Podcasts are all the rage, it seems. They’re popping up left, right and centre, on almost every topic imaginable. But we are only really interested in France podcasts, podcasts on French life, or French language podcasts. How about you?
You might be yearning for more of France in your life, or would like to enjoy a slice of French life more frequently than you usually can, or maybe you’re thinking about a future sabbatical? Perhaps you’re just looking to improve your French language skills or even start from scratch. Whichever bracket you’re closest too, we hope you’ll find something in our selection of best France podcasts to keep you listening.
Did you know? So popular have podcasts become that the Commission for the Enrichment of the French Language (CEFL) created a new French term for them in spring 2020: “audio à la demande” (AAD).
Travel France podcasts
Join us in France invites you to indulge in discovering France through a returning native’s eye. Get under the skin of the country – its must-see destinations, its culture and myriad nuances of French life that only a native can know.
There are multiple episodes each month ranging from cuisine and countryside to sites of interest and solo tours. You’ll also find some vital everyday, logistical knowledge for those settling in the country for a while.
The Earful Tower could fit the bill if you quite fancy a tour de force of Paris from a local’s perspective, . Blog, podcast and most recently a book – Paris on Air – are brought to you by Oliver Gee, an Australian in France.
In his France podcast episodes you’ll hear from tour guides, chefs, authors and ambassadors (political and not!). And the real gem of these is that you feel you’re learning along with Oliver as he delves a little deeper into his adopted country.
> Join us and travel France on a boating holiday
French food podcasts
Le Grand Miam de France Bleu Gironde is here to get you cooking with this France podcast. At least three times a week, sometimes more frequently, learn how to cook Gironde style with Isabelle Wagner and Chef Jesus. These convivial conversations see them chatting to guest chefs, local producers, breeders, bakers, butchers and market gardeners about provenance, ingredient combinations, cookery books, and recipes.
These relaxed chats bring regional specialities to life within a wider context of French cuisine and, because they’re in French, give you a chance to brush up on your foodie vocabulary.
52 Martinis takes a deep dive into cocktails, so if you’d like to combine your mixers with your earbuds, settle into this cocktail podcast in full and sip your way through one strand of what began as a blog all about the Paris cocktail bar scene. The blog, the English language radio show – Paris Cocktail Talk – and the podcast have all achieved high acclaim.
If you like to mix your drink before you sip it, come along for a listen, you might even stay for a second serve.
> Indulge in more French food content on our blog
Podcasts about life in France
Monsieur So British is here to quench your thirst for a good chuckle. Listen to comedian and B&B owner Ian Moore deliver his fortnightly France podcast based on his blog of the same title Monsieur So Britishbi. This is one (Anglo-French)man’s meander through everyday life.
No holds barred, you’ll hear a humorous inside look into real life experiences from hospital appointments to puppy training and everything in between!
The New Paris podcast (and book) unravel the City of Lights in a new decade. You may have come across Lindsey previously – we’ve long included her blog Lost in Cheeseland in our list of best France blogs so we’re delighted to discover this.
We momentarily debated the best subheading under which to place it, but the podcast is very much about life in Paris: practicalities, politics, gender and ethnicity, climate change, food and drink. Geography, attractions and amenities have their place but in a way that appeals as much to locals as to visitors. This France podcast and its variety of guests has proven to be a truly enlightening listen so far.
The Thing about France is the podcast that investigates the question: What’s the difference between France and America? Don’t answer that just yet… Episode after episode of this France podcast hears host Benedicte de Montlaur interview American experts on France.
Professionally, as Cultural Counsellor of the French Embassy, Montlaur spends her time encouraging French-American ties. And through this fortnightly podcast she leads a fascinating tour through the similarities, differences and learnings from this long distance cultural relationship.
Talking France delves deep into current affairs and the big issues making headline news. Compiled by The Local, one of the most popular English-language news sources, this France podcast dissects hot topics with the help of in-house reporters and veteran journalist, John Lichfield, one of the biggest experts on French politics. If you’d like to make sense of what’s going on, listen in to the weekly episodes.
> Enjoy a slice of our life in France through our cruising tales
Learn French podcasts
There are lots of ways to learn French online these days, but we’ve chosen these two France podcasts as our favourites for language learning.
Ask almost anyone who has learned French as a second language and they’ll undoubtedly agree that they’ve picked it up more easily or quicker when given context. For some that context is literal – being immersed in the country and the language. For others it’s simply about learning through conversation and everyday happenings.
Coffee Break French delivers on the latter beautifully. A mix of French dialogue or reportage heard then discussed and broken down in English to unravel the full meaning. If you decide to start at the beginning of Series 1, they began with the absolute basics and went on to cover all manner of grammar details. Purely practical and utterly helpful with the dulcet tones of a Scotsman and a Frenchman guiding you through.
French Voices puts your language skills to the test while learning about life in France. This France podcast has recently adjusted its format to record a short introduction to each episode, in English, separately from the full episode, which launches straight into a fluid (and fast) French conversation.
Probably best for more advanced French speakers or those with a very good ear!
Podcasts in French
Sur les epaules de Darwin is the last in our list of best France podcasts and is probably best for those with advanced French language skills. This is a weekly podcast that will indulge your love of the language while adding to your general knowledge. This regular science series might even persuade those with an interest in the subject to practice their French. Either way, this made-for-TV content has transferred beautifully to podcast format and enlightened an audience beyond France.
Has that left you longing to plan your next trip to France? Allow us, your barging vacation experts to assist your planning. Start browsing here or contact Ruth with your enquiry (international number provided).
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