Did you know there are 55,000 different kinds of beer? And more than 5,400 of those are German? You can find quite a few of these at Le Village de la Bière, a shop in popular French city Strasbourg. How long would it take to sample them all…?

The French singer Serge Gainsbourg is still remembered long after his death by fans, English rockers, and songwriter (and first lady of France) Carla Bruni.

Mozart fans, take note: Go in through the back door of the Vichy Opera House to see Jérôme Deschamps and his talented crew’s reimaginings of the famous composer’s works. Don’t worry—all the tunes are still pure Wolfgang.

Hélène and Célia tell us about their musical influences, origins, and inspiration. When they encountered prejudice about Africa and Africans upon coming back to France, Les Nubians used music to paint a truer picture of African culture.

Meet Les Nubians, two singer-songwriter sisters who grew up in both Paris and Chad and whose music has been nominated for several awards, including a Grammy (and not just in the World Music category, thank you very much). We know we’re big fans!

Neighbors, friends, and the people of France remember Lazare Ponticelli, the last Poilu, who saw one hundred and ten springtimes and two world wars before passing away in March of 2008.

Bertrand Pierre was inspired by Victor Hugo, and Victor Hugo was inspired by his very active love life. As it turns out, Hugo’s little love poems make for great song lyrics.

Lazare Ponticelli was the last of the “Poilus” — French infantry soldiers who served in World War I. Ponticelli, who was actually an Italian immigrant to France, first served in the French Foreign Legion and then eventually, the Italian army. He died in 2008 at the age of 110.

Men, women, love: Charles-Baptiste tells us what’s special (and what’s universal) about his love life in New York, and lets us in on the secret to his success. You have to get your hands dirty!

At the Paris Salon du Livre this year, in response to the visit of the Israeli president, six Arab nations decided to exclude themselves from the event. Some attendees were puzzled by the boycott, especially considering that many Israeli writers are known to advocate the creation of a Palestinian state. With all that pressure, no wonder the roof collapsed!

Immigrants who travel clandestinely from Turkey to Great Britain often pay a far steeper price than the five hundred euros demanded by traffickers.

Choosing a name for a new baby is just one of the tricky tasks parents face. Should you go with a classic, like Jeanne; a trendy name, like Mathéo; or an old-school throwback, like Alphonse? It can be tough to decide, but if all else fails, just use your alphabet blocks!

Buddhist monks and other Tibetans protest against Chinese rule while their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, continues his exile in India. The topic of Tibet was a sore point for China as it prepared to host the Summer Olympics.

You’ve heard of Elvis impersonators? Well France has Claude François impersonators! Meet Tom Evers, who performs in the style of Podium at the very same club where the real Claude used to come to relax, comme d’habitude.

From Scratch is not only the name of Neïmo’s first album, it also sums up their ethos. Original and full of energy, Neïmo is a distinctive part of a rock and roll trend: made in France but sung in English! According to the band, rock and roll is best done in its original language. Hear about how they mix their inspirations and influences with their innovation.