How to say discount card in French: Carte de Fidelite

Name this photo (taken in the nearby village of Suze la Rousse)

la carte de fidélité (lah kart deuh fee del ee tay) noun, feminine

    : rewards card, discount card (loyalty card)

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Avec votre carte de fidélité, vous recevrez dix pourcent de réduction.
With your rewards card, you receive a ten percent discount.

A Day in a French Life...
by Kristin Espinasse

Waiting in the supermarket checkout line, I overhear the man in front of me flirt with la caissière.

"Non, je ne suis jamais fidèle!" he boasts, and his eyes brighten like a predator having zeroed in on his proie. Those same self-satisfied eyes leave the young cashier, to fall upon the forty-something femme in line behind him. Hands in his pockets, his heels lift, then touch the ground, lift, touch the ground with one, two, three counts of immodesty, baby.

Next, Monsieur I'm Too Sexy for this Supermarché, swings his big ego eyes over to the cashier—then back to forty-something me—for a conspiratorial glance. I look away, no conspiratorial glance receiver am I! 

The adolescent boy, standing next to his flirting father, looks as if he'd rather be passing the dreadful BAC, cleaning out his closet, or sitting through a six-course meal with the former monks at his private Catholic collège—he would rather be anywhere but here, listening to his father drag la caissière.

Eventually, the caissière responds to the shopper-seducer's comment, by an abrupt handing over of the credit-card receipt and a sarcastic smile. With that, our playboy trots off.

When it is my turn to be greeted by la caissière, I receive another conspiratorial glance.
"Ils disent tous ça!" the cashier complains. "All the guys that come here say the same thing: 'Je ne suis pas fidèle'!"

'Ce n'est pas tellement original!" she says, referring to all the customers who have come up with the same recycled retort. I nod, sympathetically, but our conspiracy is short-lived when the caissière switches swiftly back to business mode and fires off the same question that had, only moments ago, caused her such a hassle:

"Vous avez une carte de fidélité?"

***
Post note: Just like Mr I'm Too Sexy for this Supermarket, I realized, soon after, that I, too, had forgotten my carte de fidélité... only I didn't trot out of the store, as he did, but was a bit bummed to not get credit for all those groceries.

French Vocabulary

la caissière (f) = cashier; non, je ne suis jamais fidèle = no, I am never faithful; la proie (f) = prey; la femme (f) = woman; le supermarché (m) = supermarket; le BAC (baccalauréat) = French exam / school leaving certificate (high school diploma); le collège = junior high school; ils disent tous ça = they all say that 

***

Mediterranean Island Life (c) Kristin Espinasse

A Day in a Dog's Life...
by Braise and Smokey

Day-old baguettes just hit the spot... a step up from those sticks, anyway.

Comments

[Robyn France]

An adorable story and ever so characteristic--aren't men funny! Thanks for a humorous start to this day.

[poppy fields]

I think that guy goes to my grocery store, too.
I like the pigeon bis photo, but I am not feeling clever for a caption...

[Bill in St. Paul]

My title for the picture would be: "Non, je suis désolé, vous avez la fausse addresse. Monsieur Hibou habite à numéro huit." (Just remember, if there's any mistakes in the French, that pigeons are not very smart.)

Long, long ago my wife "cured" me of any smart mouth like "Mr I'm Too Sexy for this Supermarket" used by asking me if I would talk like that if my daughter/mother/granddaughter/daughter-in-law were standing there. That has helped me many a time from saying something stupid or inappropriate (always judged so in hindsight, of course).

It's great to see Smokey looking so well and happy!

[Suzanne]

Tres drole, Kristin. I am sure the next time I am asked for my McCaffrey's card in Princeton, I will start chuckling and no one will know why!

For the photo ... "Une, deux, trois? One perch is as good as another."

[Patrice Newman]

Two French Birds are better than one bird anywhere!

[Debbie]

Sam,are you sure this is the right house?

