One Thing In A French Day | Stories from Paris in French

By Learn French with Laetitia PerrautEducation Language Learning

Favorites
425
Followers
Typical duration
4 min
per episode

Based on Podcast App listening data

One Thing In A French Day | Stories from Paris in French episodes

October 08Cher Monsieur Philippe Bordas (When a Book Invades Your Dreams)
Au café, on discute. C'est exactement ce qu'Anne-Laure et moi avons fait. En salle, pas en terrasse, car nous avions un peu froid ce matin-là. Et pour différentes raisons.
A Friday-morning chat in a café turns into an episode about the books that follow us into our dreams. I explain why reading Philippe Bordas, author of Les Parrhésiens, before bed leaves my brain buzzing, and how a friend's joke ("write him a letter!") made me dig out an old list of unforgettable people I have met, from a first job in the oil-transport business to a housing survey in the Paris suburbs.
The everyday frame (a café, a cup of tea, a bad night's sleep) is easy to follow for B2 listeners. As the story unfolds, the French gets richer: the colorful slang of a contemporary novelist who also invents words, and of one very colorful colleague, the kind of language you hear in Paris but rarely meet in a textbook. A good stretch for B2 to C1 listeners who want to hear French with real texture.
This autumn, the podcast letters are all about writing. With every episode, subscribers receive a letter with a writing workshop built on a real passage from the story. This week, two lines turn into a whole scene: text messages, a café conversation and, if you feel like it, a retelling. You will also find cultural markers to go further and a few things worth noticing. A simple, effective way to improve your written French, and by extension your confidence in French.
Philippe Bordas · Les Parrhésiens · argot parisien · Paris populaire · Montparnasse · littérature française · écriture · spoken french · learn french · french stories · authentic french · real french
Who is Philippe Bordas?
What is Les Parrhésiens by Philippe Bordas about?
What is Parisian slang (argot parisien)?
French novels written in Parisian slang
How to read contemporary French literature as a learner
How to understand French slang expressions
How to write a text message in French to arrange a meeting
What is a blocus in a French high school?
How to describe a conversation in a café in French
French podcast for advanced learners
6 min
October 05 Non, la France n’est pas au bord de la faillite ! Anne-Laure Delatte à la Cité de l’Économie (An Economist in a Bank Vault)
Je l’avais entendue à la radio, donc j’étais très contente de pouvoir me faire dédicacer son dernier livre (qui est un succès) : Riches ensemble ! Felicia et moi avons assisté à une rencontre avec l’économiste Anne-Laure Delatte, à Citéco, la cité de l’économie à Paris. Et ça nous a beaucoup plu !

A Saturday afternoon in a former bank vault in Paris, for a book signing and conversation with economist Anne-Laure Delatte, a CNRS researcher whose new book Riches ensemble tackles France's public debt and what to do about it. I tell the story as I told it to my father on the phone: the grand neo-Renaissance mansion turned Banque de France branch turned museum, the heavy vault door, the questions from the audience, and an economist who stays optimistic despite the numbers.
The storytelling is clear and conversational, and the economic vocabulary (debt, public spending, pensions, budget) is explained by context, so it suits B2 listeners who want to follow current French affairs. For C1 listeners, the real reward is hearing how a visit is described and recounted in natural past tenses, with long sentences that stay easy to follow.

This autumn, the podcast letters are all about writing. With every episode, subscribers receive a letter with a short writing workshop built on a real passage from the episode, cultural markers to go further, and a few touches of useful French. A simple, effective way to improve your written French, and by extension your confidence in French.

