It’s the second anniversary of Translation Notes.
Florence Larrieu: La juge est une femme (Florence Larrieu: The Judge is a Woman), “Suspectes,” 2000, runtime 95:21
Subtitles download link
MHZ recently posted the final episodes of Alice Nevers: The Judge is a Woman, moving the long-running series from Paris to Normandy, where Alice and Fred go for their perfect life together. Alice brought the kids but not her clerk, who shows up briefly in the epilogue. Fred didn’t bring his partner Karim, which is just as well as since Karim would probably be afraid of the horses in the final case.
Before Alice’s arrival in 2002 the show went by the name Florence Larrieu: The Judge is a Woman. Apparently female judges were such a rarity that the fact had to be part of the title. Florence Pernel played Judge Larrieu for 17 episodes between 1993 and 2002. I have this joke that there are only 12 actors in France, because the same actors keep popping up over and over. Well, Florence Pernel is three or four of them. If you watch a lot of French TV like I do, she seems to be everywhere.
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| Florence Pernel, with Frederic Diefenthal |
I got it off YouTube. Because it’s 26 years old the audio is not all one would hope for, much of the higher registers are fried or blown out. When I couldn’t make out what was being said, Vosk was usually no help; I did my best.
The episode is titled “Suspectes”: Larrieu and her assistant Lt. Colas investigate when hardened robber Jackie breaks out of a women's prison, in which the inmates are contract employees for a tech company. A guard dies during the escape. Jackie just wants to see her daughter but also denies being the killer, as well as the earlier robbery. Will the tech company get any blame, or is it a red herring? Will Florence and Colas ever stop bickering like siblings?
MISC
The Judge is a Woman was created by Noelle Loriot based on her trilogy of Laurence Larrieu crime novels— so, prior to Nevers all the names had to rhyme.
Larrieu was the judge for seasons 1-7, Nevers for seasons 8-26.
The only character present for both judges was Édouard Lemonnier, their clerk, played by Jean Dell (seasons 1-9). Édouard’s nephew Victor (Guillaume Carcaud) became the clerk for seasons 9-26.
Lt. Victor Colas was played by Frederic Diefenthal (Meurtres à Rouen). He was with the show 1993-2001, and “Suspectes” is from Season 5. But at 21’45” he mentions that he and Florence’s partnership is still new.
There’s a cut in the video at 43’21”, probably done by whoever posted it. Of course this affects the subtitles sync for viewers who might have the uncut version.
NOTES
Surveillante (5’22”) can be translated as ‘matron,’ but it feels dated.
The prosecutor asks Florence au moins que c'est au plus vite (At least do it ASAP). Or it could be au manque c'est au plus vite– something like ‘we’ll be short (handed?), be quick.’ As though someone had announced their departure in the previous episode.
Which might help explain when Florence replies trois jours, ‘three days’ (5’27”). Whatever that meant, the prosecutor doesn’t seem thrilled.
6’22”: We’re given the names of two real prisons with women’s sections: Fresnes, in the town of the same name south of Paris, and Fleury (Fleury-Merogis), even further south. It’s all confusing at this point, because we haven’t found out how old the daughter is, so we can’t intuit how long ago Jackie was in Fleury. I think they’re saying Jackie escaped from Fresnes but gave birth in Fleury; why that matters I don't know.
Several times it seems Fresnes is pronounced ‘Férel,’ which would’ve been a good name for a prison because it sounds like faire elle, which could be translated ‘she did it.’ Other times it gets pronounced Fleurene or Flairene.
In a space station a sas is an airlock, but in a prison it’s a security door (9’02”).
Colas asks the warden something garbled, and it’s not ‘where is it,’ since they just walked through the workshop. The most likely is ‘where are they?’
The guard tells Florence that the burned paper is a chose de très yeux‑yeux, ‘something very eye-eye.’ It must mean ‘eyes only,’ although that phrase is chose de très yeux‑seuls (very eyes-only). I’ve been assured, emphatically, that yeux‑seuls said really fast by a native French speaker comes out sounding like yeux-yeux. Frankly I don’t hear it, but far be it from me.
In discussing whether Jackie had visitors, the guard says they were (1) an infrequent visitor and (2) Zari the tutor. But there’s no real differentiation between them before suddenly there’s the mention that the visitor is ‘Le Brec.’
14’57”: Actually, they do so look alike.
Nice sight gag with the baguette (15'12").
15’15”: Le Brec’s cafe/bar is Lou-Pascalou, a real place that is still located at 14 Rue des Panoyaux.
19’17”: The judge is a woman– and now we find out the babysitter is a man.
Zoé’s shrieking that Mrs Zari is her mommy is the worst blown-out audio so far.
Colas’s remark emballer de chance seems to mean something like ‘got overexcited about luck/chance.’
23’00”: It sounds like Jackie screams qu'on va l'abord, roughly, ‘that we’re approached,’ as in ‘they [the cops] are getting close.’
Pipeau is another word for ‘nonsense/bullshit.’
