French

A British man has died in an avalanche in the French Alps.

The man, believed to be in his 50s, was skiing with a group off-piste at La Plagne, a statement from the resort said.

Rescuers were alerted to the avalanche at 13:57 (12:57 GMT) on Sunday and went immediately to the area, it added.

The man was discovered under 2.5 metres (8ft) of snow after a 50-minute search.

He had been skiing without an avalanche transceiver or a professional instructor, the resort said.

La Plagne said its thoughts were with the man’s family.

BBC News has asked the Foreign Office for comment.

The rescue team was made up of more than 50 people including medics, ski instructors and a helicopter-deployed dog.

La Plagne’s official website prompts visitors wanting to ski off-piste, also known as backcountry skiing, to make sure they have read the Avalanche Risk Bulletin and to use an avalanche victim detector.

December through to February is peak season for avalanches in the northern hemisphere.

Only last month, five German climbers, including a 17-year-old girl and her father, died in an avalanche in Italy’s Dolomite mountains.

PARIS — Laurent Vinatier, a French political scholar serving a three-year sentence in Russia and facing new charges of espionage, has been freed in a prisoner swap with France, officials said Thursday.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on X that Vinatier is “free and back in France,” expressing “relief” and “gratitude” to diplomatic staff for their efforts to win his release.

In exchange, Russian basketball player Daniil Kasatkin, jailed in France and whose extradition was demanded by the United States, was released and returned to Russia on Thursday, Russia’s Federal Security Service, or FSB, said in a statement.

Russian state news agency Tass released what it said was FSB footage showing Vinatier in a black track suit and winter jacket being informed about his release, to which he said “Thank you” in Russian, being driven in a car and boarding a plane after Kasatkin descended from it. It wasn’t immediately clear when the video was filmed.

Vinatier was arrested in Moscow in June 2024. Russian authorities accused him of failing to register as a “foreign agent” while collecting information about Russia’s “military and military-technical activities” that could be used to the detriment of national security. A court convicted him and sentenced him to a three-year prison term.

Last year, Vinatier was also charged with espionage, according to the FSB — a criminal offense punishable by 10 to 20 years in prison in Russia.

The scholar has been pardoned by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the security agency said.

France’s Foreign Ministry said that Vinatier was being welcomed at the Quai d’Orsay alongside his parents by Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.

The ministry said that Barrot informed ambassadors of Vinatier’s release “at the moment of the president’s tweet,” during a closed-door address. Barrot would post publicly “after his meeting with Laurent Vinatier and his family,” the ministry said.

Putin has promised to look into Vinatier’s case after a French journalist asked him during his annual news conference on Dec. 19 whether Vinatier’s family could hope for a presidential pardon or his release in a prisoner exchange. The Russian president said at the time that he knew “nothing” about it.

Several days later, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia had made “an offer to the French” about Vinatier.

Vinatier is an advisor for the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, a Switzerland-based nongovernmental organization, which said in June 2024 that it was doing “everything possible to assist” him.

The charges that he was convicted on relate to a law that requires anyone collecting information on military issues to register with authorities as a foreign agent.

Human rights activists have criticized the law and other recent legislation as part of a Kremlin crackdown on independent media and political activists intended to stifle criticism of the war in Ukraine.

In recent years, Russia has arrested a number of foreigners — mainly Americans — on various criminal charges and then released them in prisoner swaps with the United States and other Western nations.

The largest exchange since the Cold War took place in August 2024, when Moscow freed journalists Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva, fellow American Paul Whelan, and Russian dissidents in a multinational deal that set two dozen people free.

Kasatkin, the Russian basketball player freed in Thursday’s swap, had been held since late June after his arrest at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport at the request of U.S. judicial authorities and was held in extradition custody at Fresnes prison while French courts reviewed the U.S. request.

Kasatkin’s lawyer, Frédéric Belot, told the Associated Press that the player had been detained last June at the request of the United States for alleged involvement in computer fraud. Belot said that Kasatkin was accused of having acted as a negotiator for a team of hackers. According to the lawyer, Kasatkin had purchased a second-hand computer that hadn’t been reset.

“We believe that this computer was used remotely by these hackers without his knowledge,” Belot said. “He is a basketball player and knows nothing about computer science. We consider him completely innocent.”