Anne-Laure Delatte · Riches ensemble · dette publique · Cité de l'économie · Banque de France · économie française · spoken french · learn french· french stories · authentic french · real french · paris culture
Who is Anne-Laure Delatte?
What is the book Riches ensemble about?
What is the Cité de l'économie in Paris?
Where is the Musée de l'économie located?
Why does France have a high public debt?
What does "Starve the beast" mean in economics?
How to describe a place in French
How to write descriptive sentences in French
French podcast about current affairs for learners
Things to do in the 17th arrondissement of Paris
6 min
October 01 Découvrez le thème de la prochaine saison (This autumn, we write!)
Cet automne, l'audio et l'écriture s'enrichissent mutuellement. Après un été consacré à la compréhension, la prochaine étape est l'écriture parce que quand on écrit bien, on parle mieux. One Thing In A French Day devient un atelier d'écriture pour trois mois.
This podcast is made for French learners who want to improve their French through real Parisian life — carefully crafted French, with real grammatical sentences, even when the tone feels natural and spontaneous.
The level of this episode is B1-B2, as it mixes everyday conversational French with more precise vocabulary around language learning itself.
This episode also answers the following questions:
What is the One Thing In A French Day autumn offer for 2026?
Why does writing in French help you speak better?
What is the difference between understanding French and truly mastering it?
What are "les lettres du podcast" and what do subscribers receive?
How do you build good habits in French without grammar exercises?
What did the summer French learners' survey reveal?
Who is Dylan, and what advice did he give about learning French?
What does a French "atelier d'écriture" look like for language learners?
french stories, paris stories, french daily life, authentic french, real french, life in paris, spoken french, learn french, apprendre le français, écriture en français, atelier d'écriture, offre automne, lettres du podcast, One Thing In A French Day
5 min
September 28 Lisa et son nouvel ami Descartes (French Bureaucracy Meets Philosophy)
Alors, la question était : avions-nous fait le recensement de Lisa? (Etions-nous des parents parfaits? ) Ce document est très important pour une raison particulière qui concerne Lisa cette année.
A very real evening of French administrative stress — finding a missing document, navigating a government website, remembering (or not) what was already done last year — followed by an unexpectedly funny philosophical twist courtesy of Descartes. This episode is a real insight into how French teenagers navigate the bureaucracy of turning 16: mandatory registration, national defense day, and university entrance exams.
The vocabulary stays largely accessible, but the episode is a great opportunity to notice rarer verb tenses in action — the imperfect subjunctive, the plus-que-parfait, the present subjunctive — used naturally rather than drilled. For B2–C1 listeners, spotting why a particular tense appears where it does is a genuinely useful step toward using it instinctively later on.
(
recensement · JDC · baccalauréat · Descartes · philosophie · administration française · spoken french · learn french · french stories · authentic french · real french · french teenagers

What is "le recensement" in France at 16?
What is the JDC (Journée défense et citoyenneté)?
Who was René Descartes?
What does "je pense donc je suis" mean?
How does the French baccalauréat exam work?
What accommodations exist for dyslexic students in France?
French podcast about family life and teenagers
When to use the imperfect subjunctive in French
What is "en temps et en heure" in French?
French podcast for natural spoken conversation

5 min
September 24 Passer un cap en français : les conseils de Dylan — How to Go From B2 to C1
Faut-il être "scolaire" pour progresser en français, ou existe-t-il d'autres chemins tout aussi efficaces ?
Deuxième partie de notre entretien avec Dylan, professeur américain à l'université française. Dylan partage ses conseils les plus précieux ( patience, imitation, curiosité) et une belle réflexion sur le langage et notre humanité.
Part two of a real conversation with Dylan, an American professor teaching at a French university, on how to genuinely improve your French. His advice is refreshingly unscholastic: imitate what you hear, repeat it, rewrite it, and above all be patient — real progress takes time, not perfect grammar drills. The conversation also drifts into something deeper: what it means, as humans, to be able to learn another person's language.
This episode offers genuinely useful, actionable advice for B1–C1 learners on how to structure their own practice, alongside more abstract, philosophical reflections (with a nod to philosopher Souleymane Bachir Diagne) that reward close listening at the C1 level. A great episode for anyone who's ever wondered whether they're "doing it right. »
Chapitres :
00:00 Introduction : la suite de l'entretien avec Dylan
01:27 Comment passer de B1/B2 à C1
01:46 S’approprier la langue : imiter, répéter, réécrire
02:53 Faire confiance à son cerveau ("personne n'est nul en langues")
03:02 Le langage, ce qui nous rend humains
04:43 Continuer, ne pas se décourager
05:01 Les différents intérêts à parler français des auditeurs
05:36 Repérer sans avoir besoin d'utiliser : passé simple et subjonctif
07:00 Apprendre dans les domaines qui nous passionnent
08:37 Conclusion et remerciements
Dylan · conseils d'apprentissage · niveau C1 · apprentissage des langues · Souleymane Bachir Diagne · spoken french · learn french · french stories· authentic french · real french · language learning tips
How to go from B2 to C1 in French?
Best tips to improve French fluency
Do you need to be scholastic to learn French well?
How to use imitation to learn a language
What is the passé simple used for in French?
When to use the subjunctive in French
French podcast with language learning advice
How long does it take to reach C1 in French?
Who is Souleymane Bachir Diagne?
Best way to build French vocabulary naturally
10 min
September 21 Dylan, prof américain à la fac française (il parle super bien français et nous allons découvrir pourquoi) — From Boston to Sorbonne
Comment le français peut-il devenir une passion ?
Aujourd'hui, c'est Dylan qui est au micro : il est un professeur américain de Felicia à l’université, et c’est aussi un francophone qui parle très bien français. Quelle est son histoire avec le français? C’est ce que nous allons découvrir dans cette première partie d’interview.
A real conversation with Dylan, an American professor teaching at a French university, about how he fell into — then fell for — the French language almost by accident. This first of two episodes traces his journey from a random high school class choice to his very first hours in Paris, plus a genuinely thoughtful comparison between the American and French university systems, from seminar-style discussions to the physical distances of Parisian student life.
The conversational, reflective register here sits comfortably in B2–C1 territory — Dylan expresses complex, nuanced ideas (multilingualism, cultural identity, the privilege of mobility) with real clarity, making this an excellent model for learners working on expressing abstract thoughts naturally in French. It's also a great listen for anyone curious about studying or teaching in France.
professeur américain · Nanterre · Ménilmontant · système universitaire français · spoken french · learn french · french stories · authentic french · real french · expat in france · bilinguisme
Why do Americans learn French?
What is it like to study at a French university as an American?
Differences between French and American university systems
What is a "seminar" vs "cours magistral" in France?
Best neighborhoods to discover in Paris beyond the center
French podcast interview with a language teacher
What is it like to be a language assistant in France?
French podcast for advanced learners
How to become fluent in French as an adult
What is student life like in Paris?
12 min
September 17 TD, CM, inscription, régime dérogatoire : les aventures de Felicia à la fac (French University Life)
C'est la rentrée de Felicia à la fac ! C'est important d'être avec ses amis en cours, elle s'est donné du mal pour être avec un de ses bons camarades. A-t-elle réussi?

