Daniel Benchimol shows us around Montmorency, a town famous for being the residence of the Enlightenment philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who lived in the "House of Gossips." Montmorency also boasts a medieval communal oven and is near a sulfurous spring that is open to the public!

Patricia tells us a fun story peppered with expressions involving the word blanc/blanche (white). You might recognize some of them from English, such as hisser le drapeau blanc (to raise the white flag), but others are a bit more difficult to decipher.

Jean-Pierre gives Lionel some more information about the habits of storks. These migratory birds can be trained to be sedentary so visitors have a chance to see them year-round.

Daniel takes us north of Paris to Montmorency, a charming little town with a collegiate church called the Collégial Saint Martin. This historic town is only a stone's throw away from the ultramodern business district of La Défense.

Still in the Lindre-Basse region, Jean-Pierre explains the fish breeding process to Lionel. They also enjoy the beautiful sight of storks building their nests during mating season.

In this educational video, you will learn about the powers of the French president, which were redefined at the behest of Charles de Gaulle in 1958.

Patricia is in a dark mood.... Learn some expressions using the word noir (dark, black) and express your dark feelings in French!

In the second installment on French expressions not to be taken literally, Patricia discusses the phrase se faire l'avocat du diable (to play devil's advocate).

Lionel and his cousin Jean-Pierre continue their visit to the Lindre-Basse area with its amazing natural surroundings. The ponds teem with fish and birds for a while before being drained and then used for cultivation, which in turn will enrich the soil after they're refilled.

Some expressions are not be taken literally, as they would not make a lot of sense. For example, vider son sac—literally, "to empty one's bag"—actually means something entirely different. Find out the real meaning of vider son sac and its origin in this video!

Lionel is in Toul, twenty-seven kilometers from Nancy in the northeast of France. This small medieval town has a pretty riverside port and a magnificent Gothic cathedral called Cathédrale Saint-Étienne. Don't miss Lionel's signature pun at the end of this video!

Lionel and Jean-Pierre talk about fish farming in the pond of Lindre-Basse. This practice dates back to the Middle Ages with an order of soldier-monks called the Knights Templar.

Daniel takes us to Montmorency, a historic town in the Paris region that dates all the way back to the ninth century. Among many other attractions, the town features a public garden dedicated to Lucie Aubrac, one of the most famous figures of the French Resistance during World War II.

Lionel and Jean-Pierre try to find their bearings along the Lindre pond. Luckily they have a compass! Jean-Pierre will teach you how to use a compass and explain the difference between true north and magnetic north.

Discover Chambourcy with Daniel Benchimol. Chambourcy is a small town on the outskirts of Paris that is full of charming surprises. An interesting garden called Le Désert de Retz will take you back through time with eclectic constructions reminiscent of extinct civilizations.