Difficulty: Beginner
France
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.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
In the third installment of Daniel's tour of Compiègne, he shows us the magnificent Saint Jacques Church, which happens to be a stop along the Way of St. James. He also takes us to some former salt warehouses and to a beautiful garden surrounded by medieval walls.
Difficulty: Beginner
France
Where does the expression on n'est pas sorti de l'auberge (we aren't out of the inn) come from? Find out its meaning in this video.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
As Daniel explains, Joan of Arc is a bit of an "obsession" among French people, and tributes to her can be found in many towns across France. Compiègne has particularly close ties to the country's patron saint—after assisting the town in its fight against the Burgundians, she was captured by them in 1430.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Daniel introduces the charming town of Compiègne and its magnificent City Hall. In the City Hall building, you'll find the Bancloque, a fourteenth-century bell that still rings today with the help of three automated figures called jacquemarts that "poke" the bell on the hour. And make sure to stop by the burger kiosk on your way out of the city for a delicious, locally sourced treat!
Difficulty: Beginner
France
The Carnival of Nice is famous around the world for its colorful parade of floats covered in flowers. You can even participate in a "battle" of flowers that are grown in abundance in the region.
Difficulty: Beginner
France
This episode of "Le saviez-vous?" (Did You Know?) is about French gastronomy. You will learn a lot of useful vocabulary relating to food, and you can look forward to sampling delicious dishes.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
In the last part of his tour of the town of Gisors, Daniel shows us an interesting structure called a cabinet de verdure (greenery chamber) as well as a waterfall that served as the major driving force of the town's economy for centuries. Daniel also tells us the story of Philippe Auguste and the Golden Virgin, which you won't want to miss!
Difficulty: Beginner
France
There's a lot to explore in the Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais Church in Gisors, including a towering wooden organ, a magnificent mural, and a spiral staircase. Daniel Benchimol gives us a detailed tour of this stunning work of architecture, which he counts as one of the most beautiful churches in Normandy.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Daniel Benchimol braves the freezing temperature to show us around the beautiful medieval town of Gisors in the Vexin region in the north of France. The highlight of the town is its eleventh-century castle, which is currently undergoing major restoration work. The castle was once surrounded by a moat, and some of its towers still remain, with imposing names like "Prisoner's Tower" and "Chilly Tower."
Difficulty: Beginner
France
We continue our visit to Metz with Lionel, who takes us inside the Saint-Étienne Cathedral, famous for its huge stained glass windows. After that, if you don't feel like walking, you can take the little tourist train and enjoy the sites at a leisurely pace.
Difficulty: Beginner
France
It's been said that Paris is the most romantic city in the world. In this video, you will discover the origin of the word "romantic" and learn about the romanticism movement, which originated not from France as one might expect, but from England and Germany and later took hold in France.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
A few kilometers from Paris, on Chatou Island (also known as Impressionists' Island), Daniel Benchimol has a nice surprise for you.... Watch this video to find out what it is!
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
Daniel Benchimol stops by the thirteenth arrondissement of Paris and takes us inside Mireille Bailly-Coulange's sculpture studio. You'll see her exquisite art made out of Plexiglas and learn about her fascinating technique. And... don't be alarmed if you hear her dog's loud bark toward the end of the video. He's just sharing his enthusiasm.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
In this episode, Pierre Esparre, a fine mosaic artist, explains how he discovered his talent and how he gets his inspiration from everyday life, whether it's a street scene, a YouTube video, or an Internet page. Watch this video to see how Pierre translates his ideas into quirky, humorous, and eye-catching creations.
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