Fourmis plein les pattes, ‘ants crawling on my legs’ (29’42”) means pins-and-needles/legs falling asleep.
Yvan shakes his police escort (30’35”) in Parc Montsouris by the carousel. There’s still a carousel there today, a much nicer one than 26 years ago. They run south on the path toward a gazebo, then out a small gate across from 21 Rue Gazan, where Jackie is waiting with the car.
32’48”: I don’t know where this passage comes from. It’s not biblical but is written in that style. People quote it online, not a whole lot, but a good number, but without context that I can find. As though it Means Something Profound to them.
Florence calls the guard’s secret mail service une pôle extérieur (33’47”). Pôle means ‘hub/facility/center’; the national employment agency used to be called Pôle Emploi. But pôle can also mean ‘means/infrastructure.’ So I think pôle extérieur can mean something akin to ‘outside channel/pipeline,’ if describing the service, or ‘moonlighting’ to describe the occupation.
36’10”: A lot of the audio in this section is fried.
37’58”: There is an Optique du Chateau in Paris today. But not here.
It sounds like Yvan says, Moi c'est la première fois que je la vois si dessiller (This is the first time I've seen her so open-minded). Or maybe it’s dessiner (draw). Neither makes sense, so I’m translating it so it’s compatible with Jackie’s next line.
40’16”: Filer can mean follow/tail, but here it means ‘take off/you can go.’
41’03”: Jackie screams something mostly unintelligible involving ‘the cash.’
Mrs Zari has Colas in a bind, and he says (44’00”) either la calée or la caille (‘stuck’ or ‘cold’). Both would work, but caille pronounced /kaj/ and calée is pronounced /ka-le/, and he definitely says two syllables.
When she wants Lemonnier to close the door, Florence just says greffier?, ‘clerk?’ Which seems really impersonal, considering how chummy Alice Nevers will be with him, as well as with his nephew.
Square (46’46”) means ‘square,’ but also ‘playground.’
It sounds like Florence hisses J'espere bien vous en fouler, ‘I hope you had a good ride’ (52’07”), so I made the translation pedestrian.
55’20”: Colas and Mrs Zari’s back-and-forth about the bracelet is both rapid and fried. Which is unfortunate because the bracelet(s) is a critical clue.
58’44”: The guard points to a spot on the floorplan and calls it la laiterie fabrication (milking room/parlor). It’s a prison, not a dairy. I assume it’s a nickname (cows > milking > milking parlor > udders > breasts > women > where the women work), another name for ‘workroom.’
Porte-clé, ‘keychain’ (59’35”), is slang for ‘guard.’
Subutex (61’8”) is an opioid used in addiction treatment.
Cellule lovée (63’12”) means ‘curled-up [like a snake] cell.’ I assume since Roxane says it’s a bad cell, it means you have to curl up because it’s cramped— what in US prison movies is called The Hole.
72’56”: Mrs Zari is all dolled up for the evening. She and Florence have a brief exchange. The sound may be a little out of sync here, because at first there is Florence’s voice saying something mostly unintelligible while Zari’s lips are moving– it sounds like Je mouche arrive, which I think means something like ‘I have to run.’ Then Mrs Zari says Je reviens (I’ll be back) and bon temps (good time).
73’51”: Colas says something about Le Brec apparu comme une fleur apres comme main, ‘appearing like a flower after…’, which I guess means ‘to pop back up unexpectedly.’ The audio continues to be rushed and fried.
78’52”: I guess this is where the prisoner workforce angle finally enters the picture. Sort of.
A bouc émissaire, ‘goat emissary,’ is a ‘scapegoat.’
83’49”: Le Brec swallows his line, something-y ne rien moi, literally ‘to me nothing.’
Le Brec dismisses watchdog Colas as a seul petit brin d'herbe (lone blade of grass, 88’13”), which I thought about changing to something less metaphorical, but it does its job.
Florence adds that Le Brec is getting the pause, ‘break,’ this time and not Jackie. I’m making it clear she means prison term.
It sounds like Jackie addresses Florence as maitre (89’53”), which I guess is technically true, though juge/your honor is more accurate. I omitted it.
15’15”: Le Brec’s cafe/bar is Lou-Pascalou, a real place that is still located at 14 Rue des Panoyaux.
What? It’s already been a whole day since the escape? (15’41”)
Le Brec says he was introduced to Jackie (16’21”), but I can’t make out by whom. He just says Je suis postuler (I applied). Maybe a welfare organization that existed 26 years ago. I kept it general.
Mercerie (18’04”) is a fabric store, but he already offered to get Jackie some clothes, so here mercerie must mean clothes too.
Que dalle means ‘nada/zilch’ and quelle me pleure is something about crying. He’s bored to tears?
Bois et Charbon (18’55”) is a wine & liquor store that still has two locations.
Le Brec says he was introduced to Jackie (16’21”), but I can’t make out by whom. He just says Je suis postuler (I applied). Maybe a welfare organization that existed 26 years ago. I kept it general.
