French culture news
Chocolate hot spot
The Basque city of Bayonne’s links with the cocoa bean go back 400 years and are a cause for celebration, says Alison Weeks
Interview with Richard Clayderman
French pianist RICHARD CLAYDERMAN has sold 85 million albums with arrangements of classical and popular tunes. He tells Pierre de Villiers about his early musical life and why he had to change his name
Interview with Madeleine Peyroux
French-American singer MADELEINE PEYROUX began her career as one of the street musicians in Paris’s Latin Quarter. She tells Zoë McIntyre about her favourite French haunts past and present
Learning to cook in Paris
Paris has inspired countless chefs in their quest for gastronomic perfection – Eve Middleton follows suit and puts on her chef’s whites for a cookery course in the capital
The Living France Guide to… meeting the local French community
Making friends with your neighbours can vastly enrich your new life in France. Kate McNally looks at how you can become part of community
My France interview with Eddie Izzard
Comedian EDDIE IZZARD, who is soon to start a world tour, tells Pierre de Villiers about performing stand-up in French and why he feels at home in |Paris
World of the oyster
The sheer scale and variety of France’s produce were enough to place it on the gastronomic map –even before its national cuisine was added to the Unesco World Heritage list in 2010.
The Parisian salon re-born
Theatre audiences are donning period costume to revive an institution that was the social network of its time, as Caroline Bishop explains
Passion for pancakes
Although crêpes are associated with religious festivals, it is a sweet and savoury treat to be enjoyed all year round says Rosa Jackson
Restaurant review
A visit to Eric Frechon’s three Michelin-starred restaurant Epicure will feature on many a foodies’ wish list. Located in Paris’s palace Hôtel le Bristol, this coveted address is a gastronome’s delight, focusing on classic French cuisine presented with a playful twist.
Life and times of Henri Cartier-Bresson
The work of Henri Cartier-Bresson can now be seen at an exhibition in London. Lynette Eyb turns the lens on a celebrated photographer
My France interview with Tracy Chevalier
The author TRACY CHEVALIER has written six acclaimed novels, including the bestselling Girl with a Pearl Earring. Born in Washington DC, she has lived in London for more than 20 years. She talks to Guest Editor Kate Mosse about life, inspiration and her favourite French hideaways
The Living France Guide to… Christmas
With sumptuous gastronomy, poignant festivals and spectacular markets, Christmas in France is a feast for all the senses that is both familiar and unique, writes Kate McNally
French film fights back
Director Luc Besson’s €170m Cité du Cinéma complex in the Paris suburbs is taking on Hollywood at its own game, explains Paul Lamarra
Pierre Koffmann’s winter warmers
The legendary Gascony-born chef tells Clare Hargreaves how the hearty country cooking of his homeland comes into its own in the colder months
Classic cuisine: chocolate truffles
Chocolate truffles were invented by chance but are now an indulgent fixture of the Christmas festivities
Vineyard visits
On holiday in the northern Rhône valley, Dominic Rippon found a recipe for the perfect work-life balance
Interview with Marion Cotillard
French actress MARION COTILLARD talks make-up and motherhood with Pierre de Villiers
Les Misérables: the people’s choice
With the film version of Les Misérables set to be released, Caroline Bishop talks to the composer and performers about the reasons for the musical’s enduring appeal
Born to be a Bond girl
French actress BÉRÉNICE MARLOHE tells Pierre de Villiers that she is more than a match for 007
Interview with Patricia Kaas
In a career spanning more than 25 years, PATRICIA KAAS has become one of France’s most renowned international artists. Zoë McIntyre catches up with the singer on the eve of her world tour paying tribute to Édith Piaf
Life and times of Auguste Lumière
Born 150 years ago, AUGUSTE LUMIÈRE played a pivotal role with his brother in the history of cinema. Zoë McIntyre sheds light on their achievements
Freewheeling in Savoie
A vélo électrique proved an ideal way for Dominic Rippon to explore the exquisite hillside vineyards near Chambéry
Interview with Micheal Morpurgo
Children’s writer MICHAEL MORPURGO is best-known for War Horse, which has been adapted for stage and screen. He tells Zoë McIntyre how French literature and fashion have inspired him
Pastis par excellence
The cloudy, aniseed-flavoured apéritif has long been a French favourite. Zoë McIntyre tracks down a Grand Cru version in its Provençal homeland
Rebellious Winemakers
The French have classified their vineyards for more than a thousand years, ever since Benedictine monks who settled in Burgundy in the 10th century carved up, analysed and ordered their vineyards. They discovered that the taste of the wines changed dramatically according to where their grapes were planted; thus the notion of terroir was born.
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