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So French!

70 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 9 ratings

The podcast from Paris about French current affairs, culture and politics. Hosted by Sara Bertilsson and Stefan de Vries

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Episodes

Het Leesvirus

April 18, 2020 20:14 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MB

Audition Template: 1 Mono Host track (with Speech Volume Leveler), 1 Mono Interview track (with Speech Volume Leveler), 1 Stereo Sound FX with effects, 1 Stereo Music Bed track. 44.1k, 16 bit, Stereo Master.

Paris, The City of Strikes

January 20, 2020 17:00 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MB

It's the seventh week of the National Strike. Will we see any major developments, or will the country stay chaotic over the next couple of days? What's at stake in the upcoming local Elections? Will the pension reform diminish Macron's chances? And who will become the next Mayor of Paris? A dustman in Paris was fired because someone tweeted that he was taking a nap. What's behind this story? Recorded in Paris, 19 January 2020.

How to survive the Strike of the Decade?

December 02, 2019 10:00 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MB

This week: Black Thursday is coming! On December 5, a national strike will paralyze the country. It could well last until the New Year. How to survive what could become the biggest strike in decades? Another black day for the French Army, when 13 soldiers died in a helicopter accident during an anti-jihadist operation in Mali. France’s military involvement in Africa is now in question. Turning Black Friday green? As the infamous November took its grip on France, the country’s politicians ar...

Why the French are terrible at languages (and what they can do about it)

November 16, 2019 14:00 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MB

Parlez-vous franglais? The French are not known for speaking English fluently. Or any other foreign language. Our guest, Giuseppe Fantigrossi of the start-up Play2Speak, will tell us why that is the case, and more importantly: how the French can finally improve their foreign language skills. This weekend, it has been one year already that the Yellow Vests started their protests. And they are continuing. There were violent clashes in Paris again this Saturday. It coincided with the day the fi...

While New York City is banning foie gras, the French are hooked on Halloween

November 03, 2019 12:00 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MB

Seine-Saint-Denis is France's poorest district. In 2024 it will be the main site of the Olympic Games. This week the government presented a plan to improve life for its 1.6 million inhabitants. What are the challenges? And is the plan sufficient? Bad news for New York Foodies: in 2023, all foie gras will be banned. We talk with New York Chef Hugue Dufour, who is not amused with the ban. On this side of the Ocean, Halloween is getting more and more popular every year. Ten years ago, the Fren...

Why headscarves to the French are like red rags to a bull

October 20, 2019 09:00 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MB

Once every while debate rages in France about Muslim veils. This week another high-point was reached: the topic was discussed in no less than 85 (!) TV programmes, with 286 talking heads, not one of them being a veil wearing muslim woman... In the country that has 'Liberty' and 'Equality' in its publicity slogan, many people would like to see restrictions on the way people dress. And by 'people', they often mean 'Muslim women'. Is banning the headscarf a legitimate way of defending France's...

French Media go bananas about Chirac's death

October 04, 2019 10:00 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MB

Hosts Sara and Stefan are baffled by this week's media frenzy following former President Jacques Chirac's death. Why did French media go bananas with their coverage? They also discuss the fire at the chemical plant in Rouen. The aftermath showed once again that French citizens have very little trust in government institutions. And to a certain extent, that distrust is justified by the way French authorities has been handling some severe health crises in the past.

Back to School!

September 21, 2019 15:13 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MB

The schools have started again, the Rentrée is almost forgotten, yet the debate on how to reform the old fashioned and underperforming French education system is still raging. The OECD published a report comparing school systems around the World, and the French are not the best pupils. We go into detail of these findings with our special guest Juliette Buisson, Middle School Teacher in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. And also: Patrick Balkany is without a doubt France’s most colourful white-collar...

Threats and trees: Brazil gets personal with Macron

September 07, 2019 07:30 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MB

The crazy hot Europan Summer is over and that means we're back with So French! It is our fifth Season already. And we are recording in a brand new studio not far from the Eiffel Tower. In this week's episode: France is getting serious about violence against women, while Brazil is insulting Macron. Also: the families of the victims of Air France flight 447 were shocked to learn that the investigating judges will drop their inquiry into the causes of the crash. And: victory for Maurice, the ro...

Bastille Day Edition - special Guest: Lindsey Tramuta

July 13, 2019 16:00 - 34 minutes - 27.4 MB

A special guest: Lindsey Tramuta, from Lost in Cheesland

Baguette, bistro or bouquinistes?

