New to me, anyway.
Champs libre, free rein.
A propos of absolutely nothing I have found that if you want translation software to use tu you can write thou.
I haven’t tried thou art or even good Yorkshire speak th’art. 
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That’s a great tip! Thanks!
Thine translates as à toi!
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That’s useful! I get fed up of changing Vous to Tu where it’s appropriate.
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cf avoir quartier libre 
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I came across a new expression today. I am not exactly sure what it means but I think I got the gist of it. I was helping my neighbour, whose invalid husband had fallen on the floor. As we lifted him she said he was very heavy, then added “dis donc”. When I asked her afterwards what it meant I got more Gallic shrugs than explanation. Perhaps someone like @vero could help with its meaning? Google translate just says “hey”
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“….., You don’t say” ?
As in …”this is bl00dy heavy “
….”You don’t say”
or
“You go on…” , in another context. As in “Tell us” or “Tell us more” or “Tell us, then”
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It’s usually just a “goodness" sort of understated acknowledgment of something or a reinforcement, often said as eh bien dis-donc, often coming after ça alors. You can also use it in a very passive aggressive way eg you see something unsuitable that’s none of your business but you say eh ben dis-donc to indicate you have noticed and are judging.
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You might expect that but for that we’d say just dis or dis-moi tout, no donc, or more usually raconte.
Thanks for the replies. I think I will just revert to my Dellboy French
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A Quebeqois uses it more rhetorically, as “You don’t say!”
Yes but round here our local Quebecois (miserable bugger that he is) is mocked mercilessly for his accent, to his face, whereas mine never suffers in the same way, unless it is me doing the mocking.
For instance, if someone who does not know me suddenly switches to English, I say ‘how on earth did you know I was English , can’t possobly be the accent, can it?’ 
Longstanding accent ‘joke’ between Canada and France.
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And then there’s the rest of Canada v the Newfies:-
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Ha ha I just watched that without any problem and then when it finished a panel came up saying it was age-restricted. 
Now, coming on a morning when I have been shouting at a milk bottle which refused to open without me grabbing it firmly with my one good hand but then which decided it was open little bit, enough to spray me with milk, you can see why I don’t appreciate these children who shape the modern world telling me it’s my fault because I am too bloody old !!!
Not an idiom but a term I have not seen before.
I understand the translation, but what exactly does “ Alienation d’un chemin rural” mean in practice, particularly to the residents of such a chemin.?
I think it means that the existing chemin rural (on private/public land?) is being “closed” and thus no “general public” allowed to tramp along it….
I would expect those living on the “chemin” to continue their right to use the chemin to get to and from their property.
the Mairie will be able to advise.
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I think it means no longer officially maintained, which poses questions longer term about establishing future ownership, access and maintenance responsibilities, but I’ll be very interested in the official answer you get.
This means that the municipality is selling it. The best thing to do is to check with the town hall.
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