Magazine

Film review: The Time of Secrets, Marcel Pagnol’s Provence memoir

Christophe Barratier’s sunlit adaptation of Marcel Pagnol’s childhood memoir is now streaming

Discover terre et mer, France’s land-and-sea food pairing tradition

Explore 'disparate culinary bedfellows' plus how to make Camargue broufade, a slow-cooked beef stew with anchovies, garlic and capers

'Howling' like a dog is one way to express shock or surprise

Learn how to use the French word hurlement, meaning a howl or scream

magazine

Seine-Maritime launches drone defibrillator deliveries for cardiac arrests

Normandy department becomes the first place in France to dispatch defibrillators by drone, aiming to speed up cardiac arrest treatment and save lives

Emergency app for Britons in France offers French-language medical help

LifeLine Europe helps English speakers call emergency services, share medical details in French and access offline safety tools while travelling

Assorted raw beef cuts on a tray with a label for bourguignon stew.

French meat is actually of superb quality

This reader is surprised by others' experiences

Help trace Amiens family to return lost First World War postcards

An Australian woman seeks descendants of Victor and Juliette Herbault in Amiens to return twelve love postcards

Support dog helps victims of crime speak up in Haut-Rhin

A judicial assistance dog in Mulhouse helps victims during police interviews, court hearings and medical appointments

Close-up of the Eiffel Tower’s iron lattice, arches, columns and lamps against a pale sky.

Female representation in France needs to progress quicker

Columnist Nick Inman argues that it is time to rectify the imbalance

Recipe: courgette gratin with fresh herbs and goat’s cheese

Make this easy French-style gratin with fresh herbs and nutmeg, baked until golden and bubbling

A view of a French dictionary with a close up of the word ‘définition’

Nearly 29% of US dictionary terms have French origins

New survey highlights France’s enduring influence on English vocabulary

Young woman reading a book at a traditional Parisian outdoor café

September reading recommendations: books about France in English

Enjoy books about the Riviera during wartime, life in Provence and a practical guide to French slang

First scallop shell road opens in Calvados

Crushed scallop shells used to replace some cement, cutting carbon emissions from road construction

Lyon to include heat checks in home fitness tests

City plans to treat dangerously hot homes as unfit for habitation, giving tenants new protections against heatwave overheating

English-French crossword (intermediate): September 5, 2026

All answers are in French. Bonne Chance!

Understanding French vide greniers, braderies and brocantes

Similar to flea markets and car boot sales, the season for these events starts in September

Windmill,Park.,Offshore,Wind,Turbines,Farm,On,The,Ocean.,Sustainable

D-Day beach: turbines 'forever change nature and atmosphere'

Site significantly impacted by the installation of a large commercial wind farm, says reader

Back on the table: why tinned sardines are booming in France

TikTok trends, health benefits and low prices revive demand for brands including La Belle-Iloise

Why two Americans joined the French Foreign Legion and stayed in France

Soldiers explain the gruelling selection and French-language training, and their path to French citizenship

Bikes on trains can be a hard slog in France

A reader writes of their mixed experiences

Tac, euh, bah: French language tics you hear every day

Discover five words that French people use but that have no real meaning

What is the difference between sortir, partir, quitter and aller?

When to use each of these similar ‘leaving’ verbs

Test your knowledge: fun French facts

Try our fun quiz featuring Serge Gainsbourg and King Charlemagne

How to grow irises in France: planting and care guide

Advice on varieties for sun, shade, pots and ponds for year-round colour

September gardening tips: lawn care and which winter vegetables to sow

How to scarify a lawn, sow winter carrots, turnips and salads, and choose durable boots for autumn work

Hand drawing a red line between the UK and EU

Brexit was about sovereignty, not economic gain

Readers debate the legacy of the split

Five films and series to watch in September to improve your French

Sports documentary, comedies, and France’s most anticipated flick of the year included in busy month

Woman with folded arms sits apart as a man and mature woman stand behind her in a tense home setting.

