People interview

Briton, 66, to solo cycle 6,500km Tour de France route to raise money for charity

The cyclist, who has lived in France for six years, will begin the sponsored challenge this weekend (July 5)

Inside Sir Ridley Scott's Provençal paradise

The acclaimed British film director talks exclusively to The Connexion about his Vaucluse home, the wine he makes there and how French history has inspired his work

Comment: Bullfighting is ancient French art and will continue

Southern France’s bullfighting tradition is stronger than ever, according to the association that defends the practice

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Interview: How we determine the right town for you in France

Ville de Rêve uses data to reveal the best places to live in France – its director Jérôme Devouge explains

‘French Banksy’ James Colomina strikes again with new sculpture in Toulouse

James Colomina talks about his most recent installation, and the meanings behind his artworks

'You don't have to be a big guy to do it', says Brit who led France's dry stone wall renaissance

Cathie O'Neill, speaks about her love for the craft, its links with the UK, and how it has evolved in France

'I helped restore French cathedrals as a female American stone cutter - despite prejudice'

Stella Cheng, who worked on the restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral, faced sexism and racism

French woman named one of world’s best teachers

Céline Haller, inspired by English and US teaching methods, has gained recognition for revolutionising learning with hands-on projects and inclusivity

Thibault Tricole: France's darts revolution

Dubbed 'The French Touch', the player is transforming darts in France, from local clubs to national TV

What does a maître cirier do in France?

Exploring an ancient craft form at a company founded 120 years ago

From English teacher to TikTok star in France: 'The way to help students learn is to believe in them'

Toulouse-based Monsieur Prof's educational videos on learning English are a social media sensation

‘The first baby hedgehog we rescued was love-at-first-sight’

We speak to an expert about her hedgehog health centre and how to make your garden more hedgehog-friendly

Ballet lessons bring health benefits to over-55s in France

Online classes with the Silver Swans are transforming lives of older adults

My life-changing French Erasmus exchange: From pro rugby player to lawyer

A former University of Edinburgh student shares how his year abroad led from playing rugby in Toulon to building a legal career in France

Inspiring a nation: the oldest French athlete in the Paris Paralympics marathon

We meet the Paralympian who believes we should stop saying 'Oh…at my age'

We took up sea-wading in France and found it great for health and making friends

Couple discover the benefits of wading since moving from the UK to the French coastal town of Soulac-sur-Mer

‘French people have a real pride in their food and in their ingredients’

Former BBC journalist and author Steve Parks talks about his life in France and how he beat the French at their own game in a cooking contest

Interview: French cheesemonger on what it takes to become the best in the world

Vincent Philippe describes the effort that it took him to achieve the title of World's Best Cheesemonger, some of his favourite cheeses and France's biggest strengths involving cheese

Notre-Dame Cathedral reopens - to the great joy of this fervent fan from Canada

Emily MacKinnon, 29, moved to France to found a Notre-Dame dedicated tour-guide company. She collects everything she can about the cathedral - and even has six Notre-Dame related tattoos

Profile: French scientist Didier Raoult banned from practising medicine

The self-declared 'maverick' microbiologist who promoted a discredited Covid drug, faces a two-year professional suspension

Interview: Cancer specialist Ines Vaz-Luis on changing attitudes in France

The director of the Cancer Survivorship program at Gustave Roussy hospital, talks about her pioneering post-treatment care for breast cancer patients, and changing nature of 'survivorship'

Living off-grid in France: A couple’s 40-year plus success story

How an interest in growing food organically evolved into a fully self-sufficient lifestyle

Revered French national icon falls from grace

Celebrated anti-poverty and homelessness campaigner Abbé Pierre was voted France’s most popular person for many years, but sexual abuse accusations have shattered the activist priest’s crusading legacy

A colourful comeback for crochet in France

Atelier Pénélope in Nice offers workshops in this ancient craft and they are a big hit with all age groups

