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Le Journal
Beginner - Intermediate
145 Videos

Le Journal highlights local news stories from all across the French-speaking world and beyond—from an ultra-modern hospital in Burkina Faso, to a Mozart concert at the Opéra de Vichy, to protests in Tibet, and much more.

126 Episodes
Videos
Showing 1-145 of 145 Totaling 4 hours 6 minutes

Le Journal - Gourmet en Bretagne

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Shop at the market in Rennes, historic capital of Brittany, and join master chef Rachel Gesbert as she prepares delicacies into a delicious feast.

Le Journal - Le ski en Savoie

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

On the slopes, skiers at Les Menuires enjoy their winter vacations despite trying conditions. Who needs snow when you have fun!

Le Journal - Chocolats

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

The French take their chocolate very seriously! This shop aims for nothing short of perfection, both in taste and design, and presents its creations more like jewels or precious coins than like bon-bons.

Le Journal - Le costume bœuf

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Costume rental shops in Paris start their season before Christmas. For New Year’s Eve, who wants to dress like Austrian Princess Sisi or wear a Scottish kilt?

Le Journal - Grève de l'EDF à Lille - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

Workers for the power company in the city of Lille aren’t happy and want management to know it. So they sabotaged the grid, cutting off power to thousands of businesses and residences. Despite the inconvenience, the mayor, and even many residents, support the workers.

Le Journal - Grève de l'EDF à Lille - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

Though we reported that some of the residents of Lille support the power workers and their blackout strikes, it turns out that not all of them do. Office workers shout from balconies to give the strikers a piece of their minds, and the workers respond in kind.

Le Journal - La Grande Muraille vue de l'espace?

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Even the Chinese agree with French astronaut Jean-François Clervoy: the great wall of China is NOT visible to the human eye from space, not even from a low orbit. Chinese astronaut Yan Liwei, who orbited the earth fourteen times in a Chinese spaceship, couldn’t see it either.

Le Journal - Cannabis en hausse chez les jeunes

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

Cannabis use amongst French youth has more than doubled in the past ten years, and some parents are blaming it for their children’s erratic behavior. Specialists say that even moderate daily use can have detrimental effects on schoolwork.

Le Journal - Le Queen Mary 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

While no one denies that the Queen Mary 2 rightfully flies the Union Jack, she was built in France and this is where she sails when feeling homesick. As she comes to drop anchor on French shores, proud spectators come out to welcome her ashore.

Le Journal - Laurent Voulzy

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

As Laurent Voulzy is walking down the beach, he chances upon a fan, and sings a little duet with her. At his concert that night, she’ll be in the front row. Can that “change the face of the world”?

Le Journal - Le bac

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

Students taking the baccalaureate exam must complete an essay, choosing amongst several possible philosophical and political themes. France 2 talks with some students about the experience, and asks some prominent politicians what they might have written if presented with the same task.

Le Journal - Le baccalauréat - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

Meet a group of students as they prepare to take their baccalaureate test, a rite of passage for young French people on the cusp of adulthood. It can be a stressful time, but the students are pacing themselves well.

Le Journal - Le baccalauréat - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Like the SATs for Americans, or A level in the UK, the baccalauréat exam, or le bac, creates more than its fair share of stress in students, especially on the day when they find out the results, the culmination of an entire school career. Students meet outside the school where exam results are posted, and share the emotion of knowing whether they and their friends succeeded or not.

Le Journal - Retour sur scène de Julio Iglesias

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Julio Iglesias tours France for the first time in 27 years and is very warmly received, especially by the ladies. Julio not only sings a few songs in French, but can speak it as well, and proves as much during an on-camera interview.

Le Journal - Le rôle de sa vie

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Viewer Discretion Advised

French movie star Agnès Jaoui talks about playing a French movie star in the film Le rôle de sa vie. The film, which explores relationships between movie stars and average folk, is the directorial debut for François Favrat, who may become a celebrity in his own right if the film is a success.

Le Journal - Hôpital ultra-moderne à Burkina Faso

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

The French government has charitably given the people of Burkina Faso a new hospital, stocked with the most high-tech and up-to-date medical gear and patient facilities. The problem is, almost none of the local people can afford such a hospital.

Le Journal - Opérateurs virtuels de portables

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Virtual service providers hope to provide a cheaper alternative to the French mobile phone market. Debitel, a German company, hopes to reach would-be cell phone users who have not yet purchased a phone.