Belot, who represents both Vinatier and Kasatkin, added that the French researcher is “totally innocent of the espionage acts that were alleged against him.”

Corbet, Adamson and Petrequin write for the Associated Press.

A travel influencer has shared a viral video of one city in France which is described as like ‘walking through a fairytale’, with followers calling the lakeside city ‘so beautiful’

If you’re still mulling over your holiday plans for 2026 and fancy a French escape with a difference, then this travel blogger’s suggestion might just catch your eye. A globetrotting enthusiast has turned to Instagram to rave about a charming city tucked away in the French Alps, describing it as akin to ‘walking through a fairytale’. The magical spot she’s championing? The delightful Annecy.

Dubbed the ‘Venice of the Alps’, Annecy is a breathtaking lakeside town located in France‘s southeastern Haute-Savoie department. Sitting just 45 minutes south of Geneva by car, it’s celebrated for its dazzling turquoise alpine lake, towering snow-dusted peaks, and elaborate system of historic waterways.

Wendy, who boasts 100,000 Instagram followers under the handle @nomadicfare, posted a mesmerising video highlighting the town’s most spectacular attractions. Her accompanying post read: “Walking through a fairytale.”

She went on to explain: “A dreamy sunset-to-night wander in Annecy. We started golden hour along the lakefront, then grabbed gelato while crossing the many flower-covered bridges of the old town. The perfect summer night.”

Wrapping up, she posed the question to her audience: “Is this town on your bucket list?”

The clip proved a massive hit, racking up over 195,000 likes from impressed viewers.

One admirer enthused: “Great photo-tour. Makes me dream of visiting Annecy.”

Meanwhile, another shared their memories: “Annecy is so beautiful! Visited the town as a side trip from Geneva, Switzerland.”

A third commended Wendy’s talent for capturing the spirit of the location, remarking: “Love how you capture not just the place, but the feeling of being there.”

Annecy’s key sights and attractions

• Vieille Ville (Old Town): A pedestrianised maze of cobbled streets and pastel-coloured houses lined with flower boxes.
• Palais de l’Isle: This iconic 12th-century “ship-shaped” castle sits in the middle of the Thiou Canal. It has served as a lord’s residence, courthouse, and prison, and now houses a local history museum.
• Lake Annecy: Widely considered one of the purest urban lakes in Europe, it offers activities like boating, swimming, and paddleboarding.
• Pont des Amours (Lovers’ Bridge): A romantic iron bridge connecting the Jardins de l’Europe to the Pâquier esplanade, offering stunning views of the lake and mountains.
• Château d’Annecy: A restored medieval fortress overlooking the city that served as the home of the Counts of Geneva; it now features a museum of regional history and art.

Best way to travel to Annecy

Visitors can reach Annecy from London by plane (quickest and often most affordable), train (scenic and comfortable), or bus (cheapest but longest).

By air

The most convenient choice means flying from a London airport (Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, or City) to Geneva Airport (GVA). The flight time is around 1 hour 40 minutes.

Once in Geneva, travellers can take a bus service to Annecy, taking about 70 minutes. At present, no direct flights operate to the smaller Annecy Airport (NCY).

Train

One alternative is catching the Eurostar from London St Pancras International to Paris Gare du Nord, then changing to Paris Gare de Lyon and boarding a high-speed TGV train to Annecy. The journey typically takes between 7-10 hours.

Though slower than flying, it provides a beautiful trip through the French countryside.

Optimal time of year to visit Annecy

The ideal time to visit Annecy really depends on your personal preferences and the activities you’re keen to partake in.

Summer (July to August): This is when Lake Annecy truly comes alive, offering perfect conditions for swimming, boating, and cycling.

The city buzzes with various festivals, including the spectacular Fête du Lac fireworks display in August.

However, be ready for larger crowds and a spike in prices.

Spring (April to June) and Autumn (September to October): These are the seasons for those seeking a more peaceful experience, with mild weather and fewer tourists. Spring brings beautiful blossoms, while autumn showcases stunning fall foliage around the lake.

Winter (December to March): Annecy oozes charm during the winter months, with Christmas markets and a festive atmosphere. Its close proximity to several ski resorts makes it an ideal base for winter sports enthusiasts.

Jan. 5 (UPI) — A Paris court found 10 people guilty of cyberbullying France’s first lady Brigitte Macron, wife of President Emmanuel Macron.