May 15, 2019 08:00 - 35 minutes - 48.9 MB

Three French 'B’s' are competing for a spot on the World Cultural Heritage List. Will it be​ the baguette, the bistro or Paris’s bouquinistes that gets the official heritage stamp from Unesco's much-coveted seal of approval? We’ll try to make up our mind of what we think is the most important French tradition to preserve! France’s top political power couple since almost four decades goes on trial! Politicians Isabelle and Patrick Balkany accused of hiding...13 million euros! from the French ...

After the fire, a flaming debate ignited on the future of the Notre-Dame

April 28, 2019 14:00 - 39 minutes - 37.6 MB

President Emmanuel Macron gave his first press conference since his election almost two years ago. We were there and give you a summary. The Notre-Dame trauma, turning into a Notre-Dame drama, with controversy regarding everything from the funds donated for its reconstruction, the state of the French heritage sites and WHAT the new Notre-Dame should look like French drug dealers taking on new methods to retain their clients, or how about a lottery for the most loyal clients - just like an...

So Fake! Macron fell on own sword while fighting Fake News. Special Guest: Jackson Webster.

April 07, 2019 09:00 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MB

This week: While trying to fight fake news, Emmanuel Macron fell on his own sword. Facebook and Twitter resued a European election campaign made by the French government because of breaking the new French Fake News law. Our guest Jackson Webster, a cybersecurity expert of Legalcluster in Paris, talks to us about the difficult relationship between social media and governments. Would you like to buy an appartment in Paris? Dream on! The average price of one square meter (just enough space for ...

Summer or winter time? Chocolatine or pain au chocolat?

March 08, 2019 14:07 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MB

This week we try to find an answer to essential life questions like should we keep Summer Time or Winter Time? And do we say 'pain au chocolat' or 'chocolatine'? We also discuss the start of the conviction of the Cardinal of Lyon in a child's abuse case and Emmanuel Macron's start of the campaign for the European Elections. Recorded in Paris, March 7, 2019.

S04E10 - Säcrebleu! Scandinavian Cooks beat French Chefs

February 06, 2019 11:34 - 28 minutes - 23.1 MB

This week we talk about the controversy regarding French police’s non-leathal flash-ball weapons, about food and about France's entry for this year's Eurovision Song Contest.

S04E09 - The Grand National Debate: brilliant or blabla?

January 13, 2019 15:09 - 32 minutes - 25.6 MB

To satisfy the yellow vests, Emmanuel Macron launched his Grand National Debate. But will it be enough to calm down the profound anger in French society? In the mean time, Renault's CEO Carlos Ghosn is still in a Japanese prison, are the French smoking less and less and was the country eating a lot of galette des rois... Recorded in Paris, 12 January 2019

S04E08 - Winter Writers: Agnès Poirier in Café de Flore

December 29, 2018 10:51 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MB

We are having a coffee with author Agnès Poirier in the fancy Café de Flore. She is a journalist and writer of “Left Bank”, a lively account of the intellectual and artistic life in post-war Paris.

S04E07 - Yellow Vests, Red Anger

December 23, 2018 14:04 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MB

Yellow vest protests have disrupted more or less everything in France's everyday life. What happens now? Will the anger be back after Christmas? And in the middle of this, the environment weems to be the collateral damage. Over a million French now want to sue the government to force them to take action to save our planet.

S04E05 - A Mysterious Birth Defect

November 06, 2018 20:00 - 27 minutes - 26.4 MB

The mystery of the babies born without arms. A new health scandal, and a possible cover-up by authorities? We’ll talk you through the story that’s grappling France. Emmanuel Macron took some rest, he was allegedly very tired. Yet, making fun of the President, is a lucrative business. Tens of thousands of euros to migrants and homeless people thanks to Macron’s best - or worst - quotes.

S04E04 - Macron’s Reshuffle and Mélenchon's Kerfuffle

October 19, 2018 14:53 - 28 minutes - 28.1 MB

At least ten people said 'non' to Macron, but after two weeks of looking for candidates, the French President finally managed to reshuffle his government. Police raided the offices of Les Insoumises, the left-wing party, and that didn’t go down very well with its leader Jean Luc Mélenchon... Will a new measure to improve air conditions in France’s major cities: will car tolls save it’ inhabitants from pollution? Football Star Kylian Mbappé went back to his hometown, the Paris suburb Bond...

S04E03 – Adieu Aznavour

October 05, 2018 20:10 - 28 minutes - 24.4 MB

This week two (former) interior ministers dominated the news. One of them resigning… twice! Triggering a new crisis in the already fragilized government The other one, taking off towards new horizons, in the south: Manuel Valls switched Paris for Barcelona Of course, we'll talk about the entertainer of the century, Charles Aznavour. The great singer passed away this week career that lasted over half a century in which he wrote and recorded more than 1,200 songs. And can you guess what is now ...

