FR19: Holidays and Travel
Holiday destinations, travel by train/plane/car; accommodation; the perfect tense for past holidays
✈️ Holidays and Travel
Holiday destinations, travel by train/plane/car; accommodation; the perfect tense for past holidays
Key Fact: This topic covers key vocabulary and structures for holidays and travel. You need to know the topic vocabulary, be able to use it in all four skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing), and express opinions with reasons.
📋 Key Vocabulary and Structures
For Holidays and Travel, you must know:
- Topic-specific vocabulary (nouns, verbs, adjectives)
- Key grammar structures for this topic area
- How to express and justify opinions
- How to describe past, present and future related to this topic
- Cultural knowledge about French-speaking countries and communities
❓ Practice Questions
Q1: Write 4 sentences in French about holidays and travel.
Q2: Write a paragraph (40-60 words) giving your opinion on holidays and travel.
Q3: Translate into French: "I think holidays and travel is important because..."
✅ Answers
- Four sentences using topic vocabulary, with correct adjective agreement, articles and verb conjugation. Include at least two different tenses for Higher tier.
- A structured paragraph with: introduction (à mon avis...), opinion with reason (je pense que... parce que...), a different viewpoint (cependant...), and a conclusion (en conclusion...). Use connecting words and varied vocabulary.
- "Je pense que [topic] est important(e) parce que..." — ensure adjective agreement (important vs importante depending on noun gender), correct verb form, and give a specific reason.
🎯 Exam Tips
- Use a range of tenses (present, past, future) to access higher marks
- Include opinions with reasons (je pense que... parce que...)
- Check adjective agreement (gender and number) before finishing
- Use complex structures: negation (ne...pas, ne...jamais), pronouns (le, la, les), conjunctions (cependant, donc, en plus)
- Include cultural references to French-speaking countries
- For writing: plan your response, check verb conjugations, re-read for errors
📝 Exam Technique
French Exam Tips — Holidays and Travel:
1. For Holidays and Travel, use a range of vocabulary and complex grammatical structures to access higher marks
2. Check verb tenses, agreements and word order carefully in your written work
3. In translation tasks, translate meaning rather than word-for-word
4. When writing about Holidays and Travel, include opinions and justifications, not just descriptions
5. For listening and reading, focus on key words and cognates to extract meaning
1. For Holidays and Travel, use a range of vocabulary and complex grammatical structures to access higher marks
2. Check verb tenses, agreements and word order carefully in your written work
3. In translation tasks, translate meaning rather than word-for-word
4. When writing about Holidays and Travel, include opinions and justifications, not just descriptions
5. For listening and reading, focus on key words and cognates to extract meaning
⚠️ Common Errors
Watch Out!
Students often forget the auxiliary verb choice in the perfect tense. Wrong: J'ai allé en France. Correct: Je suis allé(e) en France (aller uses être as auxiliary, not avoir). Students also forget to make the past participle agree with the subject when using être. Wrong: Elle est allé en vacances. Correct: Elle est allée en vacances (add -e for feminine).
✍️ Model Answer
Full-Mark Response
Writing task: Write about holiday destinations, travel by train/plane/car; accommodation; the perfect tense for past holidays.
A grade 9 answer will: use at least three tenses accurately; include complex structures (subordinate clauses, pronouns, negation); show precise grammar (agreement, conjugation, spelling); express and justify opinions; include cultural knowledge; use a wide range of vocabulary; be well-organised with connecting words (cependant, en revanche, de plus, en conclusion).
Mark scheme: Content (relevance and detail) + Quality of language (accuracy and range) = total marks
📊 AO Deep Dive
Assessment Objective Focus: Holidays and Travel
AO1 — Knowledge: Show understanding of Holidays and Travel by demonstrating accurate vocabulary and grammatical structures in the target language.
AO2 — Application: Apply your knowledge of Holidays and Travel to understand and produce language in listening, reading, speaking and writing contexts.
AO3 — Analysis & Evaluation: Analyse and evaluate linguistic features related to Holidays and Travel, demonstrating critical awareness of meaning, context and cultural references.
