Lionel shows us that sometimes there are better things to do than stay all day in an office building to pay rent for an apartment we can’t even spend time in. (And yes, the word “travail” really is related to the word “torture.”) Remember, the revolution starts with you!

Tired of stuffy old grammar exercises in text books? Come along with Lionel and learn something about the use of gender in French. This one’s fun, we promise — and no boring rules to memorize!

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.

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!

Hear from Henri, the youngest member of our favorite French team, in the last of our Central Park interviews.

How long would you like to spend driving a race car around a track? An hour? Two? How about twenty-four? In the third in our series of Central Park interviews, we hear from a Le Mans native about the famous 24 heures du Mans.

We’re back in Central Park! This time, French teens Barbara and Lorraine discuss politics, including the recent controversial Contrat Première Embauche and President Nicolas Sarkozy. (Love him or leave him? The girls don’t quite agree…)

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.

What are the cultural differences between Americans and the French? Hear the opinions of this French family visiting New York. What do you think? Are the French really more attentionnés? Who holds more compelling church services? And most importantly, who has the best hamburgers?

Rock and roll, garage, hard-core, street punk — from Black Flag to Agnostic Front to Crisis, Frustration isn’t just a sentiment, it’s a way of life! With Frustration, “Your life will be sadder, but it’ll be more lucid.”

DJ Mike, from the electronica band NoJazz, tells us about one of his teachers, who suffered from two rather unfortunate problems…

After thirty years as a graphic designer, Denis Lagarde decided to switch gears and work in the "completely crazy world" of artisan cutlery, fulfilling a childhood dream.

Laurent Azriel is a luthier in Vauréal. In this video, he talks about his craft, how he became a luthier, and the demands of his job, which he loves!

Manon Saenko works her magic on broken objects that she restores to their former glory. She calls herself the "doctor for objects," as she repairs all kinds of ceramics, ranging from family pieces to archaeological artifacts.

In tribute to Uderzo's passing, we revisit the history of the famous comic strip Asterix and Obelix. In an old interview, Uderzo and Goscinny explain how they came up with Asterix in 1959.

Victoria manages Millymenthe, one of the last remaining herbalist's shops in France. If you're ever in the Essonne area, stop by the shop and enjoy the specialty of the region, a delicious peppermint tea.

Laurent Leclercq is a specialist in the restoration of antique furniture. He's so passionate about his craft that he finds excuses to go into the studio when he's on vacation!

In Paris, Lionel talks to Lahlou about the ordeal of getting to and from work during the recent pension reform strikes. With ten out of fourteen subway lines closed, Lahlou's commute can take upwards of three hours.

Bicloune is a unique bicycle shop in Paris with a wide variety of models, from antique bikes from 1905 to contemporary foldable ones. Audrey Hepburn supposedly used to ride a bicycle like one found in this store.

What's the difference between tapenade and olive paste? What needs to be done to olives to make them consumable? Find out in this video!

Lionel introduces us to Norbert, a former mailman who always had an interest in music and, after retiring, finally got to pursue his passion by setting up his own recording studio.

Patrice Zana's Dada-inspired artwork relies heavily on wordplay. In this video he discusses his pieces Caisse à dire ("Talking Box," a pun on qu'est-ce à dire [what does it mean]), Boîte à choses sûres ("Box of Sure Things," a pun on boîte à chaussures [shoe box]), and more.

Learn all about olives with this olive merchant from Nice. This lovely store, "La Maison de l'Olive," has all kinds of olive delicacies from the region and across the Mediterranean basin. Did you know that the olive groves (oliveraies) in the Nice region were planted by the Greeks?

Patrice Zana is a poet-artist inspired by the Dada movement and the concept of détournement (literally, "diversion," "hijacking"). He invented the term bris colisme to describe his practice, which employs fragmentation, collage, and wordplay in a variety of media.