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PODCAST

French connections

FRANCE 24 English

A quirky, insider"s guide to understanding France and the French, from the sublime to the ridiculous. Thursday at 1:45pm. And join us for French Connections Plus on the last Thursday of the month at 4:15pm.

news & politics

All Episodes

00:06:16

International relations: Why France matters on the...

French connections ·

2025/03/06

This week, we take a step back and look at France on the international stage. For a relatively small country, France wields a lot of diplomatic power and has so for centuries. French was once considered the language of diplomacy. But France has arguably been losing ground on the international stage in recent years. Its image has been degraded, for instance, in former colonies in Africa where it was once a key player and this impacts its credibility and influence. It begs the question: is France’s

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00:11:31

Paris neighbourhoods: Exploring the eclectic 2nd...

French connections ·

2025/02/27

In this French Connections Plus, Genie Godula and Florence Villeminot continue their tour of Paris with a stop in the 2nd arrondissement, a district that's always been somewhat sandwiched between the Louvre-focused 1st arrondissement and the Marais. Home to the city's garment district Sentier, show-stopping venues like the Grand Rex and the Opéra Comique, it was also here that you could historically find the most luxurious brothels in the French capital. Join us as we explore the smallest and most

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00:06:34

Born to revolt? A closer look at striking culture in...

French connections ·

2025/02/20

This week, we focus on a stereotype about France: that of it being a country on strike all the time. The joke goes that striking, "faire grêve", is a national sport. While it's certainly an important part of French history, are the French really world striking champions or is it just a cliché? And what do the French themselves think about this reputation? Find out in this episode of French Connections.

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00:05:57

The ninth art: Exploring France's love of 'la bande...

French connections ·

2025/02/06

French people love comic books, known as bandes dessinées. That means that the "BD" industry is booming. Graphic novels are such an important part of French culture that there are several festivals around the country, including the prestigious Angoulême International Comics Festival. In the past few years, the place of women in the comic book world has been in the spotlight. After being underrepresented in the industry for decades, change is now underway. Finally, we take a closer look at France's

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00:12:27

Paris neighbourhoods: Discovering the upscale 16th...

French connections ·

2025/01/23

In this edition of French Connections Plus, Genie Godula and Florence Villeminot continue their tour of Paris with a stop in one of the most upscale and least touristy districts of the French capital: the 16th arrondissement. Its wide avenues offer an elegant escape from the craziness of the city. The 16th also boasts incredible architecture, the most museums of any district in Paris and the massive Bois de Boulogne park that's home to the French Open. Join us on a tour of this refined

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00:06:46

Local lingo: Exploring French slang and 'verlan'

French connections ·

2025/01/16

French is a notoriously hard language to learn. On top of that, the textbook French you learn in a classroom and the everyday French you hear on the street are two very different things. If you want to fit in with the locals, watch this week's French Connections show, where Florence Villeminot fills you in on some slang – and the ubiquitous "verlan" – to spice up your vocabulary. You can say "cimer" later.

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00:07:21

Corsica: Understanding France's complex relationship...

French connections ·

2025/01/09

Located in the Mediterranean Sea, Corsica is known as the "island of beauty". It's had a tumultuous relationship with the mainland since it became French in the 18th century and separatist sentiment still runs deep. In recent years, there has been growing momentum towards more autonomy for the island, but what would that mean for Corsicans? We take a closer look in this edition of French Connections.

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00:06:51

Is it becoming impossible to drive in Paris?

French connections ·

2024/10/03

Buckle up! In this week's show, FRANCE 24's Florence Villeminot takes you on a spin to discover driving culture in Paris. The French capital is famous around the world for its beautiful sights and towering monuments, but it also has the reputation of being one of the worst places to drive. Parisian drivers are the first to admit it can be quite a harrowing experience. Over the years, the Paris authorities have taken steps to limit traffic in the capital and on its ring road known as "le périph"

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00:05:16

Are the French happy?

French connections ·

2024/09/12

In this week's show, we focus on a stereotype about the French, backed up by statistics: that they are the world champions of pessimism. That cliché seems to have been turned on its head by the 2024 Olympics, when the notoriously cynical French seemed to turn into a celebratory, fun-loving people. It begs the question: are the French suddenly happy? And if not, what are they so glum about and why?