Real French university vocabulary and real French university bureaucracy, told through my daughter Felicia's very relatable ordeal: closed doors, unanswered emails, and a university staff member who changes his mind twice in the same sentence. This episode captures something universally familiar — the anxious back-and-forth of waiting on an administrative decision — while teaching some genuinely useful, specific vocabulary around French higher education.

This episode is especially useful for anyone who might study or work with French institutions — TD, CM, inscription pédagogique, and régime dérogatoire are all real, commonly used terms explained in context. Beyond the vocabulary, B2–C1 listeners will enjoy the natural narrative tension and reported speech throughout, plus a clever, unusually thorough grammar exercise built directly from the episode's own text.
D’autres épisodes à écouter aujourd’hui :
Et Felicia, que fait-elle maintenant ? https://onethinginafrenchday.podbean.com/e/et-felicia-que-fait-elle-maintenant%e2%80%89/
La nouvelle vie de Felicia à la fac https://onethinginafrenchday.podbean.com/e/la-nouvelle-vie-de-felicia-a-la-fac/
2273 — La rentrée des filles : université, lycée et collège https://onethinginafrenchday.podbean.com/e/2273-%e2%80%94-la-rentree-des-filles%c2%a0-universite-lycee-et-college-%e2%80%94-mercredi-13-septembre-2023/
 
