diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 13d6fd4..6e6a46f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ V 1.5.0 UNRELEASED
 	Add per serie configuration
 	Add half pie (thanks philt2001)
 	Add render_table (WIP)
+	Make lxml an optionnal dependency
 
 V 1.4.6
 	Add support for \n separated multiline titles (thanks sirlark)
diff --git a/perf.py b/perf.py
index bce22d6..9dbf163 100644
--- a/perf.py
+++ b/perf.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 # along with pygal. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 
-from pygal import CHARTS_NAMES, CHARTS_BY_NAME
+from pygal import CHARTS, CHARTS_BY_NAME
 from pygal.test import adapt
 from random import sample
 
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ if '--mem' in sys.argv:
 
     sys.exit(0)
 
-charts = CHARTS_NAMES if '--all' in sys.argv else 'Line',
+charts = CHARTS if '--all' in sys.argv else 'Line',
 
 for chart in charts:
     prt('%s\n' % chart)
diff --git a/pygal/_compat.py b/pygal/_compat.py
index 37c4720..f251f43 100644
--- a/pygal/_compat.py
+++ b/pygal/_compat.py
@@ -16,9 +16,20 @@
 #
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
 # along with pygal. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+import os
 import sys
 from collections import Iterable
 
+try:
+    if os.getenv('NO_LXML', None):
+        raise ImportError('Explicit lxml bypass')
+    from lxml import etree
+    etree.lxml = True
+except ImportError:
+    from xml.etree import ElementTree as etree
+    etree.lxml = False
+
+
 if sys.version_info[0] == 3:
     base = (str, bytes)
     coerce = str
@@ -41,6 +52,12 @@ def to_str(string):
     return string
 
 
+def to_unicode(string):
+    if not isinstance(string, coerce):
+        return string.decode('utf-8')
+    return string
+
+
 def u(s):
     if sys.version_info[0] == 2:
         return s.decode('utf-8')
diff --git a/pygal/ghost.py b/pygal/ghost.py
index 0a6b0b2..4350748 100644
--- a/pygal/ghost.py
+++ b/pygal/ghost.py
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ class Ghost(object):
     def render_pyquery(self):
         """Render the graph, and return a pyquery wrapped tree"""
         from pyquery import PyQuery as pq
-        return pq(self.render_tree())
+        return pq(self.render(), parser='html')
 
     def render_in_browser(self):
         """Render the graph, open it in your browser with black magic"""
diff --git a/pygal/graph/base.py b/pygal/graph/base.py
index b8fedb8..a2a0020 100644
--- a/pygal/graph/base.py
+++ b/pygal/graph/base.py
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ class BaseGraph(object):
             is_unicode=is_unicode, pretty_print=self.pretty_print)
 
     def render_tree(self):
-        """Render the graph, and return lxml tree"""
+        """Render the graph, and return (l)xml etree"""
         svg = self.svg.root
         for f in self.xml_filters:
             svg = f(svg)
diff --git a/pygal/graph/frenchmap.py b/pygal/graph/frenchmap.py
index 951c86d..91fd1d4 100644
--- a/pygal/graph/frenchmap.py
+++ b/pygal/graph/frenchmap.py
@@ -26,9 +26,8 @@ from collections import defaultdict
 from pygal.ghost import ChartCollection
 from pygal.util import cut, cached_property, decorate
 from pygal.graph.graph import Graph
-from pygal._compat import u
+from pygal._compat import u, etree
 from numbers import Number
-from lxml import etree
 import os
 
 
@@ -190,6 +189,7 @@ class FrenchMapDepartments(Graph):
     x_labels = list(DEPARTMENTS.keys())
     area_names = DEPARTMENTS
     area_prefix = 'z'
+    kind = 'departement'
     svg_map = DPT_MAP
 
 
@@ -222,9 +222,10 @@ class FrenchMapDepartments(Graph):
                     ratio = 1
                 else:
                     ratio = .3 + .7 * (value - min_) / (max_ - min_)
-                areae = map.xpath(
-                    "//*[contains(concat(' ', normalize-space(@class), ' '),"
-                    " ' %s%s ')]" % (self.area_prefix, area_code))
+                areae = map.findall(
+                    ".//*[@class='%s%s %s map-element']" % (
+                        self.area_prefix, area_code,
+                        self.kind))
 
                 if not areae:
                     continue
@@ -236,14 +237,16 @@ class FrenchMapDepartments(Graph):
 
                     metadata = serie.metadata.get(j)
                     if metadata:
-                        parent = area.getparent()
                         node = decorate(self.svg, area, metadata)
                         if node != area:
                             area.remove(node)
-                            index = parent.index(area)
-                            parent.remove(area)
-                            node.append(area)
-                            parent.insert(index, node)
+                            for g in map:
+                                if area not in g:
+                                    continue
+                                index = list(g).index(area)
+                                g.remove(area)
+                                node.append(area)
+                                g.insert(index, node)
 
                     last_node = len(area) > 0 and area[-1]
                     if last_node is not None and last_node.tag == 'title':
@@ -265,6 +268,7 @@ class FrenchMapRegions(FrenchMapDepartments):
     area_names = REGIONS
     area_prefix = 'a'
     svg_map = REG_MAP
+    kind = 'region'
 
