Public transport has not always been easy for those who use wheelchairs, but the SNCF (French National Railway Company) has been making changes that make for a much more pleasant trip.

In the US, many American truckers don’t want Mexican drivers on the road. A similar situation is brewing in France where drivers from other countries will do the same work for half as much pay.

Newcomers Kader Belarbi and Loumia Hiridjee are bringing fresh blood and talent to the French cultural and commercial landscape.

Only four bears remain in Haut-Béarn, and all of them are male. Nothing can be done to save the population unless some females are introduced.

As a gift to journalists looking for a tongue-in-cheek story, French schools have banned kissing. Students ask, “Where’s the harm?”

Rail travel between Paris and Marseilles used to be a lengthy ordeal. In 1950, the road trip took over ten hours, as did the train. By 2001, the TGV needed only three hours.

Paris to Marseille for just 19 euros. Passengers are thrilled, but the ticket agent unions are not. These internet-only sale prices are putting their jobs at stake. Onboard, passengers can get a massage, or rent a DVD player, making for a more relaxing trip. Book your seat today!

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.

Matthieu Chedid, better known as M, comes from a long line of talented artists. Mathieu is the eldest son of famous French singer Louis Chedid and the grandson of the writer Andrée Chedid.

After finding early success in his native Rwanda in ’93, Corneille was forced to flee his country. “Comme un fils” (“Like a Son”) is representative of his soul roots and affinity for emotional melodies.

On the 9th of November, 1989, the wall that divided the German city of Berlin began to fall along with the East German state that built it. Claudia Rusch, a young Francophile, was one of the first to scramble over what remained of the divide, meeting up with a French friend on the western side. She’s recently recounted her story in a book, which is a best-seller in her native Germany.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

Meet a group of students as they prepare to take their baccalaureate test, a rite of passage for young French people on the cusp of adulthood. It can be a stressful time, but the students are pacing themselves well.