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00:06:08

The ins and outs of 'La Poste': How France's postal...

French connections ·

2024/06/27

This week we take a deep dive into the national institution that is France's postal service. The French are very attached to "La Poste", though they love to complain about it too, and its evolution mirrors changes in society. Come rain or shine, postal workers in their trademark daffodil-yellow vehicles have delivered mail 24/7, making them some of France’s favourite people, just after their bakers. But like in other countries, with the development of other forms of communication such as email and

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00:06:35

FRANCE 24 and the public media landscape: Who we are...

French connections ·

2024/05/16

There is currently a debate in France about reforming the country's public TV and radio stations. We wanted to take this occasion to remind you about who we are and where we come from. Created in 2006, FRANCE 24 is part of a bigger entity called France Medias Monde, along with its international sister radio station RFI and the Arabic-language radio station MCD. Why was the channel launched in the first place? What is our budget? And who watches us? Florence Villeminot and Genie Godula take a look at

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00:07:15

Dispatch from the maternity front: What it's like to...

French connections ·

2024/04/18

Freshly back from maternity leave, FRANCE 24’s Florence Villeminot shares her insights about having a baby in France. While the number of births in the country is dropping, France remains one of the better performers within the European Union. One of the reasons is its healthcare system, "la Sécurité sociale", which covers the bulk of the cost of having a baby. A key player in the whole process is someone called a "sage-femme" – a little-known profession outside of France. We also look at attitudes

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00:06:58

'La France moche': It’s not all châteaux and vineyards!

French connections ·

2024/04/04

Have you heard of "La France moche", or ugly France? In this episode, we discuss how the expression is often used to describe shopping centres on the outskirts of French towns and cities. We also find out how the government wants to beautify these areas, which are particularly popular with French shoppers.

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00:06:56

Off the deep end: France's love of swimming pools

French connections ·

2024/03/28

With more than 3 million private swimming pools, France has more "piscines" than any other nation in Europe. We find out why the sector has been booming for years and how the government is using AI to crack down on illegal pools. We also look into the challenges, benefits and heritage of France's public swimming pools.

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00:07:04

All fun and games: France's love of 'les jeux'

French connections ·

2024/03/21

With "les Jeux", or the Olympic Games, just around the corner, we discuss France's love of all sorts of other games, from board games, to video games, to betting... to marbles! We also dive into how the quintessentially French game of pétanque came to be.

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00:06:35

French baked goods: Having your 'viennoiserie' and...

French connections ·

2024/03/14

Whether they're called a "chocolatine" or a "pain au chocolat", a "pain au raisin" or an "escargot", French pastries are meant to taste good! In this edition we explore some of the often confusing – and even potentially embarrassing – terms for French baked goods. We also discover how madeleines were not Marcel Proust's initial choice for his famed novel's voyage back in time.

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00:06:33

That's the ticket! From prices to protests, the...

French connections ·

2024/02/29

As Paris's Louvre raises its prices, and as prior reservations become increasingly common, we take a look at how to make the most of French museums. We also discuss whether they should be free or not, and we discover some quirky spots to visit too.

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00:06:59

Amour no more: Is France in the midst of a sex...

French connections ·

2024/02/15

In this edition we discuss the many reasons why, according to a recent poll, the French are having less sex. We also discuss the roles that abstinence, pornography, mobile phone use, the #MeToo movement, sex education and an increased openness about sex may have on French people's choices in the bedroom.

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00:06:35

Let's be 'franc': A look inside French wallets

French connections ·

2024/02/08

In this edition we take a look inside "le portefeuille", or wallet, of French people. From the national healthcare card, "la carte vitale", to ID cards, to France's coins and bank notes, we trace the history of these typically French possessions. We also find out about France's oldest institution: la Monnaie de Paris, where coins are still made.

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00:07:02

France's falling birth rate: To bébé or not to bébé?

French connections ·

2024/02/01

In 2023, only 678,000 babies were born in France. In this edition of French Connections, we delve into the complex web of reasons for this dip in France's birth rate. We discuss pushback against President Emmanuel Macron's plan to fix a "infertility scourge" and demographically "rearm" the nation with babies. We also find out how France remains a big baby maker compared to other large European countries, and how its bioethic laws could help.

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