Eclipse of the Heart
This week, we’re looking up at the moon, sun and stars as we wait for the solar eclipse on August 12. And speaking of stars and famous eclipses, we want to pay homage to the stellar Bonnie Tyler, who left us last month ⭐🌑💔
Did you know that helium was discovered by a Frenchman thanks to a solar eclipse? In 1868, while observing the solar spectrum during an eclipse in India, French astronomer Pierre-Jules-César Janssen spotted a bright yellow line that turned out to be a chemical element totally unknown on Earth at the time. He named it helium after the Greek word for the Sun, helios. 🌞
If you’re in France on 12 August 2026, you’ll be able to experience Europe’s first total solar eclipse since 1999. While the path of 100% totality passes over Spain, mainland France will witness a spectacular, deep partial eclipse, with an obscuration varying from 92.2% in Paris to a near-total 99.5% in southern border cities like Biarritz and Perpignan. Vive l’éclipse solaire ! 😎
Alors, sans plus attendre, go outside, put on your protective glasses and look up to admire all the bright French KwizIQ content we’ve selected for you! 🕶️☀️
À la française 🌒
French Expressions and Idioms Podcast
Eclipses have fascinated us for centuries, so it’s not surprising that they’ve also affected our language. In this new episode, you’ll learn the meaning and usage of 2 shiny French expressions through real-life examples, a fun podcast episode and an exclusive exercise!
À la française Ep. 14: “Éclipser quelqu’un” / “S’éclipser”
And don’t forget that these podcasts also feature 1 brand-new fill-in-the-blank exercise 🤩
With each new expression, you get its meaning, some useful in-context examples and… a fun podcast to fully master it!
🎧 Want to listen to more of our podcasts? Check out all our episodes!
J’ai demandé à la Lune – Indochine
Bilingual lyrics with music video – B1 Level
Let’s stay amongst the stars with the 2002 ballad “J’ai demandé à la Lune” by French rock giants Indochine. In this tender story, frontman Nicola Sirkis confides his heartbreak to the night sky. So enjoy the dreamlike nostalgia of “J’ai demandé à la Lune” with our bilingual transcript:
J’ai demandé à la Lune – Indochine
Spotlight & Updates
Your summer bonus: a holiday word search
Pick your destination in our new minigame: the beach, the countryside, the mountains, or no holiday at all, because someone has to hold the fort in August.
Each one hides forty French words, from le parasol to le mobil-home. Some you’ll spot straight away. Others will keep you looking.
No timer, no score, nowhere else to be.
Take me to your leader!
July Leaderboard Top 3
Finally, let’s admire last month’s 3 very bright Kwizzer stars! Bravo to our July Leaderboard Top 3: Peter B, Elizabeth C and Emma M!
Un grand hourra pour nos trois Kwizzers ! 🙌
Hurray for Weekend Workout Friday!
Special treat for Premium subscribers
Friday is Weekend Workout day – a special treat just for our Premium subscribers, with fresh dictations and writing challenges to boost your listening and writing skills.
This week’s theme is The Moon & the Sun.
Here’s a little taster for free: Départ en vacances (B1 level)
Not Premium yet? Now’s a great time to upgrade!
You’ll get these Weekend Workouts every week, plus unlimited kwizzes and multiple notebooks to help you stay organised and make progress faster.
Note: We send dictations and writing challenges by email, which you can opt into or out of. To check your email preferences, please follow this link and make sure there’s a check next to System Communications in order to receive exercises every week.
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And for more celestial French content, remember to check out our social media – Facebook, Instagram and TikTok – for more awesome content!
Bonne semaine à tous et à jeudi prochain !
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