Magazine culture

French graveyard ‘safari’ brings history to life

Père Lachaise tour guide Thierry Le Roi talks to Théophile Larcher about the privilege of sharing the cemetery’s stories

'I moved to France and wrote my first book'

These Connexion readers have put pen to paper since moving to France

Eating faux-pas: habits to avoid when dining in France

From ignoring fellow guests to taking too much cheese, we take a look at the no-nos when dining in France

magazine

European TV is a necessary cultural corrective

Columnist Nick Inman argues for a more open-minded approach to viewing

Burgundy’s Route du Cassis: a 55km journey of blackcurrants and culture

Enjoy liqueurs, jams, and more on this gourmet trail leading from Dijon to Nuits-Saint-Georges

How does France’s April Fools’ Day differ from the UK or US?

Explore the origins of the day and its traditions

Five famous April Fools' pranks played on the French public

French media outlets and transport companies have pulled some classic ‘poissons d’Avril’ - here are five of the best

Three reading recommendations: books about France in English

Lovers of French history will enjoy these historical and romantic works

Five French films and series to watch in March

Improve your French language skills and culture knowledge with this month’s films and series

Costume, music, floats: where to see France’s vibrant carnival parades

Celebrate the end of winter with feasting and fun at a carnival near you

February events in France: Art, agriculture, and festivals

Discover the reopening of Bonnat-Helleu Museum, Paris International Agricultural Show, Menton's Citrus Festival, and Matisse exhibition in Bordeaux

Black history in Paris: the story behind Maison Noire Américaine

An American non-profit is illuminating the legacy and vibrant presence of African-Americans and the African diaspora in France

Eating alone at work in France: are attitudes changing?

Why the social taboo is being reconsidered in the modern workplace

French teenager wins top wildlife photography awards for Alpine ibex photos

The Connexion talks to award-winning wildlife 14-year-old photographer Lubin Godin about his process and future plans

December events in France: art, fashion and the Titanic

Explore Gustave Courbet's masterpiece at Musée d’Orsay, 1920s fashion at La Piscine, Picasso Museum's expansion, and the Titanic exhibition in Lyon

Residents react to George Clooney’s praise of life in Var

Locals in Brignoles take pride in their most famous neighbour and his love for Provençal life

October events in France: Futuroscope frights, live jazz and a dog museum

Fill your French diary with Halloween thrills, Limoges jazz festival, a virtual botanical garden and more

Lyon's Festival of Light: a spectacular celebration of history and culture

Explore the enchanting Fête des Lumières in Lyon from December 5-8

Bordeaux's hidden stories revealed by hand-drawn maps

Architect Nicolas Coury captures Bordeaux's essence through a community-driven, memory-filled map.

Why are so many places in Normandy named -ville?

Unique history of region sees many settlements with same name ending

Six films and TV shows to improve your French this rentrée

From cultural references to new vocabulary, watching films in French is essential for your progress

HPI final season: the end of a French TV phenomenon

Comedy-thriller starring Audrey Fleurot that gripped France airs final episodes

Unmissable September events in France: antiques, art and cinema

Explore top attractions this month, including Lille's antiques fair and Le Havre's art festival

How rap artists are becoming the new French poets

Julien Barret - an author with a particular interest in rap music and the French language - explains how the meaning of words is shaped by culture

Podcasts and exhibitions: four French cultural ideas

Find inspiration for outings and a way to deepen your knowledge of France

Basque houses have timeless appeal, cultural significance, and historic charm

These traditional houses in the western Pyrenees are known as etche or etxe in local dialect

Three French-themed books to read in August

A novel set in Provence, a recipe book and a French language-themed colouring book

Toulouse exhibition celebrates the elegance of French air travel

New exhibition shows off the enduring style of Air France

Uncovering France's Easter Island statues

There are five statues in various locations across France

Exhibition: see inside the iconic pavilion of a French prefab architect

Ferdinand Fillod was a French pioneer of prefabricated metal buildings. One of his most famous creations was rescued from ignominy and put on display not far from Perpignan

Breton name bowls: 'People are no longer interested in the traditional craft'

These bowls have become a staple of French cabinets and breakfast tables, but how are they really made?

Five things to do in France in August

A photo festival, a light show, and a fashion exhibition... we suggest four upcoming events for your cultural calendar

We missed opera in France – so we brought it to us

Columnist Peter Bear tells how he introduced rural opera to his French home

Five famous historical French figures who were exiled to Britain

From Voltaire to De Gaulle, we share the stories of five exiles who fled across the Channel

In France, do you know your porcherie from your pigeonnier?

These traditional structures have helped small-scale farmers source protein for hundreds of years

How does France mark July 14, and where are the best firework displays in 2025?

