Lunatic Age is a four-member group from France’s Montpellier, a band that makes rock and roll “as though every song could be the last.” The song “À quoi bon?” deals with the heavy subjects of alcoholism and child abuse.

Matthieu Chedid, better known as M, comes from a long line of talented artists. Mathieu is the eldest son of famous French singer Louis Chedid and the grandson of the writer Andrée Chedid.

Annie shows off her skills as a chanteuse, her sharp wit, and her penchant for penning clever lyrics in this rockin’ number from her band Ma blonde est une chanteuse. See if you can count how many of Annie’s personae you catch a glimpse of, and how many of her Annie-mated wordplays you follow in this fun video. Beware: the song is seriously catchy and may leave you wanting more!

Madame Monsieur sings "Mercy," a song based on the true story of a baby girl who was born on board a Nigerian refugee ship. Her mother went into labor on her way to a refugee camp in Sicily.

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.

Maître Gims's hit "J'me tire" (I'm Outta Here) reached the top of the French music charts in 2013. In the song, the rapper expresses his frustrations with being famous and a desire to leave it all behind him and escape to a place where he "won't be the suspect."

In his song "Zombie," Maître Gims wants to wake up from his Zombie state and take charge of his destiny by removing the chains that hold him back: warding off the darkness, confusion, and paranoia surrounding his life.

Maître Gims' song "Bella" (from his solo album Subliminal) is an epic tale set in Spain where beautiful Bella wrecks havoc in all the villages she visits. Lovelorn men are falling for this "femme fatale" everywhere, and Maître Gims doesn't heed the locals' advice to stay away from her but instead falls for her too. You'll notice that Maître Gims uses a form of slang known as verlan, in which a word's syllables are reversed.

Maître Gims's song "Changer" (To Change) is a promise to change and rescue his crumbling relationship. Too busy building his empire, he neglects his family and wants to become a better person, but is it too late to make amends? Maître Gims's choice of decor, the atmospheric ambiance of a grandiose castle—empty but for him, a guard dog, and the ghostly figure of a woman in the background—only adds to the feeling of mystery and heartache.

In June 2011, a demonstration was held in Paris to protest nuclear power. Among the demonstrators were two precocious little girls who had a lot to say on the subject. The interviewer could hardly get a word in!

Contrary to French folklore, girls do not come from roses, nor do boys come from cabbages, nor does any baby come from a stork. These French midwives, the true "storks" of France, are demonstrating for better pay and working conditions.

Are you a first time Yabla user? Manon and Clementine will walk you through the program and show you how easy it is to use.

Our friends Manon and Clémentine teach us some French tongue-twisters involving birds, turtles, armadillos, and mosquitoes. Try learning them all!

Today Manon and Clémentine present a number of "set expressions," or idiomatic phrases. Hopefully you're not feeling "soft in the knee"—there are a lot of useful expressions to learn in this lesson!

Whether you're a scholar, a budding writer, or just a casual beach reader, you'll find a lot to learn in Manon and Clémentine's lesson on book-related vocabulary. Using one of the most renowned works of French literature, In Search of Lost Time, as a guide, our two friends also recite their own poem on the future of the book. Happy reading!