[Heidi]

How I wish I was going to be in Phoenix to see you! Have a great time and enjoy the warm weather!

[Robert M]

"'2 bis' ou pas '2 bis': c'est ca le question."

[Roseann]

Photo caption:

"I made it to this address in no time but I forgot my la carte de fidélité. Now I have to go back..........."

[Roseann]

.....and what's the BAC, anyway?

[Roseann]

Sorry-
I now see what BAC is........I've got to read to the end before I so enthusiastically post stupid comments!

[Diane Scott]

two
BLUE
looking at
YOU!

[Candy Witt]

"Hey, Pierre, see that pretty blonde lady with the camera? She's checkin' me out!" (well, they ARE French pigeons, are they not - and keeping to the theme of the story?) And I'm so glad to know what the French do with their left-over baguettes! I've always wondered :) Wish I could meet you in AZ, but my son is coming to spend Christmas with me and my mom in SW KS. But then I'd rather meet you in France! Un de ces jours!

[Kristin]

Candy, Un de ces jours, indeed! And thanks for "Pierre's friend", who charmed the socks off of me this afternoon via your creative words.

Roseann, no worries about not reading to the end before enthusiastically responding (did you pick up that habit from my dear Mom?)

Heidi, I'll miss the chance to see you in PHX!

Thanks, everyone, for such delightful captions and comments.

[martina]

It is kind of sad that some men flirt like this. I always think they probably really have low self esteem.
The grand caniches here love baguettes-especially the heels.

[Jacqueline Bucar]

Actually, this little incident is just what I love about the French. He wasn't serious. Just putting in some humor and making the day a bit more "gai". Bantering is French and I just wish we Americans could leave our Puritanism behind once in a while and appreciate the banter for just what it is... a little harmless fun.

[Christine Jackson]

So why does the street sign say "2 Bis"???? I'm guessing that this is obvious to everyone else, but please clue me in.

Belated reply to Candy: Have you seen the website that U of Texas has for learning French? It's the best I've seen and they even have a downloadable college textbook that you could consider for your class. Here's the website: http://www.laits.utexas.edu

[Marianne Rankin]

I keep the equivalent of my carte de fidelite (Giant supermarket card) in my purse. I have to have it in order to write a check. It doesn't give an across-the-board 10% discount, but it does reduce the price of many items, especially, as one would expect, on store brands. It adds up after a while. I prefer that arangement to getting coupons for products I never use.

In France, do any supermarkets give you a tiny reduction if you use recyclable bags? Giant reduces the bill here 5 cents for every recyclable bag I use instead of the plastic ones.

[Patricia Anzalone]

Hi Kristin -- thanks for continuing the doggie photos! Will Smokey be with you in AZ? (My secret wish is to adopt him!!)

[Mona]

This story is a great film scene...love it, how delightful.
Good morning Kristin, I hope you have a wonderful trip to AZ. I wish I were there, and I would rush over to see you and to pick up a few bottles of your wine for Christmas presents. My best college friend who is a professor of Anthropology at Mesa College lives in Mesa, I guess that is North of Pheonix. Sigh! Next time you are there I will have to make it too.

Smokey and Mom look happy. So glad he is doing better day by day!

xxx

"The pigeon who does not want to be second place inching away from his place"

[Douglas]

I've had women do the same thing to me, but more common is a sudden face-to-face introduction. When I was more naive than I am now (not much) I couldn't understand why women would suddenly stand in front of me and introduce themselves. My theory at the time was that they were looking for help, or information, but I learned the truth from a few women who were wiser than me.
The photo? 'I wonder who she's with now.'

[Candy Witt]

Jacqueline, I so appreciate your comment about the French bantering. We Americans should be less critical of that. It really is charming, once you get over the initial shock! ha! I remember an incident in France years ago when my son and I were eating a baguette sandwich in my car. We were parked in the lot at Chenenceaux. An older gentleman came our way as he was making his way to his own car and as he passed my window (which was down), he said, with a tip of his hat, "Bon appetit!" and continued his stroll. I loved it! And Christine, merci mille fois for your suggestion of the online textbook. I can't wait to check it out. Kristin, your website has provided a marvelous arena for those of us who love and appreciate all things French (with a side of American thrown in). Thank you again!!!

