pied-à-terre
pyay´-duh-TEHR´ (literally a ‘foot to the ground’ in French) A pied-à-terre is a temporary or secondary house, apartment, or other lodging. Pieds-à-terre (the plural, pronounced the same as the singular) […]
French
mas
mah A mas, in contrast to a bastide, is the Provençal version of a Tuscan farmhouse, or casa colonica. Built by farmers, often in piecemeal fashion, mas (the plural is […]
bastide
bah-STEED´ Bastide is the name for a manor house in Provence, the historic region of southeast France known for lavender, sunflowers, and a unique light prized by the Impressionists. A […]
tapis vert
TAW´-pee VEHR´ (‘green carpet’ in French) A tapis vert is a large, flat, unbroken expanse of lawn used as a landscape element. Tapis verts (the plural, pronounced the same as […]
treillage
Treillage is a generic term for latticework, often in the form of arbors, trellises, and pergolas. used to support vines and other climbing plants.
orangerie
An orangerie is a garden building, independent or attached to another structure, designed for wintering tropical and subtropical plants (such as palm, orange, and lemon trees) in harsh climates. Often […]
flâneur
flaw-NUR´ A flâneur is a man who strolls about town, often observing society; an idler or dawdler. The term dates to the late 19th century, soon after Paris had been […]
mauvais quart d’heure
moh´-vay kat DUR´ (French, ‘bad quarter of an hour’) A mauvais quart d’heure is a brief experience that is unpleasant, embarrassing, or both. Running into one’s bitter ex-spouse in the […]
bon vivant
bone´ vee-VAHN´ A bon vivant is a person who has cultivated and refined tastes, who has an appreciation for good food, and who likes parties and other social events. Plural: […]
joie de vivre
zhwah duh VEE´-vruh (French, ‘joy of living’) Joie de vivre is an extreme enjoyment of life or feeling of happiness about life.