How to Pronounce MONGENÈVRE?

Hautes-Alpes Commune and Historical Ski Resort, France

Before we go into the pronunciation of this magnifique French word and ski resort, allow us to briefly share the origins of Montgenèvre and where the story starts - this will no doubt inspire you to attempt to perfect your pronunciation on the matter!

All roads really did lead to Rome

So ancient history goes, pilgrims, merchants and armies of old used this alpine pass called the ‘Variante della Val Susa’, descending from what is known today as Col de Montgenèvre, as part of the network of roads called the ‘Via Francigena’ - connecting countries beyond the Alps to Rome. This preferred route for pilgrimages to Rome is still a journey taken to the present day and recognised by UNESCO.

Before the turn of the 20^th Century, Montgenèvre was known as the ‘Dean of the Stations’. In 1895 two Norwegian army officers carried out a ski demonstration, introducing French soldiers to this practice. In 1903, the Minister of War began the first ski school in Briançon, training many military men to ski over the years. Skiing for pleasure was modelled at this time when the local villagers and mountain population became curious and were given free skis to practice this new sport. Meanwhile, in 1907, the ski resort of MontGenèvre was declared officially open, marked by the first international ski jumping competition.

Great British nickname

The British only descended en masse on this side of the Alps and onto the slopes at 1,860m in the 1990’s, decades after the Parisian beau monde, high society. Henceforth Montgenèvre became fondly known by the Brits as ‘Monty’ and you can understand why – sparing themselves of the pronunciation!

Practice makes perfect… well, progress at least!

Montgenèvre might seem like a mouthful especially when you have to put on your best French accent, but it’s ok, c’est bon, it’s easier to say than you think!

Listen to the right way of saying it, to start you off on the right footing –

To spell it out, in order to pronounce it as good as the French, you say it like this:

MONT - GE - (like the starting sound of ‘general’) – NEV – RE (think phonic ‘r’ sound and not ‘re’ like re-write) – MONT-GEN-NEV-RE. MONT-GEN-NEV-RE.

To finish it off nicely, make the French verbal sound when saying the end ‘r’, in your throat. And don’t worry if you need practice…

“The French letter ‘r’ is one of the most difficult sounds in French to pronounce for most people. The ‘r’ is a kind of raspy sound pronounced in the back of the throat. There is no equivalent sound in English.” So says ThoughtCo.

Follow these instructions to learn how to pronounce the French ‘r’:

1. Open your mouth.
2. Close your throat as if you're going to gargle or to avoid swallowing and say ‘k’ carefully, several times.
3. Pay attention to where in your throat the ‘k’ sound is made.
4. Begin slowly closing your throat, tensing the muscles around that spot.
5. Gently push air through your partially-constricted throat.
6. Now practice saying ‘ra’ ‘ra’ ‘ra’.

Try not to think of this letter as an ‘r’. The French ‘r’ is nothing like the English ‘r’ (pronounced in the middle of the mouth). The French ‘r’ is pronounced in the throat and sounds a lot like the ‘ch’ sound in "Loch Ness" and the ‘kh’ in Arabic, as in Khalid.

And there you have it and well said! Voilà! Montgenèvre in all its glory.