They were accused of spreading false claims about her gender and making “malicious remarks” about the 24-year age gap between the Macrons.

The false claims are from a 2017 conspiracy theory that Brigitte Macron was a transgender woman. The allegation was amplified in the United States, pushed by right-wing media personality Candace Owens. The Macrons have also filed a lawsuit in the United States against Owens.

All but one of the defendants in France were given suspended sentences of up to eight months. The other person was jailed for not showing up to court. Some also had their social media accounts suspended.

The judge said the defendants acted with a clear desire to harm Brigitte Macron with comments that were degrading and insulting.

“The most important things are the prevention courses and the suspension of some of the accounts” of the perpetrators, Jean Ennochi, Brigitte Macron’s lawyer, said.

Two of the defendants had been found guilty of slander in 2024 for claiming that the first lady had never existed. Natacha Rey, a self-proclaimed journalist, and Amandine Roy, who claims to be a psychic, said Macron’s brother Jean-Michel Trogneux had changed gender and began using Brigitte Macron’s name.

Their convictions were overturned on appeal because claiming that she is transgender isn’t an “attack on her honor.”

The Macrons are appealing the ruling.

Brigitte Macron’s daughter Tiphaine Auzière, 41, told the court that the false claims had damaged her mother’s quality of life. She said Brigitte Macron worried every day about the clothes she wore and how she stood.

Auzière said the social media posts had caused a “deterioration of her health” and a “deterioration of her quality of life.”

“Not a day or week goes by when someone does not talk about this to her … What is very hard for her are the repercussions on her family … Her grandchildren hear what is being said: ‘Your grandmother is lying’ or ‘Your grandmother is your grandfather.’ This affects her a lot. She does not know how to stop it. … She’s not elected, she has not sought anything, and she is permanently subjected to these attacks. I — as a daughter, a woman and a mother — would not wish her life on anyone,” Auzière said.

Trogneux, 80, lives in Amiens, where he grew up with Brigitte Macron and their siblings.

STANDING on a small wooden platform way up in the treetops, I don’t want to make the leap.

My next foothold will be another ledge high in the branches, about 50 metres away.

To reach it, I need to hurl myself on a zip wire over a lake, praying that my harness will hold after all the croissants I’ve demolished since arriving in France.

I’m sorely tempted to back out, but my husband Chris is chasing my tail. If

I don’t jump soon, he’ll come flying into me feet-first.

Meanwhile, our four-year-old twins are safely on the ground, playing games and crafting in the kids’ club.

READ MORE ON FAMILY HOLIDAYS

PARK IN

English holiday village next to little-known theme park named one of the UK’s best

SPLASH OUT

World’s tallest waterslide is in winter sun city and park tickets are just £21

And to think we could have spent this precious, child-free morning sipping panache (French shandy) at our holiday parc’s lakeside brasserie . . .

But here we are, clipped on to the treetop adventure course at Eurocamp’s Domaine des Ormes, near Dol-de-Bretagne in Brittany.

The parc is within easy reach of ferry ports including Saint Malo and Roscoff, making it ideal for those not wanting to travel too far.

But there are far better reasons to stay here, including the pretty woodland setting, impressive range of activities and epic pool complex, complete with waterslides and lazy river.

For my family of four, this is our first Eurocamp experience.

I’d heard good things about the outdoor holiday specialist from friends raving about their bakeries and swimming pools. And it was time to see it for myself.

With two weeks to spare, we chose a two-point holiday, opting for a first week on France’s west coast before a second in Brittany.

Our adventure began on the overnight ferry to France. While the kids excitedly leapt between bunks in our cabin, I watched through the porthole as Plymouth slipped away beneath the sunset.

The next morning, we woke up in the French port of Roscoff, known for its pink onions and crepes, before clambering into our car and starting the six-and-a-half-hour drive south.

Our destination for the first week was Eurocamp’s La Pinede parc, near the seaside resort of Les Mathes in Charente-Maritime.

Sandwiched between the Atlantic and the Gironde estuary, the campsite has a laid-back vibe, with holiday homes scattered through the pine forest, as well as entertainment on tap for all ages.

Outdoor yoga

Pulling up outside our two-bed holiday home, complete with private decking, I quickly notice how relaxed our new neighbours seem.

Children cycle between pools to get their final swim before bedtime (which is much later than at home).

