Clé France

American Stereotypes and Traditional Cuisine

Living in France as a Brit but especially as un américain (an American) sometimes means hearing the same jokes over and over again. Most of the time it’s all meant in good fun so it never bothers me and sometimes I even learn about les stéréotypes américains (American stereotypes) that I never knew existed!

The most common stéréotype américain that is the end of many jokes for me here en France is that all Americans love les hamburgers (hamburgers).

Like with French fries not being from la France, there’s an irony in the stereotypically American food originally being from l’Allemagne (Germany) and not les États-Unis (the United States). Cependant (however), that doesn’t stop the hamburger punch line from being repeated, especially if the subject of traditional cuisine comes up.

Et toi John, tu veux manger un hamburger !

And you John, you want to eat a hamburger!

While it can get old hearing the same joke over and over, it also inspired me to learn des nouveaux mots (new words), because I quickly realised I had no idea to talk about what goes into making un bon hamburger or how to properly explain the difference between le fast-food and a backyard barbecue!

Instead of seeing it as an annoying situation, I prefer to look at it as a way to open up conversations and gain insight into la culture française. It may be awkward, but I understand that mes amis français (my French friends) are looking for a way to include me and I appreciate the effort, even if I don’t laugh at the hamburger jokes.

So I decided to learn how to discuss les ingrédients et les condiments (toppings and condiments) and how exactly I like le steak haché (the patty) cooked! Après tout (after all), even if les hamburgers are not my favourite food, I do enjoy eating them!

Voici un vocabulaire de hamburger

Hamburger – Le hamburger

Fast Food – Le fast-food

Barbecue – Le barbecue

Spatula – La spatule

Bun – Le petit pain

Patty – Le steak haché

Very Rare – Bleu

Rare – Saignant

Medium Rare – À point

Well Done – Bien cuit

Sauce – La sauce

Ketchup – Le ketchup

Mayonnaise – La mayonnaise

Mustard – La moutarde

Relish – Le condiment

Tomato – Le tomate

Lettuce – Le salade

Onion – L’oignon

Pickle – Le cornichon au vinaigre

Grease – La graisse

Fries / Chips – Les frites!

Blog submitted by: Alex at The French Property Network - Cle France.

This blog was originally posted on The French Language Blog pages.

GBP – Will the Bank of England backtrack?

What a week so far and there’s more major news to come.

Brexit has taken another big leap forward. With a transition deal (loosely) agreed, it means negotiations can finally move on to the juicy bit - trade.

However, Sterling’s upward momentum took a knock yesterday after the latest UK inflation figures came in lower than expected. It seems the Bank of England might have called it right; inflation peaked at 3% a few months ago and is starting to subside.

Today we have jobs data out and then the Bank of England (BoE) meets tomorrow for a rate decision. A May rate hike still looks firmly on the cards, unless the BoE begin to backtrack.

EUR – Awaiting Euro Summit

As we expected, the latest ZEW economic sentiment surveys indicated that German confidence has begun to wane.

The Euro remained pretty stoic in response which suggests investors are instead focused on the upcoming Euro Summit. EU leaders set to meet for a chinwag in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.

USD  - Rate rise expected

The new Chairman, Jerome Powell, will be in the spotlight later today as the Fed is expected to raise interest rates for the first time in 2018.

Investors will be listening closely for any indication of how many more hikes are likely this year. 

While higher rates are positive for the Dollar, the growing threat of trade wars is weighing on USD.

Sterling to Euro rate currently sits at £1.00 = 1.1450 Euros, see below for more comparisons.

Current rates: 

Wednesday 21st March 2018 at 14:00

£1.00 GBP = 1.1450 EURO

£1.00 GBP = 1.4070 USD

£1.00 GBP = 1.8278 AUD

£1.00 GBP = 1.9621 NZD

£1.00 GBP = 1.8250 CAD

£1.00 GBP = 16.8305 ZAR

Need to Send Money Abroad?

