When looking at modern Europe, there are many subcultures within the borders. The region of Provence remains today the home of Provençal, a once common language and piece of the greater Occitania region (Southern France). This dialect was widely spoken for centuries, before being phased out of mainstream society in the 20th century. Despite this, traces of the language and culture remain prominent today in Provence culture. In this article, I ask my dad, who has studied Occitan and Provençal, a few questions about the language and its history.

Modern flag of Occitania. Courtesy of crwflags.com

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Les Calanques, or the Inlets, are a series of ocean inlets stretching from Marseille to Cassis. These inlets are cavities formed in the rocky coastline due most likely to seawater erosion. The water cavities push into the coast, surrounded by rocky hills on each side. They are almost oases, shielded from the harsh winds and open ocean, tucked into the hills. With hiking, swimming, and boating available, there are plenty of ways to experience les Calanques.

The Calanque d’En Vau, one of the many calanques in Marseille. Photo courtesy of calanques13.com. (more…)

Music and sport are two great ways to bring people together around the world. Through these two mediums, you can discover new cultures, learn a new language, and develop new passions. When I was 17, I went on lephoceen.fr and clicked on a link for a music video called, “Soprano-Halla Halla”. This action helped me discover a world of music and element of Marseille that I was unaware of before. Click on the title to read more…

Soprano in le Vélodrome. Photo courtesy of TF1

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