France - related podcasts: my list
#1
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France - related podcasts: my list
A recent thread here inspired me to share my entire list - hoping that some may be useful to you, and that there may be more out there I haven't yet found (but you have).
Travel
Join Us in France: https://joinusinfrance.com/
The Earful Tower: https://theearfultower.com/
Improbable Walks: https://improbablewalks.buzzsprout.com/
History
Revolutions: https://revolutionspodcast.libsyn.com/ [The French Revolution(s) are covered in series 3.xx, 4.xx, 6.xx, and some of 7.xx]
The Siècle: France 1814-1914: http://thesiecle.com/
Open Yale Courses - France since 1871: https://oyc.yale.edu/history/hist-276/lecture-1 (this is the first lecture, linking to the next)
Stuff You Missed in History Class: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Zkj8TTa7XAZYI6aFetlec (occasional episodes on France)
The French History Podcast: https://www.thefrenchhistorypodcast.com/
The Land of Desire: The Land of Desire: A French History Podcast
The Age of Napoleon: https://ageofnapoleon.com/
Paname: https://www.panamepodcast.com/ (sadly inactive, but old episodes still up)
Current Events
The New Paris Podcast: https://www.lostincheeseland.com/podcast/
Spotlight on France: https://www.rfi.fr/en/podcasts/spotlight-france/
The Thing About France: https://www.thethingaboutfrance.com/
FrancoFiles: https://franceintheus.org/FrancoFiles
So French: https://www.sofrench.news/
Travel
Join Us in France: https://joinusinfrance.com/
The Earful Tower: https://theearfultower.com/
Improbable Walks: https://improbablewalks.buzzsprout.com/
History
Revolutions: https://revolutionspodcast.libsyn.com/ [The French Revolution(s) are covered in series 3.xx, 4.xx, 6.xx, and some of 7.xx]
The Siècle: France 1814-1914: http://thesiecle.com/
Open Yale Courses - France since 1871: https://oyc.yale.edu/history/hist-276/lecture-1 (this is the first lecture, linking to the next)
Stuff You Missed in History Class: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Zkj8TTa7XAZYI6aFetlec (occasional episodes on France)
The French History Podcast: https://www.thefrenchhistorypodcast.com/
The Land of Desire: The Land of Desire: A French History Podcast
The Age of Napoleon: https://ageofnapoleon.com/
Paname: https://www.panamepodcast.com/ (sadly inactive, but old episodes still up)
Current Events
The New Paris Podcast: https://www.lostincheeseland.com/podcast/
Spotlight on France: https://www.rfi.fr/en/podcasts/spotlight-france/
The Thing About France: https://www.thethingaboutfrance.com/
FrancoFiles: https://franceintheus.org/FrancoFiles
So French: https://www.sofrench.news/
#5
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Well, there is indeed more in the history section: the latest entry in The Age of Napoleon is a meta discussion by a group of Napoleon-centric podcasters on the nature of their work. So, this has added to my entries, although these are as yet untried:
Napoleon 101: https://napoleonbonapartepodcast.com/
The Napoleonic Quarterly: https://open.spotify.com/show/1LwR0sFBiocLq9ws9Lc7QH
The Napoleonicist: https://open.spotify.com/show/7DtGGrhwOQQH8mJCT2R7fu
A check of Google indicates that more than 300 thousand books have been published on the life and times of Napoleon - one could thus spend an entire life in their reading. Although less voluminous, one could spend a good bit of time listening as well.
Napoleon 101: https://napoleonbonapartepodcast.com/
The Napoleonic Quarterly: https://open.spotify.com/show/1LwR0sFBiocLq9ws9Lc7QH
The Napoleonicist: https://open.spotify.com/show/7DtGGrhwOQQH8mJCT2R7fu
A check of Google indicates that more than 300 thousand books have been published on the life and times of Napoleon - one could thus spend an entire life in their reading. Although less voluminous, one could spend a good bit of time listening as well.
#6
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Well, you never know ... the highly enjoyable Paname podcast (link above) has just returned after an 18 month absence, with a very enjoyable episode on the idiosyncrasies (word play especially) of the signage on Paris' streets.
