Rabeatsmania!

Sly, Marcello, Deep et Flamm… Strange names for a strange band of boys from Picardie just North of Paris. Then again, a tribute band infatuated with the Beatles could only come from the part of France neighbouring English shores.

With over 500 concerts under their belt for a total of 400 000 spectators, The Rabeats have taken the world by storm. With their contagious energy they continue to win over the hearts of people of all ages and all tastes.

Musical M, genius from A to Z.

-M-, born Matthieu Chédid, is no Jimi Hendrix, but he's far from an amateur when it comes to music. This multi-instrumentalist shakes off any label; they just don't stick with him. His songs blend snarky social commentary with irony and touching love stories, and he boasts a number of Victoires de la Musique awards thanks to his creative genius and song writing.

After his hit album Je dis aime in 1999, and Qui de nous deux in 2005, -M- worked with French star musicians such as Vanessa Paradis and Brigitte Fontaine, effectively gaining even more respect in the professional music world.

In 2006, with his work on the soundtrack of hit French film Ne le dis a personne, he was awarded yet another Victoire de la Musique. After a musical comedy and a string of performances, -M- is back in 2009 with a new album: Mister Mystère.

Mozart rocks your socks off!

After Le Roi Soleil and the hugely popular Ten Commandments, producers Dove Attia and Albert Cohen decided to work with the music from one of history's greatest composers: Mozart.

Classic fans beware, this is a rock opera so expect some banging melodies and a spectacular show with period costumes!

The real originality of the show is the shameless mixing of disparate genres. Pop performers as well as traditional opera stars will be singing alongside known actors, dancers, and classical and contemporary music performers.

Get ready to dive!

Organised as part of World Water Day, a UNESCO event, the French Swimming Federation will be organising La Nuit de l'Eau or "Water Night" on March 20th, 2010.

This is a charity-oriented operation dedicated to raising awareness: teaching future generations to respect water as a finite resource. This is achieved through a programme of activities and events, educational workshops, awareness workshops and more…

Profits are to be donated to children of the third world with regards to their access to clean, running water. Last year's event provided the funds to built and maintain 9 Togolese schools with access to running water (thanks to a drinkable water source and a rain-catching cistern) and helped promote awareness programmes in these schools (hygiene, health, water purification, etc.). The sponsor for this major event, Alain Bernard, is a professional swimmer with more than a few prizes under his belt…

Fine weather for the future…

The FC Lorient team has been part of the elite since 2006, winning regularly year after year thanks to a rich formation.

Christian Gourcuff's team will be once again working hard to keep the team up to speed. As always, it will be his encouragement and, of course, punishing training routines that keep the team on its toes!

On the road to victory!

After their tenth spot in the previous season, Vannes Olympique Club surprised everyone with their first achievements in Ligue 2. By reaching the finals of the Coupe de la Ligue, they have managed to impress their fans.

The Vannes team, led by Stéphane Le Mignan, will be hoping to keep up their A Game at a consistent level, perhaps going further than any would have expected.

Praying for victory.

After their second place on the scoreboards of last year's National Championship, the Stade Levallois team made it to Ligue 2. The "Tangos", led by coach Philippe Hinschberger, are ready to rumble and will be bringing their A-Game to the field. Facing some of the top teams in the league, the Levallois folks will be striving to make it past this antechamber to the elite league.

A quest for redemption.

After two seasons playing with the elite in Ligue 1, the SM Caen team has fallen back to Ligue 2. It was during the last days of the Championship that they finally fell before the mighty Bordeaux team.

Franck Dumas' team will have to work hard to reach the level they need to move forwards. Their opponents, however, will not make it any easier…

Jazz master.

Christian Escoudé is part of that family of guitarists with gypsy backgrounds, and he has managed to carve out a place in the canon of gypsy-style Jazz Bop.

It was through his father, an excellent guitarist himself, that Christian inherited a passion for Django Reinhardt and learnt basic guitar skills at age 10. By age 29 he had been awarded the Django Reinhardt prize. His latest album, a 3-volume piece, came out in February 2008.

Between worlds.

Choreographers Cecilia Bengolea and François Chaignaud have taken an interest in the romantic figure of the Sylphid, those immaterial creatures that were once the subject of a much interest in 18th century literature and 19th century choreography.