At Clé France, many of our customers have a need for currency exchange.

We are pleased to have partnered with Key Currency to offer our customers favourable exchange rates on international currency transfers.

Key Currency is an award-winning currency exchange specialist, Key Currency Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as an Authorised Payment Institution (Financial Services Register No. 753989) and experienced in executing high-volume transactions.

As a Clé France website visitor, you qualify for preferential exchange rates when you transact through Key Currency.

Save money on your foreign currency transfers

Key Currency can save you money by offering more competitive rates of exchange than retail banks.

Clients can typically save you 3-4% of the total transaction value, which can result in significant cost savings.

All client funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier banks keeping your money safe and secure.

Download our FREE "Buying A Property in France" Guide PDF document now.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk 

France - it’s the country that has it all...

France continues to be a popular place for Brits looking to buy property.

In this guide, we take a look at what France has to offer, how to find your dream property and some of the things you need to consider before buying.

Download our FREE "Buying A Property in France" Guide PDF document now, just click on the image below

When moving money abroad, Key Currency provides the best exchange rates possible and charges you no fees.

This can result in significant savings compared to using your bank.

In addition, their specialist currency service can help you to avoid losing money on an overseas property purchase by enabling you to fix the price in Pounds, giving you greater peace of mind and protecting your budget.

Whether you’re buying or selling a property abroad, transferring your savings or paying international bills, we suggest getting a free quote from Key Currency.

Click here for a free quote

Kind regards, Sharon Evans

Founder of Clé France.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk 

A Place in the Sun Live at Manchester Central this weekend!

As you may know Cle France and A Place in the Sun have been partners for many years, we feature around 3000 of our properties for sale in France on the APITS website and the 'Live' event this weekend is one of the highlights of the international property calendar.

So if you can make it to Manchester Central tomorrow then you will be in for a treat.

Here is some words of wisdom from the A Place in the Sun team... 

Please make sure you have your ticket printed or on your phone ready to be scanned at the box office - there will be one queue for mobile tickets and another for printed tickets so make sure you join the right queue when you arrive.

Jasmine and Ryan kick off the weekend’s activities at The Hub at 10:45am, followed by plenty more seminars and opportunities to hear from Jonnie, Amanda and Laura over the weekend too.

Remember to arrive early to secure a seat as The Hub gets very busy.

And watch the video below as Jasmine takes us through how you can make the most of your time at the show.

A Place in the Sun Live!

Blog submitted by: Alex at The French Property Network - Cle France.

Need to Send Money Abroad?

At Clé France, many of our customers have a need for currency exchange.

We are pleased to have partnered with Key Currency to offer our customers favourable exchange rates on international currency transfers.

Key Currency is an award-winning currency exchange specialist, Key Currency Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as an Authorised Payment Institution (Financial Services Register No. 753989) and experienced in executing high-volume transactions.

As a Clé France client, you qualify for preferential exchange rates when you transact through Key Currency.

Save money on your foreign currency transfers

Key Currency can save you money by offering more competitive rates of exchange than retail banks.

Clients can typically save you 3-4% of the total transaction value, which can result in significant cost savings.

All client funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier banks keeping your money safe and secure.

Contact Geoff or James direct to discuss your currency needs using the form below. 

Enquiry Form - Currency Information

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Cle France are there to help you find the best selection of French property for sale and Key Currency are there to save you time, money and hassle; making sure your money is in the right place, at the right time and keeping you informed along the way.

The best service is one that comes highly recommended, that is why you should use the services of Key Currency.

Benefits of using Key Currency:

1. Great exchange rates
2. Quick and easy transfers
3. No transfer fees
4. Expert help and guidance
5. Authorised by the FCA

Alternatively, you can contact Key Currency over the phone or visit their website.

0044 (0) 1872 487 500

Quote 'Clé France' for the best rate

www.keycurrency.co.uk

UK Office: St. Piran House, Truro Technology Park, Truro TR1 2XN