Being on the frontline, France's medical staff are feeling the full physical and psychological impact of the crisis response to Covid-19. In a bid to help the helpers, most hospitals now offer much-needed support in various forms. But the crisis doesn’t end at the hospital gates, and frontliners are also witnessing the effects on their private lives. We see how this pandemic is affecting their children. Plus, amid the exceptional measures taken to deal with the sudden influx of patients, French authorities promptly called on medical and nursing students for backup. We speak to one of them.

Since a nationwide lockdown was imposed in France on March 16, the country's 12.4 million schoolchildren have been forced to rethink the way they study. Now, the announcement by President Emmanuel Macron that at least some should be able to return to class from May 11 has sparked fresh questions and concerns. Meanwhile, life is made all the more complicated for less fortunate pupils, who don’t have ready access to a computer or the internet. For more on how France’s education system is handling this crisis, we talk to Stéphane Crochet, secretary general of the UNSA teachers' union.

This week, we're shining the spotlight on the people who are keeping France running during the unprecedented lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Doctors and nurses are, of course, working around the clock to save lives. But there are many others who are doing essential, but less celebrated jobs: cleaners, cashiers, rubbish collectors and truckers. They are France's invisible but frontline workers; men and women working behind the scenes to keep the country going during these extraordinary times. We went to meet some of them.

This week we're turning our attention to the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown which has been in place in France since March 17. This has resulted in a totally new way of life for many of us, as well as a certain amount of frustration and worry. We see how people across France have adapted to this new reality.

While the current global trend is all about balancing professional performance and personal wellbeing, the average French office isn't a happy place. Stress, depression, burnout syndrome – far from the myth of a "superior" French work/life balance, the country has become a leader in work-related health issues.

In France, the municipal elections are held every six years. But the most closely-watched race is the vote to win the keys to Paris City Hall. There have been some surprises in the race so far, as the president's chosen candidate Benjamin Griveaux was forced to bow out after a sex video scandal. Leading in the polls is the incumbent mayor of Paris, the left-leaning Anne Hidalgo. But not far behind her in another well-known figure in French politics, the right-leaning Rachida Dati. We take a closer look at who else is in the running and what’s at stake.

This week, we’re focusing on France's justice system. We tell you more about a profession that's up in arms. The government's unpopular pension reform plan has led lawyers to go on a rare, nationwide strike. But the walk-out over pension reform is just the tip of a bigger iceberg. The government has been making its case for a major restructuring and streamlining of the French judiciary, much to the concern of all involved. Lawyers and magistrates alike warn against instating a discriminatory, two-tier justice system. We give you more insight on what's at stake with the planned revamp.

Here in France, the average life expectancy is going up, while the proportion of people aged over 65 is also rising steadily. While some older people can live independently for years, others with more complex needs often choose to live in a retirement home. We discuss the increasingly pressing question of housing and care options available to senior citizens with Serge Guérin, sociologist and retirement specialist. We also look at a groundbreaking initiative to bridge the gap between generations.

In 2016, the UK voted to leave the EU. Since then, Brexit has been a dominant news story across Europe, notably in neighbouring France. In this edition, we look at what Brexit means for British and French people living in each other's countries. We find out about the jobs being relocated to Paris and see to what extent the British and French economies are interdependent. As the UK enters a transition period, there's still a good deal of uncertainty about what final form the UK-EU relationship will take. We discuss this with the UK ambassador to France, Lord Llewellyn.

This week, we’re in the gourmet aisles of one of Paris’s best loved department stores to talk about the French art of pastry making! While the country faces some stiff competition in the wider culinary world, pastry remains a French preserve, and with good reason. With a combination of technical skill and creativity, the latest generations of young French pastry chefs have elevated dessert-making to a veritable art form. Add to that a pinch of TV bake-off shows and a sprinkling of social networking and what you're serving up is a French addiction. We take a closer look.