There is always a lot to talk about in France and this week’s episode is brimming with important issues and changes that listeners will be keen to know about.

As rubbish piles up on the streets of Paris the controversial pension reform bill reaches a crucial moment in the French parliament. Will Macon get enough votes to get it through?

The French tax man is famously demanding but perhaps not as mean spirited as people might think. We look at how taxes are rising for those owning property in the country and how you can get help with understanding your bills.

We also hear why one famous French town is handing out live chickens to residents, whether people in Paris really will be able to take a swim in the Seine River in the coming years and clear up confusion many have over France’s laws around the hijab headscarf. 

How many people in the world speak French, where are they all, and what on earth is this backwards French lingo known as "verlan"? We explain all as we mark International Day of the Francophone world.

Host Ben McPartland is joined by The Local France’s editor Emma Pearson, journalist Gen Mansfield and politics expert John Lichfield.

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