FAIRE LA GRASSE MATINÉE

FAIRE LA GRASSE MATINÉE

Faire la grasse matinée literally means to have a fat morning. Sounds weird, no? It actually means to sleep in. The expression is from the 20th century, but for 600 years before this, people would say Dormir la grasse matinée. 

Gras (masc) or grasse (fem), means fat or fatty from the Latin "crassus" meaning thick, fat or deep. Faire la grasse matinée means that by sleeping in, the morning becomes thicker, deeper or longer. This expression also brings to mind the soft, smooth pleasures of sleep, the comfort food for a weary spirit indulging a little longer than usual. 

Sleeping in on Sunday mornings, breakfast in bed with croissants, tartines, some butter and strong coffee. What better way to sleep in - or have a fat morning? 

Here are some examples:

J’ai fait la grasse matinée hier.
I slept in yesterday.

Je fais toujours la grasse matinée le dimanche.
I always sleep in on Sundays.

Et voilà!