Like the SATs for Americans, or A level in the UK, the baccalauréat exam, or le bac, creates more than its fair share of stress in students, especially on the day when they find out the results, the culmination of an entire school career. Students meet outside the school where exam results are posted, and share the emotion of knowing whether they and their friends succeeded or not.

Julio Iglesias tours France for the first time in 27 years and is very warmly received, especially by the ladies. Julio not only sings a few songs in French, but can speak it as well, and proves as much during an on-camera interview.

French movie star Agnès Jaoui talks about playing a French movie star in the film Le rôle de sa vie. The film, which explores relationships between movie stars and average folk, is the directorial debut for François Favrat, who may become a celebrity in his own right if the film is a success.

Virtual service providers hope to provide a cheaper alternative to the French mobile phone market. Debitel, a German company, hopes to reach would-be cell phone users who have not yet purchased a phone.

“What’s in a name?” asks Shakespeare’s Juliet. Apparently quite a lot for the French, who consistently pass over job candidates whose names aren’t “ethnically French” – particularly those of African origin.

Joëlle Aubron, who died in 2006, was freed in 2004 after more than sixteen years in prison. She was a member of Action Directe, a movement which was responsible for a variety of violent events in the 1980s, most notably the assassination of the head of Renault in 1987.

The Three Musketeers is one of the greatest tales of brotherhoood in the Western canon, but this new movie from José Daillant shifts the focus to a female character, Milady, the story’s femme fatale. Look for the lovely and inimitable Arielle Dombasle in the starring role.

Two hundred sheep jumped to their death in the French Alps. Even though no predator was seen, wolves in the Alps have been causing a lot of controversy lately. Should we just allow Mother Nature to maintain the circle of life? Or should wolves be hunted and killed to protect the sheep and their shepherds?

Fans are boycotting Olympique de Marseille (OM), whose record hasn’t been stellar of late. Organizers say the team doesn’t deserve support and that the owners shouldn’t expect fans to continue filling the stands if something isn’t done to improve the level of play.

European football matches are known for the passion they inspire in their fans. The president of the international league is thinking of banning pre-game anthems, which seem to exacerbate the situation.

Buoyed by the wild success of Les Choristes, these young performers are having the time of their lives. Musicians, music directors, and music halls are all hoping their show will be appreciated by this audience.

Long-time French residents of Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) have been forced to flee the country due to political and racial unrest. Returning to France, they often feel like strangers in a strange land. Many of them, not so young, find that they have to start their lives again from scratch.

The Vendée Globe single-handed around-the-world race is one of the most grueling tests of man’s endurance against nature, with a little help from technology. The race starts, and ends, in the Bay of Sables d’Olonne.

Sailing around the world in a boat by yourself might seem like the ultimate in machismo, but the Vendée Globe is not only a man’s game.

Racing around the world by yourself often means a Christmas at sea. We drop in to the cabin of race leader Jean Le Cam, which has been decorated for the occasion, right down to a little tree.