Parents sit on the terraces of their cabins playing cards and drinking red wine (which costs less than a tenner for a decent supermarket bottle).

Barbecues sizzle, swimwear is hung out to dry, more wine is poured.

Later, families stroll to the evening entertainment, which ranges from cabaret shows to “full-moon parties”.

We adjust very easily to the slowed-down pace at La Pinede, ditching our car and hiring bikes to get around.

Each morning, I cycle to the on-site shop to buy croissants and local melons for breakfast, loving the simplicity of it.

Our days are mainly spent together as a family, whooshing down slides in the aquapark, playing mini golf and eating on our deck (although there is also a restaurant for those times when we cannot be bothered to cook).

One afternoon, we took the kids on tagalong bikes, pedalling four miles to La Palmyre beach for ice creams and sandcastle-building.

But, for tired parents, the free children’s club for ages four to 17 offers some very welcome respite.

While the waves near La Coubre Lighthouse beckon for surf-mad Chris, I’m keen for something more zen, in the shape of outdoor yoga.

Chloe Mafana is a local yoga teacher who runs weekly classes at La Pinede (€10 per person).

And after an hour of mindful breathing and stretching, and a final relaxation to the sound of Chloe’s wind chimes, I feel blissed out.

Our second week has a different feel. Around 250 miles north of La Pinede, Domaine des Ormes is a bigger parc with even more activities, including wakeboarding, archery and horse riding.

Nearby attractions include the fortified abbey of Mont Saint-Michel.

While Chris and I were impressed by its 12th-century cobbled streets and bay views, the kids were wowed by the fact this tidal island inspired the kingdom in Disney movie Tangled.

Although Domaine des Ormes is a bigger site, the simple pleasures of our first week — evening barbecues, children playing outside and chilled-out parents sipping wine — were still there.

But back on that treetop ledge, way above ground, I felt far from chilled out.

With no option to turn back, though, I took a deep breath and leapt forward into the void.

The line caught me and I picked up speed, seeing the woods and lake rush by beneath me.

Then I started to get into it, jumping from successive platforms with increasing confidence.

After countless whoops, the final platform zoomed into view — and it was all over too soon.

Adrenaline rushed through me and my heart was pumping as I unclipped from the course.

My feet may have been back on the ground, but I was still on a high.

PARIS — Actor George Clooney and his wife Amal Clooney were granted French citizenship because “they contribute, through their distinguished actions, to France’s international influence and cultural outreach,” the French government said Wednesday, defending their naturalization that was questioned by a junior French minister.

The naturalizations of the Kentucky-born star of the “Ocean’s” series of heist movies, his wife and human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, and their twins Ella and Alexander were announced last weekend in the Journal Officiel, where French government decrees are published.

Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, a junior minister at the Interior Ministry, expressed misgivings Wednesday that some of the Clooneys’ new French compatriots may think that the star couple was granted special treatment. The actor speaks only what he himself says is “horrible, horrible” French.

“The message being sent is not good,” Vedrenne said in an interview with broadcaster France Info. “There is an issue of fairness that, in my eyes, is absolutely essential.”

The couple purchased an estate in France in 2021 and Clooney has said that it’s their primary residence. Non-French residents of France have multiple possible routes to becoming naturalized. It wasn’t clear whether the 64-year-old actor retained his American citizenship. His 47-year-old wife was born in Lebanon and raised in the U.K and naturalized by France under her maiden name, Amal Alamuddin. The 8-year-old twins were born in London.

The Foreign Ministry said the Clooneys were eligible for citizenship under a French law that allows for the naturalization of foreign nationals who contribute to France’s international influence and economic well-being.

It argued that France’s cinema industry will benefit from the actor’s clout as a global movie star and said that as a lawyer, Amal Clooney regularly works with academic institutions and international organizations in France.

“They maintain strong personal, professional and family ties with our country,” the ministry said.

“Like many French citizens, we are delighted to welcome Georges and Amal Clooney into the national community,” it concluded, giving the actor’s first name a French twist by adding the “s” at the end.

The decision was also defended by Vedrenne’s superior at the Interior Ministry, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, who said he signed the naturalization decree.

“It’s a big chance for our country,” he said.

In recent media interviews when he was promoting “Jay Kelly,” Clooney said that he is trying to teach himself French using a language-learning app. He said that his wife and children speak the language perfectly.

