Difficulty:
Beginner
France
The square around Paris's city hall, the Hôtel de Ville, is much more than a purely bureaucratic area. It features one of the city's most renowned department stores, the BHV, and even turns into an ice-skating rink in the winter.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
In his song "Le monde est beau" (The World Is Beautiful), Oldelaf's ironic take on social networking is bittersweet and not without humor.
Difficulty:
Beginner
France
Daniel Benchimol walks us through the "Coulée Verte," a peaceful passageway that cuts through Paris's twelfth arrondissement and offers a nice break from the hustle and bustle of city life. Along the Coulée Verte, you'll find a lot of green spaces, some art galleries and craft workshops, and even a nifty sundial!
Difficulty:
Advanced
France
Meet the members of IAM, a very popular French rap group originating from Marseille. They discuss their successful career and their latest album, Arts Martiens (Martian Arts).
Difficulty:
Advanced
Canada
Meet Geneviève Morissette, a singer-songwriter from Montreal whose smart lyrics and beautiful compositions make her stand out on stage.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
Have you ever wondered where the wool from your luxurious angora sweater comes from? At the Ferme de la Croix, a lovely lady breeds angora rabbits and goats on her farm. She explains the shearing process and how she cares for her pets. We learn that one rabbit can yield forty balls of angora wool every hundred days. That's a lot of sweaters!
Difficulty:
Beginner
France
Daniel Benchimol walks us through a fun neighborhood in Paris: Le Marais. It's a great place to visit, with the Beaubourg Museum (also known as the Georges Pompidou Museum) and distinctive medieval streets.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
Oldelaf turned his abhorrence for rough stucco walls that scrape your skin into a funky song, "Le crépi" (Stucco).
Difficulty:
Beginner
France
A former bobsled champion created an ice chapel in Leysin, Switzerland. As you might expect, this unusual place of worship is only available during the cold winter months. If you're interested in visiting, make sure to do it before it melts away!
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
In the second episode of Ferme de la Croix de Pierre, the goat breeder gets all warm and cuddly with one of her baby goats, which become like plush toys when bottle-fed. She'll teach you all you need to know about caring for these adorable animals.
Difficulty:
Advanced
Canada
In the first episode of this documentary on Quebec, a young Frenchman shares his impressions on Canada. As the interviewees in the film demonstrate, the Quebecois have conflicting attitudes toward the French—some see them as "snobs," while others see them as just "polite."
Difficulty:
Advanced
Canada
In the second episode of Le Québec parle aux Français, we learn more about the complex relationship between the French and the Quebecois throughout history. We also learn about the evolution of the French language in Quebec—according to a former Prime Minister of Quebec, the province even "spoke French before France"!
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
Marion, our guide, takes us to Place de la Bastille (Bastille Square), where the old Bastille fortress was stormed during the French Revolution. The guillotine was installed on the square for a very short time, but was nevertheless the site of a whopping 75 executions. Nowadays, the square hosts some much less sinister events, such as the Bastille Day (French national holiday) celebrations and the annual Gay Pride Parade.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
After the farm visit, it's time for our angora rabbit and goat breeder to show us around her boutique, where you can stock up on fluffy angora wool sweaters and super light and warm socks to help you enjoy the winter in comfort.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
In her first hit single, "Dernière Danse" (Last Dance), Indila shares her troubles, her loneliness, and her sense of rejection in the big city of Paris. Her sweet suffering (douce souffrance or douce France) is a melancholy echo of classic French songwriting, underlining her struggles and lending pathos to her courage.
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