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.”

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.

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.

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!

A traditional Provençal Christmas would not be complete without the Santons Festival. In Marseille, you can wander through the downtown market and marvel at these Christmas clay figurines and enjoy the true spirit of Christmas.

A new photography studio in Marseille combines traditional and contemporary printing techniques to make beautiful photos. It's a great spot for both amateurs and professionals alike!

Twenty-one thousand letters to Santa Claus were sent this year in Marseille. As if he didn't have enough on his plate, Saint Nick will send a handwritten response to each one, as long as their senders are on his "nice" list (and indicated their return address)!

There's no better time to break out the bubbly than to celebrate the New Year. In this video, you will learn all about champagne, including how bubbles occur in a glass.

Get a look behind the scenes at the Foire du Trône, an annual fair held in the lovely Bois de Vincennes on Paris's eastern side. It's not just fun and games that go into making this festival an amusement hotspot.

In May 2000, Luc Vanrell discovered the P Thirty-Eight Lightning aircraft piloted by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, which was last seen on July 31, 1944. His colleague Philippe Castellano explains how the plane was identified.

In part 2 of this video on the disappearance of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, you will find out how the remains of his plane were located and retrieved from the bottom of the sea.

Bernard Colin, an author and publisher, shows us two books from his publishing house, Rebelyne Press: a work of autofiction that takes place in the 1970s and a collection of humorous short stories.

This video describes a Christmas celebration at the Secours Populaire, an organization in France that helps underprivileged children and families, without passing judgment on their plight. Here they are celebrating Christmas with a big snack, gifts, chocolates, and a magic show.

British-American Hollywood star Olivia de Havilland died on July 26, 2020 in Paris at the age of 104. She became the first female president of the Cannes Film Festival jury in 1965.

It's back to the past, with the Once Upon a Time series. How did America get its name? Take a trip back to Renaissance Italy in this first episode of The Explorers to find out.