Le Journal - Préjugés chez les employeurs

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

“What’s in a name?” asks Shakespeare’s Juliet. Apparently quite a lot for the French, who consistently pass over job candidates whose names aren’t “ethnically French” – particularly those of African origin.

Le Journal - Indices révélateurs des glaciers

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

French scientists study 740,000-year-old Antarctic ice samples and find clues that point to a relationship between greenhouse gases and global warming. It is feared that the record high carbon and methane levels of today will cause severe climatic change in coming years.

Le Journal - Joëlle Aubron libérée

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Joëlle Aubron, who died in 2006, was freed in 2004 after more than sixteen years in prison. She was a member of Action Directe, a movement which was responsible for a variety of violent events in the 1980s, most notably the assassination of the head of Renault in 1987.

Le Journal - Les Malgré-nous/Massacre d'Oradour - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

The Malgré-nous (Despite Ourselves) are the roughly 130,000 young Alsatians from Lorraine, many of them recruited by force, who served under the Nazis during World War II.

Le Journal - Les Malgré-nous/Massacre d'Oradour - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

The Oradour-sur-Glane massacre took place over a half a century ago, but France still remembers.

Le Journal - Saint-Exupéry - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

A Lockheed P-38 Lightning, last piloted by noted writer Saint-Exupéry, who presumably went down with it on July 31, 1944, has been found and identified off the coast of Marseille. This gives credence to a local fisherman who, six years ago, claimed to have netted the author’s ID bracelet.

Le Journal - Saint-Exupéry - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Sixty years after the disappearance of literary great Saint-Exupéry, a commemoration is held on the Mediterranean Sea at the spot where his airplane fell.

Le Journal - Milady

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

The Three Musketeers is one of the greatest tales of brotherhoood in the Western canon, but this new movie from José Daillant shifts the focus to a female character, Milady, the story’s femme fatale. Look for the lovely and inimitable Arielle Dombasle in the starring role.

Le Journal - La chasse aux loups

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Two hundred sheep jumped to their death in the French Alps. Even though no predator was seen, wolves in the Alps have been causing a lot of controversy lately. Should we just allow Mother Nature to maintain the circle of life? Or should wolves be hunted and killed to protect the sheep and their shepherds?

Le Journal - Randy, le dauphin français

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Randy enjoys swimming in the bay of French coastal town La Rochelle. He enjoys accompanying boats and making friends with other swimmers. Experts, fearing he may get hurt by a propeller or harm someone accidentally, are trying to persuade him to act a little less like Flipper and little more like the wild dolphin that he is.

Le Journal - La Martinique

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

Martinique

Hurricanes are of course some of the most powerful and dangerous storms known to man, but they are also an occasion to enjoy the thrill of nature. As Hurricane Ivan approached Martinique, surfers took to the reefs and people gathered at the water’s edge to witness the approaching fury.

Le Journal - Le football - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Fans are boycotting Olympique de Marseille (OM), whose record hasn’t been stellar of late. Organizers say the team doesn’t deserve support and that the owners shouldn’t expect fans to continue filling the stands if something isn’t done to improve the level of play.

Le Journal - Le football - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

European football matches are known for the passion they inspire in their fans. The president of the international league is thinking of banning pre-game anthems, which seem to exacerbate the situation.

Le Journal - Marée verte en Bretagne

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Excessive algae blooms are causing what is known as “green tides” off the coast of Brittany, affecting ten percent of its coastline. Agriculture is the culprit, due to its extensive use of fertilizers and production of animal wastes, both of which make their way to the ocean and feed the algae.

Le Journal - Opéra et musique pop

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Buoyed by the wild success of Les Choristes, these young performers are having the time of their lives. Musicians, music directors, and music halls are all hoping their show will be appreciated by this audience.

Le Journal - Les Français de Côte d'Ivoire

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Long-time French residents of Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) have been forced to flee the country due to political and racial unrest. Returning to France, they often feel like strangers in a strange land. Many of them, not so young, find that they have to start their lives again from scratch.

Le Journal - Les navigateurs du Vendée Globe - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

The Vendée Globe single-handed around-the-world race is one of the most grueling tests of man’s endurance against nature, with a little help from technology. The race starts, and ends, in the Bay of Sables d’Olonne.

