The Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc Festival of Humor celebrated its thirthiest edition in March 2014. Young talents are encouraged to try their luck on stage and compete for the much-coveted prize, the Saint-Gervais Henri Salvador prize, named for the famous French singer-songwriter. Many big names in French show business were there for the occasion.

In the second segment of this episode of Les Explorateurs (The Explorers), James Bruce, our intrepid adventurer, encounters some pirates while trying to reach the source of the Nile.

Featured in the animated film Un monstre à Paris, this duet from Vanessa Paradis and -M- is a tribute to Paris's most famous waterway, the Seine. Gorgeous, bewitching, and, according to Vanessa's character Lucille, "clairvoyant," the Seine has such a powerful presence in Paris that it's almost as if the city is submerged under it just as much as it's organized around it.

In this episode, Daniel Benchimol introduces La Buttes aux Cailles, a neighborhood in the thirteenth arrondissement in Paris. He will tell you all about the origins of the street, its free spring water fountain, and its artsy walls decorated with stencils.

One might think that the push to remove anglicisms from the French language would be stronger in France, but the larger movement to "purify" French is actually happening in Quebec. Many Québécois worry that the French language is endangered in Canada, and the Quebec government has taken measures to preserve it by inventing new words instead of borrowing from English. That's why an email is still un email in France, but un courriel in Quebec.

In this episode of the "Once Upon a Time" animated series on world explorers, we begin to learn the history of Cairo and the Nile River in Egypt.

Regular bus riders from the Essonne, a suburb south of Paris, share their views on public transport. It appears that some people behave badly on buses and in the subway, which can give tourists a bad impression. So the next time you catch a bus, don't forget to give up your seat for the elderly!

It is common knowledge that French people love their wine, but did you know that France is only the second largest wine consumer in the world, just behind China? As you will see in the video, winegrowers from the Savoie region put a lot of love and passion into winemaking. It's very often a family affair passed on from generation to generation. Long may it continue... and remember—enjoy your wine in moderation!

Here's the trailer for La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast), a new French film based on the famous fairy tale first published in 1740. While some of you may be most familiar with the Walt Disney or Jean Cocteau versions, this recent release is an attempt to recapture the spirit of the original tale while also giving it more of a contemporary twist.

Galileo is in prison. He tries one more time to prove his theories to his inquisitor. But he finally recants during the trial saying the famous sentence: "and yet... it turns"

If you've been wanting to learn archery, Sylvestre will tell you everything you need to know about the bow and arrow. With a little practice, you'll be hitting the bull's eye in no time!

The Place des Vosges, located in Paris's Marais neighborhood, is a gorgeous square with a rich history. Formerly the royal square of Henry the Fourth, the area was also the home of two of France's most renowned literary figures, the Marquise de Sévigné and Pierre Beaumarchais.

Galileo faces an uncertain future. Behind the scenes are political and religious intrigues and enemies plotting his downfall. The Pope, until now sympathetic to Galileo, has a change of heart. Under pressure from all sides and insulted by his latest works, The Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, portraying the Church's view through the character Simplicio (Simpleton), the pope finally sends Galileo to the Inquisition Tribunal.

The situation of the French language in Quebec is controversial and complex. Montreal was an English-speaking city until 1920, and it wasn't until the passage of Law 101 in 1977 that French became the official language of Quebec. According to some of the interviewees in this video, Québécois French is in a precarious position once again, with municipal signage and corporate names in Montreal reverting to English, as well as shopkeepers who refuse to speak French.

In her first hit single, "Dernière Danse" (Last Dance), Indila shares her troubles, her loneliness, and her sense of rejection in the big city of Paris. Her sweet suffering (douce souffrance or douce France) is a melancholy echo of classic French songwriting, underlining her struggles and lending pathos to her courage.