The globetrotting world music maverick will be in the tent in the park on Sunday 4 November.

The legendary '80s French pop pair are visiting Dublin: 17 October at Whelan's. The venue will probably be too small for all the French and Francophiles in Ireland, but when did that ever stop gigs in Eire? Watch the colourful duo's video for 'Andy'.

More Take Away Show goodness, this time featuring the splendid indie-folk-pop of Beirut. Watch the band perform two tracks from their new album, live on the streets of Paris.

The worst of times: Honorary Parisian Neil Hannon ventures bravely to Marseille for this weekend's Marsatac festival. Meanwhile, back in Paris, the Irish are under the repressive gloating of French rugby fans. Time to stand up and fight, then: here's the video for 'The Frog Princess'.

Song-set boulevard: French music blog La Blogotheque features the Take Away Shows, where the hippest alternative acts play in unusual Paris locations. For instance, watch Arcade Fire playing in a freight elevator.

This year's best French dance duo will be in the famous tent in the Phoenix Park on 1 December.

Turn on, tune in, 22 drop-out: Dublin's regular French club night this Friday coincides with the France-Ireland match in the Rugby World Cup. By 10pm on Friday, Thomas House will probably be the only singing pub in Ireland.

Every morning, Dubliners can tune into a community station, NEAR FM, to listen to the news in French. Croissants are optional. Meanwhile, on Thursday evenings you can hear the best new local indie acts on The NEAR FM Sessions.

Sells like teen spirit: The awful ironic cover version topping the French charts at the moment reminds us of the original song, 'Moi Lolita' by Alizée - a glittering jewel of sophisticated disco-pop. Even seedy lyrics and a pretentious video can't ruin it.

Going underground: The Paris metro has a vibrant community of buskers and musicians.

The King and I: A classic French indie album from a band currently making a record with a certain iconic French footballer...

Tonight (Thursday 13 September) at 7:00, RTE 1's 'Capital D' features the French people who've made Dublin their home.

The next release by France's biggest rock band may be of its lead singer, currently serving an eight-year jail sentence for killing his film-star girlfriend in 2003. The case still generates strong emotions in France.

Well how do you do, young Rory Gallagher: Why a French town named a street after Ireland’s guitar hero. Plus, directions on how to get there more easily than we did.

Quoi de neuf? France bursts back into life after a month of holidays - in music, that means new releases by Vanessa Paradis, Manu Chao, Deportivo and Rhesus.

Oh, the humanity: The curtain-closer of the Paris summer season, on the weekend of 14-16 September, is a music and arts festival organised by France’s left-wing community and headlined by Razorlight and Iggy and the Stooges. No news of any surprise comeback appearance by The Communards, though. Watch a video from French headliner Olivia Ruiz.

Rai of the rovers: The Algerian trad-punk star appearing at the Festival of World Cultures in Dún Laoghaire, and the famous 1981 Paris encounter when he and The Clash inspired each other. Watch the legacy of that meeting – Rachid Taha and Mick Jones performing ‘Rock The Casbah’.

I’m like a bird: Tonight in Belfast, Ireland’s best pop songwriter performs with France’s - it’s an excellent opportunity for Irish music lovers to discover the wonderful Emily Loizeau, Anglo-French piano-playing cabaret-pop chanteuse.

In Dublin and other Irish towns you can find a vibrant French community alongside our other new neighbours. Meanwhile, your blogger’s home town starts its annual festival today – without live bands, but with le French touch.

Down on the French Riviera this summer, big name Paris DJs like Laurent Garnier, David Guetta, Martin Solveig and Bob Sinclar are entertaining the wealthy clubbers.

Go continental this Saturday with Dublin's free music and street performance festival, featuring Fight Like Apes, Hybrasil and Lauren Guillery.

The impressive new film by the original of the French-electronica-duo species - no dialogue or Daft Punk music, but still 75 minutes of stunning visuals and a coherent, emotionally-involving storyline. Go see.

No summer vacation for Dublin's regular French club night, back for the third Friday of the month as usual.

Lovely Rita: In the 1980s, Les Rita Mitsouko made music the way that Jean Paul Gaultier makes clothes – flamboyantly kitsch and playfully eclectic. They also had a famous TV run-in with Serge Gainsbourg – and they’re still starring on the French summer festival circuit. Watch their biggest hit, ‘Marcia Baila’.

Rock the boat: the French capital's most distinctive and unusual gigspots are converted barges bobbing up and down on the Seine. Could this be a solution to Dublin's current venue shortage?