Le Journal - Les navigateurs du Vendée Globe - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Sailing around the world in a boat by yourself might seem like the ultimate in machismo, but the Vendée Globe is not only a man’s game.

Le Journal - Les navigateurs du Vendée Globe - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Racing around the world by yourself often means a Christmas at sea. We drop in to the cabin of race leader Jean Le Cam, which has been decorated for the occasion, right down to a little tree.

Le Journal - Réchauffement de l'Arctique

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

It’s been suggested by some that global warming is a myth, but a large scientific study suggests otherwise. The first to suffer will be the animals that call the northern icecap home, such as polar bears and seals.

Le Journal - Le mur de Berlin s'écroule

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

On the 9th of November, 1989, the wall that divided the German city of Berlin began to fall along with the East German state that built it. Claudia Rusch, a young Francophile, was one of the first to scramble over what remained of the divide, meeting up with a French friend on the western side. She’s recently recounted her story in a book, which is a best-seller in her native Germany.

Le Journal - iDTGV - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Paris to Marseille for just 19 euros. Passengers are thrilled, but the ticket agent unions are not. These internet-only sale prices are putting their jobs at stake. Onboard, passengers can get a massage, or rent a DVD player, making for a more relaxing trip. Book your seat today!

Le Journal - iDTGV - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Rail travel between Paris and Marseilles used to be a lengthy ordeal. In 1950, the road trip took over ten hours, as did the train. By 2001, the TGV needed only three hours.

Le Journal - Baisers interdits dans les couloirs!

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

As a gift to journalists looking for a tongue-in-cheek story, French schools have banned kissing. Students ask, “Where’s the harm?”

Le Journal - Les ours en voie d'extinction

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Only four bears remain in Haut-Béarn, and all of them are male. Nothing can be done to save the population unless some females are introduced.

Le Journal - Nouveaux artistes pluriculturels

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Newcomers Kader Belarbi and Loumia Hiridjee are bringing fresh blood and talent to the French cultural and commercial landscape.

Le Journal - Concurrence des routiers étrangers

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

In the US, many American truckers don’t want Mexican drivers on the road. A similar situation is brewing in France where drivers from other countries will do the same work for half as much pay.

Le Journal - Manifestation de paralysés

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

Public transport has not always been easy for those who use wheelchairs, but the SNCF (French National Railway Company) has been making changes that make for a much more pleasant trip.

Le Journal - Le sida

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

The mortality rate for people with AIDS in France is one fifth of what it once was. Not only that, but modern medications are much easier to schedule.

Le Journal - Un sportif handicapé

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

Tanguy de la Forest is ready to fly off to the Paralympic Games.

Le Journal - Les Restos du Cœur

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

In 1985, ten million meals were served by Restos du Cœur. By 2004, that number had skyrocketed to sixty million.

Le Journal - L'Institut du goût

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

Students at the Institute of Taste must carefully imbibe the finest of champagnes, delicacies, and other gourmet specialties.

Le Journal - Trop de pub dans la boîte à lettres

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

Many French people claim they don’t like receiving junk mail, but marketers have done studies which indicate the opposite.

Le Journal - Voter: un droit ou un choix?

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

In France, one is registered to vote automatically upon reaching voting age.

Le Journal - La sécheresse

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

The summer months have been very dry in many parts of France for the past several years.

Le Journal - Le Festival international du mime

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Today’s mime is a far cry from Marcel Marceau, whose clones accost you in the park.

Le Journal - Le photographe Cartier-Bresson

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

Henri Cartier-Bresson is arguably France’s most notable contribution to the world of photography.

Le Journal - Un automne bien chaud

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

On the French Riviera when it’s twenty-three degrees Celsius in the middle of November, some of us are tempted to head for the beach and take one final dip.

Le Journal - Les championnats de planche à voile

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

X-Games: As though windsurfing wasn’t hard enough, they had to add a series of jump-obstacles to the race just to keep things interesting! Check out the “extreme kid” french voiceover… c’est formidable!

Le Journal - Les effets bénéfiques du rire!

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Sure, everyone likes to laugh, even the French, but can it really be good for your heart? Scientists seem to believe mais oui!

Le Journal - Manifestations des lycéens - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

All over France, students are protesting the loi Fillon, which they feel does not best represent the interests of students and their schools.

