Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Lionel and Michel talk about the heyday of Marsal, which used to be a thriving city during the Vauban period thanks to the saltworks. Nowadays, though, it's a small tourist village. Find out how many visitors come to Marsal each year.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Lionel, Michel, and Juliette take a stroll down the Rue des Capucins, named after the Capuchin monastery once located there. They also discuss some of Marsal's native plants, which have a high salt tolerance.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Did you know that parts of France and Germany were underwater millions of years ago? Learn more about this and other surprising facts at the Marsal Salt Museum.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
We continue our visit to Marsal and learn more about the importance of salt throughout the region. Many there have benefited from the exploitation of salt throughout the centuries, including the Church, which built many churches that we still see today.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Michel guides us back to the time of Louis XIV, who took the town of Marsal in 1663. Find out why.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
We conclude our visit to Marsal with a few comments from Michel, who shows us a stone marking the passage of a Roman emperor in Marsal in the first century AD. And Lionel has a few salty expressions in store for you...
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Lionel shows us some ephemeral art in Paris, including an anamorphic installation on the Louvre Pyramid and a large steel sculpture with a cardboard "cave" inside. Check them out before they're gone!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
The Canard Enchaîné (Chained Duck) recently celebrated its 100-year anniversary. The independent satirical newspaper, known for its shocking headlines, survived many controversies and even censorship. It still has an avid fanbase today.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Lionel discusses the French Academy's latest spelling reform, which includes such modifications as removing the i in oignon (onion) and the circumflex in coût (cost). There's been a fair amount of backlash against the reform, though the changes are only recommended, not mandatory.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France Parisian
Lionel goes to the Louvre Pyramid, which was commissioned by former President François Mitterrand and designed by the architect I.M. Pei. Located in the Cour Napoléon (Napoleon Courtyard), the pyramid is one of the most famous selfie sites in the world.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Bruno Légeron tells us about his family business of making artificial flowers and feathers for fashion houses and the movie industry. The Maison Légeron dates all the way back to 1727.
Difficulty: Advanced
France
Celebrated French hardcore musician Manu le Malin sits down for an interview about his influences and his music. He talks in particular about the last part of his “Biomechanik” series, Biomechanik III: The Final Chapter, which was filmed at the H.R. Giger Museum in Gruyères, Switzerland.
Difficulty: Advanced
France
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
This Parisian poetry fair sees poets young and old, from all walks of life. Perhaps poetry is, as one attendee says, a link extended across space, time, and people.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
France
Poetry, photography, typography! All come together to make beautiful books, available at the Paris Poetry Fair.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Margaux and Manon recite "The Crow and the Fox," a famous fable by the French poet Jean de La Fontaine, and explain some of the more difficult lines for us. It's a good poem to memorize to improve your French!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Margaux and Manon are playing shop. Margaux is the lucky customer buying shoes and Manon settles for second best, playing the shopkeeper. Now you're all set to go shoe shopping on your next trip to France!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Marie is interested in learning how to draw and paint. She decides to take classes with Sandra, a local art teacher, who gives her a list of all the supplies she'll need.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Marie is taking her first drawing lesson with Sandra, so she brought all her new material to show her tutor. In the process, you will learn a ton of vocabulary!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Sandra is giving Marie her first drawing lesson, starting with an exercise called "blind drawing." Try it out yourself!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Sandra has brought some leaves and flowers for Marie to draw. She stresses the importance of drawing what you see, not what you think you see.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Sandra teaches Marie how to draw a plant and a vase using crosshatching and shading to add perspective. Just a few strokes go a long way!
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Sandra gives Marie some pointers on how to draw a leaf. And Marie shares some surprising information about the painter Henri Rousseau.
Difficulty: Intermediate
France
Marie continues her lesson with Sandra, who will talk about anatomy and how to draw movement. But first, they have to get their payment agreement squared away.
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