Ceps, Chanterelles and Caution: Mushroom Picking in France
Phrases for a mushroom hunt in a French forest and for getting your basket checked before you cook anything.
Autumn mushroom picking is a national pastime in France, but every year poison control centres warn about poisonings, often from the deadly amanite phalloïde. Picking is only allowed with the owner's consent; in public forests it's tolerated for personal use, often with a daily limit set by local rules. Many pharmacists will still check your mushrooms for free, and the advice is to use a basket, keep each species apart and take a photo of your haul.
- 1
On va aux champignons dimanche ?
Shall we go mushroom picking on Sunday? (to a friend)
- 2
Avec la pluie de la semaine, ça va pousser.
With this week's rain, they're going to come up.
- 3
Prends un panier, pas un sac en plastique.
Take a basket, not a plastic bag.
- 4
Est-ce que la cueillette est autorisée dans cette forêt ?
Is picking allowed in this forest?
- 5
On a droit à combien par personne ?
How much are we allowed per person?
- 6
J'ai trouvé des girolles !
I've found some chanterelles!
- 7
Regarde, il y a des cèpes sous les chênes.
Look, there are ceps under the oak trees.
- 8
Ne l'arrache pas, coupe-le au pied.
Don't pull it up, cut it at the base.
- 9
T'es sûr qu'il est comestible ?
Are you sure it's edible?
- 10
Dans le doute, on le laisse.
When in doubt, we leave it.
- 11
Celui-là est mortel.
That one is deadly.
- 12
On dirait une amanite phalloïde.
It looks like a death cap.
- 13
Est-ce que vous pourriez vérifier ma cueillette, s'il vous plaît ?
Could you check what I've picked, please? (to a pharmacist)
- 14
Celui-ci n'est pas comestible, jetez-le.
This one isn't edible, throw it away.
- 15
Ne les mélangez pas avec les autres.
Don't mix them with the others.
- 16
Il ne faut jamais les manger crus.
You should never eat them raw.
- 17
En cas de malaise, appelez le centre antipoison.
If you feel unwell, call poison control.
- 18
Gardez une photo de votre récolte.
Keep a photo of your haul.
- 19
Je les fais revenir à la poêle avec de l'ail et du persil.
I'll fry them in a pan with garlic and parsley.
- 20
On a perdu nos repères dans les bois.
We lost our bearings in the woods.