French connections

Apr 10 2025 24 ep. 8 mins 221

French connections Podcast artwork

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.

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Red bible: How the Michelin Guide rules the restaurant scene

Apr 10 2025 6 mins

Considered the standard bearer for haute cuisine, France's Michelin Red Guide is the oldest hotel and restaurant guide in Europe. Its annual release is like the Oscars of gastronomy, sparking a major media frenzy and fierce debates about which chefs have won and lost the coveted "stars". So how does the guide rate restaurants? And is it too competitive? We take a closer look in thi

Paris neighbourhoods: Exploring the trendy and iconic 4th arrondissement

Mar 27 2025 12 mins

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 beautiful and exciting arrondissements of the capital: the fourth. This district has so much packed into it! It’s where you'll find City Hall, Notre-Dame Cathedral and museums like the Centre Pompidou. The 4th is also home to Le Marais, a tr

Becoming French: What it takes to become a citizen in France

Mar 20 2025 6 mins

This week, we're focusing on citizenship. France is one of the more generous nations in Europe when it comes to granting citizenship to foreigners living there. But what does it take to become one? We break down the different paths to citizenship and the advantages that come once you've jumped through all the administrative hoops.

International relations: Why France matters on the world stage

Mar 06 2025 6 mins

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 Af

Paris neighbourhoods: Exploring the eclectic 2nd arrondissement

Feb 27 2025 11 mins

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

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

Feb 20 2025 6 mins

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

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

Feb 06 2025 5 mins

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. Afte

Paris neighbourhoods: Discovering the upscale 16th arrondissement

Jan 23 2025 12 mins

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 Par

Local lingo: Exploring French slang and 'verlan'

Jan 16 2025 6 mins

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 vocabular

Corsica: Understanding France's complex relationship with its 'island of beauty'

Jan 09 2025 7 mins

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