Mercerie (18’04”) is a fabric store, but he already offered to get Jackie some clothes, so here mercerie must mean clothes too.
Que dalle means ‘nada/zilch’ and quelle me pleure is something about crying. He’s bored to tears?
Bois et Charbon (18’55”) is a wine & liquor store that still has two locations.
19’17”: The judge is a woman– and now we find out the babysitter is a man.
Zoé’s shrieking that Mrs Zari is her mommy is the worst blown-out audio so far.
Colas’s remark emballer de chance seems to mean something like ‘got overexcited about luck/chance.’
23’00”: It sounds like Jackie screams qu'on va l'abord, roughly, ‘that we’re approached,’ as in ‘they [the cops] are getting close.’
Pipeau is another word for ‘nonsense/bullshit.’
Fourmis plein les pattes, ‘ants crawling on my legs’ (29’42”) means pins-and-needles/legs falling asleep.
Yvan shakes his police escort (30’35”) in Parc Montsouris by the carousel. There’s still a carousel there today, a much nicer one than 26 years ago. They run south on the path toward a gazebo, then out a small gate across from 21 Rue Gazan, where Jackie is waiting with the car.
32’48”: I don’t know where this passage comes from. It’s not biblical but is written in that style. People quote it online, not a whole lot, but a good number, but without context that I can find. As though it Means Something Profound to them.
Florence calls the guard’s secret mail service une pôle extérieur (33’47”). Pôle means ‘hub/facility/center’; the national employment agency used to be called Pôle Emploi. But pôle can also mean ‘means/infrastructure.’ So I think pôle extérieur can mean something akin to ‘outside channel/pipeline,’ if describing the service, or ‘moonlighting’ to describe the occupation.
36’10”: A lot of the audio in this section is fried.
37’58”: There is an Optique du Chateau in Paris today. But not here.
It sounds like Yvan says, Moi c'est la première fois que je la vois si dessiller (This is the first time I've seen her so open-minded). Or maybe it’s dessiner (draw). Neither makes sense, so I’m translating it so it’s compatible with Jackie’s next line.
40’16”: Filer can mean follow/tail, but here it means ‘take off/you can go.’
41’03”: Jackie screams something mostly unintelligible involving ‘the cash.’
Mrs Zari has Colas in a bind, and he says (44’00”) either la calée or la caille (‘stuck’ or ‘cold’). Both would work, but caille pronounced /kaj/ and calée is pronounced /ka-le/, and he definitely says two syllables.
When she wants Lemonnier to close the door, Florence just says greffier?, ‘clerk?’ Which seems really impersonal, considering how chummy Alice Nevers will be with him, as well as with his nephew.
Square (46’46”) means ‘square,’ but also ‘playground.’
It sounds like Florence hisses J'espere bien vous en fouler, ‘I hope you had a good ride’ (52’07”), so I made the translation pedestrian.
55’20”: Colas and Mrs Zari’s back-and-forth about the bracelet is both rapid and fried. Which is unfortunate because the bracelet(s) is a critical clue.
58’44”: The guard points to a spot on the floorplan and calls it la laiterie fabrication (milking room/parlor). It’s a prison, not a dairy. I assume it’s a nickname (cows > milking > milking parlor > udders > breasts > women > where the women work), another name for ‘workroom.’
Porte-clé, ‘keychain’ (59’35”), is slang for ‘guard.’
Subutex (61’8”) is an opioid used in addiction treatment.
Cellule lovée (63’12”) means ‘curled-up [like a snake] cell.’ I assume since Roxane says it’s a bad cell, it means you have to curl up because it’s cramped— what in US prison movies is called The Hole.
72’56”: Mrs Zari is all dolled up for the evening. She and Florence have a brief exchange. The sound may be a little out of sync here, because at first there is Florence’s voice saying something mostly unintelligible while Zari’s lips are moving– it sounds like Je mouche arrive, which I think means something like ‘I have to run.’ Then Mrs Zari says Je reviens (I’ll be back) and bon temps (good time).
73’51”: Colas says something about Le Brec apparu comme une fleur apres comme main, ‘appearing like a flower after…’, which I guess means ‘to pop back up unexpectedly.’ The audio continues to be rushed and fried.
78’52”: I guess this is where the prisoner workforce angle finally enters the picture. Sort of.
A bouc émissaire, ‘goat emissary,’ is a ‘scapegoat.’
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| The front awning of Lou-Pascalou was different in September 2025 than in 2000. (r- Google Maps) | |
83’49”: Le Brec swallows his line, something-y ne rien moi, literally ‘to me nothing.’
Le Brec dismisses watchdog Colas as a seul petit brin d'herbe (lone blade of grass, 88’13”), which I thought about changing to something less metaphorical, but it does its job.
Florence adds that Le Brec is getting the pause, ‘break,’ this time and not Jackie. I’m making it clear she means prison term.
It sounds like Jackie addresses Florence as maitre (89’53”), which I guess is technically true, though juge/your honor is more accurate. I omitted it.
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