In France, one is registered to vote automatically upon reaching voting age.

Mario Canonge is one of the most exciting pianists tickling today’s plastic ivories, and Yabla was lucky enough to have caught him in person.

Mario has been influenced by Martinique, and he discusses what it means to represent and build upon French Caribbean rhythms on the world stage.

Danièle Gerkens, who decided to give up sugar for a year, discovered some unexpected benefits on her health. She claims that she looks younger, feels healthier, and is free of cravings, but she cautions that everyone reacts differently. You can read another interview with her here.

Danièle Gerkens, a journalist working for Elle magazine, decided to eliminate sugar from her diet for a year. She related her experience in her book Zéro Sucre, explaining that sugar is indeed an addiction, similar to a drug addiction. Are you ready to give up your sweet tooth?

Rokhaya Diallo draws a parallel between incidents of racial discrimination and police brutality in the United States and similar incidents in French suburbs. She notes that young people are mobilizing and becoming more politically engaged in the aftermath of the infamous Théo case.

Activist, journalist, and documentary filmmaker Rokhaya Diallo talks about racial tensions between the police and young people in French working-class suburbs. She calls for better police training and more accountability to prevent violence against young people of color.

Many residents of Aulnay-sous-Bois have been reporting instances of police hostility in the town. In this segment, journalists show testimonies gathered from residents to a police official, who hopes that both sides will be able to rise above the situation and seek a permanent solution.

Journalists spent a week in Aulnay-sous-Bois interviewing young people about ongoing issues and clashes with the police. In the Cité des Trois Mille district, which includes 3,000 public housing units, cultural and sporting organizations are stepping in to make up for the lack of public services.

The twenty-seven-year-old rapper Maître Gims talks about a change of direction in his career path. He decided to leave his rap group Sexion d'Assaut to sing solo for a while. He assures us that it's an amicable agreement and that he is looking forward to spreading his wings.

Alessandro becomes a pique-assiette (freeloader, literally "plate-stealer") for a day with his friend Marc Antoine who takes him to rue Montorgueil in the second arrondissement of Paris. What's the big attraction? Friendly shopkeepers give out free food and wine samples daily.

Alessandro visits with some chefs on the occasion of the launch of their book, "Les Grandes gueules et leurs recettes" (Big Mouths and Their Recipes). They take their profession very seriously and are perfectionists like the famous Vatel, King Louis XIV's chef, who was so distraught when a seafood delivery was delayed that he ran a sword through his stomach. Modern chefs need to keep their sense of humor. They are, thankfully, no longer at the mercy of a powerful king, but the Internet can be just as unforgiving.

Oliver concludes this eleven-part series with a visit to Fort Chambry, where French and British armies fought over new Canadian territories. How did this affect the present? Olivier leaves us to draw our own conclusions and assures us that he is fond of the Québécois as much as they are fond of him. He shares his final impressions of Quebec in a lovely song at the end.

In part 6 of Le Québec parle aux Français, the interviewees compare and contrast the immigrant situation in France and Quebec. France, being a smaller country, creates additional pressure for immigrants, while in Quebec, immigrants do rather well. Later, Olivier treats us to a little song he wrote himself.

French Canada is a cultural mosaic that is still exploring its identity. Some French Canadians feel more American than French, while others feel more of an allegiance to their French roots. Somehow, a Quebecois nation is emerging out of all this, but not without some growing pains.