Le Journal - Manifestations des lycéens - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Peaceful student demonstrations were marred by the intrusion of young rioters, non-students who joined in and caused mayhem and violence. Now the student organizers have accepted the aid of union members and are working together to keep the march safe.

Le Journal - Le record du Tour de Monde!

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Even in his wildest dreams, Jules Verne never imagined a trip around the world in fifty days. But that’s just what Captain Peyron and the crew of the Orange Deux have done—breaking the previous world record.

Le Journal - Les microcrédits

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Microcredit can make a big difference to people on welfare or those without good credit history. Case in point: this fifty-five-year-old man who succeeded in opening up his own pizzeria thanks to the help he received.

Le Journal - Youssou N'Dour

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France, Senegal

Youssou N’Dour, one of the world’s most beloved French-speaking musicians, hails not from France, but from Africa.

Le Journal - Sillonner & photographier les océans

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

In the tradition of the great Jacques Cousteau, two young Frenchmen have been crisscrossing the world’s oceans documenting their most marvelous encounters in a book. But the book is not just an ode to the beauty of the deep; it is a warning about the impact humans have had on this largely unknown world.

Le Journal - Dentisterie

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Will French dentists soon have their patients grow new teeth, instead of filling in the old ones? New techniques using restorative molecules and even stem cells (which can be found in the baby teeth of children) will go a long way toward helping people smile filling-free.

Le Journal - Marianne

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

Marianne is the symbol of the French Republic and has roots in the revolution of 1789. But are French mayors ready to represent the France of today with a Marianne of color?

Le Journal - Sans domicile fixe

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Homelessness is difficult for anyone, but for women the dangers can be more acute and the experience even more alienating than for men.

Le Journal - Un hamburger très cher!

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

New York based French chef Daniel Boulud brings his refined French culinary skills to that most typical American dish, the hamburger. Discover the secrets that make this burger the most expensive in the world.

Le Journal - La truffe

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

Four hundred euros per kilo for mushrooms? As you may have heard, truffles are no ordinary fungi, and those sold in the Aups market are said to be the tastiest.

Le Journal - École de pilotage

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Ten months of training go into learning to fly a helicopter, but less time is being spent aloft. More and more flight hours are logged in a hyper-realistic simulator that allows young pilots to hone their skills without ever leaving the earth.

Le Journal - La grippe aviaire - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Billions (oui, milliards!) of birds migrate from Africa every year, and with bird flu developing rapidly, their arrival to France is closely monitored at the Marquenterre National Park. Learn how French scientists and engineers there have taken innovative measures to make it difficult for the virus to settle in the mud where the birds like to feed.

Le Journal - La grippe aviaire - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

Five of the nine districts of Lyon, the second largest French city, are being monitored for the H5N1 virus, better known as “Bird Flu”.

Le Journal - La grippe aviaire - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

Birds aren't the only ones who might feel their lifestyle's been a bit restricted lately. France’s rural cats enjoy a good hunt. But the avian flu has put the lid on sporting felines living in affected areas.

Le Journal - Le chalet

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

Like old cheese and old wine, old wood is in high demand when it comes to building new chalets. A modern cabin built of ancient wood provides the perfect balance of the old and the new.

Le Journal - Le poulet dans les cantines

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

One school is no longer serving chicken, claiming that children aren’t eating it when served due to fears of avian flu. The mayor is behind this decision – despite the protests of parents and chicken farmers – citing the “principle of precaution.”

Le Journal - L'enseignement du chinois au lycée

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

The number of French students interested in studying Chinese has soared in French high schools in the last ten years. Though it is currently offered mostly by elite schools, the French government hopes to make it more accessible to all schools in years to come.

Le Journal - L'île de Pâques

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

Twenty-eight years ago, Frenchman Michel Garcia fell in love with Easter Island, home of clear blue water and the breathtaking moai. Since then he’s kept busy as a diving instructor and doting father, and he even found time to discover a new species of shellfish!

Le Journal - Espèces en voie de disparition

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Beautiful snow Leopards and Madagascar tortoises! The European Program protects rare species such as these in zoos, with the goal to eventually release them (or their children) back into the wild.

Le Journal - Défilé de mode - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

The magic of Nicolas Ghesquière? Innovating, without betraying the heritage of the venerable fashion house of Balenciaga.

