French connections

Jan 23 2025 24 ep. 8 mins 197
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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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

Unwrapping Christmas celebrations in France

Dec 19 2024 7 mins  
Join FRANCE 24 as we take a look at how we celebrate "Noël", or Christmas, in France. French people tend to have a big family lunch on Christmas Day, but the big event is in fact on Christmas Eve. Called the "réveillon de Noël", it involves eating traditional French dishes like oysters, foie gras, chestnut-stuffed turkey and a delicious log-shaped cake. Essentially, celebrating

Is France a civil servant’s paradise?

Dec 12 2024 6 mins  
France is famous, and at times infamous, for its bulky bureaucracy. Some go so far as to call it a civil servant’s paradise. French "fonctionnaires" are said to have a sweet deal compared to private sector workers. So just what are the perks? Meanwhile, critics claim the system is bulky and expensive. How much do France’s "fonctionnaires" cost the state? Is the “fonctionnaire

Paris's 'old lady': Fun facts about Notre-Dame Cathedral

Dec 05 2024 6 mins  
Notre-Dame Cathedral is reopening to the public after a devastating fire nearly destroyed it in 2019. Much more than a place of worship or a popular tourist destination, Notre-Dame reflects the heart and soul of the capital and in many ways its history mirrors that of the capital. In this show, Florence Villeminot brings you some fun facts about what Parisians lovingly call “la v

Paris neighbourhoods: Discovering the 13th arrondissement and Chinatown

Nov 28 2024 12 mins  
In this French Connections Plus, Genie Godula and Florence Villeminot continue their tour of Paris with a stop in the lesser-known 13th arrondissement. It lies in the southeastern corner of the city and was annexed into the French capital in 1860 by Napoleon III. Most Parisians today know the 13th for its enormous Chinatown or its famous animation school, Les Gobelins. But the area

Let's talk about sex: Undressing French bedroom habits

Nov 21 2024 6 mins  
The French have the reputation of being romantic. There’s even the cliché that they are sexually liberated and good lovers. But what are their sex lives really like? The answer is quite surprising. According to a new study by France's National Institute of Health, the French are having sex less frequently and starting later in life than in previous decades. But they are also rep

Paris neighbourhoods: Exploring Père-Lachaise cemetery and the 20th arrondissement

Oct 24 2024 12 mins  
In this edition of French Connections Plus, Genie Godula and Florence Villeminot continue their tour of Paris with a stop in the eastern 20th arrondissement. They take us to the birthplace of French singing icon Edith Piaf and visit one of the most famous cemeteries in the world, Père-Lachaise – the final resting place of Molière, Chopin, Sarah Bernhardt, Jim Morrison and so ma

Hunting: France's divisive, third-favourite pastime

Oct 17 2024 6 mins  
After football and fishing, France's third-favourite pastime is hunting. The ancestral activity is divisive today, with passions running high between those who defend hunting traditions and a growing number of animal rights activists. Though the hunting lobby is strong, a majority of French people have an unfavourable view of hunting. Many are concerned about safety. The government