French listening practice with side-by-side translation
| Écouter ~ Listen |
Listening comprehension: See the links at the bottom for lessons related to the phrases in italics.
| Le Village des Neiges | Snow Village |
| Le Village des Neiges comprend un hôtel entièrement fait de glace proposant dix chambres standard et quinze suites de prestige, des spas arctiques, cinq igloos habitables, un centre de conférence de deux cents places pour les entreprises qui souhaitent « rafraîchir les idées » de leurs employés de manière insolite ou tout simplement pour l’organisation d’évènements corporatifs originaux. | Translation Snow Village is a hotel made entirely of ice offering 10 standard rooms and 15 deluxe rooms, arctic spas, five inhabitable igloos, a conference center with 200 seats for companies that hope to "refresh the minds" of their employees in an unusual way or simply to organize original corporate events. [collapse] |
| On y trouve également un restaurant de cent places, un bar avec terrasse pouvant accueillir jusqu’à deux cent cinquante invités et une chapelle pour les amoureux qui souhaitent s’y marier, le tout relié par un ensemble de tunnels entièrement givrés. | Translation There’s also a 100-seat restaurant, a bar with a terrace that can seat up to 250 guests, and a chapel for sweethearts that hope to get married there, all tied together by a system of completely frosted tunnels. [collapse] |
| Au bar de glace l’Amarula, vous pouvez vous détendre et prendre un verre (fait de glace) en bonne compagnie ou participer à l’un ou l’autre des évènements prévus à la programmation, tels des concours de sculpture sur glace, la diffusion de matchs sportifs sur grand écran (du hockey, bien sûr !), des soirées dansantes ou des spectacles. | Translation At the ice bar Amarula, you can relax and have a drink (in a glass made of ice) in good company or participate in one or another of the events on the program, such as ice sculpting contents, watching sports (hockey, of course!) matches on the big screen, dancing evenings, and shows. [collapse] |
| Selon l’un des trois promoteurs du projet, Carl Fugère, de Snow Village Canada : « C’est un « must » de dormir dans un hôtel de glace. On voulait aller plus loin, éclater le concept. Au Québec le froid et la neige vont de pair, et on ne comprenait pas que personne n’y ait pensé avant nous ». | Translation According to one of the project’s three promoters, Carl Fugère, from Snow Village Canada, "Sleeping in an ice hotel is a ‘must.’ We wanted to go further, blow up the concept. In Québec, cold and snow go had in hand, and we couldn’t understand why no one had thought of this before us." [collapse] |
| Le village comporte en outre de nombreux monuments et bâtiments faits de neige. Des effets de lumière sophistiqués illuminent le village à la nuit tombée et contribuent à la féérie du séjour ou de la visite. Que ce soit à la vibrante lumière diurne ou en soirée, vous y vivrez une expérience inoubliable. | Translation The village also has a number of other monuments and buildings made of snow. Sophisticated lighting effect illuminate the village at nightfall and contribute to the enchantment of the stay or the visit. Whether it’s during day’s vibrant light or in the evening, you’ll have an unforgettable experience there. [collapse] |
| French text, sound file, and images courtesy of Think French audiomagazine. This is part of an article in the janvier 2013 issue. | Translation by LKL |
Listening comprehension
Pronunciation
- comprend un, voulait aller – optional liaisons
Vocabulary
Grammar
- fait de glace, relié – past participles
- proposant, pouvant – present participles
- les entreprises qui souhaitent – relative pronoun
- rafraîchir, participer – infinitives
- leurs employés – possessive adjective
- On y trouve – adverbial pronoun y
- s’y marier, vous pouvez vous détendre – reflexive verbs
- l’un des trois promoteurs – l’un vs un
- On voulait aller – imperfect
- personne n’y ait pensé – past subjunctive
- avant nous – stressed pronoun
- Que ce soit – subjunctive
- vous y vivrez – future
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I have a question for clarification.
In the first paragraph, what does the French phrase “cinq igloos habitables” mean? The English translation from the web page lists this as “five inhabitable igloos”. If this is indeed the case, should the French phrase be “cinq igloos inhabitables” instead?
Other than that – keep these articles coming. It is really helpful to my learning of the french grammar.
Bonjour,
The word inhabitable is a faux ami. In French, it means unliveable, uninhabitable. In English, “habitable” and “inhabitable” both mean liveable.
I’ve been to the park where this is located but managed to miss the hotel entirely (it’s a big park!). I’m a bit disappointed that she didn’t let more of her Montreal accent though. It’s one of my faves!