It takes a lot to decorate the 31-meter high Christmas tree on Strasbourg's Place Kléber: ten technicians, two bucket lifts, 75 thousand lights. Luckily, the operation is being managed by Antoinette Pfimlin, who has 20 years of experience decorating giant trees in a hard hat.

Some Alsace residents take Christmas decorating very seriously. From two men who go all out with phantasmagoric light displays to a woman who opts for a subtler, 1940s décor, you'll find some different takes on what it means to be in the "Christmas spirit" in this video.

Le Marais (literally "The Marsh") is one of Paris's most historic districts, with many medieval buildings and streets still intact. In this video, Daniel Benchimol reveals some of the district's architectural secrets, such as an impeccable fourteenth-century house and the remnants of a late twelfth-century wall.

Enjoy Duel's spooky new single "Vertigo," set against a particularly impassioned, vengeful scene from an old film. It will definitely give you the chills!

The Musée des Abattoirs (Slaughterhouse Museum) in Toulouse devoted an entire exhibition to dub music, a subgenre of reggae. The exhibition featured a selection of Jamaican-style sound systems and culminated in a big dub concert.

Joanna and Caroline take us to the northern French city of Nancy in Lorraine. They'll show you around the beautiful Place Stanislas, classified as a World Heritage Site, and the famous Daum crystal studio. A beautiful art piece might set you back a few thousand euros... Be sure to bring your check book or your credit card!

Daniel Benchimol takes us around Paris's historic Bastille neighborhood, the site of one of the most significant events of the French Revolution. Today the area is much more subdued, with the relaxing Port de l'Arsenal and its friendly yacht club and a private mansion located on what is considered the most expensive square meter in the city.

Discover a unique instrument called the ondes Martenot, a precursor to the synthesizer named after its inventor, Maurice Martenot. This electronic piano-like instrument, once a musical sensation in the 1930's, quickly fell into disuse, but is experiencing a revival thanks to Christine Ott, a talented pianist who adopted this unusual instrument and has worked alongside such musical greats as Radiohead and Yann Tiersen.

An exhibition called "Pottery through the Ages" is being held at La Châtaignère in Savoie, near the Alps. A friendly woman explains the history of pottery, from Ancient Egyptian artifacts to Biblical clay men to modern techniques.

Everyone is familiar with Paris's iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral, but the area around this Gothic landmark is worth exploring as well. From a gorgeous flower market to medieval tombs tucked away in a small side street, there's plenty to discover in this famous neighborhood.

Today Manon and Clémentine present a number of "set expressions," or idiomatic phrases. Hopefully you're not feeling "soft in the knee"—there are a lot of useful expressions to learn in this lesson!

Daniel Benchimol has done it again! He uncovers yet another surprise for us right in the heart of Paris. Where can you catch a movie and a ferry at the same time? Find out in this new edition.

Tourists can enjoy the Bérard waterfall in the Alps once again. At a cost of one hundred fifty thousand euros, a new footbridge leading to the waterfall and the Cave of Farinet was recently inaugurated.

The Lille Piano Festival is taking place in a subway station, where pianists bring music to the train commuters for their enjoyment and perhaps a gentle introduction to jazz and classical music.

The Marseille-based rap group IAM is back after a six-year hiatus with their new album, Arts Martiens (Martian Arts), which is already topping the charts in France. Check out a preview of their song "Notre Dame veille" (Our Lady Watches) in this video.