S04E02 – Millionaires and Murderers in Monaco

September 20, 2018 16:05 - 28 minutes - 24.3 MB

While his former close aid Alexandre Benalla was being heard by the Senate, the French president came under fire (once again) for “his contempt towards the working class and unemployed”. No worries, it’s just “straight talk”, say his defenders. We also discuss the thriller-like case of the killing of the richest woman in Monaco, Hélène Pastor. The trial started  in a French court this week. This time it was not the butler who did it… And we are having a glass of champagne. Or two. Recorded in...

S04E01 – Back To School

September 08, 2018 05:43 - 27 minutes - 23.6 MB

Your favourite podcast is back for a fourth season. We're back from the holidays and so is France. But getting up from the pool and back to school will come with some novelties for the country’s students. The typical French rentrée is not looking sunny for President Macron. He has had a rough summer and his approval ratings have hit a record low. We also discuss the hip hop brawl that took Booba and Kaaris, two of France’s most famous rappers, to court this week. And don't forget to listen to...

E57 – Summer Special 3: Pamela Druckerman (The New York Times)

August 24, 2018 08:18 - 30 minutes - 26 MB

  In our third and last Summer Special, we sit down with Pamela Druckerman. She is a Franco-American writer living in Paris and the author of the international bestseller French Children Don't Throw Food. In her latest book, There are no grown-ups, she investigates life in her forties, and wonders whether her mind will ever catch up with her face. Since the presenters this podcast are also parents in their forties, we ask Pamela some advice about growing up. We also discuss the delicate topic...

E56 – Summer Special 2: Sophie Pedder (The Economist)

July 28, 2018 08:18 - 30 minutes - 25.3 MB

For our Summer Series we sat down with Sophie Pedder, the Paris Bureau Chief of The Economist. Over the last couple of years, she interviewed Macron several times. Her new book is called Revolution Française: Emmanuel Macron and the Quest to Reinvent a Nation. We had a very interesting and entertaining conversation with Sophie on President Macron, but also about the challenges of living in France and about Brexit. Note: This Episode was recorded a couple of days before the story of #Benallaga...

E55 – Summer Special 1: Stephen Clarke – Vive la French Revolution!

July 13, 2018 15:02 - 30 minutes - 25.9 MB

It's Quatorze Juillet, France's national holiday! Reason for us to take the metro to Saint-Dénis, where all former French kings were buried. We are visiting this Paris suburb with our special guest, the excellent and funny writer Stephen Clarke, who knows a lot about the Revolution, about French history and about many other things. Recorded in Saint-Denis, July 13, 2018

E54 – Vatican Visit and Vegans Revolt

June 29, 2018 18:25 - 27 minutes - 22.9 MB

Emmanuel Macron went to the Vatican, while French butchers were under fire. They ask for police protection because they fear vegan attacks. French police uncovered another terrorist plot. But this time one of the suspects is a former… police officer And the immigration has been has been dominating European headlines and scaring European politicians for almost three weeks now. What's going on? Recorded in Paris, 29 June 2018 Photo by ja ma on Unsplash

E53 – The Italian Job

June 16, 2018 05:01 - 31 minutes - 26.8 MB

France and Italy have traded insults, and that's not the first time this year. We’ll also talk about how Autolib, Paris’ famous car sharing programme, could end up being an expensive affair for the tax payer, and maybe seen scrapped all together… Speaking of tax money: a lot of presidential candidates have been throwing money out the window during their campaign last year. And we’ll try to sort out the bizarre equation of how France’s most watched tv personalities is about to bring down the c...

E52 – Start-up Nation: Fact or Virtual Reality?

June 01, 2018 15:00 - 29 minutes - 24.8 MB

This week everybody around the world was talking about Spiderman, the new hero who saved a kid in Paris. And how are things going with Macron’s dream of France as a Start-up nation? We have a special guest, Abby Klein, host of the cool podcst Radical Departures. She will guide us through the world of French tech. Recorded in Paris, May 31, 2018  

E51 – Wax Disaster

May 19, 2018 07:27 - 34 minutes - 28.7 MB

In our regular cheese update, we talk about the great French Camembert war! No cheesefire in sight, as purists defend a smelly national treasure. Our guest Charles Wente (Senior Producer, France 24) will give us his insightful perspective on this week’s topics. And if you thought Emmanuel Macron was good looking, take a good look again. We’ll tell you why. Recorded in Paris, 18 May 2018

