Drève is one of my favorite words in French. It’s where trees line both sides of a road, touching in the middle overhead.
I hear the word rêve in it. Dream.
Going through a drève on a hot summer day is indeed a rêve. The heat shimmers on the pavement, making everything seem as if you’re looking through water. You probably see a mirage puddle on the asphalt.
Then you plunge into the cool tunnel of trees. It’s another world. A dappled world where you can breathe, unlike in the scorching heat outside.
And then you’re out again. Wondering why trees weren’t planted everywhere along the roadsides.
Taste of France 
Do you think this is where the word drive derived from 💡
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Maybe! Drive comes from Old English/Dutch/German: drifan/drijven/treiben. Drève actually is a word used in the north of France and in Belgium and comes from the Dutch dreef, for lane.
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So pretty. Didn’t know the French word for that. I love driving down streets covered in shady trees.
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You’ve captured that feeling
perfectly here, with your
lovely photos and words.
Thank you for a brief moment
of refreshment in my hectic
morning!
xo Suzanne
PS: Thank you for your recent
comment on my blog. You
inspired my next post, coming
soon!
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I grew up in Mobile, Alabama known as the first “Tree City” community and we have very old oak trees lining many streets. The down-side is that the ever-falling leaves clog up the drains which floods the streets and the roots break the sewer lines but, they are beautiful.
-carol
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Yes, it’s like that with the platanes, which have huge leaves and and a nasty habit of dropping big branches when it’s windy.
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I had never heard that French word before, but I love it! Thank you for sharing it with your readers. Your pictures are so dreamy!
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I didn’t know these tree tunnels were called drèves, maybe they’re not in my region? Anyways, this is such a familiar landscape when driving through rural France! 🙂
Beaumiroir
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I love driving in France down those tree lined roads-listening to the radio, window’s opened and feeling a nice breeze! Life is good when you have bookend trees!
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I had no idea there was a word for a canopy of trees over the road like this. I love it. Is it pronounced like reve?
I’d love it if you’d play along with Dreaming of France. Here’s my Dreaming of France meme
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Yes, rhymes with rêve.
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Beautiful post – I love those long rows of trees, and the tunnels of shade they provide!! I’ve heard that the planes were planted to shade Napoleon’s marching armies, but perhaps that’s just a myth…?
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I’ve read that, too.
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