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Learning French: nouns that even native speakers commonly misgender
‘The struggle is real’, says our French writer Théophile Larcher - see if you can score higher than him in our mini quiz
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Know your cheeses and their seasons: which to eat in France in February
Cow’s milk cheeses dominate as winter comes to an end
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Films and series to watch in February to improve your French
Every month we outline good film and TV series to improve your language
Major plans for shifting sands
At the surfer’s paradise of Lacanau (Gironde), experts predict that the coastline will retreat 65 metres by 2040 and 165 metres by 2100 due to erosion – and local authorities have identified two possible remedies to protect the town.

The first is the creation of a huge dyke along the seafront, although this would need constant upkeep. The second option, which is splitting local opinion even at early discussion stages, is to remove the 1,200 homes and 100 businesses currently within the danger zone and rebuild them elsewhere in the town.
‘Relocalisation’ on this scale would be a first in the world – there are no laws in place for its implementation or funding.