Practice FrenchB2Full sample
Le banc face à la mer
The Bench by the Sea — An elderly man and a young woman form an unexpected bond on a seaside bench, connecting past and present.
Écouter · listen to the opening
The complete recorded narration.
Lire · read in French
Chaque matin, à l’aube, le vieux Marcel s’assied sur le banc de bois usé face à la mer. Ce banc, offert par la mairie il y a trente ans, porte les traces des générations qui s’y sont succédé. Les planches sont grises, lissées par le sel et le vent, mais il reste solide. Marcel observe les vagues, les yeux mi-clos, tandis que les souvenirs défilent comme des images floues. Un jour, une jeune femme, Clara, s’installe à côté de lui avec un carnet de croquis. Elle dessine la mer, les rochers, et parfois, discrètement, le profil de Marcel. Au début, il feint l’indifférence, mais peu à peu, une complicité silencieuse naît entre eux. Un après-midi, Clara lui montre un dessin : le banc, la mer, et deux silhouettes assises côte à côte. Marcel sourit, ému. Il lui raconte alors l’histoire de ce banc, construit par son père, charpentier, et de sa mère, qui y lisait des poèmes aux enfants du quartier. Clara écoute, fascinée. Désormais, chaque matin, ils se retrouvent là, partageant des histoires, des rires, et parfois, un thermos de café chaud. Le banc, autrefois solitaire, est devenu un lieu de rencontre entre les âges, où le passé et le présent se mêlent sous le regard bienveillant de la mer.
Vocabulary
- l’aubedawn — early morning light
- uséworn — damaged by use or time
- complicitécomplicity — a silent understanding or bond
- émumoved — emotionally touched
- charpentiercarpenter
Show English translation
Every morning at dawn, old Marcel sits on the worn wooden bench facing the sea. This bench, donated by the town hall thirty years ago, bears the marks of the generations that have sat there. The planks are gray, smoothed by salt and wind, but it remains sturdy. Marcel watches the waves, his eyes half-closed, as memories unfold like blurry images. One day, a young woman, Clara, sits down next to him with a sketchbook. She draws the sea, the rocks, and sometimes, discreetly, Marcel’s profile. At first, he pretends not to notice, but gradually, a silent complicity grows between them. One afternoon, Clara shows him a drawing: the bench, the sea, and two figures sitting side by side. Marcel smiles, moved. He then tells her the story of this bench, built by his father, a carpenter, and his mother, who used to read poems to the neighborhood children there. Clara listens, fascinated. Now, every morning, they meet there, sharing stories, laughter, and sometimes a thermos of hot coffee. The once-lonely bench has become a meeting place between generations, where past and present blend under the sea’s watchful gaze.
Comprehension questions
1. Why does Marcel sit on the bench every morning?
- To watch the waves and recall memories.
- To meet his old friends.
- To sell his handmade crafts.
- To wait for the bus.
Show answer
To watch the waves and recall memories.
2. What does Clara draw on her sketchbook?
- The sea, the rocks, and sometimes Marcel’s profile.
- The sunset over the mountains.
- Portraits of the mayor.
- Abstract patterns.
Show answer
The sea, the rocks, and sometimes Marcel’s profile.
3. The bench was built by Marcel’s grandfather.
Show answer
false
4. What does the French word 'usé' mean in this context?
- new
- worn
- colorful
- shiny
Show answer
worn
5. Complete the sentence: 'Marcel observe les vagues, les yeux ___.'
Show answer
mi-clos
Continue interactively
Open this exact story for the full narration, comprehension exercises, dictation, translation help, and saved progress.