Le Journal - Défilé de mode - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Chanel and its “rock star” designer, Karl Lagerfeld; Loewe, the “Spanish Hermès,” and its creator José Enrique Ona Selfa; Yves Saint-Laurent under the direction of Stefano Pilati: each line offers a distinctive and beautiful collection.

Le Journal - Défilé de mode - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Which four designers’ collections are not to miss (if your income is in the seven digits)? Chanel, Yves Saint-Laurent, Loewe, and, for your delicate foot, René Caovilla and his sparkling handmade Venetian shoes.

Le Journal - Défilé de mode - Part 4

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

The last in our four-part series on Paris fashion week showcases the latest collections of Lanvin by Alber Elbaz, Christian Lacroix and his luxury ready-to-wear, Louis Vuitton by Marc Jacobs, and Hermès by Jean-Paul Gaultier.

Le Journal - L'île Maurice et les moustiques

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Mauritius has taken preventative measures to stop the Chikungunya virus from spreading, unlike nearby island Réunion. Tourists are more likely to feel safe thanks to strict controls at the airport and continued observation from health officials.

Le Journal - Gainsbourg

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

The French singer Serge Gainsbourg is still remembered long after his death by fans, English rockers, and songwriter (and first lady of France) Carla Bruni.

Le Journal - Gstaad

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

At nightfall in Gstaad, the preeminent ski resort in the Alps, a privileged few among the stars and high society can listen to the most popular classical musicians in the world…

Le Journal - À l'écoute de la douleur

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Pain, and how to better manage it, is becoming increasingly focused on by members of the medical community. Some hospitals have even appointed special doctors for pain management and a few are opening pain management centers.

Le Journal - Villepin

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Take a walk with Dominique de Villepin, during the latter part of his term as France's Prime Minister, through Marseilles in the south of France.

Le Journal - Maison écologique

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

José Bové may be famous for having dismantled a McDonald’s, but it turns out he also knows a thing or two about building houses — all in line with his alterglobalist ideals!

Le Journal - Publicité anti-calories

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

There are warnings on cigarettes, warnings on bottles of wine, but do we really need warnings on rich foods? Who doesn’t know that they can make you gros et malsain?

Le Journal - 2000 mètres sous les mers

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

A robot is sent into a deep ocean fault south of the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean. Its mission: to explore mineral chimneys and collect the organisms that can live there without sunlight.

Le Journal - La violence à l'école

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

High school teacher Karen Montet-Toutain was the victim of one of the worst recent cases of school-related violence when she was stabbed by a student in her classroom. She has written a book about her struggles, and hopes for rehabilitation of her attacker.

Le Journal - La Coupe du Monde - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

During the 2006 World Cup, and despite criticism from several right-wing politicians, footballers Lilian Thuram and Patrick Vieira invited eighty former squatters from Cachan to see the France-Italy match.

Le Journal - La Coupe du Monde - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

This news report follows up on the squatters in Cachan, who receive good news from the mayor: after six weeks spent in a gymnasium, they're being relocated to a hostel with real accommodations.

Le Journal - Un petit prince japonais

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

Le Journal reports on the birth of first male heir in the Japanese royal family in over forty years. Spoiler alert: His name is Hisahito, and he's doing quite well these days.

Le Journal - Au Liban

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

This news report documents a trek by UNIFIL into Hezbollah territory in Lebanon for a mission of observation.

Le Journal - Manuels scolaires

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Does your textbook ever seem more confusing than enlightening, more wrong than right? A recent study showed that some French textbooks could use a little fact-checking.

Le Journal - Les vignobles

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Two women – one French, one American – speak of their new careers as vineyard owners. With the increasing popularity of New World wines, land in the Bordeaux region of France is becoming cheaper.

Le Journal - Al Jazeera

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France, Qatar

The largest Arabic TV network, Al Jazeera has been making its own headlines since 2001, for the depth and breadth of its coverage. This report from 2006 details the network’s evolution. Since then, Al Jazeera’s voice in international broadcasting has only become stronger.

Le Journal - La traite humaine

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Viewer Discretion Advised

Immigrants who travel clandestinely from Turkey to Great Britain often pay a far steeper price than the five hundred euros demanded by traffickers.

Le Journal - French North African Film

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France, Morocco

Opening night in Casablanca for the movie Indigènes (English title "Days of Glory") provided a special opportunity for some of the subjects of the film to reflect upon their past, and for Moroccans and the French to talk about their future.

