Like many French people, Sophie and Alexandre are totally sick of the rain. Besides, Sophie always ends up with wet shoes and frizzy hair. Alexandre has some good tips for her.

September is a special time in France called la rentrée, when students and workers get back into the swing of things and possibly the dreariness of the work and study routine. Alexandre dreads this time of year while Sophie embraces it as an opportunity for starting afresh.

Sophie and Alexandre talk about the French overseas territories (les outres-mers). Their idyllic settings belie a host of problems such as radioactivity left from nuclear tests in the Pacific, and income disparity between French settlers and indigenous people.

Sophie and Alexandre are talking about the French tradition of the galette des rois (kings' cake). Will Sophie get the trinket this time?