interpret sign

[Bill Jackson]

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

[Marc Vonhalmen]

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.

[Neil Coffey]

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.

[Bill Jackson]

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

[CAROL JEAN JONES]

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

[Neil Coffey]

Does your friend know what the "Ad" means?

[Gail Pedersen]

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

[Ed la mouette]

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.)

[Gail Pedersen]

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.