By now everyone in the District knows about the very popular events taking place at the House of Sweden, and many of the other embassies around the city. Though somewhat out of the way, and that may not be a bad thing for those hoping to avoid crowds, the French Embassy’s cultural wing, La Maison Française, also deserves prominent mention on this list. Ranging from film festivals to concerts, the venue hosts events to…

French musician Yann Tiersen is probably best known in the U.S. for his Amelie score, with its gentle, sad, and mostly acoustic songs on piano, guitar, and accordion. In his U.S. debut yesterday at La Maison Française, the French Embassy’s performance space, however, he was much more Yann the rocker rather than Yann the minimalist composer. People looking forward to “La Valse d’Amelie” were probably disappointed, as Tiersen and five band members played mostly very…