 
 class FrenchMap(ChartCollection):
diff --git a/pygal/graph/supranationalworldmap.py b/pygal/graph/supranationalworldmap.py
index 4cc9a16..a21be10 100644
--- a/pygal/graph/supranationalworldmap.py
+++ b/pygal/graph/supranationalworldmap.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ from __future__ import division
 from pygal.graph.worldmap import Worldmap
 from pygal.i18n import SUPRANATIONAL
 from pygal.util import cut, decorate
-from lxml import etree
+from pygal._compat import etree
 import os
 
 with open(os.path.join(
@@ -68,14 +68,13 @@ class SupranationalWorldmap(Worldmap):
 
                 metadata = serie.metadata.get(j)
                 if metadata:
-                    parent = country.getparent()
                     node = decorate(self.svg, country, metadata)
                     if node != country:
                         country.remove(node)
-                        index = parent.index(country)
-                        parent.remove(country)
+                        index = list(map).index(country)
+                        map.remove(country)
                         node.append(country)
-                        parent.insert(index, node)
+                        map.insert(index, node)
 
                 last_node = len(country) > 0 and country[-1]
                 if last_node is not None and last_node.tag == 'title':
diff --git a/pygal/graph/worldmap.py b/pygal/graph/worldmap.py
index 8e144d6..cd9fd73 100644
--- a/pygal/graph/worldmap.py
+++ b/pygal/graph/worldmap.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ from __future__ import division
 from pygal.util import cut, cached_property, decorate
 from pygal.graph.graph import Graph
 from pygal.i18n import COUNTRIES
-from lxml import etree
+from pygal._compat import etree
 import os
 
 with open(os.path.join(
@@ -86,14 +86,13 @@ class Worldmap(Graph):
 
                 metadata = serie.metadata.get(j)
                 if metadata:
-                    parent = country.getparent()
                     node = decorate(self.svg, country, metadata)
                     if node != country:
                         country.remove(node)
-                        index = parent.index(country)
-                        parent.remove(country)
+                        index = list(map).index(country)
+                        map.remove(country)
                         node.append(country)
-                        parent.insert(index, node)
+                        map.insert(index, node)
 
                 last_node = len(country) > 0 and country[-1]
                 if last_node is not None and last_node.tag == 'title':
diff --git a/pygal/svg.py b/pygal/svg.py
index f09bbff..7c5f938 100644
--- a/pygal/svg.py
+++ b/pygal/svg.py
@@ -22,13 +22,12 @@ Svg helper
 """
 
 from __future__ import division
-from pygal._compat import to_str, u
+from pygal._compat import to_str, u, etree
 import io
 import os
 import json
 from datetime import date, datetime
 from numbers import Number
-from lxml import etree
 from math import cos, sin, pi
 from pygal.util import template, coord_format, minify_css
 from pygal import __version__
@@ -37,6 +36,7 @@ from pygal import __version__
 class Svg(object):
     """Svg object"""
     ns = 'http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'
+    xlink_ns = 'http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink'
 
     def __init__(self, graph):
         self.graph = graph
@@ -45,19 +45,30 @@ class Svg(object):
         else:
             self.id = ''
         self.processing_instructions = [
-            etree.PI(u('xml'), u("version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'"))]
-        self.root = etree.Element(
-            "{%s}svg" % self.ns,
-            nsmap={
-                None: self.ns,
-                'xlink': 'http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink',
-            })
+            etree.ProcessingInstruction(
+                u('xml'), u("version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'"))]
+        if etree.lxml:
+            attrs = {
+                'nsmap': {
+                    None: self.ns,
+                    'xlink': self.xlink_ns
+                }
+            }
+        else:
+            attrs = {
+                'xmlns': self.ns
+            }
+            etree.register_namespace('xlink', self.xlink_ns)
+
+        self.root = etree.Element('svg', **attrs)
         self.root.attrib['id'] = self.id.lstrip('#').rstrip()
         self.root.attrib['class'] = 'pygal-chart'
         self.root.append(
             etree.Comment(u(
-                'Generated with pygal %s ©Kozea 2011-2014 on %s' % (
-                    __version__, date.today().isoformat()))))
+                'Generated with pygal %s (%s) ©Kozea 2011-2014 on %s' % (
+                    __version__,
+                    'lxml' if etree.lxml else 'etree',
+                    date.today().isoformat()))))
         self.root.append(etree.Comment(u('http://pygal.org')))
         self.root.append(etree.Comment(u('http://github.com/Kozea/pygal')))
         self.defs = self.node(tag='defs')
@@ -227,14 +238,17 @@ class Svg(object):
         """Last thing to do before rendering"""
         for f in self.graph.xml_filters:
             self.root = f(self.root)
+        args = {
+            'encoding': 'utf-8'
+        }
+        if etree.lxml:
+            args['pretty_print'] = pretty_print
         svg = etree.tostring(
-            self.root, pretty_print=pretty_print,
-            xml_declaration=False,
-            encoding='utf-8')
+            self.root, **args)
         if not self.graph.disable_xml_declaration:
             svg = b'\n'.join(
                 [etree.tostring(
-                    pi, encoding='utf-8', pretty_print=pretty_print)
+                    pi, **args)
                  for pi in self.processing_instructions]
             ) + b'\n' + svg
         if self.graph.disable_xml_declaration or is_unicode:
diff --git a/pygal/test/__init__.py b/pygal/test/__init__.py
index da94e4a..d3471ae 100644
--- a/pygal/test/__init__.py
+++ b/pygal/test/__init__.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ from pygal.util import cut
 from datetime import datetime
 from pygal.i18n import COUNTRIES
 from pygal.graph.frenchmap import DEPARTMENTS, REGIONS
+from pygal._compat import etree
 