📝 Exam Questions by Topic
🎬 Video Resources
Notes Détaillées
Les Vacances et le Voyage en France
Holidays and travel vocabulary: les vacances (holidays), un voyage (a trip/journey), un séjour (a stay), la destination (destination), le billet (ticket), la réservation (booking), l'auberge de jeunesse (youth hostel), le camping (camping), la plage (beach), la montagne (mountains). French people have five weeks of congés payés (paid holiday) and tend to take long summer holidays — les vacances d'été in July and August when many businesses close.
France is the world's most-visited country, with about 90 million tourists annually. Popular destinations include Paris (the Eiffel Tower, le Louvre, Notre-Dame), la Côte d'Azur (French Riviera — Nice, Cannes, Saint-Tropez), la Provence (lavender fields, picturesque villages), les Alpes (skiing), and la Bretagne (coastal scenery and crêpes). Each region offers distinct landscapes and cultural experiences.
Discuss holidays using different tenses: L'année dernière, je suis allé(e) en Provence — j'ai visité des villages pittoresques et j'ai mangé de la bouillabaisse (Last year, I went to Provence — I visited picturesque villages and ate bouillabaisse). Future: Cet été, je vais partir en camping en Bretagne (This summer, I'm going camping in Brittany). Conditional: Je voudrais visiter la Côte d'Azur (I would like to visit the French Riviera).
Exemple
La France est le pays le plus visité au monde. L'année dernière, je suis allé en Provence — j'ai vu les champs de lavande et j'ai mangé de la bouillabaisse. — France is the most visited country in the world. Last year, I went to Provence — I saw the lavender fields and ate bouillabaisse.
Les Types d'Hébergement et de Transport
Accommodation vocabulary: un hôtel (hotel), une chambre d'hôte (B&B/guesthouse), un gîte (self-catering cottage — very French), le camping (campsite), l'auberge de jeunesse (youth hostel), un appartement Airbnb. Les gîtes ruraux are a distinctly French form of accommodation — converted farmhouses and rural properties rented for self-catering holidays, often in beautiful countryside settings.
Transport vocabulary: le train (train), le TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse — high-speed train), l'avion (plane), le bateau (boat), la voiture (car), l'autobus/le car (bus/coach), le métro (underground). France's TGV network is one of the world's fastest, connecting Paris to major cities in under 3 hours. Le pass Navigo (Paris travel card) provides unlimited travel in the Île-de-France region.
For Higher tier, discuss travel preferences with reasons: Je préfère prendre le TGV parce que c'est rapide et écologique. Cependant, l'avion est plus pratique pour les longues distances. Use comparatives: Le train est plus confortable que l'avion, mais l'avion est plus rapide.
Exemple
Le TGV est l'un des trains les plus rapides au monde. Il relie Paris à Lyon en deux heures. Je préfère le train parce que c'est plus écologique que l'avion. — The TGV is one of the fastest trains in the world. It connects Paris to Lyon in two hours. I prefer the train because it's more ecological than flying.
Le Tourisme dans la Francophonie
Francophone destinations are diverse. In Sénégal, l'île de Gorée is a UNESCO World Heritage site — a moving memorial to the transatlantic slave trade. Le Parc national du Djoudj is one of the world's greatest bird sanctuaries. Le Lac Rose (Pink Lake) near Dakar gets its colour from bacteria and is a popular tourist site. Le tourisme solidaire (ethical tourism) is growing, encouraging visitors to engage with local communities respectfully.
In Québec, les chutes du Niagara (though the better view is from the Canadian side), le Vieux-Québec (a UNESCO World Heritage old town), le fjord du Saguenay, and les baleines du Saint-Laurent (whale watching in the St Lawrence River) attract millions. Le Carnaval de Québec in winter and les couleurs de l'automne (autumn colours) are seasonal draws.