“They speak French in front of me so that they can say terrible things about me to my face and I don’t know,” he joked, speaking to French broadcaster Canal+.

French media have reported that the Clooneys live part-time in their luxury 18th-century villa outside the town of Brignoles in southern France, where they can keep a lower profile and their children are protected from unauthorized photographs by French privacy laws.

In an interview with Esquire in October, Clooney said: “I was worried about raising our kids in L.A., in the culture of Hollywood.”

“I don’t want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi. I don’t want them being compared to somebody else’s famous kids,” he said. Growing up away from the spotlight in France, “they have dinner with grown-ups and have to take their dishes in. They have a much better life.”

George Clooney, wife Amal Clooney and their 8-year-old twins are officially citizens of France, as of the day after Christmas.

The news was reported by multiple French outlets as well as the Guardian, all citing an announcement published in a French government journal.

The Clooneys bought property in France — a farm, he recently told Esquire — in August 2021, when their twins were 4. He said it was a “much better life” there for Ella and Alexander.

“Yeah, we’re very lucky. … A good portion of my life growing up was on a farm, and as a kid I hated the whole idea of it. But now, for them, it’s like — they’re not on their iPads, you know?” he said in the interview, published in the magazine’s October/November issue.

“I was worried about raising our kids in L. A., in the culture of Hollywood. I felt like they were never going to get a fair shake at life. France — they kind of don’t give a s— about fame. I don’t want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi. I don’t want them being compared to somebody else’s famous kids.”

George Clooney married Amal Alamuddin in September 2014 in Venice, Italy.

Domaine Le Canadel in France is, according to Hello, “an enchanting and sprawling 425-acre Provence wine estate” that cost the Clooneys a reported $8.3 million. It has a pool, tennis court, gardens, a lake, an olive grove and a 25-acre vineyard, the outlet said. But, you know, it’s just a farm.

Other celebrity couples have put down roots in the area, of course, with less than charmed results over time. Then again, those folks weren’t French citizens, for the most part.

Clooney’s remarks about the French attitude toward fame echoed previous comments made by Johnny Depp, who years ago found refuge in France for himself and his children, Jack and Lily-Rose, until he split in 2012 from longtime partner Vanessa Paradis, a French singer, model and actor.

The country “afforded [Depp] the possibility of living a normal life. Really a simple life,” the “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor told SFGate in 2001.

In 2010, Depp told People, “With Vanessa and the kids, we live in a sort of little village in the south and I have the impression of being in paradise … and you know what I do there? Absolutely nothing.”

Depp, who started dating his “The Rum Diary” co-star Amber Heard the year he broke up with Paradis, listed his Provence property for sale for almost $26 million in June 2015, then reportedly put it on the market again in the years that followed for more than twice the price. However, despite containing an entire village in its 37 acres, the property appears not to have sold.

Heard and Depp married in 2015 but divorced two years later amid allegations of abuse. Of course, dueling defamation lawsuits followed. It got ugly.

Meanwhile, Clooney’s buddy Brad Pitt and Pitt’s ex, Angelina Jolie, have been battling in court for years over the 2021 sale of her half of their Provence wine estate, Chateau Miraval, which actually produces wine. The former couple signed a long-term lease on the property in 2008 and later bought a controlling interest in the company that owned it.

Pitt and Jolie married at Chateau Miraval in 2014 after meeting in 2004 on the set of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” when he was still married to Jennifer Aniston. (They went official as a couple the following July after Aniston filed for divorce in March 2005.) Jolie and Pitt had kids and adopted kids together over the decade leading up to the wedding, but Jolie filed for divorce after only two years as husband and wife following a fight on a private plane. That also got ugly.

The story of the Pitt-Jolie court battle over the chateau and its winery is long and complicated, but it began with Pitt alleging that he and his ex had an agreement that if either wanted to sell their half of the place, the other would have to consent. Jolie, who sold her shares to Stoli’s wine division, Tenute del Mondo, said they had no such agreement in place.

Although the winery lawsuit remains active, Pitt and Jolie finally reached a divorce settlement in December 2024.

Residents of Saint-Tropez paid tribute to French film icon Brigitte Bardot on Monday outside her home, a day after the actress died at the age of 91. The actress-turned-far-right agitator will be buried in a seaside cemetery near the southern town, local officials said.

