Goldfingers: A festival near Paris this weekend celebrates the music of Django Reinhardt, the dapper gypsy guitarist who became one of France's many adopted Belgian-born music icons.

Drugstore POW!-boy: The US garage-punk cult hero and his band The Pharmacists rocked the bejaysus out of the French capital last night (25 June). Next stops: Dublin, Galway and Belfast this week.

...they forget the tunes. One previously-impressive French R n' B diva, Amel Bent, has gone 'political' on her new single - with boring results. Instead, watch the video for her fantastic 2005 hit 'Ma Philosophie': the soundtrack to a REAL French revolution.

Vive la difference: meet the brilliant Quebec band who are getting some attention in Europe. But will their French-language eclecticism scare away the English-speakers... and the French?

He's only got one great song - but that's one more than a lot of acts. Check out the brilliant 'Cookiemachine' on his MySpace page.

A new album this summer from France's biggest international music star. Watch the video for new single 'Rainin' In Paradize'.

In France on Thursday everyone is gonna party like it's 21 June - the French national music festival. If you can't make it to Paris, don't worry - you can stay in Dublin and join the 'French Music Feast' at Crawdaddy.

Off (with) their heads: France's indie princesses have just released a debut record of exciting English-language punk-pop laced with Parisian attitude. It's been annoying all the old punks and overserious rock fans, which is great news altogether. Watch the video for 'Shake (Twist Around The Fire)'.

Happy Bloomsday from Paris - where Ulysses was first published, in 1922. Here's a musical tribute to the greatest novel of all time:

Two pacemakers beat as one: France's ageing rock superstar gets some help from Ireland's.

A double helping of DIY country-blues-pop from the London-based Cork boy

Why a nice, quiet, historic fortified city on the northern French coast gets invaded by Parisian indie kids for three weekdays every August. Includes Smashing Pumpkins, The National, Justice, LCD Soundsystem, CSS and more.

ANOTHER French electro/dance duo? Yes, but they're brilliant - dare we say, better than Daft Punk? They've just released their first album, and you can see them at Oxegen. Watch the clever video for their single 'D.A.N.C.E.'

Just like in her last movie, French actress Emmanuelle Seigner (wife of Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski) has joined a Paris band and become a rock star. Watch the video for their first single.

Leaving Cert students - it's not so bad! There's no summer football tournament this exam-time. The weather will still be wet. And to help you get through it all, here's a quick preview of this year's Honours French exam paper...

Eurorailing around the continent this summer? Why not swing by Belfort at the end of June for one of the biggest festivals around. Yes, Arcade Fire will be there.

Saving all my love for you: Watch Serge Gainsbourg's notorious 1986 chat show appearance alongside Whitney Houston. Contains strong language, thankfully.

Ireland's best (i.e. only) electropop band are playing in Paris tonight.

Back in the USSR: Arrogant, glamorous, catchy - that's how we like our music and our pop stars. Here's Pravda, a Paris/Bordeaux punk duo who are all of the above. Watch the video for their single 'Body Addict'.

From Paris in 1971 (but really from another planet), here's France's greatest ever pop star with a song from his best album. Listen for that unforgettable bass intro.

Live French action from the Dublin singer, who has just released a CD of her October 2006 Paris concert.

Making a racket: The former French Open tennis champion who's now a smash hit in the charts.

Wave of mutilation: A concert at Tripod in Dublin tomorrow night by the Parisians and their jazz-lounge covers of classic English-language punk and indie tunes.

Cannes you dig it: Watch the band play 'Vertigo' and 'Where The Streets Have No Name' outside the premiere of 'U2-3D'.

Lights, camera, achtung (baby): This year's Cannes film festival features a new concert film of U2 - in 3-D. Watch the trailer here.