Lionel discusses the French Academy's latest spelling reform, which includes such modifications as removing the i in oignon (onion) and the circumflex in coût (cost). There's been a fair amount of backlash against the reform, though the changes are only recommended, not mandatory.

Lionel takes us in front of the European Parliament building in Strasbourg, where important decisions are made. You can't miss it, with its forty-seven flags representing each member country of the European Council.

Astrid gives us a detailed description of the Toul Cathedral, its history, and its special features. Though its gargoyles may look scary, they serve a special purpose: draining rainwater off the roof. A light and sound show takes place every year, highlighting the gargoyles and the cathedral's amazing architecture.

Still in Toul, Lionel takes a closer look at the Saint-Étienne Cathedral in Toul. Its construction started in the thirteen hundreds and was completed around 1495.

In this video you will hear a fable by Jean de La Fontaine, the most famous fable writer in French literature. "Le Chêne et le Roseau" (The Oak and the Reed) is a lesson in humility. The humble reed belies an inner strength that the oak does not possess. The oak's unbending nature proves to be its downfall.

Jean de La Fontaine's fables are all-time classics that have been in the French school curriculum for many years, at all levels. It's safe to say that every French person knows at least one of his fables.

Daniel concludes his tour of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine by taking us along the quays to see some of the barges that are docked there. Among them, you will find a houseboat that doubles as a chapel and the last tug boat ever built in France!

Lionel shows us some ephemeral art in Paris, including an anamorphic installation on the Louvre Pyramid and a large steel sculpture with a cardboard "cave" inside. Check them out before they're gone!

Daniel shows us around the old quarter of the village of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, a charming area that dates from the Middle Ages and contains some beautiful gardens and courtyards. Some of the streets and alleyways have even retained their medieval names, such as the "Rue de la Savaterie" (Cobbler Street).

In the second part of his tour of the town of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, Daniel shows us the Montjoie Tower, a Romanesque dungeon whose walls are still standing today. He also takes us to a beautiful garden filled with rare plants.

Right in the heart of Paris, the Comédie-Française is a major institution. It's a theater where the famous playwright Molière performed his plays over three centuries ago. To this day, the Comédie-Française still captures the imagination of French people.

Daniel takes us to the town of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, located around thirty kilometers from Paris, which is known as the capital of canal transportation. You'll see some beautiful barges and cruise boats, as well as a public toilet that Daniel calls an "aesthetic success"!

Patricia brings to life Baudelaire's famous poem "L'horloge" (The Clock). The poet laments the passage of time and life's inevitable conclusion: death. Aside from the gloomy message, this poem is also an invitation to seize the day and enjoy all that life has to offer, including this poem!

In the final installment of his tour of Compiègne, Daniel takes us to the "Haras National" (National Stud Farm), where some of the most prestigious horses in France have been raised since the 1700s. He also shows us the Imperial Theater, built by Napoleon III, and the Museum of Internment and Deportation, which commemorates the prisoners of the Royallieu concentration camp.

Patricia introduces one of France's most renowned poets, Charles Baudelaire. His major work, Les Fleurs du Mal (The Flowers of Evil), is still the most studied poetry collection in French schools and was as much a source of controversy as admiration in his day. Baudelaire's love affair with his muse, actress Jeanne Duval, was a main source of inspiration for Les Fleurs du Mal.