Learning French
When and why do we say être ravitaillé par les corbeaux?
Crow-bar this phrase into conversation when referring to a remote location
Use this French phrase to describe somewhere that is in the middle of nowhere
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This is an expression you may hear if talking about remote holiday destinations with fellow French-speakers.
What does être ravitaillé par les corbeaux mean?
It literally translates as: to be fed by crows/ravens.
The saying is used to describe an isolated place that is far from any houses, shops or transport links.
A similar phrase is être au milieu de nulle part (to be in the middle of nowhere), or you could also use the adjectives paumé and perdu (which both mean: lost) to describe somewhere remote.
Some more colloquial French examples include the terms Perpète-les-Oies or Petaouchnouk, which evoke the idea of somewhere very faraway and rural.
The word ravitaillé is most often used to refer to a pit-stop in the context of motor racing, therefore reinforcing the idea of a place that is not the main centre of the action.
What are the origins of être ravitaillé par les corbeaux?
The phrase can be traced back to a story in the Bible (1 Kings 17: 2-16).
The Lord tells the prophet Elijah to “go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.”
Elijah is fed morning and evening by ravens during the early part of the three years' drought.
The expression therefore compares a remote location to the banks of the Kerith Brook, in the middle of the desert, where the only source of food can be brought by ravens.
When do you say être ravitaillé par les corbeaux?
Say this when describing a very remote location:
Je vis dans un tout petit village de la campagne française qui est un peu ravitaillé par les corbeaux. - I live in a tiny village in the French countryside that is kind of in the middle of nowhere.
Nous partons en vacances dans une maison ravitaillée par les corbeaux, à cinq heures de route. - We are going on holiday to a house that takes five hours to drive to.
To whom do you say être ravitaillé par les corbeaux?
It is neutral, colloquial language that can be used in a range of situations and contexts.
There is no risk of offending friends, family or colleagues by saying this.
If you would like us to explain a particular word or expression, or if you have any other Learning French suggestions, let us know at: feedback@connexionfrance.com