The French star reshaped post-war cinema before retreating from global fame into animal rights activism and, later, far-right politics.

Brigitte Bardot, the French actor and singer who became a global sensation before reinventing herself as an animal protection campaigner and outspoken supporter of the far right, has died aged 91.

The Brigitte Bardot Foundation announced her death on Sunday, saying “with immense sadness” that its founder and president had died.

In a statement sent to the AFP news agency, the foundation described Bardot as “a world-renowned actress and singer, who chose to abandon her prestigious career to dedicate her life and energy to animal welfare and her foundation”. It did not give details about when or where she died.

Bardot rose to international fame in 1956 with her role in And God Created Woman, a film that sought to project female sexuality on screen. She went on to appear in about 50 films, becoming one of the most recognisable faces of post-war French cinema.

In the early 1970s, Bardot quit acting at the height of her fame, turning her attention to animal protection. While her campaigning earned admiration from supporters, her public life grew increasingly controversial as she embraced far-right politics and made repeated racist and inflammatory remarks.

Her activism hardened into open support for France’s far-right National Front, now known as National Rally, and the party’s longtime leader Marine Le Pen. Over the years, French courts convicted Bardot multiple times for inciting racial hatred.

In 2022, a court fined her 40,000 euros ($47,000) after she described people from Reunion, a French overseas territory, as “degenerates” who had “kept their savage genes”. It marked the sixth time authorities had sanctioned her for racist and hate speech. Muslims and immigrants were among her frequent targets.

Born in Paris in 1934, Bardot grew up in a conservative Catholic household and trained as a ballet dancer at the Conservatoire de Paris. She began modelling as a teenager, appearing on the cover of Elle at 15, which led to early film roles and her marriage to director Roger Vadim.

Despite later being hailed by some as a trailblazer for women in cinema, Bardot dismissed complaints about sexual harassment in the film industry.

“Many actresses flirt with producers to get a role. Then when they tell the story afterwards, they say they have been harassed. … In actual fact, rather than benefit them, it only harms them,” she said.

“I thought it was nice to be told that I was beautiful or that I had a pretty little a**. This kind of compliment is nice.”

Algeria’s parliament unanimously passed a law declaring France’s colonisation a crime. Lawmakers celebrated in the chamber as they demanded an apology, reparations and assigned France legal responsibility for the harms caused during colonial rule.

Beyond armies and violence, France built its empire through language, schooling and cultural influence. This film explores how assimilation became a method of rule and a source of resistance.

At the heart of French colonial rule was the mission “civilisatrice”, a doctrine that claimed to lift up colonised societies through education, administration and the French language. In practice, this system sought to reshape colonised people’s identities, loyalties and cultures, replacing local traditions with French norms while maintaining strict political and economic control. Schools, legal systems and bureaucracies became tools of empire as powerful as armies.

Through case studies in Algeria, Indochina and West Africa, the documentary shows how colonial administrations operated on the ground. In Algeria, settler colonialism and mass repression led to war. In Indochina, education and bureaucracy coexisted with exploitation and nationalist resistance. In West Africa, language policy and indirect rule reshaped social hierarchies and governance.

This episode examines how resistance movements challenged the promise of civilisation, forcing France to confront the contradictions at the heart of its empire. Anticolonial struggles, intellectual movements and armed uprisings not only weakened imperial rule but reshaped French politics, culture and identity itself.

The documentary also places French colonial strategies in a broader modern context. In the contemporary world, the United States projects influence less through formal empire and more through soft power. Hollywood cinema, television and digital platforms circulate American values, lifestyles and narratives globally, shaping cultural imagination in ways that echo earlier imperial projects. At the same time, US dominance in higher education, academic publishing and institutional standards helps define what knowledge is valued, taught and legitimised worldwide.

It also draws direct connections between French colonialism and the modern world. Contemporary debates over language, immigration, secularism and inequality are deeply rooted in colonial systems designed to classify, discipline and extract. Many modern state institutions, education models and economic relationships reflect structures first imposed under empire.

By tracing how cultural control, education and administration functioned as instruments of power, the documentary reveals how the legacy of French colonialism continues to shape modern capitalism, global inequality and postcolonial relations today.

Algeria’s parliament has begun debating a draft law that would criminalise France’s colonial rule from 1830 to 1962. Al Jazeera’s Nada Qaddourah explains what we know about the bill.