In his song "Zombie," Maître Gims wants to wake up from his Zombie state and take charge of his destiny by removing the chains that hold him back: warding off the darkness, confusion, and paranoia surrounding his life.

Years of research and trial and error culminated in the invention of the first locomotive on rails. Not bad for a father-and-son experiment. That's what Murdoch and his son George achieved in 1797.

Daniel Benchimol concludes his tour of Paris's tenth arrondissement by taking us through the "Nouvelle Athènes" (New Athens) neighborhood, home of some of the great figures of nineteenth-century romanticism. The tenth is also home to the smallest house in Paris, at less than five meters (sixteen feet) high!

In "Je suis Charlie" (I Am Charlie), Fabien Marsaud a.k.a. Grand Corps Malade commemorates the victims of the devastating attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. As the slam poet notes, "I prefer to pick up a pen because tonight I am Charlie."

Lionel introduces us to the tiny village of Frémestroff, which has three hundred seven inhabitants and is located twenty-five kilometers from the German border. It boasts one farm, one bakery, a woodworker, and a shepherd. Some of the older residents have a distinctive accent and still speak a dialect from the Lorraine that resembles German.

In part two of this series, "Once upon a Time... the Discoverers," Maestro talks about Cugnot, the inventor of the steam traction engine.

Over thirty French bakeries from the Vendée region show off their skills in a galette des rois (Kings' cake) contest. The lucky judges, whose onerous task is to taste those delicious galettes, go to great lengths to explain their choices and make our mouths water. The galette des rois is traditionally served at Epiphany and is notoriously difficult to make. It comes in two varieties, flaky or brioche, and is available at French bakeries throughout the month of January.

In the series "Once Upon a Time... the Discoverers," the Maestro lets off some steam. Some two thousand years ago, Heron invented the steam machine in Alexandria, but it took two millenia to perfect the invention and put it to practical use.

Oldelaf, aka Olivier Delafosse, sings "Je mange" (I Eat). This darkly humorous video paints a portrait of a modern man's dysfunctional relationship with food. If it sounds a little too familiar to you, that could mean it's time for a game of table tennis (with a partner)!

With Christmas just around the corner, it's time to think of decorations and a festive table. You will learn how to fold a napkin in the shape of a flower, which is sure to dazzle friends and family. Do try this at home!

Cortés sets out to conquer Mexico with his four hundred men, sixteen horses, and seven cannons. He is joined later by native forces, the Totonac warriors.

Losing weight is one of the most common New Year's resolutions, probably due in part to the richness of holiday feasts. As you'll see in this video, a lot of French people switch to a diet of fresh fruit, vegetables, and soups as they get ready for the new year or recover from holiday indulgences. Clementines are an especially popular and low calorie wintertime snack.

In the music video for "Tous les mêmes" (All the Same) Stromae impersonates both the man and the woman in a stormy relationship. He wants children. She doesn't want any because she thinks "men are all the same" and can't be trusted to raise them. Stromae concludes the song with a beautifully choreographed dance equal to none—except for the late Michael Jackson, perhaps.

In this Micro-Trottoir episode, people are asked whether they are for or against snow. Most of the interviewees welcome snow and find it very pretty; it also makes them look forward to Christmas. But some people pointed out that snow has its drawbacks: it complicates things on the road for those who have to drive to work.

Tension is building between the Aztecs and the Spaniards, not to mention within Cortés's own ranks. Despite this, the conquistador rallies his troops to conquer Mexico.