The first electric car? 1899! La Jamais contente. This car and other rare self-propelled antique vehicles can now be seen in car museums.

A cemetery might not top your list of places to visit in a city. But actually, cemeteries are a treasure trove of information on a city’s history and architectural taste. The cemetery in Roubaix is particularly rich, with Gothic and art deco tombs side by side.

Il était une fois... ("Once Upon a Time...") takes us back to the origins of Western civilization on the island of Crete. This lively animated series is for French learners of all ages!

Learn about the birth of democracy in ancient Greece and watch a scene from Sophocles's famous tragedy, Antigone, in the next installment of Il était une fois....

A young man consults the Pythia (aka the Oracle of Delphi) to see if the gods will sanction his marriage to the girl of his dreams. What is her forecast? Find out in this video!

While the Athenians were constructing and reconstructing the Acropolis, young Spartans were undergoing a harsh, often brutal education -- a walk in the park compared to what Spartan women experienced during the traditional marriage ritual.

In the next installment of Il était une fois..., we meet some of the great thinkers of ancient Greece: Socrates, Euripides, Sophocles, Protagoras, Anaxagoras, and others. You're sure to be enlightened by the end!

In the last segment of this animated series on ancient Greece, we learn about the later years of the empire, filled with endless wars and the ostracism of some of its most famous citizens.

Why is this dead-end street named after a big bottle? The local historian will reveal all.

According to our trusty tour guide, Daniel Benchimol, Paris's Alexander III Bridge is one of the most beautiful in the city. You might find it hard to disagree after watching this video!

The cathedral of Chartres is one of the most famous in Europe and is a prime example of Gothic architecture. Daniel Benchimol gives us an exclusive tour of this magnificent cultural landmark.

In the French town of Lantages, a group of history buffs and other volunteers reenact a series of World War II battles from the years 1940 and 1944. Their equipment and clothing are authentic to the period, which helps to preserve that memory of that difficult time.

Daniel Benchimol continues his tour of the Normandy coast with stops in Tourgéville, Houlgate, and Dives-sur-Mer. Along the way, he shows us some interesting houses built on top of German bunkers from World War II.

It's back to the past, with the Once Upon a Time series. How did America get its name? Take a trip back to Renaissance Italy in this first episode of The Explorers to find out.

He may not know it yet, but Amerigo Vespucci's life is about to change. Though he works as a successful banker, Amerigo feels restless and aspires to greater things. Luckily, Lorenzo de' Medici has offered him the opportunity of a lifetime: a trip to Spain to help Christopher Columbus prepare for an expedition to the Indies.