookie Lingo Pic, for the Crookie, and & for the Coolkie!
LaRochelle
30/06/2026
Another unforgettable chapter comes to a close. 🇫🇷
It was a true privilege to serve as the lead instructor and coordinator of the 2026 University of Alberta Study Abroad Program in La Rochelle.
Over the past few weeks, the University of Alberta students didn’t just study French—they lived it.
From interviewing artists and spending time with French primary and secondary school students to exploring the Gallo-Roman city of Saintes, experiencing the magic of Puy du Fou, and engaging in discussions on topics ranging from French gastronomy to freedom of expression, every day brought new opportunities to learn through authentic cultural experiences.
Special thanks to: Cécile Cuzzubbo Carole Sionnet Olivier Rocheau Tommy Delacuvellerie AXELLE GAUSSEN CÉRAMIQUE
Thank you to this wonderful group of students for your curiosity, enthusiasm, openness, and willingness to embrace every new experience. Watching your confidence, your French, and your intercultural understanding grow has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.
At Once Upon a French, I help schools and universities create tailor-made study abroad and immersion programs that bring language, culture, and meaningful human connections together.
If your institution is looking to offer students a truly immersive experience in France, I’d love to connect.
Until next time🇫🇷
Were you part of this adventure? I’d love to hear your favourite memory in the comments.
⏰ Translation challenge
How would you say in French:
➡️ “We switched to daylight saving time on Sunday.”
➡️ “Daylight saving time started on Sunday.”
The most idiomatic French answers aren’t literal translations.
In everyday French, people usually say:
👉 On a changé d’heure dimanche.
You might also hear:
👉 On est passé à l’heure d’été dimanche.
French uses the terms “heure d’été” and “heure d’hiver”, while English refers to “daylight saving time” and “standard time”.
Another fun detail:
Canada already changed time… but France hasn’t yet! 🇨🇦🇫🇷
That’s because North America and Europe follow different schedules for the time change. For a few weeks each spring, the time difference between France and Canada is one hour shorter.
📍Clock featured in the reel: La Grosse Horloge, La Rochelle
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