IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchLa tournée des grands-ducs
Meaning: A lavish night out taking in every fashionable establishment.
Literally: The grand dukes' tour
Example: “Pour son enterrement de vie de garçon, ils ont fait la tournée des grands-ducs.” — For his bachelor party, they painted the town red.
English equivalent: To paint the town red
Equivalents in other languages
English: paint the town red
Origin: Russian grand dukes in Belle Époque Paris were famous for making a circuit of the restaurants and cabarets in one night, and for paying for it. The phrase preserves their reputation rather than their titles.
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