#7
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And the podcasts continue to grow, as shown by the collection at https://www.parisundergroundradio.com/paris-podcasts. Several do not seem very Paris (or France) specific, but I am especially enjoying Paris Cachee and Navigating the French.
#8
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Thanks, SemiMike. I just listened to the one on la bise. Will it make a comeback? Or will it die out because young children are missing their bise-formative years during covid? Looking forward to tuning in to more of these.
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Thanks for the list! Here's a few other history podcasts I've enjoyed:
Norman Centuries, An entertaining twelve episode series on the Normans. I actually never realized they were Vikings who settled in France. The first half is focused on France.
The Crusade Against the Cathars. (Episodes 109-188 of the History of the Crusades podcast). A very detailed history. Maybe too detailed; I was fascinated at first, but half way through I became lost with all the names and places and didn't finish. Definitely worth it for the beginning, though.
Pour ceux qui comprennent le français: Au coeur de l'histoire is a pleasure, and accessible to those with an intermediate level of French.
Norman Centuries, An entertaining twelve episode series on the Normans. I actually never realized they were Vikings who settled in France. The first half is focused on France.
The Crusade Against the Cathars. (Episodes 109-188 of the History of the Crusades podcast). A very detailed history. Maybe too detailed; I was fascinated at first, but half way through I became lost with all the names and places and didn't finish. Definitely worth it for the beginning, though.
Pour ceux qui comprennent le français: Au coeur de l'histoire is a pleasure, and accessible to those with an intermediate level of French.
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#11
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As a recent addition to current events, The Local now offers the Talking France podcast. Not sure if this is just a short term election-driven thing, but it is available paywall-free on their Web site: https://www.thelocal.fr/
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And on it goes. I am some months late catching up with the Battle Royale podcast, which ranks the 70-odd kings and emperors of France, starting with Clovis I, against a set of 5 criteria. It seems that those highly rated will later face off with each other, as it were, to determine the very top rank. It all starts here: https://battleroyalepodcast.wordpress.com/scores/
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Thanks for this, SemiMike. My favorite Navigating the French episode was on terroir. Emily Monaco collaborates on the Terroir podcast, which I found enjoyable also.
I liked the election-centered ones but that seems to be it from The Local, at least for the moment.
I liked the election-centered ones but that seems to be it from The Local, at least for the moment.
#14
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Well, The Local - as so many others now - sees a podcast as part of their core offering. It's Talking France, a 30 minute weekly summary of events of the week and to come in the next, and a short special feature or two. I do subscribe, and listen regularly.
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I have been enjoying Little Talk in Slow French. I knew before of the Slow French news podcast. But Little Talk is some topical sessions (like the recent elections and war in Ukraine), some cultural (like French films or music) and some language (like how to pose a question or how to not be rude). All in mostly French but they do stop to explain some words or phrases in English. A good practice for hearing spoken French.
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And on it continues, as I have just found a new one - La Fayette, We Are Here! - described as a "French history podcast for Americans, by a Frenchman." The plan is monthly episodes, and only 3 so far, so no huge backlog: https://www.lafayettepodcast.com/.
#17
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I have listened to most of the Join Us In France episodes. I particularly like the ones where the host interviews travelers about destinations.
I also have listened to most of Revolutions. That host just published a book on Lafayette:
Hero of Two Worlds: The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution https://a.co/d/8FdHqF0
I also have listened to most of Revolutions. That host just published a book on Lafayette:
Hero of Two Worlds: The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution https://a.co/d/8FdHqF0
#18
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Well, the folks at The Good Life France, already established with a newsletter and magazine, have added a podcast. Isn't everyone these days? Only one episode in, but it looks to be a good effort. Find it at https://thegoodlifefrance.com/the-go...rance-podcast/
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And on it goes. I am late to discover Grey History, with its tag line "History was never black and white," since it is not exclusively France centered. However, the initial series is on the French Revolution, and it is already a few dozen episodes in. So, I'll be a while catching up, but it looks promising.