Sylphids are considered a medium between two worlds: those of the living and the dead, of fantasy and reality, of the possible and the impossible. Existing in a slowed state, these creations of Cecilia Bengolea and François Chaignaud offer us a glimpse of our possible end and our improbable rebirth.

Get ready to dive!

Organised as part of World Water Day, a UNESCO event, the French Swimming Federation will be organising La Nuit de l'Eau or "Water Night" on March 20th, 2010.

This is a charity-oriented operation dedicated to raising awareness: teaching future generations to respect water as a finite resource. This is achieved through a programme of activities and events, educational workshops, awareness workshops and more…

Profits are to be donated to children of the third world with regards to their access to clean, running water. Last year's event provided the funds to built and maintain 9 Togolese schools with access to running water (thanks to a drinkable water source and a rain-catching cistern) and helped promote awareness programmes in these schools (hygiene, health, water purification, etc.). The sponsor for this major event, Alain Bernard, is a professional swimmer with more than a few prizes under his belt…

Rock festival with headliners Iggy Pop and Archive.

To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of this festival, the line up will include the British group Archive and the charismatic and ever-surprising Iggy Pop. Alongside these headliners a dozen other artists and groups will stir the crowds in an electrifying atmosphere.

Normans with an agenda…

Le Havre was unfortunate enough to be relegated to Ligue 2 in the previous season. The wound is still fresh and this just might give the necessary motivation, the rage, to claw their way back into Ligue 1.

Nevertheless, Rage won't be enough if there isn't the skill and technique to back it up. This granddaddy of French clubs is one of the more stable elements of the season; they rarely disappoint and there is no reason they should start now.

A wordsmith worth a thousand words.

Leonard Cohen is one of the titans of modern music. His first 1967 album, Songs of Leonard Cohen, was a revelation and he was quick to back it up with Songs from a Room in '69 and Songs of Love and Hate in '71.

These early tracks proved to the world that this performer was more than just a voice, he was an inspired lyricist. In the following decades, Leonard Cohen came out with a number of albums - most recently Blue Alert in 2006 and Live in London in 2009.

Rare plants take to the stage…

The rare plant market in Angel will be celebrating its 10-year anniversary and so expect a one-of-a-kind edition. Specialist gardeners and landscape architects will be on site to give visitors the best possible advice on how to tend and manage particular species.

This year the central theme will be edible plants! A total of 40 nurserymen and plant collectors will be on hand to offer important advice on these precious plants: a great way to learn about being a gardener and a cook all at once!

Verneuil, capital of naive art.

Boasting more than 1,500 artworks from all around the world, this naive art festival is one of the richest events of its kind. This year, the guest of honour will be Poland, and the festival will even feature a Mongolian-style "Yurt" set up in the abbey. Within, you can admire beautiful pieces coming from the Polish nation, and experience a colourful, positive art form.

Horsing around.

This gathering of horse-lovers boasts a varied programme, with breeding classes, showing, show-jumping, dressage, regional Anglo-Arab championships, horse-ball competitions, displays of horsemanship and a young horse fair. Enough to keep the whole family entertained!

Get ready to dive!

Organised as part of World Water Day, a UNESCO event, the French Swimming Federation will be organising La Nuit de l'Eau or "Water Night" on March 20th, 2010.

This is a charity-oriented operation dedicated to raising awareness: teaching future generations to respect water as a finite resource. This is achieved through a programme of activities and events, educational workshops, awareness workshops and more…

Profits are to be donated to children of the third world with regards to their access to clean, running water. Last year's event provided the funds to built and maintain 9 Togolese schools with access to running water (thanks to a drinkable water source and a rain-catching cistern) and helped promote awareness programmes in these schools (hygiene, health, water purification, etc.). The sponsor for this major event, Alain Bernard, is a professional swimmer with more than a few prizes under his belt…

The cutting edge of jazz…

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Dee Dee Bridgewater started her career in the 70s in popular New York jazz dens. Her ongoing love affair with French culture and people started in 1973 when he offered her first ever performance on French soil - 11 years later she returned and became a resident.

America's favourite diva is today striving for authenticity and a return to the roots of jazz. Her album Red Earth, a Malian Journey is more than a superficial foray into African culture, it is an exploration of her own roots. This original project was a new direction in Dee Dee's career, an adventure in the no-man's land between jazz and African traditional song, two worlds aeons apart and yet aligned in so many ways...

