Join Mark and Pierre-Benoît to find out more about the new series from Coffee Break French. In each episode of Il était une fois, Max and Pierre-Benoît will challenge each other to come up with an original story. The catch is that they must include 10 specific words, chosen by the challenger. Each episode is entirely in French, but to help you understand what's going on we've provided a full online course including lesson notes, transcript and a video version of the full episode. Find out...

It's time for the final chapter of La Vérité éclate toujours ! In this episode, we say farewell to our cast of characters, as they say farewell to one another too. Guillaume and Liliane return to Switzerland, while James, Claire, Yvette and Louise all find themselves together in Max's hospital room. They discuss the incredible adventures they've had over the past few weeks, but as Yvette is saying goodbye to Max, we realise that there may still be more adventures ahead of them... As always,...

In this dialogue chapter we finally get to hear the voice of a familiar character and, at long last, Yvette meets her father properly. We also witness Max and James’ reunion as they discuss the recent events. Throughout this dialogue chapter we hear many examples of informal, spoken French. Some interesting words and expressions to listen out for include: voir venir quelqu’un, épauler and c’est … tout craché. There's also an online course version of La Vérité éclate toujours which provides...

In this chapter we’re in the police station, as James, Claire and Yvette give their witness statements and go through all the evidence they have against Roger. We revisit some interesting words and expressions that we’ve seen in previous chapters such as: tenir la route, boucler and sévir. And, as always, we encounter some new interesting words and expressions like témoigner and être partant/e pour faire quelque chose. There's also an online course version of La Vérité éclate toujours which...

In this dialogue chapter, we hear the voices of James, Claire and Yvette. We join them on their way back from Louise’s and just when they start to relax, an unfamiliar four-by-four with tinted windows pulls up outside their hotel. Throughout this chapter we hear lots of informal, spoken language. Colloquial words and expressions we come across include: prendre un pot, taper dans l’œil quelqu’un and la trouille. There's also an online course version of La Vérité éclate toujours which provides...

In this chapter of La Vérité éclate toujours we discover the identity of the armed men and women who burst into the hospital. Finally, everyone is reunited and all that’s left to do is to go and see Max and tell him about everything that has happened. Some interesting constructions to look out for include: en déduire que and se devoir de. There's also an online course version of La Vérité éclate toujours which provides access to a range of additional materials including the text of each...

Following the turn of events in our previous chapter, we see the aftermath, as the police arrive and start taking statements from witnesses and from James. However, they soon discover that the drama isn’t over yet! Some interesting expressions to look out for: l’ironie du sort and la fin des haricots as well as a range of crime novel vocabulary. There's also an online course version of La Vérité éclate toujours which provides access to a range of additional materials including the text of...

Welcome back to our crime drama series for advanced learners of French! Put your listening comprehension skills to the test with this fast-moving, action-packed chapter in which we join Roger, James and Guillaume in the car that they are test driving. Some interesting expressions to listen out for along the way include: hors de ses gonds and perdre le nord. There's also an online course version of La Vérité éclate toujours which provides access to a range of additional materials including the...

It's time for Chapter 33 of La Vérité éclate toujours! In this instalment we hear the next stage of James and Guillaume's Plan B which doesn’t unfold as smoothly as they’d hoped. Listen out for some nice expressions at the very beginning of the chapter: la goutte d’eau qui fait déborder le vase and la coupe est pleine. There's also an online course version of La Vérité éclate toujours which provides access to a range of additional materials including the text of each chapter, annotated...

Welcome to the latest instalment of La Vérité éclate toujours ! In this dialogue chapter, we hear Roger's voice for the first time during a conversation with James and Guillaume. Listen carefully for the following colloquial expressions: en prendre plein les mirettes and travailler pour des clopinettes as well as some useful idiomatic expressions. There's also an online course version of La Vérité éclate toujours which provides access to a range of additional materials including the text of...

Welcome to the first chapter of the fourth and final part of La Vérité éclate toujours, our crime drama series for advanced French learners. In this episode, James and Guillaume attend their meeting with Roger Martin who is as unpleasant and rude as they expected, but James manages to stay in the character of David Munro and play along. Throughout the chapter, we come across many interesting expressions including cirer les pompes de quelqu’un and en connaître un rayon. We also see a range of...

In Chapter 30 of La Vérité éclate toujours, James draws up a “Plan B” and Guillaume, Claire and Yvette all listen carefully as he talks them through it. The next day, James and Guillaume set off for their meeting with Roger Martin and realise there’s no turning back now. Join Mark and Pierre-Benoît as they talk through lots of subjunctive triggers like pour que, afin que and il faut que, plus many more language points! There's also an online course version of La Vérité éclate toujours which...

