interpret sign

My wife bought a replica of a sign that hung over the door of a French confectionery store. The bottom line has three words separated by a dot which I cannot find in the French dictionary. They are: Ad - PRUVOST - Lille and I would appreciate if anybody can help me with their translation. Thanks! Bill Jackson

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Permalink Reply by Marc Vonhalmen on September 19, 2009 at 3:47pm

Hi,

"Ad" doesn't mean anything in French. It could be the abbreviation of "adresse" (which means "address"), or maybe the abbreviation of a name ("Adrien", for instance).
"Pruvost" doesn't mean anything neither, but it sounds like a French surname.
"Lille" is a big city in the north of France.

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Permalink Reply by Neil Coffey on September 20, 2009 at 4:20pm

Bill -- perhaps if you tell us what the other lines say, it might help interpret the last one -- as Marc says, "ad" isn't actually a French word, and the others are names.

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Permalink Reply by Bill Jackson on September 21, 2009 at 3:04pm

Hi Neil.....the first three lines are: confiserie des flandres. the words ad - provost - lille are the fourth line across the bottom of the sign. Thanks! Bill

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Permalink Reply by CAROL JEAN JONES on September 27, 2009 at 4:57pm

My friend from France tells me that the sign translates as:

PRUVOST'S Sweet Shop at (ad) Lille, Flanders

which is the 4th largest city in France located in the Nord-Pas de Calais region of Nothern France

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Permalink Reply by Neil Coffey on September 27, 2009 at 5:13pm

Does your friend know what the "Ad" means?

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Permalink Reply by Gail Pedersen on May 15, 2011 at 1:32am

I believe that Ad. stands for the name "Adolphe." So the name of the shop in English would be:

Flanders Candy Shop

Adolphe Pruvost, Lille

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Permalink Reply by Ed la mouette on May 15, 2011 at 8:58am

To my knowledge, the only names that are abbreviated by two letters are the ones with a H in second position : Christophe (Ch.), Philippe (Ph.)

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Permalink Reply by Gail Pedersen on May 15, 2011 at 9:56pm

I think that the best thing would be to write to Ballard's, the catalog company that is selling so many of these reproduction signs, and ask them. Perhaps they know.