Bridgewater's unique playing style, her history and personality, are part of the mythology that has made her such a living legend…

Feline and Groovy

Born in 1958, in Saint-Maur-des-Fosses (Paris), Manu Katché began classical dance training at the age of five, on his mother's recommendation. Soon after, however, he opted for the piano and entered the CNSM in Paris where he took lessons in classical percussion. A talented musician, Katché won a First Prize at the Conservatory.

Though he recorded a first album as composer, vocalist and drummer, and despite writing for several Original Soundtracks, Katché is best known as a drummer. Feline, groovy and gifted with a melodic sense of percussion, inherited from his training in classical music, his unique style is easily identifiable. For three decades now, this "studio musician" has been in high demand, in particular by Peter Gabriel, who hired him for stage performances in the 1980s. He has also accompanied Sting, Dire Straits and Youssou N’Dour, as well as Jan Garbarek and Michel Petrucciani.
In 2004, he founded his own group, Tendances, a quintet open to all styles of music though with special predilection for electric jazz or pieces from the Davis era.

To each his own music…

If you feel like going out and having a good time, then make sure to check out what's going on in concert halls near you.

French song, rock, pop, jazz or world music; whatever your tastes, whatever your budget, you can find a music event nearby.

Mor, who makes magic happen.

Life was kind to Mor Karbasi; her gift at birth was a magnificent voice, and she chose to use this gift well. Israeli singer Mor Karbasi is of Jewish-Moroccan and Jewish-Turkish descent. She sings in Spanish, Hebrew, Ladino and sometimes in English, and each of her songs is like discovering an ageless tradition (Jewish Andalusian songs) combined with a modern vision of music.

Living stones.

Serge Lombard is a sculptor who works with nature themes above all others. He has always had a passion for the animal kingdom, and more particularly the animals of the Vercors region where he lives.

In Lombard's hands stone turns to putty… He takes chalk and creates a bear or transforms marble chunks into a flock of birds… This large-scale exhibition, with its selection of a hundred or so sculptures, is an ode to the natural world.

Grace and elegance.

Cabaret is a story of characters caught up in their own private "fictions", haunted by cataclysmic scenes, who meet up in a bar…

A contortionist, a singer, a tight-rope walker and a few actors thus come together to offer a panoramic view of the archetypes in western contemporary fiction. Each personage is full and well-crafted, each telling their story in spectacular fashion!

A circus affair.

This festival will see circus themed performances and shows from all over the world coming to Le Mans. A parade is set to invade the streets as well.
This year, Le Mans welcomes acts such as the Circus with no Name, Drôle d'Hydraule and even the Cambodian circus company, Phare Ponleu Selpak Cirk.

Brand new.

The Normandy design & creation fair is about promoting contemporary artwork in all its many forms!

This annual fair invites visitors to discover the rich variety of contemporary art in Normandy, with a wide selection of pieces produced by local artists (along with a handful from across the Channel). Become an art critic for a day…

Get creative!

At a time when creative craftwork is back in fashion and handmade objects are more highly prized than ever, 90 exhibitors gather to unveil their new products. This fair brings together different creative domains such as embroidery, beadwork, haberdashery, floral decoration, calligraphy and lots more. These myriad exhibitors open their workshops to the public. You will find everything necessary to express your creative desires. Creative recreation is emerging as a real social phenomenon. Get involved!

The legendary race.

250,000 spectators are expected to attend this mythical event which will see the biggest car brands and the best drivers compete in this 78th annual race.
On the longest circuit in the world the cars will reach speeds of over 300km/h. These are 24 hours of endurance and pure adrenaline!

Culture on canvas.

Graphic arts (be it painting or drawing, charcoal or gouache, watercolour or spray-paint) are a doorway in to the mindscape of the artist. Taking part in an art exhibition, in a museum or gallery, is the perfect opportunity to learn about technique, but also about the concepts, themes and subjects that artists work with.

Worth her weight in gold!

French hip hop artist Diam's is among those rare women who manage to establish their music, their style and brand value, in a world of men. Her 2007 album Dans ma Bulle was an open window to a larger audience, a wider market, and this in particular thanks to "Jeune Demoiselle" which was ubiquitous on the radio waves for months.

