Paris Olympics: Breathe in consonants, breathe out vowels, and may the last S stay silent

Everyone knows how the French words Bonjour and baguettes and croissants roll, it is practically the only French us flakes might know.

But here’s a more detailed guide to how some of the other Paris Olympics sights, the monuments, Games venues, the bistros, bridges, the food and the emotion-in-vogue sound in French.

The Pronunciation Guide to acquiring the Paris-rizz over the Olympics fortnight

Paris

(Pr: Pa-rii.

The ‘s’ is often silent in French when at the end of the word.)

French capital city hosting the Olympics. Or Le Jeux Olympiques (Pr: Le jyuz Oolaam-pik).

Seine

(Pr: Senn)

Like our economist Amartya Sen or shuttler Lakshya Sen. Paris’ famous river. 800 km long. It divided Paris into two halves – The left bank (Rive Gauche) and right bank (Rive Droite).

Avant garde

(Pr: Aa-wawn guard)

Being at the vanguard of culture, literature and art. Experimental, edgy, anti-, ahead of time. Progressive, radical. Literally, the advanced guard in militaries.

La Tour Eiffel

(Pr: Laa-tooh Ee-felll)

Eiffel Tower. Iconic. Sighingly lovely even in pictures and bronze miniatures. Built 1887. Called the Iron lady of Paris.

Arc de Triomphe

(Pr: Aa-ckkhh di-Tree-omphuh.

Stress on the kkhh & phuh)

A majestic gateway on the Western end of Champs-Elysees, its a star square to honour soldiers who fought for France in Napoleonic and the World Wars. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is ruminative, and the Memorial Flame has been rekindled each evening since 1923.

Champs-Elysées

(Pr: Shawnzz ah-lee-zeh.

The ‘ps’ at the end of Champs (meaning fields) would ordinarily be silent. But since Champs is followed by Elysées, the first S has an extended zzzz zing, whenever followed by a vowel. Like liaison. Last S stays sweetly silent :)

Most famous avenue in the world. The Street meaning Elysian Fields that connects Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde and the Tuileries Garden. Was meant to be the resting place of Greek gods, but the grandeur today is in renowned luxury labels – Hermés (ehr-mez) and Givenchy (jee-vawn-shee) to Balenciaga (buh-len-see-aa-gah) and Gucci (goo-chee is Italian though, and nickname of Japanese shuttler Akane Yamaguchi).

Montmartre

(Pr: Moh-maar-truh.

Silent first T. Truh like duh).

A charming artists’ hilltop neighbourhood in Paris’ 18th arrondissement (a-rawn-diss-mawn, a neighbourhood), this bohemian burrough has cobbled streets, cosy bistros, and painters, surrounding the white facade of the Sacre Coeur basilica (Sacray-Cuhrrr, sacred heart, like Kerr) church. The other famous cathedral is Notre Dame (nothruh dam).

Musee du Louvre

(Pr: Myuzay- du-loovuhrr)

Largest museum (musee) in the world. It has the Mona Lisa (the ‘a’ of the Mona is as mysteriously uttered as the unclear !? smile. Mon-uh Lee-sa). The other museum with post-impressionist art is Musee D’Orsay (myu-zay daw-say) with its famous window clock (think Hugo), converted from a railway station. Centre Pompidou (le sontruh pawmpidoo) is the whacked out, wild child of the Paris musee-family. Critics were flabbergasted by its design calling it Our Lady of Pipe and even Loch Ness monster, but Paris warmed up to it in due course.

Pont des Arts

(Pr: Pown – dezzaa

Again, silent last S.)

The most famous of the 37 bridges (pont) in Paris, known for its love-locks strung on its frames. Throw a key into the river and all that. Romantic, etcetera. Clichéd, cute. Ay other places, some of the most photo-worthy spots are the oldest bridge in Paris, Pont Neuf (Pawniff, neuf means ‘new’ don’t ask.), and Pont Alexandre III (Pawn Alexaaduh-thwoah, spelt as trois). This one is opulent with its golden-winged horses, Art Nouveau lamps. Named after a Russian tsar. Complex. Not awkward at all.

Escaliers de Montmartre

(Pr: lay zesscallyi)

Most iconic stairs in Paris leading up to the Sacré Coeur, with the best view of the city. Just the best aesthetic for the ‘Gram and plenty of exercise before hitting the bistros.

Porte de La Chapelle Arena

(Pr: Pawht duh la Shapell)

Close to the cultural art district of Montmartre, with its pretty crayon houses and cafes, the 8000-seating arena that will host badminton is Paris’ eco-hotspot. Most of the outer surface of the arena is covered with greenery, so it blends into the park. Imagine a giant, charming hobbit-house.

Place de la Concorde

(Pr: Plass duh la Cawncord)

Carnage of the French Revolution, confetti of sports victories and wars won, this famous city square embraces it all. Venue for the hip sports Breaking, BMX, Skateboarding and 3×3 Basketball.

Champ de Mars

(Pr: Shaw Dey Mass)

Martial drills of the Ecole Militaire finishing school on most days in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, the grassy green expanse, will house a 10000 sqm temporary building converted into a Wrestling venue.

National des Invalides

(Pr: Lee-zaan-vaaliduh)

A huge open lawn that hosts retirement homes of veterans, besides military museums and monuments plus Napoleon’s tomb. If things go south for archers competing nearby, the single-word idiom is Waterloo, French for deep sighing defeat.

Château de Versailles

(Pr: Shatoo di-Ver-saiyyuh

Double ll of Versailles is a Y. Last S silent)

Palace of Versailles. Home to King Louis XIV till decadence was brutally destroyed. The doomed peace treaty post WW1. The historical lawns though are beautifully manicured still in modern times, and Dressage and Equestrian will strut around here at the Games.

Sacrée Fleur

(Pr: Sacree Flurr)

A bistro that serves authentic French dishes – steak frites, tarte tatin, onion soup, frog legs and French wine. Hit its neighbouring rival Le Jardin d’en Face, to try tartiflette, filet mignon, foie gras, crème brûlée. We’d just be stubborn and go to Babalou for pizza. Rue St Dominique is a movie like Parisian street. Rue is street, pronounced as ‘oi sa-dominik’.

Stade Yves du Manoir

(Pr: Staad-Olimpik Eve-dyu-Manva)

The only surviving venue from the 1924 Games to where the Olympics return. Field Hockey will be played here. India’s other epicentre of action is the Shooting venue at Chateauroux (Shatoh-oooo).

Assorted other french tries:

Chanson (Shaw-soh) – A song.

Cabaret (Ca-buh-rey) – The dance.

Coq au vin (Cock oh vaan) – chicken stew braised in wine, mushrooms and garlic.

Potage (po-taaj) – Soup.

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Oeufs en meurette (uhh -aw- muh-ett) – Poached eggs on a sauce of red wine, bacon, onions and shallots (don’t ask).

Cafe au lait (cafe – Olay like Saif Ali Khan’s ole ole) – one part coffee, one part steamed milk, no froth or foam.

vingtenaire (van-ton-yay) – Someone in their 20s. The predominant athlete demographic.

éco-anxiété (eco – onc-siay-tay) – climate anxiety

être en PLS (- ay-tthuh on PLS) – The most recent French emotion in vogue. It means to be utterly fed up/distraught about something. PLS is position latérale de sécurité, which means, lying on the floor because of the emotions you are feeling.

Les jetons non fongibles (jatoon faw-ibluh) – Yesterday’s sports emotion. Non-fungible tokens.

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