Daniel Benchimol is in the charming little town of Saint-Mammès, south of Paris. Its unique location at the confluence of the Seine and the Loing was a source of inspiration for the famous impressionist painter born of British parents, Alfred Sisley.

Yacine Boularès, a young French musician of Tunisian origin, demonstrates some of the differences between Western and Arabic music on his saxophone. If you like what you hear, check out Yacine's jazz band, Afro Groove Collective.

In this episode on the ecosystems, guide Nam explains the importance of mangroves in the food chain. You'll also see the rafflesia, the largest flower in the world.

There's a newcomer at the zoo, and all the other animals are abuzz with speculation about its identity. Could it be... a human?

In the next segment of this Il était une fois... episode on ecosystems, the Maestro teaches us how to build a butterfly garden. You can build one anywhere—even on your apartment balcony!

Margaux and Manon are playing shop. Margaux is the lucky customer buying shoes and Manon settles for second best, playing the shopkeeper. Now you're all set to go shoe shopping on your next trip to France!

Could you imagine being told that you're adopted and then being kidnapped immediately after? That's what happens to the little critter in the first part of this "Zooriginaux" episode. It definitely sounds like the grounds for an identity crisis!

Some people believe that plants contain pollution-reducing properties. However, a study by a group of researchers in Lille debunked that theory.

The Maestro surpervises the building of a pond for the butterfly garden. Everything goes according to plan, despite the work of a few practical jokesters.

Margaux and Manon recite "The Crow and the Fox," a famous fable by the French poet Jean de La Fontaine, and explain some of the more difficult lines for us. It's a good poem to memorize to improve your French!

Daniel Benchimol visits Fontainebleau, a town south of Paris that many French kings visited. Its magnificent Renaissance style castle was Napoleon's favorite residence.

These young people want to do their part for the planet. Under the Maestro's supervision, they prepare a butterfly garden after learning that butterflies are an endangered species.

The French town of Morlaix is educating its citizens on the dangerous effects of global warming and what they can do to stop it. Their first defense against climate change: an electric bike!

The Maestro tells his students about the famous "Biosphere" project in Arizona, the largest enclosed ecological system in the world.

Faire (to make or to do) is one of the most basic verbs in the French language, and it is used in a large number of expressions and idioms. Margaux and Manon give us some colorful examples of the uses of faire in this video.