Lionel takes us to the friendly Butte aux Cailles neighborhood in Paris. Its village-like atmosphere is a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the capital. The Butte aux Cailles was formerly part of the small town of Gentilly before being attached to the city of Paris.

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.

Lionel talks about life under quarantine in France. All group activities are forbidden, and you can only go outside to walk your dog, go to the pharmacy, or shop for basic necessities.

Lionel talks about how the French people are doing after a month of confinement. He misses his hairdresser...

In this video, from the beginning of May 2020, Lionel talks about the various deconfinement measures taking place in France. The country has been gradually reopening throughout the month of May.

In May 2020, France entered its deconfinement phase. While the French people are no longer expected to obtain written permission for leaving their homes, they still have to exercise caution and wear masks in most public places.

Lionel describes the latest measures taken by the French government regarding the COVID pandemic. A curfew has been enforced in major cities in an effort to contain the virus.

Lionel tells us about the second lockdown this year in France. It's slightly different from the first one in that schools are now open.

Lionel tells us about the end of the second lockdown in France, which took place in mid-December. This, along with predictions of a third wave of the virus, has made French people agree on one thing: all this is very confusing!

Lionel talks about a very handy little word, le truc, that can be used for just about everything. And no, it doesn't mean "truck"!

Lionel gives a few pointers on telling time in French, including when to use the twelve-hour clock versus the twenty-four-hour clock.

Lionel shares a few tips on how to pronounce the u sound in French, which tends to be difficult for English-speaking learners. After watching the video, and with some practice, you'll be able to say words like tu (you) and mur (wall) with confidence.

Lionel shares a few tips on how to pronounce the French nasal sound on, which is a homophone, with multiple spellings.

Lionel gives a brief overview of the nasal in sound, which can be spelled a lot of different ways, including in, un, en, ain, ein, and even hein, the French equivalent of "huh?"

Lionel shares a few tips on how to pronounce the an sound in French, which can either be spelled an or en, as in en chantant (singing, while singing) or enchanté (nice to meet you).

Lionel gives us some tips about liaisons, a very important component of French pronunciation. He also talks about le h aspiré (aspirated h) and the debatable pronunciation of les haricots (the beans).

Lionel talks about the 2020 Euro Cup, which actually took place in 2021 due to the COVID pandemic. He explains what happened to the French, the Spanish, and the Danish teams, among others.

Do you know what la teuf and zarbi mean? These are two examples of verlan, one of the most common forms of French slang. Some verlan words have become so popular that they've been added to the dictionary.

Lionel goes over some of the many slang words for "money" in French, including la moula, les bifs, and les waris. He also explains why you shouldn't try to pay with larger bills in a store.

Lionel will explain the difference between "matin" and "matinée", which both mean morning in English, and "soir" and "soirée" which both mean evening. You can read more about this distinction in our lesson Morning and Evening.

In this video, Lionel will explain how the French presidential elections work and who the 2022 candidates are.

In her song "Nos secrets" (Our Secrets), pop singer Louane Emera laments a relationship that is fading like "a bouquet of maybes." It's a melancholy and philosophical song about coming to terms with a broken relationship.

Louane Emera (aka Anne Peichert), semi-finalist in the French talent competition "The Voice," released her second single "Avenir" (Future), which topped the official French Singles Chart in March 2015. She sings about overcoming a breakup and sends a hopeful message: although "it's all over," she still has a future.

In this melancholy piano ballad, Louane Emera confesses her doubts and fears to her late mother. "Everything will start again in the spring," she sings, "except indelible loves."