 
 def get_data(i):
diff --git a/pygal/test/test_xml_filters.py b/pygal/test/test_xml_filters.py
index fe1207a..179749a 100644
--- a/pygal/test/test_xml_filters.py
+++ b/pygal/test/test_xml_filters.py
@@ -18,19 +18,22 @@
 # along with pygal. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 from pygal import Bar
 
+
 class ChangeBarsXMLFilter(object):
     def __init__(self, a, b):
         self.data = [b[i] - a[i] for i in range(len(a))]
 
     def __call__(self, T):
-        subplot = Bar(legend_at_bottom=True, explicit_size=True, width=800, height=150)
+        subplot = Bar(legend_at_bottom=True, explicit_size=True,
+                      width=800, height=150)
         subplot.add("Difference", self.data)
         subplot = subplot.render_tree()
-        subplot = subplot.xpath("g")[0]
+        subplot = subplot.findall("g")[0]
         T.insert(2, subplot)
-        T.xpath("g")[1].set('transform', 'translate(0,150), scale(1,0.75)')
+        T.findall("g")[1].set('transform', 'translate(0,150), scale(1,0.75)')
         return T
 
+
 def test_xml_filters_round_trip():
     plot = Bar()
     plot.add("A", [60, 75, 80, 78, 83, 90])
@@ -40,13 +43,16 @@ def test_xml_filters_round_trip():
     after = plot.render()
     assert before == after
 
+
 def test_xml_filters_change_bars():
-    plot = Bar(legend_at_bottom=True, explicit_size=True, width=800, height=600)
+    plot = Bar(legend_at_bottom=True, explicit_size=True,
+               width=800, height=600)
     A = [60, 75, 80, 78, 83, 90]
     B = [92, 87, 81, 73, 68, 55]
     plot.add("A", A)
     plot.add("B", B)
-    plot.add_xml_filter(ChangeBarsXMLFilter(A,B))
+    plot.add_xml_filter(ChangeBarsXMLFilter(A, B))
     q = plot.render_tree()
-    assert len(q.xpath("g")) == 2
-    assert q.xpath("g")[1].attrib["transform"] == "translate(0,150), scale(1,0.75)"
+    assert len(q.findall("g")) == 2
+    assert q.findall("g")[1].attrib[
+        "transform"] == "translate(0,150), scale(1,0.75)"
diff --git a/pygal/util.py b/pygal/util.py
index 4607cde..9159386 100644
--- a/pygal/util.py
+++ b/pygal/util.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ Various utils
 
 """
 from __future__ import division
-from pygal._compat import to_str, u, is_list_like
+from pygal._compat import u, is_list_like, to_unicode
 import re
 from decimal import Decimal
 from math import floor, pi, log, log10, ceil
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ def decorate(svg, node, metadata):
         if key == 'xlink' and isinstance(value, dict):
             value = value.get('href', value)
         if value:
-            svg.node(node, 'desc', class_=key).text = to_str(value)
+            svg.node(node, 'desc', class_=key).text = to_unicode(value)
     return node
 
 
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ def prepare_values(raw, config, cls):
     from pygal.graph.worldmap import Worldmap
     from pygal.graph.frenchmap import FrenchMapDepartments
     if config.x_labels is None and hasattr(cls, 'x_labels'):
-        config.x_labels = cls.x_labels
+        config.x_labels = list(map(to_unicode, cls.x_labels))
     if config.zero == 0 and issubclass(cls, (Worldmap, FrenchMapDepartments)):
         config.zero = 1
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 83ffa2d..a46df48 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class PyTest(TestCommand):
         self.test_suite = True
 
     def run_tests(self):
-        #import here, cause outside the eggs aren't loaded
+        # import here, cause outside the eggs aren't loaded
         import pytest
         errno = pytest.main(self.test_args)
         sys.exit(errno)
@@ -65,7 +65,11 @@ setup(
     tests_require=["pytest", "pyquery", "flask", "cairosvg"],
     cmdclass={'test': PyTest},
     package_data={'pygal': ['css/*', 'graph/*.svg']},
-    install_requires=['lxml'],
+    extra_requires={
+        'lxml': ['lxml'],
+        'png': ['cairosvg']
+
+    },
     classifiers=[
         "Development Status :: 4 - Beta",
         "Environment :: Console",