How France can revive village life and the historic menace lurking under French soil
Talking France14 Mar 2025

How France can revive village life and the historic menace lurking under French soil

This week we look at how the international crisis is impacting France.


Is President Emmanuel Macron a war monger and making the most of it all to boost his flagging popularity as his critics say, or is he the right man at the right time to lead France and Europe through increasingly stormy waters. And we look at the battle for French public opinion between Macron and the country’s increasingly influential pro-Russian media baron.


We also find out about a move to allow rural French villages to open up new bars and cafes. Will they restore a vital social life to isolated hamlets or simply encourage alcohol abuse among locals.


We also explore how France helps its youngsters become culture vultures and why it's perhaps no surprise that bombs left over from the World Wars are still causing travel chaos decades on, not to mention injuries and even deaths.


And we find out why many Americans in France are angry right now and the reasons why many more of their compatriots are making the move across the Atlantic.


Host Ben McPartland is joined this week by the team at The Local France Editor Emma Pearson, journalist Gen Mansfield and politics expert John Lichfield.


Extra reading:



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Episoder(156)

Why the French local elections really matter and Macron walks Middle East tightrope

Why the French local elections really matter and Macron walks Middle East tightrope

This week, well the news in France has been dominated by the war in the Middle East. We'll explain the ongoing impact that the conflict is having on daily life here and we'll look at how President Emm...

10 Mar 35min

France fears more political violence and record rainfall leaves the country under water

France fears more political violence and record rainfall leaves the country under water

France right now is pretty much either water or under metres of snow, depending on where you are in the country so we'll start by getting the latest on the extreme weather that continues to lash the c...

18 Feb 36min

Le Pen faces the end and why France wants less meat but more babies

Le Pen faces the end and why France wants less meat but more babies

On the agenda this week, we’ll find out if anyone can beat likely far-right candidate Jordan Bardella to be the next president of France. He’s flying in the polls, he’s flying on tiktok, but will he f...

12 Feb 36min

Why fewer foreigners are becoming French and how to solve France's second home quandary?

Why fewer foreigners are becoming French and how to solve France's second home quandary?

This week we start off with some explosive news from France before we hear why authorities on a picturesque island off France's west coast are offering second home owners thousands of euros for their ...

4 Feb 34min

Is France becoming less child-friendly and what's at stake in spring's local elections?

Is France becoming less child-friendly and what's at stake in spring's local elections?

Up this week we'll look at what's at stake in the upcoming local elections in France and whether French voters really care. And we'll look ahead to the French presidential election to see whether anyo...

29 Jan 38min

Americans in France talk of shame and explaining the strange noises the French make

Americans in France talk of shame and explaining the strange noises the French make

This week we'll look at whether the French government will survive long enough to enjoy the weekend and find out what the French make of all this budget bedlam that's been going on far too long, espec...

21 Jan 32min

Is it time for France to channel De Gaulle and stand up to the US?

Is it time for France to channel De Gaulle and stand up to the US?

This week on Talking France we look at the reasons so many landlords in France get away with renting out hovels - even though there are supposed to be laws against it.We’ll look at just how safe skiin...

14 Jan 35min

France takes fight to social media giants and how Les Clooneys became French

France takes fight to social media giants and how Les Clooneys became French

This week we’ll discuss the big talking point in France at the start of January 2026, which is just how did George Clooney and his wife Amal and their kids become French citizens?George doesn’t seem ...

7 Jan 29min

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