Le Journal - Apnée du sommeil

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Not only can sleep apnea keep you from getting a good night’s sleep, but it can also wreak havoc on your health, causing such serious health problems as brain damage and cardiovascular disease. Luckily, thanks to research by the National Scientific Research Center in Strasbourg and special equipment like oxygen masks, sufferers of sleep apnea may now be better able to get some rest.

Le Journal - Nuits artistiques

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Nuits Blanches, French ambiance, old movies and nouvel art make Paris by night even more exciting.

Le Journal - Firewood

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

The French lumber market sees a long-awaited recovery, after “the storm of the century.” Time to heat up that new log cabin with a crackling fire in the fireplace.

Le Journal - Musée des voitures

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

The first electric car? 1899! La Jamais contente. This car and other rare self-propelled antique vehicles can now be seen in car museums.

Le Journal - Mozart à l'Opéra de Vichy

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Mozart fans, take note: Go in through the back door of the Vichy Opera House to see Jérôme Deschamps and his talented crew’s reimaginings of the famous composer’s works. Don’t worry—all the tunes are still pure Wolfgang.

Le Journal - Falling Turbine Blade

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

A blade fell off a wind turbine, causing a bit of alarm amongst nearby residents. Perhaps it’s time for an upgrade?

Le Journal - La bougie du sapeur

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

This newspaper, called “The Sapper’s Candle” (a “sapper” is traditionally a military man who disarms mines), only comes out on the leap year. But how can a periodical published only on February twenty-ninth be financially sound? Maybe it’s true: less is more.

Le Journal - Le Polaroid

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Hipsters all over the world are surely mourning the loss of their favorite instant-nostalgia art medium: the Polaroid. With the recent closing of the last two remaining Polaroid factories in the U.S., it looks like that familiar and much-loved “ch-click-whrrr” sound will soon become a thing of the past. Polaroid has plans to soon launch products suited to the digital era. But can anything ever compare to the one and only original? Only time will tell.

Le Journal - Sarkozy en Afrique du Sud - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

A first look at French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s visit to South Africa. He proposes a new axis in the capital’s “Francafrican” politics and shores up relations with English-speaking Africa.

Le Journal - Sarkozy en Afrique du Sud - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

On the final leg of French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s visit to South Africa, the leader meets with Nelson Mandela (after visiting the cell where Mandela was imprisoned for twenty-seven years), and speaks about the importance of being a uniter—not a divider.

Le Journal - Contrôle des prix alimentaires - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

The first in a trilogy of segments from Le Journal on the same subject, this video discusses the emergency measures called for by the French government, which has brought together a task force to deal with rising food prices in French stores.

Le Journal - Contrôle des prix alimentaires - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

The second video on rising food prices in France takes a look at dairy products, in particular yogurt, which has been especially affected by this general trend of skyrocketing prices. So who is responsible? The milk producers? The product manufacturers? The supermarkets?

Le Journal - Contrôle des prix alimentaires - Part 3

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

French Minister of Finance Christine Lagarde takes a stroll through the aisles of a Parisian supermarket, checking as she goes to see if the actual prices of the store’s dairy products match prices recorded in a recent French consumer’s report. The verdict? It appears that shelf prices are actually lower than what was listed in the report. But the French can rest assured that this won’t stop the government’s investigation into the country’s rising food prices.

Le Journal - La tuberculose

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Tuberculosis remains a deadly disease—affecting 10.6 million people annually and killing one person every twenty seconds. The recent development of multidrug-resistant strains of the bacteria has made TB even more threatening. Especially affected are areas without the proper means of fighting the illness. Eight countries accounted for more than two thirds of the global total: India, Indonesia, China, the Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to the WHO, 13 billion dollars would be required to effectively combat the disease.

Le Journal - Le mensonge

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Her stirring, tragic story has moved millions of people. As an eight-year-old Jewish girl during World War II, she was taken in by wild wolves and walked for thousands of kilometers in search of her family. Sound too implausible to be true? Turns out it is. Her story is fiction, and, in fact, she’s not even Jewish. Though she may be the James Frey of French World War II tales, her lawyer claims she’s done nothing wrong.

