A beekeeper in La Roche-sur-Yon has found the perfect place for his apiary: the rooftop of a supermarket. It's a win-win situation: the store manager helps the beekeeper with his production in return for a steady supply of local honey.

Lionel and Jean-Pierre conclude the Lindre-Basse series from the top of a wildlife observatory overlooking the Lindre pond. It's a very fragile area filled with bird life that deserves protection.

Jean-Pierre teaches Lionel some more interesting facts about the birds of the Saulnes region. For example, did you know that a swan can eat up to three kilos of grass per day? How's that for a vegetarian diet!

Jean-Pierre gives Lionel some more information about the habits of storks. These migratory birds can be trained to be sedentary so visitors have a chance to see them year-round.

Still in the Lindre-Basse region, Jean-Pierre explains the fish breeding process to Lionel. They also enjoy the beautiful sight of storks building their nests during mating season.

Lionel and his cousin Jean-Pierre continue their visit to the Lindre-Basse area with its amazing natural surroundings. The ponds teem with fish and birds for a while before being drained and then used for cultivation, which in turn will enrich the soil after they're refilled.

Lionel and Jean-Pierre try to find their bearings along the Lindre pond. Luckily they have a compass! Jean-Pierre will teach you how to use a compass and explain the difference between true north and magnetic north.

Lionel and his cousin Jean-Pierre visit a nature park in the Saulnois region with some interesting wildlife. Storks are a major attraction in the region. Unlike other storks, these storks don't migrate, but stay year-round.

Global warming is threatening the ski industry in the French Alps. Many operators have to resort to snow guns to keep the slopes open as snowfall has halved in the last fifty years.

Parisians can thank Fulgence Bienvenüe for their metro system, which is so efficient that many people use the names of the metro stations in favor of street names when giving directions. Some of the most interesting stations are Bir-Hakeim, overlooking the Eiffel Tower, and Arts et Métiers, with its old-fashioned industrial design. Some metro stations are a destination in themselves!

Lionel tells us about the Seine's recent flooding, caused by severe weather conditions in Paris and surrounding areas. A statue of a French soldier below the Pont de l'Alma acts as an indicator of the river's water level.

The Underwater Museum of Lorient might be a little hard to get to, given that it's literally underwater. Dedicated to shipwrecks and other sunken objects, the museum is made possible by a team of volunteers with a passion for documenting these lost treasures at the bottom of the ocean.

In an effort to promote ecotourism, the town of Echelles has constructed one of the largest natural bathing areas in France. Its filtration system is 100% natural, powered by thousands of plant seedlings.

Meet Sheldon, the friendly robot with friendly eyes that flash little hearts when it interacts with people. Sheldon is a huge attraction at tech fairs, where it is used to entertain and delight the crowds. It certainly lives up to the task.

This next part of the Il était une fois series on George Stephenson deals with the Rainhill Trials, a competition that determined what kind of trains (steam engines or locomotives) would be used on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.