Though France could not be described as a religious country, Christmas is widely celebrated in French towns and cities, with children eagerly anticipating the arrival of Santa Claus. But what about the vocabulary related to this festive season? Christmas trees, decorations, Christmas markets, red ribbons, gifts… let’s study some of the key expressions. We’ll start with a role-play…

This time, we’ll hear a conversation between two people who meet in the park and have a general chat about their dogs. We'll study lots of new vocabulary - discussing the breed of dog, commenting on his coat, describing his personality, and more. Our lesson is in response to a suggestion from Alyssa, one of our listeners, who has relocated to Geneva... with her dog. Allons-y!

This lesson is in response to a suggestion made by Gene who will be looking after an 8-month-old baby on New Year's Eve for friends. But what about all those baby terms? Changing diapers, burping the baby, putting the baby to sleep, cooing, crawling? It's almost a language in its own right. Let's learn some of the key phrases in this lesson. Let's start with a role-play between Xavier and Amélie…

It seems nobody can organise strikes quite like the French. In recent weeks, President Sarkozy has had his first real test since coming into office with the public transport system grinding to a halt. For now, though, the public are on his side – and the side of the government. In this lesson, let’s learn some vocabulary which will help us engage in conversation about the strikes – and the crisis in general. C'est parti!

In the last lesson, we called a plumber and spoke to him over the phone. This time, in lesson 84, the plumber calls ‘round to conclude the job. Let’s see how the conversation unfolds.

This lesson is based on a request from one of our listeners who needed the assistance of a plumber while in France. So, what happens if the bath drain gets blocked? How do we convey this to the plumber ? Let’s see in this two-part lesson.

In this lesson, lesson 82, we talk about a recent court ruling in the U.S regarding Jammie Thomas, found guilty of downloading and illegally re-distributing copyrighted music. Let’s study some of the relevant vocabulary in this exchange. On y va!...

The scene of this lesson is the forest of Fontainebleau where Amélie and Xavier are having a stroll, and picking up a few delicious mushrooms along the way. Let’s listen to their conversation unravel on a beautiful autumnal afternoon…

In this, our 80th lesson, we talk about a change which will soon apply to all new French car registrations. The distinctive French number plate which tells us which department a car comes from, will take a new form. We'll learn several useful expressions including 'être au courant de', 'entrer en vigueur', 'conduire comme un pied' and 'forcer le passage à quelqu'un'. Allons-y!…

In this lesson, lesson 79, we will learn how to simply ask if someone would fancy a cup of coffee that we are about to make. And, while we are at it, we will learn some trivia about a former Phillipine First Lady!…