Le Journal - Le mémorial de la Shoah

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

What is the best way to explain the horrors of the Holocaust to nine-year-old children? France’s Holocaust memorial has taken measures to avoid disturbing children by placing the most graphic photographs out of their line of sight and by offering a tour specifically designed for younger viewers. The idea is for children to learn about this dark moment in our history without being overwhelmed.

Le Journal - Yann Arthus Bertrand

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

The Yacyretá dam in Argentina is controversial for several reasons. Accused by some to be the result of a bribe to displace the local population, the dam has now gotten famed French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand into hot water. Arthus-Bertrand, who was filming a documentary there, is alleged to have walked out on a twenty-eight-thousand-euro bill he owed to a local travel agency.

Le Journal - Enseigner l'Holocauste en classe

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

The best way to teach primary school students about the Holocaust is a contested topic in France. (See our Le Journal video on France’s Holocaust memorial.) One idea, originally proposed by Nicolas Sarkozy at a dinner organized by the Conseil représentatif des institutions juives de France, has not yet been able to see the light of day.

Le Journal - Marion Cotillard

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

Marion Cotillard was not a superstar when she landed the role of Edith Piaf in La Môme. But, already a formidable actress, she had an impressive set of roles under her belt, and the film’s director had no doubt she was “the one.” He was right: Marion took home the Oscar for best actress in 2008.

An interesting note: The USA release title for the film – in French, ironically enough – is La Vie en Rose, the name of a famous Piaf song, which basically means, “life through rose-colored glasses.” The French title comes from Piaf’s nickname: “La Môme Piaf,” which can be translated as “the little sparrow,” but also means “little kid Piaf.”

Le Journal - Voitures de luxe

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Even an economic crisis can’t put a dent in luxury car sales. Looks like when you’re willing to wait that long for your dream, and able to pay for it, nothing can get in your way.

Le Journal - Les Ch'tis

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

The “ch’ti” dialect and way of life of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in northern France is the subject of the movie Bienvenue chez les ch’tis, number two on the all-time French box office list and the first French movie on the list. Actor-director Dany Boon knew just the right mix of ingredients to make it stick.

Le Journal - Viktor Bout

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

The Thai police force caught a very big fish: the world’s most wanted arms dealer, Viktor Bout. The man who inspired the film Lord of War starring Nicolas Cage was repatriated after 12 years to Russia as part of a prisoner exchange.. And it seems he may have been protected by certain intelligence agencies — but which ones?

Le Journal - L'Arche de Zoé

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Don’t confuse Noah’s Ark with Zoé’s Ark. The first is said to have saved Noah, his family, and two representatives of each living creature, and the second claims it tried to save children. The members involved in this child abduction scheme have been found guilty, but who should pay the restitution?

Le Journal - Charles Jourdan

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

Good news for lovers of luxury footwear—but even more so for the work force of the French town Romans: the factory of designer brand Charles Jourdan will reopen its doors (after being forced to close several months prior) thanks to an investment from a Costa Rican firm.

Le Journal - Les relations franco-gabonaises

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Two students from Gabon were expelled from a French University and deported back to their home country for having low grades in school. One was even forced to leave behind his wife and young daughter (a French citizen). The government of Gabon is not pleased and may take measures to retaliate in kind.

Le Journal - À la retraite en France

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

The young and the old are always the most severely affected by crises – a fact illustrated by this demonstration, in which the elderly clamor for emergency measures so they can make ends meet.

Le Journal - Sexualité des femmes

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Whether heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, “jouets intimes”-sexual, or sexagenarian, women affirm that sexuality is not just for men.

Le Journal - "Claude François"

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

You’ve heard of Elvis impersonators? Well France has Claude François impersonators! Meet Tom Evers, who performs in the style of Podium at the very same club where the real Claude used to come to relax, comme d’habitude.

Le Journal - Grands prématurés

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Being born premature is risky, but thanks to modern medical techniques, six out of ten babies who are born greatly premature will grow up to be perfectly healthy children.

Le Journal - Bateau ensouillé - Part 1

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Residents of the seaside town Sables d’Olonne have a sizable problem on their hands: a beached ship that they can’t seem to get unstuck. Looks like they’ll have to try again tomorrow.

Le Journal - Bateau ensouillé - Part 2

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

The beached ship in Sables d’Olonne is still stuck in the sand. In fact, it’s becoming quite the local attraction!