I challenged myself to visit (nearly) all 2,900 of France's regional train stations

Meet the man who spent five years and €5,000 exploring 'the most beautiful country in the world' by TER and omnibus trains

I moved to France and became owner of a reclamation and salvage yard

When Nick Powell, 55, came to France at the tender age of 20, it was to help with a building project on a house close to Poitiers

PHOTOS: It was love at first sight for our French maison de maître

Rebecca and Jack Jenkins fell in love with a dilapidated property in south-west France, and fixing it up made them social media stars

Comedian who found fame in France talks multicultural comedy

I still feel 80% British in France, says Paul Taylor

I fell in love with wild, beautiful Cévennes in south-central France

Award-winning US poet Zaro Weil on why this remote part of France is a major inspiration for her work

I had cataract surgery in France

After her vision deteriorated in one eye, Finistère resident Ann Edwards, 80, had to go into hospital for an cataract operation. Here, she talks about the procedure and post-op check-ups

Career change in France: From actress to estate agent

Jacqueline Reddin-Williams describes her journey to become a 'property matchmaker'

I have enjoyed every one of my five French chateaux renovations

Geoffrey Kenyon-May, 82, moved to France in 1975 and has since enjoyed a rollercoaster life renovating five chateaux and one watermill

Interview: Sailor Sam Goodchild prepares for Vendée Globe round-world solo race

It is like the Everest of offshore sailing says the Briton based in France

French illusionist explores the magical spirit of the City of Light

Fabrice Ferra shares why ‘the essence of illusionism goes way beyond language and culture’

Interview: Guillaume Musso, the top-selling French author inspired by Agatha Christie

Bestselling author talks about genre-defying page turners and what makes his readers keep coming back for more

'French sheltered housing works for me and can be good option for foreign residents'

Briton David Barlow says a shared living complex in rural France offers him a village-like community, while enabling him to stay independent

UK Armed Forces secretary in France shocked at receiving British Honour

British Empire Medal, awarded for services to British veterans in France, comes as complete surprise for Lesley Blake

From marketing to mountaineering: 'make decisions based on excitement rather than fear'

What inspired one British woman to settle in the Alps and change careers to become a mountain guide

Paris zinc roof workers explain what makes their work so special

Roofers help maintain Paris’ unique skyline and may soon be on Unesco list

Crafting light: The art of stained glass in France

Vitrailliste Adélie Payen merges French and Scottish techniques in her unique stained-glass creations

'How I moved from the US to France alone aged 70'

Janice Deerwester, 72, explains why she moved from France from Georgia in 2022 and how she is inspiring others through YouTube videos

The Liberation of Paris: 'History fluctuates with the changing times'

Historian Christian Chevandier tells The Connexion how the victory is perceived in France

Family's belongings lost when relocating to France from Ireland

Move to France turned into a nightmare as possessions never got delivered, leaving family in a sparsely furnished home

Tributes pour in for French film legend Alain Delon

Politicians lead the praise of France’s ‘leading man’

Swimmer to attempt 3-day, 3 night non-stop Corsica to Monaco crossing

Noam Yaron wants to draw attention to the need to protect the Mediterranean sea - and to set a new world record for amount of time in the water

'I am a world away from my life back in the city': moving to France and becoming a botanical artist

The British woman who left banking behind to pursue her passion for plants and art

French conductor Zahia Ziouani fights inequality with classical music

The award-winning conductor talks about beating ‘boys club’ attitudes and film about her life

Career change in France: from credit controler to running a food truck

Mel Jones, 50, tells how she came to set up a mobile catering business

Our interview with the creator of France's summer stargazing extravaganza

Popular scientist and environmental lobbyist Hubert Reeves was a key public face of ecology in France. We spoke exclusively to him on a wide range of subjects, from astrophysics to airports, in 2018

Young Franco-Scottish mountaineer is one peak away from record

Alasdair McKenzie, 20, is on a quest to become the youngest ever to climb the 14 highest mountains in the world