E50 – A delicious wife and a resentful ex-President

May 04, 2018 20:41 - 29 minutes - 28.9 MB

This is our 50th Episode, and we thank you for listening to us. This week: * With strikes, bad approval ratings and a trolling former President all at once, Macron has little reason to celebrat his first anniversary. * We also talk about the Cannes Filmfestival and about the stratgeic interests of New Caledonia.  * And you probably thought this was done years ago, but it was actually only this week the last French telegram was sent. STOP. Recorded in Paris, May the 4th (be with you)  

E49 – Macron's March For Europe

April 20, 2018 17:01 - 29 minutes - 25.5 MB

Is Macron the European Messias, or is nobody ready to give in to his whims? At home, the French President was not really bothered by all the strikes and protests. Is anyone actually working in France these days? We take a closer look at the very controversial reforms underway this spring With sunny days on the horizon, there is a new ice cream flavour – très french – if you dare… And Maud Descamps is here to explain to us a fresh french word of the week! Recorded in Paris, April 20, 2018

E48 – Macron's Anger Management

April 07, 2018 11:11 - 28 minutes - 24.1 MB

Everybody seemed a bit angry at Macron this week: the railway workers, the Italians and some MP’s who risk losing their job due to new reforms.  France is going to invest 1.5 billion euros in a technology that could eradicate mankind. And if you are afraid of asking a grumpy French waiter for a doggy bag: there’s hope for your leftovers. Recorded in Paris, April 7, 2018  

E47 – Fake Vintage Vats and an Infamous Inmate

March 25, 2018 13:27 - 32 minutes - 46.8 MB

This week, we let you know what ‘innovative’ striking is as the country’s public service workers are kicking off a long-lasting campaign to stop a government-planned major reform. And worse than fake news… fake wine! France this week learned about a major scam, a producer selling cheap wine as exclusive vintage. What if you can no longer trust what’s in your bottle? Also Nicolas Sarkozy is back, but probably not in a role he likes to be. Recorded in Paris, March 24, 2018

E46 – Power to the Women

March 13, 2018 15:58 - 30 minutes - 26.4 MB

We take a closer look at two of the biggest losers French politics – almost one year after the presidential election And is time finally up for one of France’s most infamous politicians and his wife? Known for their luxurious taste, preference for cash and unusual ability to get away with… almost anything! This week has seen the International Women’s day being marked around the world. This year with some more intensity and acknowledgment maybe, thanks to the #metoo movement. And of course, Ma...

E45 – I want to ride my bicycle!

February 23, 2018 16:36 - 28 minutes - 24.4 MB

Paris is suffocating again because of heavy air pollution, again. Yet it is pretty hard to change the mentality of the Parisians when it comes to mobility We’ll also talk about the first part of Jean-Marie Le Pen’s memoirs. Rock Star Johnny Halliday’s family is fighting over his 100 million euro estate. And Emmanuel Macron is playing a part in a musical play. With Maud Descamps & Stefan de Vries Recorded in Paris, February 23, 2018

E44 – Snow French!

February 09, 2018 15:00 - 30 minutes - 25.3 MB

It's snowing a lot in Paris, but we will take you to the sunny Island of Beauty, and that is Corisca, of course. Millennials, or the boring new generation. And we’ll dicuss food, and stars and unbearable pressure. Maud Descamps is with us for a brand new winter-related expression of the week. Recorded in Paris, 9 February 2018

E43 – Wet Feet

January 27, 2018 13:24 - 28 minutes - 23.9 MB

The Jupitarian president once again using the Sun King’s to help conqueur the world. Prison guards are angry, the World's best ice cream is French and Parisians are getting wet feet. Recorded in Paris, January 27, 2018

E42 – Chinese, Cheese and Refugees

January 12, 2018 13:44 - 31 minutes - 26.1 MB

President Emmanuel Macron went on a trip to China, and brought a curious present for his host Xi Jiping. More on the ongoing #metoo discussion, but this week the controversy was caused by women, who disagree with the movement against sexual harassment. We mentioned this article in The New Yorker: Why Did Catherine Deneuve and Other Prominent Frenchwomen Denounce #MeToo? Refugees were dominating the headlines in 2015, but they’re back again. At least on the French political agenda. We also tal...

E41 – Happy New Year!

December 30, 2017 11:09 - 33 minutes - 27.9 MB

The last episode of 2017 and the very first of the new year. We are looking back to last year and forward to 2018. We wish you all the best for 2018! Recorded in Paris, 30 december 2017

Episode 40 – Homeless left out in the cold

December 15, 2017 16:30 - 30 minutes - 25.3 MB

Selling fighter jets, saving the Earth, delivering two eulogies and being the king of Europe: this month, Macron's agenda is fuller than a stuffed Christmas turkey. Also, with independence à la mode in Europe, the French Corsicans are making their voices heard, voting for more autonomy. One homeless man got very lucky this week, but most of the 140.000 ‘SDF‘, the homeless people, in France will face a rough winter. The government wants to prohibit the use of mobile phones in classrooms, but w...

