Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
In the third installment of Daniel's tour of Compiègne, he shows us the magnificent Saint Jacques Church, which happens to be a stop along the Way of St. James. He also takes us to some former salt warehouses and to a beautiful garden surrounded by medieval walls.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
As Daniel explains, Joan of Arc is a bit of an "obsession" among French people, and tributes to her can be found in many towns across France. Compiègne has particularly close ties to the country's patron saint—after assisting the town in its fight against the Burgundians, she was captured by them in 1430.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
Daniel introduces the charming town of Compiègne and its magnificent City Hall. In the City Hall building, you'll find the Bancloque, a fourteenth-century bell that still rings today with the help of three automated figures called jacquemarts that "poke" the bell on the hour. And make sure to stop by the burger kiosk on your way out of the city for a delicious, locally sourced treat!
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
In the last part of his tour of the town of Gisors, Daniel shows us an interesting structure called a cabinet de verdure (greenery chamber) as well as a waterfall that served as the major driving force of the town's economy for centuries. Daniel also tells us the story of Philippe Auguste and the Golden Virgin, which you won't want to miss!
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
There's no better time to break out the bubbly than to celebrate the New Year. In this video, you will learn all about champagne, including how bubbles occur in a glass.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
This nursery offers various species of Christmas trees to suit every taste and every budget. The traditional spruce tree of many French people's childhoods is still going strong, but the Nordmann fir has gained popularity. Species of trees with a bluish tinge or a nice pine tree fragrance are also available.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
Daniel Benchimol braves the freezing temperature to show us around the beautiful medieval town of Gisors in the Vexin region in the north of France. The highlight of the town is its eleventh-century castle, which is currently undergoing major restoration work. The castle was once surrounded by a moat, and some of its towers still remain, with imposing names like "Prisoner's Tower" and "Chilly Tower."
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
Audrey is a practitioner of yarn bombing, a street art movement originating from the United States. You'll find her art all over the city of Lyon. She crochets colorful pieces that she uses to cover anything that takes her fancy, from bicycle seats to lamp posts and a few statues.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
A few kilometers from Paris, on Chatou Island (also known as Impressionists' Island), Daniel Benchimol has a nice surprise for you.... Watch this video to find out what it is!
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
The "Doubles" exhibition at the Dini Museum in Villefranche-sur-Saône explores the role of the double in art history in all its forms—from mirror effects, to diptychs, to self-portraits—through works spanning from the Renaissance to the present day.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
Alessandro goes to the Autumn Fair, a craft show that takes place every October at Porte de Versailles, near Paris. He is not afraid to voice his opinion and pokes gentle fun at the artistic attempts with his clever word play and good-humored insults, which elicit a few chuckles.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
Why not bring the orchestra to the people instead of the people going to the orchestra? That's exactly what the Lyon Villeurbanne Symphony Orchestra did. They brought the opera Carmen to the bowling alley in the town of Mornant so that people would not have to travel hundreds of miles to enjoy the show.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
In this episode, Pierre Esparre, a fine mosaic artist, explains how he discovered his talent and how he gets his inspiration from everyday life, whether it's a street scene, a YouTube video, or an Internet page. Watch this video to see how Pierre translates his ideas into quirky, humorous, and eye-catching creations.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
Laurent literally takes sand castles to new heights with his giant sand sculptures, and he's sharing his love of beach art with the next generation. In this video, Laurent teaches a group of kids how to build a giant turtle out of sand.
Difficulty:
Intermediate
France
Zombies from many different eras have invaded Lyon! That is, zombie enthusiasts with impressive makeup and costumes have invaded. The ninth-annual Zombie Walk has attracted around a thousand of the undead to roam across the city under the theme "a return to the past."
Are you sure you want to delete this comment? You will not be able to recover it.