Paris, Lyon, Cannes and Strasbourg are among highly-rated displays

New to bandes dessinées? Start with this expert-picked list of beach-worthy reads

BDs can be easy to read for French learners because they usually don't use advanced vocabulary

5 podcasts to improve your French this summer

Listening is one of the most important language skills to grasp and podcasts are a great tool

I sent my parents to Marseille… this is what they thought

Sun, sea, and rosé are highlights in the up-and-coming city-break location

Discover Bordeaux: wine, food and culture

Explore Bordeaux's rich wine heritage, culinary delights and vibrant cultural scene

Centre Pompidou renovation: get to know this 'inside out' Paris site

Centre Pompidou is one of France’s most recognisable public buildings, but it will be temporarily closed to the public from September

Six exhibitions to see in France this summer

A round up of events for your cultural calendar

Paris Nuit Blanche 2025: join in this weekend’s ‘all night’ free culture festival

Dozens of galleries, museums, and art spaces are holding events and tours

From chicken-shaped cabins to alcoholic seafood soup: eight quirky facts about Vienne

This department, located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, has some interesting, yet unexpected features

Magic of 800-year-old natural light display returns to historic French abbey

Art historian Dr Julia Faiers discovers how a medieval PR campaign about a saint’s holy relics determined the rags-to-riches story of Vézelay Abbey in Burgundy

Tourteau fromagé: French delicacy known as 'the cheesecake of Poitou'

We speak to a tourteau specialist to learn about the history of this beloved French delicacy... and how to bake one

How the Scouting movement took off in France

French scouting and guiding grew steadily after crossing the Channel, with scouts playing an important role in the liberation

Jane Austen wins more French fans thanks to new translation

'I wanted to find a way to give the French public a different perception', says translator

Iconic Paris cinema restored to its Art Deco glory

Architects set out to modernise Le Grand Rex while respecting its original design

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

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

Chauvet cave in south of France is slowly revealing its secrets

3D technology is revolutionising our understanding of 36,000-year-old paintings in the Chauvet Cave in Ardèche

Three French art and culture recommendations

Impressionist masterpieces in Aix-en-Provence, a stylish Louvre exhibition, and a crime series to watch

English-language poets in France showcased in new anthology

29 poets from a stanza group worked together on the collection

How France looks after its historical treasures

Emmanuel Pénicaut, director of collections at Mobilier national, explains the organisation’s vital role

Photos: Paris exhibition explores what people do alone at home

Behind the curtain: L’Intime Expo takes a fascinating look at people's private lives

Comment: French plan to upgrade Louvre is long overdue

A €900million revamp of the the museum has been announced by President Macron

'Montpellier is an international city, so it should have an international opera house'

This American in France is the youngest ever music director of the Opéra Orchestre national Montpellier

Five things they don't tell you about… guichets in France

Exploring the unique blend of courtesy and obstinacy behind French counters

PHOTOS: French villagers had no idea their neighbour was an acclaimed American artist

Frances Butler exhibited in some of the world’s leading museums, including the Victoria & Albert and British Museum in London

Photos: These are France’s top five most visited national monuments in 2024

How many have you been to?

British illustrator is a star in the Franco-Belgian world of comics

We speak to Posy Simmonds MBE, winner of one of the most prestigious awards for graphic novelists

Discover the capital of comics books in the west of France

We hear from the advisers of Angoulême's museum ahead of the festival which runs from January 29 to February 2

Photos: Magical images as Lyon launches its 25th Fête des Lumières

Stunning light shows take place in the evenings at 32 different venues

Ancient Gaulish village unearthed in south-west France

Discoveries by local farmers spark significant archaeological excavations, revealing a fortified settlement

Learning French: the origins and meaning of impossible n’est pas français

This patriotic proverb was also a presidential campaign slogan

How you can fly to Nice, Paris, Marseille, or Bordeaux from the cockpit

Flight simulators are becoming an increasingly popular activity or gift, as Samantha David found when taking a plane for a virtual spin along the French Riviera

France celebrates a century of naturism

Marseille exhibition lays bare the continuing allure of French naturist culture

Amazon tests free book delivery despite law designed to ban it

E-commerce giant now offers free collection of books from its collection points across the country

Explore the idyllic Normandy village that inspired a tragic literary masterpiece

Shortlisted as one of France’s favourite villages, Ry was also the setting for Flaubert’s Madame Bovary

How France's high-rise housing solution to post-war boom became an urban nightmare

The grands ensembles, high-rise public housing units, were meant to provide desperately needed accommodation in big cities in the 1950s but the plan was abandoned only two decades later

Toulouse bishop consecrates the city as mechanical monsters run amok

A controversial street theatre featuring demonic figures prompts some Christian groups to condemn the 'satanic' representations

Five audiobooks to listen to improve your French

Classic works of French literature will deepen your understanding of the country’s culture and enhance your language skills

Who was France’s fiercest female pirate, the ‘Lioness of Brittany’?

After King Philip VI of France executed former noblewoman Jeanne de Belleville's husband for treason during the medieval Breton War of Succession, she turned to piracy to avenge his death

What does the French word ‘wesh’ mean and why is it being used in UK

Discover the origins of this informal interjection that is now part of London slang

Blacksmith’s historic and unusual home for sale in Rouen

The Maison Marrou, an iconic feature of the city of Rouen, is being sold by online auction