The Meaning of Merde

For those of you wondering about the title of this blog, it references Stephen Clarke’s A Year in the Merde, the story of a British man who is relocated to work in Paris for one year. Merde in French literally means, well, poo. As in what you might step in while walking down any given French street. It’s also used quite commonly in everyday French interactions, between friends, colleagues, and even strangers. However, the merde in this book, as well as my blog, references both the ups and downs of living la vie française, things (like the merde in the street) that you can’t avoid but inevitably come to appreciate as quintessentially French. Here, I’ll mix my daily observations with experiences from everyday life and my travels to paint a picture of all the merde out there. And there’s plenty to go around.