In Chapter 29 of La Vérité éclate toujours, James and Guillaume return from their meeting at Martin Industries before receiving an invitation to meet Roger Martin himself. Join Mark and Pierre-Benoît in this dialogue chapter where we come across lots of colloquial words and expressions including griller quelqu’un and se gausser. There's also an online course version of La Vérité éclate toujours which provides access to a range of additional materials including the text of each chapter,...

In the latest instalment of La Vérité éclate toujours, our crime drama series for advanced French learners, James and Guillaume get back into the characters of Managing Director and Finance Director of Munro Mining, and attend a meeting with Martin Industries’ legal team. By the time they leave, they are one step closer to meeting Roger Martin himself. We hear the useful colloquial expression: se faire du mouron as well as the verb acquiescer. Join Coffee Break French hosts Mark and...

In Chapter 27 of La Vérité éclate toujours, James, Guillaume, Yvette and Claire discuss the next stage in their plan: the meeting with Martin Industries’ legal team. Listen our for examples of the subjunctive and many interesting phrases such as: ce n’est pas donné à tout le monde and en venir à faire quelque chose. There's also an online course version of La Vérité éclate toujours which provides access to a range of additional materials including the text of each chapter, annotated notes,...

It's time for Chapter 26 of La Vérité éclate toujours - our crime drama series for advanced learners of French! James puts himself back into the role of David Munro in a phone conversation with Céline Frappier, in order to move on to the next stage in their plan. In this dialogue chapter we hear lots of informal French and colloquial phrases such as: se ficher de quelqu’un and charrier quelqu’un. Join Coffee Break French hosts, Mark and Pierre-Benoît as they break down the language featured...

In the latest instalment of La Vérité éclate toujours, James and Guillaume arrive at the headquarters of Martin Industries and meet one of Roger’s colleagues to discuss plans for Martin Industries and James’s fake company, to work together. As James and Guillaume leave, even the calm and collected Guillaume is left feeling shaken by what happens on their way out. Join Mark and Pierre-Benoît in this episode and take note of the idiomatic expressions: tenter le diable and remonter la pente, as...

James, Claire, Yvette and Guillaume prepare for the next stage of their plan in Chapter 24 of La Vérité éclate toujours, our crime series for advanced learners of French. Coffee Break French hosts Mark and Pierre-Benoît break down the language featured in this latest instalment and discuss a range of new vocabulary and expressions such as la supercherie, viser juste and s’emmêler les pinceaux. This episode also features examples of the subjunctive including le temps que + present subjunctive...

James, Claire and Yvette discuss the details of their plan as they make their way back to Paris before taking the first step and finally getting in touch with Roger Martin. Some interesting expressions to listen out for in this chapter include: être à l’affût de quelque chose, mordre à l’hameçon and en guise de. There's also an online course version of La Vérité éclate toujours which provides access to a range of additional materials including the text of each chapter, annotated notes,...

It's time for the latest instalment of our crime drama series for advanced French learners! In this dialogue chapter we hear the voices of James, Claire and Yvette as they discuss their plan of action to get closer to Max’s attacker or attackers. Expect to hear lots of colloquial expressions and vocabulary, such as the phrase il n’y a pas photo and the word fignoler. There's also an online course version of La Vérité éclate toujours which provides access to a range of additional materials...

We have reached Part 3 of our drama, La Vérité éclate toujours, for advanced learners of French. In each episode of the story, published fortnightly, we'll be following a chapter of La Vérité éclate toujours, specially written to help you build your knowledge of French and extend your range of expression. In the episodes, teacher Mark and narrator Pierre-Benoît will discuss the story, helping you improve your listening skills. After their discovery during their visit to the university at...

It's time for Chapter 20 of La Vérité éclate toujours where we join James, Claire and Yvette as they drive to the university where Claire searches for information which she used for her research on la Namérie and its natural resources, while doing her doctorate. Their trip leads them to a valuable discovery which takes them one step closer to discovering the truth. As always, we meet many interesting expressions along the way including démarrer sur les chapeaux de roues, il n’en est rien...

In the latest episode of La Vérité éclate toujours, Yvette, James and Claire put their heads together as they try to make sense of their latest finding. As they attempt to piece elements of the story together, James wonders what the future has in store for them. Amongst the details revealed in this Chapter, we hear a variety of crime-related vocabulary such as: vendre au noir, clandestinement and corrompu.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the latest episode of La Vérité éclate toujours, Yvette, James and Claire put their heads together as they try to make sense of their latest finding. As they attempt to piece elements of the story together, James wonders what the future has in store for them. Amongst the details revealed in this Chapter, we hear a variety of crime-related vocabulary such as: vendre au noir, clandestinement and corrompu.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.