French campsite offers flood victims free holiday

A campsite in southern France gifts 28 flood-affected families a chance to enjoy a sun-filled break

Our life aboard a barge near Bordeaux

Yann and Ombline Romanson transformed a 1930s péniche into a family home and thriving business on the Garonne river

UK ambassador to France: what travellers should know about border change

Dame Menna Rawlings discusses a pre-registration app, travel papers for Britons under-18s and passport gates - as well as the Olympics and updates on this special year in UK-France relations

French inventors convert food waste into biodegradable plastic

Former university friends develop a sustainable alternative packaging and secure millions to help their firm grow

France's Fête de la Rosière embraces modern values

This traditional festival now celebrates civic engagement, moving beyond its historical focus on virtue

Why Christian Clavier is still one of France's favourite comic actors

We take a look at the Paris-born actor's illustrious career, the typical characters he played and how he understands French humour

Horseriding accident in Brittany left me with a broken neck

Alex Nicholls, 62, broke her neck in an equestrian accident and spent months immobilised from the waist up

American who speaks 50 languages gives his tips on learning French

It should not be a difficult language to learn for English-speakers due to significant common ground, although a sympathetic ear may be necessary, says hyperpolyglot Alexander Argüelles

Why this little French fish has its own quality label

The famed Collioure anchovy is the only fish in France with a prestigious PGI label, but why it is such a gourmet favourite?

'Well paid, looked after' British jockey James Reveley on life in France

Mr Reveley tells The Connexion about how the sport differs in France and elsewhere, the tribulations of French paperwork... and if he would plump for horsemeat at the dinner table

Jordan Bardella: his unflattering nickname and 1.5m Tik Tok fans

We look at five points about the 28-year-old president of far-right party Rassemblement national

Niece's moving D-Day journey for her UK veteran uncle Bill

Kaye travels to Normandy as part of commemorations of invasion that began the liberation of France. Her uncle, who turned 100 earlier this year, had planned to make the trip but died a few weeks ago

The National's Bryce Dessner now calls France his home

The Connexion caught up with the US rock star ahead of his concert in Paris on June 5, discussing his life and experiences in France, and his career to date

How a Frenchman became a GI on Omaha beach in WW2

'All he could think about was getting safely to his mother, terrified that he might die so close to home'

French family battles Huntington's through sporting challenges

Calvados-based father, son and daughter go the extra mile to raise money to fight disease

Films dubbed into French: meet France’s Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise

The doublage artist has had a long and successful career as the voice of two Hollywood icons

Gardener develops cacti suitable for the temperatures of… Normandy

A gardener in Normandy has started to sell cacti from the deserts of the United States, which he has adapted to grow in the cold clay soils of the region

House sharing in France can benefit retired people and the young

Intergenerational house sharing is growing in popularity in France as a solution to both housing problems and feelings of isolation

France first-hand: We fostered a 'blind dogs' puppy

Nicole Marty talks about a rewarding time for her and partner Gérard with a guide dog in-training

Chronic illnesses, language barriers and French health bureaucracy

Advice from a Canadian in France who suffers from chronic illness

Career change in France: from police officer to gardener

Amanda Freeman explains how she swapped law and order for a more creative vocation in the French countryside

Charles Aznavour: Grit and self-belief made the ‘French Frank Sinatra’

How the diminutive French singer went from poverty to stratospheric fame across the globe

‘Climate change should interest more people than it does’

France’s go-to expert on global warming and bestselling author, Jean-Marc Jancovici, talks to us about the future of our planet

Installing a natural pool at French home led to a new job

Alex Wells explains how building her own chlorine-free swimming pool led to a new role

British D-Day veteran Bill: I want to honour fallen comrades in France

The centenarian planned to return to Normandy this June - driven over by a London cab charity. He was just 20 at the time of the invasion and shared his memories of the day with Connexion during one of his interviews