E39 – Are you joking?

December 01, 2017 15:19 - 29 minutes - 33.9 MB

Emmanuel Macron toured Africa, trying to change the decades-old touchy relationship with the former colonies on the vast continent and the old ‘motherland'. Paris is the world’s most visited city, and the number of apartments rented out through Airbnb has exploded in just a few years. Now the city wants to limit short stays French politicians are not known for their wit. However, this week one of time tried a stand-up routine, and another one even received a lifetime achievement award. Record...

Episode 38 – Where's Marine?

November 25, 2017 12:12 - 28 minutes - 40.8 MB

Where is Marine? And what's going on with the Front national? We also take a closer look at the leadership battle in the French conservative party. Who will lead the party – and will it be in opposition, or compliance with president Macron? And does Sara feel insulteed by Carla Bruni? Listen to a new epiosde of our podcast! Recorded in Paris, 17 November 2017

Episode 37 – A Presidential Poem

November 03, 2017 20:01 - 27 minutes - 23.6 MB

Many women and some men, around the world have added their voices to a wave of complaints about sexual harassment. In France, the Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan and the film director Roman Polanski were publicly confronted with their past. The government presented a 1 billion euro plan to reform the French University System. But why? And how? We’ll also take a closer look at the poetic qualities of the French President, And of course, Maud Descamps brings us a fresh french word of the day!   ...

Episode 36 – Rat on your pig

October 20, 2017 19:09 - 22 minutes - 19.5 MB

In this week's episode * We’ll take a closer look at how the Harvey Weinstein scandal and the #metoo hashtag has affected France * When the days are getting shorter, and the trees are losing their leaves, it’s not uncommon for Europeans to be a little bit sombre in this time of the year. The French seem to be the champions of depression. Two scholars claim to have found the culprit. * And what do you do when once upon a time you've been a well-known politician, but the media have forgotten y...

S03E02 – Jihad Granny goes to Jail

October 06, 2017 22:01 - 25 minutes - 22 MB

Will the French Catalans join their brothers across the border? Who is Jihad Granny? And we will teach you some French swear words with the help of the foul-mouthed French President. Epiosde 35 – Recorded in Paris, October 6, 2017

S03E01 (34) – Couscous, jihadi's and sexy accents

September 22, 2017 09:00 - 27 minutes - 23.4 MB

After a long and very French Summer Break, we are back with our third season of So French! We discuss the falling popularity of Emmanuel Macron. His will sign his new Labour Bill this week and unions are taking to the streets. Couscous, the popular Moroccan dish, caused a political row. Maud Descamps gives us the French Word of the Week and we talk to Wassim Nasr, a journalist at France 24 and a renowned specialist on jihadist movements. And you'll never guess what is the world's sexiest acce...

Episode 33 – The Sun King, Startups and Simone Veil

July 07, 2017 20:09 - 28 minutes - 24.2 MB

‘Le Startup’ is the magic word in France since Macron became a president. This week he opend the world's largest incubator, in the heart of Paris. Both President Macron and Prime Minister Philippe held long speeches this week to unveil their programme. One of France's most beloved women passed away, Simone Veil (89). Who was she and what is her legacy to the French society? And don't try to understand what Emmanuel Macron says, since his thoughts are “too complex” for mere mortals. Maud Desca...

Episode 32 – Macron keeps it cool during heatwave

June 23, 2017 16:54 - 26 minutes - 22.4 MB

As a heatwave hits the country, we dive into the muddy waters of European politics, and ask the question what Europe will look like under the new french president. Will Emmanuel Macron be a refreshing force, or will the warm relationship between Germany and France cool down once the UK leaves the union? Other topics: France is getting older and older, Paris wants to host the 2024 Summer Olympics, and Maud Descamps brings us a steaming hot So French word! Recorded in Paris, Friday 23 June 2017.

Episode 31 – State of Emergency: The New Normal

June 09, 2017 17:19 - 28 minutes - 23.8 MB

The French government would like to turn the exceptional measures of the state of emergency into regular law. We discuss the worrying implications of this bill with Marco Perolini, of Amnesty International. This weekend, it's election time again. This time, the French go to the polls to vote for their MP's. It looks like it's going to be a landslide victory for Wonder Boy Macron. And Maud Descamps introduces us to Roland Garros. Recorded in Paris, June 9, 2017

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