Magazine culture

What is France’s new heritage pass and is it the same as the National Trust pass in UK

The pass offers access to a range of heritage sites

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

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

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Things to see and do this month in Arles, Paris, Metz, Castelnaudary and more

Our pick of events, from the Arles photography festival and Paris museum events to the Mirabelle plum fair in Metz and the Castelnaudary cassoulet festival

New English art tours launch on France’s extraordinary 150km trail

The mountain trail in south-east France visits artwork by Andy Goldsworthy, Herman de Vries, Joan Fontcuberta, and Paul-Armand Gette

Things to see and do this month in Paris, Carcassonne, Rouen, Juan-les-Pins and Aveyron

Our pick of cultural events to enjoy in France in July

Connexion readers recommend more French novels for summer

Modern fiction joins classics in a fresh selection of novels to improve your French

Six films to watch this July to improve your French

Take a break from the heat to work on your language skills in the cool

Five French novels to read this summer to improve your language skills

France’s rich literary heritage provides near endless pool of novels to choose from

'Bardcore' band turns modern pop hits into medieval French music

Modern minstrels Courseval perform their songs in old French

Stand-up comedian speaks into a microphone at Countdown Comedy Club stage

Tough crowd? British comedian Charlie Stevens on making Angers laugh

Comic's English-language stand-up show was the city's first

Test your knowledge: fun French facts

Test yourself with intriguing facts about France's cultural heritage, including Salvador Dalí's inspiration, André Malraux's adventures and Henri Matisse's art

Four men with instruments pose around a classic white car outside an old stone building.

How joining a band can build your community in France

16% of citizens play an instrument ‘often’ or ‘from time to time’

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French graveyard ‘safari’ brings history to life

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

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

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

Dancers at the Maison Noire Américaine Josephine Baker event

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

Lubin Goldin (top left) and winning entries for Wildlife Photographer of the Year (11-14) and European Wildlife photographer of the year (14 and under)

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

January events in France: Le Havre museum, Martin Parr and the Orient Express

Experience culture and history in France this month

Films and series to watch in January 2026 to improve your French

France is a hub of talent when it comes to film and TV, and watching in French can greatly improve your language skills

5 French films and TV series to watch in December

From comforting comedies to powerful documentaries, there is something for everyone this winter

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

Vibrant Montpellier's festivals, beaches and year-round events

From Coeur de Ville en Lumières to Montpellier Danse, plus fabulous beaches, the city is a perfect getaway

Montpellier, a cultural hub with historic universities and diverse museums

Experience the city's diverse heritage and artistic offerings, featuring top museums like Musée Fabre

Locronan: Brittany’s movie-set village with a rich history of its own

Local traditions stemming from Celtic legends are still practised today

Five French films and series to watch in November

Using stories and shows you are already familiar with can be a big help when learning French

November events in France: art, history, and early festive magic

Explore the best cultural events, from John Singer Sargent's exhibition in Paris to festive celebrations at Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte

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

Split: Voltaire home plaque and sketch of Voltaire portrait

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