Magazine people interview

Briton in France organises commemoration for Allied POWs in World War Two

He presented certificates to French and British descendants of POWs at British Embassy event in Paris

'People come from all over the world to see our little street' in France

How a retired Nice resident accidentally created a potted-plant photo spot and tourist attraction on his doorstep

Guerrilla gardeners are greening France's urban areas

Paris influencer shares tips to reclaim run-down public plots through the 'universal language' of gardening

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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

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

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 county 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

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

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

I moved to France and became a mountain guide

What inspired one British woman to settle in the Alps change careers

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

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

My story: I moved to France and became a botanical artist

Kate Churchwell explains quitting the ‘rat race’ in the City 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. She recently headed the orchestra which performed at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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

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

Man 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

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

‘I want to show wheelchair users they can travel the world’

Eléonore Vern tells us about her plans for a solo round-the-world trip in an all-terrain wheelchair and why she will avoid Paris

How an American carpenter helped repair Notre-Dame de Paris

Peter Henrikson had never been to France before he started work on the cathedral’s roof after it was destroyed by fire

Fixing France: ‘We must face colonial past and revive shared values’

French-Algerian author Nabila Ramdani tells us why ‘Liberté, égalité, fraternité’ must apply to everyone if France is to repair

I moved to France and became an English translator by accident

A letter to a magazine editor in 1997 complaining about its poor translation led to a job offer to do better

Sam Goodchild: the British sailor preparing for his first Vendée Globe

‘The French love crazy sailing adventures, I feel at home here’

‘My videos help people find the best deals in French discount shops’

We spoke to the popular social media influencer who films herself hunting for bargains in Lidl, Aldi and Action

‘I set up an invisible disabilities media company after my diagnosis’

We speak to a journalist who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021 and is now giving a voice to people with less obvious disabilities

'I tell women to be bold - and I disagree with Elon Musk about saving our planet'

The first French woman to go into space shares her thoughts on Mars exploration

‘I hit rock bottom, learned to swim and then swam the Channel’

A childhood dream of swimming the English Channel got Stève Stievenart through divorce and depression

France’s ‘Iron man’: ‘I had this crazy dream of flying even higher’

He tells us how hard it is to fly and why he keeps inventing despite French bureaucracy and nosy neighbours

‘We travel slowly through France in our tiny horse-drawn caravan’

With just 7m² of living space pulled by a horse called Zorba, this Bordeaux couple enjoy being kings of their own clock

‘Rugby is the reason for my move to France’

International rugby referee shares his love of Gers and the difference between French and English rugby

Key points of President Macron’s TV interview last night

Subjects included the cost of living, migration, taxes and carbon neutrality as Mr Macron spoke following the visits of King Charles and Pope Francis to France