A terrible tragedy struck Nice on what should have been a celebration of Bastille Day, France's national holiday. A driver crashed his truck into a crowd of people who came to watch the fireworks on the famous Promenade des Anglais. The city is in mourning, but the people of Nice are determined not to be defeated by this tragedy.

In this video, you will learn the history of the French flag. Once it was completely white, the color of the French royalty, and now it's blue, white, and red. The French flag has recently been tainted with controversy by nationalist groups who have appropriated it as a symbol of their own causes.

Lionel discusses the French government's recent decision to invoke Article 49-3 of the Constitution in order to push through a controversial labor bill without a parliamentary vote. He also gives a brief description of the differences between the two houses of the French Parliament, the Senate and the National Assembly.

Lionel concludes his series on Nuit Debout. The protest movement, expressing discontent with politics in general, is spreading. Lawyers have joined the fight, and the attitudes of the media and politicians toward the movement are slowly shifting.

In part two of "Nuit Debout" (Up All Night), Lionel explains how protesters gather every night at Place de la République in Paris to think of alternative politics for a better world. The "Nuit Debout" movement has its own coded language and even its own calendar!

Lionel L introduces a new social phenomenon called "Nuit Debout" ("Up All Night" or "Rise Up Night"). It's a protest movement born from a general discontent regarding politics, labor laws, and other issues. At 6 p.m. every day, people take to the streets of Paris to discuss ideas and air their grievances. The movement is gathering momentum in other cities and countries as well.

According to Lionel, we hear far too much about Charlie Hebdo and not enough about Le Canard Enchaîné, which is about to celebrate its centenary in 2016. This quality satirical newspaper is in a similar vein to Charlie Hebdo. Both papers even shared the same cartoonist, Cabu, who sadly did not survive the January attack on Charlie Hebdo. Le Canard Enchaîné was no stranger to extremist threats either.

La Roche-sur-Yon, a friendly town near Brittany, is abuzz with Christmas activities. Local children are busy decorating the town Christmas tree with their own personalized ornaments. Santa is there, of course, taking toy orders. The mayor is also involved and has the town hall organizing ten days of festivities.

In this "Micro-trottoir" series, people share the best ways of showing kindness. Smiling and making sure to greet people with a smile, it seems, is a universal language. Kindness is an art.

The Python-Duvernois neighborhood, on the outskirts of Paris, is having its annual neighborhood fair (you can also find coverage of last year's fair here on Yabla). The locals look forward to getting together, meeting new neighbors, having fun, and eating yummy food prepared by some of the residents.

In keeping with northern European traditions, Saint Nicholas visits local French schools to bring good cheer and some treats! Luckily, his partner Père Fouettard, who usually hands out coal to naughty children, is away looking after his sick donkey today.

Twenty-one thousand letters to Santa Claus were sent this year in Marseille. As if he didn't have enough on his plate, Saint Nick will send a handwritten response to each one, as long as their senders are on his "nice" list (and indicated their return address)!

What is the French traditional holiday fare? You'd be surprised... While the classic turkey with chestnut stuffing is still on the menu, some people are getting off the beaten track, pairing classic dishes with ethnic food. Foie gras samosas, anyone? Or how about imitation caviar truffles?

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.

Human rights are an important world issue, and children's rights are no exception. In this Yabla exclusive, Marie and Sakhoura list the key points of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.