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 many others.

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 has been on a mission to reduce hunting accidents. But is it working? We take a closer look in this edition of...

Buckle up! In this week's show, FRANCE 24's Florence Villeminot takes you on a spin to discover driving culture in Paris. The French capital is famous around the world for its beautiful sights and towering monuments, but it also has the reputation of being one of the worst places to drive. Parisian drivers are the first to admit it can be quite a harrowing experience. Over the years, the Paris authorities have taken steps to limit traffic in the capital and on its ring road known as "le...

The hill of Montmartre is the highest point in Paris. The former suburb of the French capital benefited from the freedom of being outside the city limits, making it a playground for artists, libertines and bons vivants. In this edition of French Connections Plus, Genie Godula and Florence Villeminot uncover the dark history behind the wedding cake basilica of the Sacré-Cœur, visit the oldest vineyard in Paris and learn how to cancan backstage at the Moulin Rouge.

In this week's show, we focus on a stereotype about the French, backed up by statistics: that they are the world champions of pessimism. That cliché seems to have been turned on its head by the 2024 Olympics, when the notoriously cynical French seemed to turn into a celebratory, fun-loving people. It begs the question: are the French suddenly happy? And if not, what are they so glum about and why?

In the wake of snap parliamentary elections called in June, President Emmanuel Macron took his time naming a prime minister. In this week's show, we take a closer look at how France's political institutions work: what are the respective roles of the president and the prime minister? How is power shared at the top? And does the French President have too much power?

France is famous for many things, but one of the first that comes to mind is food. The country boasts hundreds of cheeses, sophisticated dishes and incredible wines, but the cherry on top of French gastronomy is all its delicious desserts. France is a sweet-lover's paradise, with shops full of fabulous pastries at nearly every street corner. Where does this savoir-faire come from? Genie Godula and Florence Villeminot find out more in this episode of French Connections Plus, where they get a...

Pull out your sunscreen, sunglasses and bathing suits, in this week’s show Florence Villeminot and Genie Godula take you to the beach! With its 5,500 kilometers of coastline, France is a beach goers paradise. There is something for everyone, as the mainland is blessed with four distinct coastlines – the North Sea, the English Channel, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. How do French people behave at the beach? What do they eat? And what do they wear (or not wear)?

In this week’s episode, climb aboard an institution in France: the TGV. The high-speed bullet train is an important part of the French landscape that’s been connecting the far flung parts of the country for over 40 years. The first journey of a TGV was inaugurated by President Francois Mitterrand in September 1981. Not only was it an industrial feat, it revolutionised modern train travel and decentralised the country. So what does the TGV of the future look like and can it keep France's...

This week we take a deep dive into the national institution that is France's postal service. The French are very attached to "La Poste", though they love to complain about it too, and its evolution mirrors changes in society. Come rain or shine, postal workers in their trademark daffodil-yellow vehicles have delivered mail 24/7, making them some of France’s favourite people, just after their bakers. But like in other countries, with the development of other forms of communication such as...

When you think of Paris, you probably think of the Eiffel Tower, the Seine or the Mona Lisa. But there's so much more to the capital than its greatest hits. In this edition of French Connections Plus, Genie Godula and Florence Villeminot take you to some of Paris's lesser-known tourist attractions that are definitely worth a visit and fill you in on some fun facts and figures about the French capital. They take you on a trip along the Canal Saint-Martin with boat captain Hilbren Buys and also...

There is currently a debate in France about reforming the country's public TV and radio stations. We wanted to take this occasion to remind you about who we are and where we come from. Created in 2006, FRANCE 24 is part of a bigger entity called France Medias Monde, along with its international sister radio station RFI and the Arabic-language radio station MCD. Why was the channel launched in the first place? What is our budget? And who watches us? Florence Villeminot and Genie Godula take a...

In this week’s show, we focus on working life in France, or rather the time that French people take off work. The French have the reputation of being on vacation a lot. Compared to other countries, France is very generous when it comes to annual leave. So what's behind this phenomenon? On top of paid holidays, there are extra days off as well. All this begs the question: how does anybody get any work done?

Freshly back from maternity leave, FRANCE 24’s Florence Villeminot shares her insights about having a baby in France. While the number of births in the country is dropping, France remains one of the better performers within the European Union. One of the reasons is its healthcare system, "la Sécurité sociale", which covers the bulk of the cost of having a baby. A key player in the whole process is someone called a "sage-femme" – a little-known profession outside of France. We also look at...

While "au revoir" is the most common way to say goodbye in French, we take a look at some of the other ways to bid farewell. From the regional "boujou", to "salut", to "à toute", we look at the spoken – and written – ways of saying goodbye in France. We also dive into some French traditions, from retirement parties to final farewells.

Have you heard of "La France moche", or ugly France? In this episode, we discuss how the expression is often used to describe shopping centres on the outskirts of French towns and cities. We also find out how the government wants to beautify these areas, which are particularly popular with French shoppers.

With more than 3 million private swimming pools, France has more "piscines" than any other nation in Europe. We find out why the sector has been booming for years and how the government is using AI to crack down on illegal pools. We also look into the challenges, benefits and heritage of France's public swimming pools.  

With "les Jeux", or the Olympic Games, just around the corner, we discuss France's love of all sorts of other games, from board games, to video games, to betting... to marbles! We also dive into how the quintessentially French game of pétanque came to be.

Whether they're called a "chocolatine" or a "pain au chocolat", a "pain au raisin" or an "escargot", French pastries are meant to taste good! In this edition we explore some of the often confusing – and even potentially embarrassing – terms for French baked goods. We also discover how madeleines were not Marcel Proust's initial choice for his famed novel's voyage back in time.

From crime to legal right to a “liberté”, or freedom, in the French Constitution, we take a look at the evolution of abortion rights in France. We dive into the major events that led to this historic shift. We discuss the Manifesto of the 343, a turning point legal trial, a 1920s contraception law, and how abortion providers once risked the guillotine.  

As Paris's Louvre raises its prices, and as prior reservations become increasingly common, we take a look at how to make the most of French museums. We also discuss whether they should be free or not, and we discover some quirky spots to visit too. 

In this edition we discuss the many reasons why, according to a recent poll, the French are having less sex. We also discuss the roles that abstinence, pornography, mobile phone use, the #MeToo movement, sex education and an increased openness about sex may have on French people's choices in the bedroom.

In this edition we take a look inside "le portefeuille", or wallet, of French people. From the national healthcare card, "la carte vitale", to ID cards, to France's coins and bank notes, we trace the history of these typically French possessions. We also find out about France's oldest institution: la Monnaie de Paris, where coins are still made.

In 2023, only 678,000 babies were born in France. In this edition of French Connections, we delve into the complex web of reasons for this dip in France's birth rate. We discuss pushback against President Emmanuel Macron's plan to fix a "infertility scourge" and demographically "rearm" the nation with babies. We also find out how France remains a big baby maker compared to other large European countries, and how its bioethic laws could help.