Border queues, immigration row and how French cities are pushing out cars

Can France solve the problem of queues at border control before the summer, what's in the new immigration bill that has caused a new political rumpus and why French cities are pushing out the car but it remains untouchable in rural France.

Hello and thanks for tuning in to a new episode of Talking France. Over the next 30 minutes we will bring you up to date on the most important stories from France this week. We’ll also talk about cows and pheasants.

In this episode we find out more about recent long queues at France's border control and whether this a sign of what's in store for travellers this summer?

And after pensions reform there is a new political crisis brewing for Emmanuel Macron and his government - this time it’s over sensitive immigration reforms, which include imposing French language tests for certain residents permits. We find out more about what's happening.

We bring you new details of the opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics next year which promises to be extravagant, unprecedented, indeed the most audacious in history. Can France pull it off? And can you get tickets without having to spend hundreds if not thousands of euros?

And we hear about the ambitious steps taken by some French cities to cut out cars but also why French governments are keen to avoid annoying motorists in rural France.

Host Ben McPartland is joined by The Local France's editor Emma Pearson and our French politics expert John Lichfield.

Articles we mention in podcast:

Language tests and easier expulsion: The latest on France's new immigration bill

Why does France give a gift of three cows to Spain each year

What we know so far about the audacious Paris Olympics opening ceremony

Shortage of French border agents leads to long queues at Paris CDG airport

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