université française · TD · CM · régime dérogatoire · inscription pédagogique · vie étudiante · spoken french · learn french · french stories · french daily life · authentic french · real french
1 What are TD and CM in French universities?
2 What is régime dérogatoire in French higher education?
3 What is inscription pédagogique?
4 How does the French university system work?
5 French vocabulary for university and student life
6 Direct object pronouns in French (COD) explained
7 French podcast about student life
8 How to deal with French administrative bureaucracy
9 French podcast for intermediate to advanced learners
10 Common challenges for university students in France
4 min
September 14 2657 — Un peu de vent peut-il faire ça ? (Noticing Urban Nature)
Chaque année, je lis avec le même plaisir le journal de vendanges d'Hervé Bizeul, le vigneron du Clos des fées, dans le Roussillon. Cette année, sa manière de regarder ses vignes m'a rendue plus attentive à ce qui m’entoure : quelques surprises m’attendaient.
This episode is entirely in French because it's designed for learners who want real spoken French, not textbook dialogues.
Level: B1–B2. The everyday narration stays accessible at B1, while specific vocabulary tied to the harvest and botany pushes toward B2 : useful if you want vocabulary beyond the strictly conversational.
D'autres épisodes à écouter aujourd'hui :
Un mystère sur la coulée verte : https://onethinginafrenchday.podbean.com/e/1951-%e2%80%94-lundi-8-fevrier-2021-%e2%80%94-mystere-sur-la-coulee-verte/
Une balade philosophique sur la coulée verte : https://onethinginafrenchday.podbean.com/e/1966-%e2%80%94-la-coulee-verte-se-prolonge-avec-philosophie/
Le blog d'Hervé Bizeul, déjà en 2019 : https://onethinginafrenchday.podbean.com/e/1709-%e2%80%94-mardi-1er-octobre-2019-%e2%80%94-les-vendanges-d-herve-bizeul/
spoken french, learn french, french stories, paris stories, french daily life, authentic french, real french, life in paris, vendanges, Hervé Bizeul, Clos des fées, Roussillon wine harvest, urban nature, coulée verte, noisettes, hydrangea
Who is Hervé Bizeul?
What is Clos des fées winery?
Where is the Roussillon wine region in France?
What happens during "les vendanges" in France?
What is "la coulée verte" in Paris?
Why do hydrangeas turn brown in a heatwave?
When is hazelnut season in France?
What does "involucre" mean in French botany?
How to notice nature in an urban environment?
What is a French grape harvest journal?
5 min
September 10 En forêt avec le groupe de marche nordique (An Antidote to City Life?)
Dimanche matin, 8h30, je suis au stade de Courbevoie, puis direction la forêt de Meudon avec mon groupe de marche nordique et notre coach Philippe. Neuf voix différentes : un vrai défi d'écoute, en immersion totale.
Step into a real Sunday morning in the Meudon forest with my nordic walking group — nine different voices, real outdoor background noise, and one recurring question put to each walker: why do you come back here every week? This episode is unscripted, on-location French exactly as it happens — genuinely challenging to follow, and genuinely rewarding once you do.
This is one of the more demanding episodes on the podcast: multiple speakers, natural interruptions, wind and forest sounds in the background, and the fast, casual rhythm of real outdoor conversation. It's a great stretch exercise for advanced listeners (B2–C1) who want to train their ear on the kind of French you'd actually encounter doing an activity with a group of French speakers.
marche nordique · forêt de Meudon · Courbevoie · sport en plein air · reportage · spoken french · learn french · french stories · authentic french · real french · outdoor france · listening challenge
What is nordic walking (marche nordique)?
Best forests near Paris for hiking
Where is the Forêt de Meudon?
Benefits of nordic walking poles
French podcast with multiple speakers
How to improve French listening comprehension with real conversations
French sports vocabulary podcast
What muscles does nordic walking work?
French podcast challenge for advanced learners
Best outdoor activities near Paris
13 min
September 07 Un concert, un corail géant et de l’eau : faire durer l’été (A Concert, a Coral, and a Pool)
Comment prolonge-t-on une saison qu'on sent déjà partir ?
La rentrée est là, mais l'esprit résiste encore un peu. Voici trois souvenirs d’été (deux à Paris et un en Italie), pour le faire durer un peu plus longtemps.
Three very different memories from this summer, woven together by one simple desire: to make the season last a little longer before autumn takes over. An open-air concert by a Venezuelan singer with a spellbinding voice, a monumental contemporary art piece suspended inside a 16th-century Paris church steeped in royal and literary history, and the quiet, unexpected joy of a morning swim in the Italian hills. This episode is real, reflective, end-of-summer French.
The vocabulary ranges comfortably across B1–B2 (describing a concert, a swim, a simple pleasure) while venturing into richer B2–C1 territory with historical and artistic vocabulary — centuries of French history condensed into a single church, and the vivid, poetic description of a giant red coral sculpture. A great episode for learners who enjoy reflective, essayistic French.
D’autres épisodes à écouter aujourd’hui autour du quartier des Halles, à Paris.
2317 — Balade à Paris, le tour préféré https://onethinginafrenchday.podbean.com/e/2317-%e2%80%94-balade-a-paris-le-tour-prefere-%e2%80%94-lundi%c2%a015%c2%a0janvier-2024/
2005 — Un magasin où l'on se ressource, chez Dehillerin à Paris https://onethinginafrenchday.podbean.com/e/2005-%e2%80%94-mercredi-23-juin-2021-%e2%80%94-un-magasin-ou-l-on-se-ressource-chez-dehillerin-a-paris/
2263 — Son frère était le premier Français, réponse à la première devinette https://onethinginafrenchday.podbean.com/e/2263-%e2%80%94-son-frere-etait-le-premier-francais-reponse-a-la-premiere-devinette-%e2%80%94-lundi-17-juillet-2023/
arènes de Montmartre · église Saint-Eustache · Lydie Arickx · art contemporain · Rebecca Roger Cruz · spoken french · learn french · french stories· french daily life · authentic french · real french · paris culture
What is the Église Saint-Eustache in Paris known for?
Who is buried or was baptized at Saint-Eustache?
What is the Bourse de Commerce Pinault Collection?
Best free concerts in Paris in summer
What is contemporary art installed in French churches?
Where are the arènes de Montmartre?
French podcast about art and culture
How to talk about summer memories in French
French podcast for reflective, literary French
Best historical churches to visit in Paris
5 min

About One Thing In A French Day | Stories from Paris in French

From the publisher's feed

Learn French with authentic stories from Paris. The perfect bridge between textbooks and real-life conversation for intermediate and advanced learners (B1–C1). Experience the French worth…