The Talking France podcast returns this week with a look at the major controversy that kicked off at the Cannes Film Festival, a few things you need to know about renovating a French home, and why Britons have been refused entry into the country in recent months.
Host Ben McPartland is joined by The Local France’s Emma Pearson, Emma Albright, political expert John Lichfield and special guest Rosie Ellis for a look at all the latest news and talking points from France.
We begin with the major controversy surrounding the Cannes Film Festival. French right-wing billionaire Vincent Bolloré, owner of Canal+, said he would no longer work with around 600 actors, directors, and technicians who had signed a petition against him.
We discuss the reasons for the petition – but also why Bolloré is such a divisive figure in France and whether the petitioners are right to be concerned.
You can find the Talking France podcast on Spotify, Apple or the French platform Deezer or on World Radio Paris. You can download it here or listen on the link below.
France’s national health agency has warned that nearly half the population exceeds the recommended exposure to the heavy metal cadmium, with breakfast cereals and baguettes contaminated.
We look at where it comes from and what measures the government plans to take to regulate certain fertilisers.
Next, we look at why hundreds of Britons have been denied entry into France in recent months, and how the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) is tightening border controls for visitors.
Buying and renovating property in France is a dream for many, but renovations do not always go to plan. Joining us from Brittany, our guest Rosie Ellis – from the podcast French Reno Diaries Uncensored – shares her advice on how to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Finally, we wrap up this week’s episode with certain French words that are simply untranslatable in English. We discuss different feelings and the origins of certain expressions.
Talking France is a free podcast made possible by the support of paying members of The Local France – you can find out more about becoming a subscriber here, or you can help by recommending Talking France to a friend.