Le Journal - Conduite en état d'ivresse

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Drinking and driving brings up serious questions of responsibility. If someone is hurt as a result of drunk driving, is it the driver’s fault alone, or do those who provided the alcohol share some culpability too?

Le Journal - Dilemme des restaurants

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

How should a restaurant owner go about finding the right recipe for passing on the increasing cost of basic ingredients to the customer? By math or by witchcraft?

Le Journal - Le libre-service en pharmacie?

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

Those of us who live in the United States are used to being able to buy some medications right off the shelves. But in France, until very recently, you weren’t able to purchase painkillers without first speaking to a pharmacist. Now certain painkillers are available on a self-serve basis, but are pharmacists ready for this change?

Le Journal - La vie sous l'océan Antarctique

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

Brr! It’s hard to believe that anything could survive in waters as cold as minus two degrees. But recent research expeditions in the Antarctic Ocean have found life forms, like the icefish, that manage to thrive despite the chilly temperatures.

Le Journal - Le dernier ancien combattant/14-18

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Neighbors, friends, and the people of France remember Lazare Ponticelli, the last Poilu, who saw one hundred and ten springtimes and two world wars before passing away in March of 2008.

Le Journal - Le dernier ancien combattant/14-18

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Lazare Ponticelli was the last of the “Poilus” — French infantry soldiers who served in World War I. Ponticelli, who was actually an Italian immigrant to France, first served in the French Foreign Legion and then eventually, the Italian army. He died in 2008 at the age of 110.

Le Journal - La vie dans les tranchées

Difficulty: difficulty - Beginner Beginner

France

What was life like for the poilus, the French soldiers of World War I? In sum, much, much harder than our lives. Subjected to bullets, bombs, death, and all the atrocities of war, these soldiers fought bitterly to protect their homeland, and one another.

Le Journal - Le stress au travail

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Just how bad can stress from work get? Though the effects of stress may not always be visible or immediately apparent, some employees have been driven to insomnia, depression, even suicide because of difficulties at work. Some companies have implemented new anti-stress measures, but will that be enough?

Le Journal - L'âge et la fertilité

Difficulty: difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate

France

It’s common to see photos of celebrities aged forty and up happily pregnant or pushing a pram. But according to most doctors, a woman’s chances of conceiving drop dramatically after age thirty-eight or so. Of course there are exceptions. Modern medical fertility treatments allowed a sixty-six-year-old Romanian woman to give birth to twins in 2005. But unless we’re willing and able to procure such treatments, which can be financially, emotionally, and physically draining, those who want to wait until their forties to have kids will have to take their chances.

Le Journal - Champagne

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

What’s in a name? Quite a lot, as it turns out! Thanks to changes in what land is covered by the Champagne Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (or AOC, the French method of labeling foods and wines according to region), some farmers will soon be able to start cultivating official champagne. But not everyone is a winner—some farmers will lose this prestigious appellation.

Le Journal - Passer le permis de conduire

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Another protest on the streets of Paris: this one about the difficulties of obtaining a driving permit. The steep price of a permit is currently about 1200 € in France, and candidates must face long waits of several months or more just to take the test. Increasing the number of driving inspectors would help both to lessen these delays and lower costs.

Le Journal - Salon du livre

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

At the Paris Salon du Livre this year, in response to the visit of the Israeli president, six Arab nations decided to exclude themselves from the event. Some attendees were puzzled by the boycott, especially considering that many Israeli writers are known to advocate the creation of a Palestinian state. With all that pressure, no wonder the roof collapsed!

Le Journal - Manifestations au Tibet

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Buddhist monks and other Tibetans protest against Chinese rule while their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, continues his exile in India. The topic of Tibet was a sore point for China as it prepared to host the Summer Olympics.

Le Journal - Le droit de mourir

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Chantal Sébire, whose face was disfigured by a large and incurable tumor that caused her excruciating pain and made her blind, had one request: to end her own life. But the French government refused to allow her to obtain a prescription from her doctor for a lethal amount of drugs. One week after this report, Ms. Sébire was found dead in her home.

Le Journal - Choisir un nom d'enfant

Difficulty: difficulty - Intermediate Intermediate

France

Choosing a name for a new baby is just one of the tricky tasks parents face. Should you go with a classic, like Jeanne; a trendy name, like Mathéo; or an old-school throwback, like Alphonse? It can be tough to decide, but if all else fails, just use your alphabet blocks!

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