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Dec 20 2023 24 ep. 6 mins 132

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From young apprentices to accomplished craftspeople, from farmers to Michelin-starred chefs, we meet the people keeping French heritage alive.

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France's Périgord region, the land of a thousand and one castles

Dec 20 2023 6 mins

With a thousand castles and almost as many churches, France’s south-western Périgord region is a paradise for lovers of ancient stones. Aude, 32, has inherited the fortress of Commarque. The young Parisian left everything behind to protect this 12th-century monument. Gastronomy is also a key part of life in the Périgord. In this region that cherishes quality produce, chef Pierr

The seaside resort of Antibes, pearl of the French Riviera

Dec 12 2023 6 mins

Located west of the Baie des Anges, Antibes is one of the pearls of the French Riviera in the south of France. In the 1920s, US novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald took up residence with his wife Zelda in the Villa Saint-Louis to write his masterpiece "Tender is the Night". The villa is now a five-star hotel, the Hôtel Belles Rives. Antibes is also home to a yachting legend: the One Wave

Discovering some of France's most beautiful gardens

Dec 05 2023 6 mins

The Lot-et-Garonne is a south-western French department created from the union of the land and two rivers: the Lot and the Garonne. It’s therefore not surprising that some of the most beautiful gardens in France can be found here. The stories of these mini Edens are both astonishing and little-known. Impressionist painter Claude Monet came to one in Temple-sur-Lot to buy hundreds

Traditional houses in France's Alsace region get new lease of life

Nov 27 2023 6 mins

The French region of Alsace is famous for its traditional half-timbered houses. But this centuries-old heritage is threatened by the passage of time and urban development. Every year, 400 of these remarkable old houses are demolished. But a few locals are trying to safeguard their heritage. One young couple have embarked on a project to renovate their old house, using ancestral tec

Aveyron, the home of France's iconic Roquefort cheese

Nov 20 2023 5 mins

Covering almost 9,000 km², the southern French department of Aveyron is one of the country's largest. With its limestone plateaus and vertiginous gorges, the area is full of contrasts: just like its iconic cheese, Roquefort. The blue-veined ewe's milk cheese – one of the oldest and most famous in the world – was born in this region. It became France's first cheese with AOP (Pr

Discovering the delights of France's Lake Annecy

Nov 13 2023 6 mins

Nestled at an altitude of 400 metres in the heart of the Alps, France's Lake Annecy is considered the purest lake in Europe. On its shores, the medieval old town of Annecy is nicknamed the "Venice of the Alps" for its picturesque canals. Out on the lake, fishermen catch féra, a delicate fish that Michelin-starred chef Jean Sulpice is particularly fond of working with. The forests

France's Cosquer cave: 20,000 years under the sea

Nov 06 2023 6 mins

In the creeks near Marseille, 37 metres underwater, lies the only submerged cave on the planet that's covered with cave paintings. On its damp walls, people have painted horses, bison, ibex and even penguins – animals that were present in the south of France during the Ice Age. The oldest paintings date back some 27,000 years.

The grape harvest in France's Loire Valley

Oct 30 2023 5 mins

In the vineyards of France's Anjou region, in the Loire Valley, a ritual takes place every year at the end of the summer. At harvest time, dozens of brave seasonal workers come from far and wide to pick the ripe grapes. Some of them have been regulars for several years and their experience is invaluable to the newcomers. The grape picking is done by hand and in a good atmosphere, b

Discovering the beauty of Corsica from the sea

Oct 24 2023 5 mins

The French Mediterranean island of Corsica attracts two million holidaymakers every summer. To properly discover the so-called Isle of Beauty, what better way than on a cruise ship? Aboard a week-long cruise on La Belle des Océans, passengers explore Corsica's most beautiful beaches, as well as the local gastronomy and breathtaking panoramas – such as the medieval town of Bonifa

Cyclists head to France's Mont Ventoux for 'Nutters' challenge'

Oct 17 2023 6 mins

In the skyline of France's Provence region, Mont Ventoux culminates at 1,909 metres. Each year, its steep slopes are the setting for an epic stage of the Tour de France cyling race. The bald mountain fascinates professional and amateur cyclists alike. The most determined of them even attempt the "Nutters' challenge": climbing Mont Ventoux three times in one day on the three differe