To our circle of French Story Listeners,

A little earlier than usual this week as I’m heading off to Elche, Spain, for a Touch Football tournament! But before I lace up my boots, I didn’t want to leave you without your weekly dose of French.

So here we are. 🧡

This Week’s Story: Le vase au fond du lac

This week’s Armenian tale has a tyrant king, a devoted son, and a golden vase glittering at the bottom of a lake, that no one can seem to reach.

One by one, young men dive in and come up empty-handed. But a boy who has been quietly watching finally asks his father the right question.

And his father, old, hidden away in a mountain cave, deemed useless by the king, sees what a hundred young men could not.

Les hommes âgés sont plus sages que les jeunes. The elders are wiser than the young.

You can read and listen to the full story here: 👉 aliceayel.com/resources/le-vase-au-fond-du-lac

Your Narration Challenge — Become the Boy

Narration, retelling a story in your own words, is one of the most natural and powerful ways to make French truly yours.

This week, we’re going one step further: tell it in the first person. Become the boy.

Say je — I. Step into his shoes. You were there.

Here are a few lines to ease you in:

Je voyais le vase briller au fond du lac, mais personne ne pouvait l’attraper. — I could see the vase shining at the bottom of the lake, but no one could reach it.

J’ai embrassé mon père et je me suis présenté au palais. — I kissed my father and I presented myself at the palace.

Je suis monté dans l’arbre, et j’ai attrapé le vase d’or. — I climbed the tree, and I caught the golden vase.

Share your retelling, by audio or in writing, in our Telegram community by Sunday, March 29: 👉 Join the challenge on Telegram

Don’t wait to feel ready.

Barry has already jumped in on Telegram, and if he can do it, so can you.

Press record, pick up your pen, and trust that the words will come. They always do.

A gentle reminder: You don’t need to retell the whole story. A few sentences, one moment, one feeling, that is enough.

The boy in this story didn’t need to be the strongest swimmer. He just needed to look at things differently.

So do you.

À bientôt from sunny Spain 🌞

Alice 💕

P.S. Want to bring your French to life with others in real time? Our Community Live sessions are a warm, welcoming space to listen, speak, and simply be in French together — no pressure, no tests. Just story lovers showing up, week after week. Find out more and join us here: 👉 aliceayel.com/members-community-live