[Bill Facker]

"Patiently waiting for MR. I'M TOO SEXY to exit the Supermarket at #2"

[Kristin]

Christine: "bis - in Spanish and French cities, an address (street number) followed by "bis" refers to a second dwelling on the same street but located behind or aside the dwelling originally carrying that street number" (-- from Wikipedia)

Marianne, I'm not aware of French market given a reduction when you use your own bag.

Patricia, Smokey and Braise will have to stay in France (my brother-in-law, Jacques, will be watching them). Looking forward to seeing you at Vincent's!

Bill, Okay, you are currently winning the "Captions" contest!... or maybe you're in a tie with Dave, who left this caption at Facebook: "Isn't is always no. 2 with birds?"

[bonnie poppe]

2 bis or pas 2 bis? Je pense que vous etes un genius! I was just going to give it the usual "le rat qui vole"== 2 bix is is just too elegant for words.
bonnie

[Patience]

Christine..merci mille fois for the UTexas link.. It looks like a fun exploration. Just great. Kristin... I'll have to wait 'til you come to the Wine House in L.A. to visit. We are having spectacular weather here. Thanks so much for your postings... PT

[FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com]

Mais, je ne comprend pas. Ce n'est pas tres bon etre sans fidelite, non?

Sorry for the lack of accents and probably messed up grammar.

I just didn't see the humour in not being faithful.. :) Must be the North American in me.

[FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com]

Oh!

J'oublie dire.

The weather here has officially been our first day of snow in Montreal, Quebec.

Was practicing my French with Pimsleur in the morning and I saw huge fat flakes of snow coming down :(

It's melted by now, but.. *sigh* it'll be back.

[Julie]

Ah, the ubiquitous flirting Frenchman. I suppose to a poor cashier who has to listen to that every day it's quite irritating. To a 40++ American woman, however, it can put a smile on the face and a bounce in the step for the rest of the afternoon when she's in that country.

I'm bummed, Kristin, that your appearance in Phoenix is on the 26th because my family and I end our Sedona vacances de Noël on the 24th. Sorry to have missed you.

[nadine goodban]

Pigeon No 1 : t'es sûr qu'on est au bon numéro ???
Pigeon No2: ben quoi, j'te parie une bis(e)

[Karen from Phoenix, AZ]

Looking forward to seeing you on the 26th.

[Christine Jackson]

Wish I could be in Phoenix! "So close, so close and yet sooo far away..." Guess you don't have much occasion to be in SLC now that your Grandma Audrey has passed on. Sorry to hear it. Provence next year????

Best, from Salt Lake City, where it is cold and sunny with a high of 45 degrees F

[Sheryl]

I would title this picture "The Pigeon's New Address."

Snow is on the way to Denver. Again. How about you, Jules?

[Catherine Chapnick]

Kristin, everytime I see pictures of Smokey and Braise my heart melts. Thank you for sharing these lovely photos. So glad to see Smokey on the mend!

[JacquelineBrisbane (Oz)]

My presence never stopped my father from flirting avec les caissières. I hated it. Grrrrr.
I can't beat Bill's caption (it's Great), but my modest contribution:
Le pigeon sous le toit, as in... Le violon sur le toit. (Terrible, I knoooowww).
Jacqueline Brisbane - after a hellish week-end of stifling 36Celsius with high humidity-but-no-rain, a delicious 26 degrees... a little bit cold(!).

[Eve Robillard]

K--How about; The Darkness of Blue?
Or: The Blueness of the Dark?
Or: Did You Know that Liz Taylor had Violet Hair???

[Hawi Moore]

Simply Amazing