Family conflict in France: should I cut off my cousin?

A reader considers ending a difficult family relationship

Small harbour in La Roche-Bernard, Brittany, with boats, stone buildings and calm water.

A visit to La Roche-Bernard: big bridges alongside the little people

Take a closer look at the charming, historic village on the south coast of Brittany with a scenic marina

Things to do this month in Lille, Deauville and many heritage sites around France

Enjoy European Heritage Days, Crémieu’s medieval festival, Lille’s Braderie and American films in Deauville

French faux pas: avoid 'condom bread' at all costs

Faux amis or ‘false friends’ can lead to embarrassing situations

English-French crossword (intermediate): August 29, 2026

All answers are in French. Bonne Chance!

Guess the French region with the help of this clue: a Frank exchange

In which of France's 13 regions was this photo taken?

In times of crisis France always turns to de Gaulle

Columnist Simon Heffer considers the success of a new film on the wartime figurehead

10 wildlife excursions to try in France

From the Alps to the Riviera, here is our pick of where to watch for wolves, birds, bears and other beasts

Visit an English-style Allier garden

Explore this colourful garden in Beaune d’Allier through Open Gardens/Jardins Ouverts this September

Woman standing in a classroom beside a blackboard and wooden desk.

'I am a French tutor and these are five tips that can benefit learners'

Many learners hit a plateau once they have learned the basics

A view of a beautiful old house in Brittany, France

I moved to France for a better life – so why do I feel like a failure?

Columnist Cynthia Spillman gives her tips to overcome house envy

Attacks on Macron's jet-skiing holiday are utterly absurd

Photos of the president in his trunks cause media storm

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

What does deux salles, deux ambiances mean and when should it be used?

The origin of this 'two rooms' phrase are linked to nightclub adverts

How Queen Elizabeth II's love of France won over the French

Royal biographer recalls the late Queen's lifelong francophilia

Runners at a Paris race aid station drinking water and being handed refills.

Why nowhere does water quite like France

From fountains to spas, water shapes everyday French life

Canadian library takes a leaf out of French craft book

Bookbinders Christophe and Nathalie Legrand tell Théophile Larcher why their skills are so sought after abroad – and what France can learn in turn about valuing conservation

Test your knowledge: fun French facts

Try our fun quiz featuring UFOs and patron saints

English-French crossword (intermediate): August 22, 2026

Most clues are in English but the answers are in French. Bonne Chance!

School pupils in red clothing walking together outdoors on an excursion tour.

What to expect from the school enrolment process when moving to France

A family's first steps into the French school system

Recipe: Mackerel in white wine

In his new book, legendary bistrotier Stéphane Reynaud shares 250 classic bistrot recipes for every occasion. Here is a delicious mackerel recipe to try at home

How volunteers are keeping France's steam train heritage alive

Association has preserved Provence steam trains since 1975

Easy Crossword August 19, 2026: French foods and snacking

Test your knowledge of some common French words around food and snacking

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Hand signing a legal document, another hand pointing to where person needs to sign

Readers respond to France's inheritance law update

One reader warns that officials may still find loopholes

Here's why I gave up eating French beef

Reader weighs in on debate over meat's toughness

Is Mont Blanc in France or does it belong to Italy?

Discover the history of the 160-year border dispute over western Europe’s highest mountain and why the summit remains contested

Join the club: Royal Scottish Country Dance Society, Lyon Branch

Discover why Scottish country dancing is thriving in Lyon, where this club attracts mostly French members with its mix of rhythm, community and weekly classes

What are the French words for sneaky?

A quick language guide inspired by the small print in supermarket promotional deals

Learning French: How animals talk differently depending on language

French cats do ron-ron, can you guess for other animals?

Why France’s water towers are gaining heritage status and new life

"Châteaux d'eau" are being reappraised as industrial heritage, with some gaining protected status and others converted into homes, gîtes and tourist attractions