This little bundle of energy will be on stage for a grand tour to promote her latest opus… Fans will not be disappointed!

Fine weather for the future…

The FC Lorient team has been part of the elite since 2006, winning regularly year after year thanks to a rich formation.

Christian Gourcuff's team will be once again working hard to keep the team up to speed. As always, it will be his encouragement and, of course, punishing training routines that keep the team on its toes!

Hauntingly beautiful melodies.

Working alongside Nicolas Repac et Jean Massicote, the "man with his head in the clouds" (namely Arthur H.) has slowly developed his style, moving towards a more groovy, funky beat, a style at once optimistic and snarky…

His lyrics, honed to perfection, seem to clash with the accompanying music in the most satisfying way. Rather than deliver yet another loaded, sombre song, he gives us l'Homme du Monde, a gracious and light album that illustrates his gift for writing melodies. It was this album in particular that helped him win the Victoire de la Musique in 2009 for Pop-Rock Album of the Year.

Outsiders…

Le Mans has been part of the French Ligue 1 (Premier League) since their ascension in 2005 - their last season however was a poor performance, as then were listed 16th on the scoreboard.

If they want to keep their place in the elite league, and even win some actual cups, they will have to reclaim the game play that helped the MUC 72 rise to where they are today.

On the road to victory.

The players of the Stade Vernolien Basket will be giving the best they have during this year's season, working hard to dominate their opponents. Come with family and friends to encourage this strong team, as it is well known that a team on home-court has the advantage of a hundred voices to cheer them on!

Killer tunes!

Noticed after their work on the soundtrack of French hit movie Dédales (the track "Spit" was an excellent addition), Shaka Ponk have recently made a name for themselves on the French indie scene. Their concerts in particular are reputed for their authentic feel and character.

Shaka Ponk is a quartet of Frenchmen exiled in Germany who deliver banging music born of many influences: a true musical melting-pot.

Their rules are simple: push the limits! This is why their tracks can for example swing from rock to dance music with a dash of heavy metal. Loco con da frenchy talkin is their first album and truly lives up to their reputation for live performances. Don't miss out!

A wonderland…

Noddy and his friends are back with a whole new show for young and old! Noddy's birthday is coming up and his friends have decided to put together a grand surprise party! Organisation will be complicated if they want to make sure Noddy doesn't suspect anything, but that's what friends are for. Come to Noddy's grand surprise party and have a blast!

On the road to victory.

The players of the Stade Vernolien Basket will be giving the best they have during this year's season, working hard to dominate their opponents. Come with family and friends to encourage this strong team, as it is well known that a team on home-court has the advantage of a hundred voices to cheer them on!

A fully-rounded artist.

Ane Brun is a Norwegian artist who seems to be good at everything…

She sings, but also writes her own music and plays guitar; she is, as you can see, a fully rounded artist. Since the year 2000 she has been living in Stockholm, Sweden, where she launched her own production label with Ellekari Larsson. Her third studio album (and fifth album altogether), Changing of the Seasons, came out in 2008.

The team with a trick up their sleeve.

Once again the Rennes team will be changing coaches… Now under the experienced gaze of Frédéric Antonetti, known to be a serious, consistent coach, the team is hoping to make it to the top this season.

The Breton team will hopefully be able to manage 3rd place in this tournament, thereby qualifying for the League of Champions. The team has been working towards this goal for years now, and they might, with a bit of luck, pull it off this time.

Get ready to dive!

Organised as part of World Water Day, a UNESCO event, the French Swimming Federation will be organising La Nuit de l'Eau or "Water Night" on March 20th, 2010.

This is a charity-oriented operation dedicated to raising awareness: teaching future generations to respect water as a finite resource. This is achieved through a programme of activities and events, educational workshops, awareness workshops and more…

Profits are to be donated to children of the third world with regards to their access to clean, running water. Last year's event provided the funds to built and maintain 9 Togolese schools with access to running water (thanks to a drinkable water source and a rain-catching cistern) and helped promote awareness programmes in these schools (hygiene, health, water purification, etc.). The sponsor for this major event, Alain Bernard, is a professional swimmer with more than a few prizes under his belt…