In Belgium, les grandes places (grand squares — especially la Grand-Place de Bruxelles, a UNESCO site), les canaux de Bruges, and les champs de pavots (poppy fields in Flanders) are popular. In Switzerland, le Lac Léman (Lake Geneva) and les Alpes suisses attract visitors year-round. Comparing destinations: Tandis que la France attire des touristes pour la culture et la gastronomie, le Sénégal offre un tourisme naturel et culturel authentique.
Exemple
Au Sénégal, l'île de Gorée est un site de l'UNESCO qui commémore la traite des esclaves. Au Québec, le Vieux-Québec est aussi classé par l'UNESCO. Chaque destination francophone est unique. — In Sénégal, Gorée Island is a UNESCO site commemorating the slave trade. In Québec, Old Québec is also classified by UNESCO. Each francophone destination is unique.
Vocabulaire Clé
| Français | English | Exemple |
|---|---|---|
| les vacances | holidays | Je pars en vacances en juillet — I go on holiday in July |
| le TGV | high-speed train | Le TGV va à 320 km/h — The TGV goes at 320 km/h |
| un gîte | self-catering cottage | On loue un gîte en Provence — We rent a gîte in Provence |
| la Côte d'Azur | French Riviera | Nice est sur la Côte d'Azur — Nice is on the French Riviera |
| une chambre d'hôte | B&B/guesthouse | On séjourne dans une chambre d'hôte — We stay in a guesthouse |
| le billet | ticket | J'ai acheté un billet de train — I bought a train ticket |
| l'île de Gorée | Gorée Island (Sénégal) | L'île de Gorée est un site de l'UNESCO — Gorée Island is a UNESCO site |
| le Vieux-Québec | Old Québec (UNESCO) | Le Vieux-Québec est magnifique — Old Québec is magnificent |
| la Grand-Place | Grand Square (Brussels) | La Grand-Place est classée par l'UNESCO — The Grand-Place is classified by UNESCO |
| le tourisme solidaire | ethical/responsible tourism | Le tourisme solidaire respecte les communautés — Ethical tourism respects communities |
| les congés payés | paid holiday | En France, on a cinq semaines de congés — In France, you get five weeks of holiday |
| un séjour | a stay/trip | J'ai fait un séjour à Paris — I did a stay in Paris |
Questions Supplémentaires
Q4: Décrivez vos dernières vacances. Où êtes-vous allé(e) et qu'avez-vous fait? (Describe your last holiday. Where did you go and what did you do?)
Q5: Comparez les destinations touristiques en France et dans un autre pays francophone. (Compare tourist destinations in France and another francophone country.)
Réponses Supplémentaires
- L'année dernière, je suis allé(e) en Provence avec ma famille. On a loué un gîte dans un petit village. J'ai visité des marchés provençaux, j'ai goûté de la bouillabaisse et j'ai vu les champs de lavande. C'était magnifique! On a aussi pris le TGV pour aller à Nice pour la journée. Je voudrais retourner en Provence parce que la région est belle et la nourriture est délicieuse. — Last year, I went to Provence with my family. We rented a gîte in a small village. I visited Provençal markets, tasted bouillabaisse and saw the lavender fields. It was magnificent! We also took the TGV to go to Nice for the day. I would like to return to Provence because the region is beautiful and the food is delicious.
- La France est le pays le plus visité au monde avec Paris, la Côte d'Azur et la Provence. Les touristes viennent pour la culture, la gastronomie et les monuments. Au Sénégal, le tourisme est différent — plus naturel et authentique. L'île de Gorée est un site historique important, le Lac Rose est unique et le Parc du Djoudj offre des paysages incroyables. Tandis qu'en France, le tourisme est très développé, au Sénégal, le tourisme solidaire encourage le respect des communautés locales. — France is the most visited country in the world with Paris, the French Riviera and Provence. Tourists come for culture, gastronomy and monuments. In Sénégal, tourism is different — more natural and authentic. Gorée Island is an important historical site, the Pink Lake is unique and the Djoudj Park offers incredible landscapes. Whereas in France, tourism is very developed, in Sénégal, ethical tourism encourages respect for local communities.
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