Welcome to a new episode of Talking France. It’s our penultimate episode before we take a summer break and it’s a jam-packed one full of the latest news, talking points and flare ups from France.

We’ll start with the fall out from the unprecedented and deadly heatwave that hit France in the second half of June.

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Thankfully the weather is slightly cooler as we record this episode, but politicians in the country are still overheating when it comes to what to do - and the focus of everyone’s attention and ire has fallen on… air conditioning.

We’ll explain the row and who is on which side.

We’ll also look at why France is the best place in Europe, perhaps even the world to be a naturist after one member of the Talking France team spent time on a naturist beach in the south of France.

We’ll also get the answers to some key questions about drinking French wine in summer and learn the lingo you need if you are in France in July and August.

Host Ben McPartland is joined by the team at The Local France, Emma Pearson, Emma Albright and our politics expert John Lichfield, plus our wine specialist Caroline Fazeli will be joining us fr

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On this week's show we discuss the heat, yes France and the rest of Europe is in the grip of another brutal heatwave - and it's still only June.

We'll look at the huge impact it's having on daily life in France and why the country isn't better prepared to deal with spells of extreme heat - given we know they are only going to become frequent and even hotter. And we’ll explain some important rules about getting naked when it’s hot in France.

Away from the weather we'll look at why France has 99 players at the World Cup including 54 from the Paris region alone.  Yes it's all about dual nationals - but do some people in France still not accept them playing for the national team?

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And we'll hear from readers about their biggest worries about moving to France from concerns about language and taxes to outright panic over where to find a decent bag of crisps.

And we'll enable you to have a conversation in French about heatwaves and the climate crisis. The words and expressions will, I can assure you, come in handy.

Host Ben McPartland is joined by the team from The Local France Emma Pearson, Emma Albright and politics expert John Lichfield.

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This week we’ll look at whether Emmanuel Macron can land any knock out blows for Europe as he welcomes global leaders including Donald Trump to France for what’s been dubbed as his swansong in the international arena.

And we’ll have answers to two of the big questions visitors to Paris have about the French capital’s transport system, we’ll find out whether it’s true that France has more roundabouts than every other country in the world put together - or something like that. 

And we’ll look at whether Lyon really is the best place in France for a beautiful gastro experience - I’m talking fine dining of course not diarrhoea. 

And we’ll explain how you can get cheap access to hundreds of fantastic cultural sites across France.

Im host Ben McPartland and I’ll be joined by The Local France’s editor Emma Pearson, politics expert John Lichfield and special guest Carolione Fazeli who joins u from Lyon.

The Talking France team would like to offer listeners the chance to join The Local using our half-price introductory offer. Just click on this link to take advantage of it. Members feel free to pass the offer on to friends and family.

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First up this week we'll look at how the killing of a young girl in south west France has sparked nationwide anger and protests and put the French governent under pressure to respond to a growing crisis around sexual violence towards children.

We'll also look ahead to 2070 and find out what the French population will look like then, we'll also examine whether France really is home to half of the world's .....roundabouts and we'll risk reawakening a centuries old bloody rivalry in France by asking where's better to live: Normandy or Brittany.

And we'll bring you some essential vocab if you are going to be in France during the football World Cup which kicks off this week. 

Host Ben McPartland is joined as ever by the Team at The Local France - Emma Pearson, Emma Albright, French politics expert John Lichfield who joins from Normandy and special guest Katy Wright who will join us from Brittany.

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On this week's episode we will discuss the trouble you can get into in France for being sexist after one man was fined 55,000 euros for an ungentlemanly outburst.

We'll also find out why dramatic football victories in France end in scenes of violence, how the country is coming to terms with its involvement in the slave trade, but why it's unlikely the French government will be paying any reparations and how France is harnessing the power of the sun to boost its electricity supplies.

And we'll bring you some important French vocab and expressions that will be invaluable if you are travelling around France this summer.

Im Ben McPartland and this week I'll be harnessing the power of Emma Pearson, Emma Albright and our politics expert John Lichfield - who make up the team at The Local France.

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A reminder to listeners that on this podcast we only cover a few of the big talking points each week from France. If you want to stay informed of all the changes in France that affect residents and visitors as well as get some valuable advice and insights from fellow readers then visit thelocal.fr 

Members get unlimited access to all our stories, which this week include articles on everything Americans need to know about driving in France, all the info you need on where and how you can watch the World Cup in France plus an explainer on the best Paris Metro passes to buy if you are visiting the French capital. It’s got a little more complicated since those cute little paper tickets were abolished.

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As we recorded this episode, France is baking under a record-breaking May heatwave that has sadly proved deadly - at least seven people having died in incidents linked to the hot weather.  We’ll get the latest on the weather and find out if it’s a sign that summer will be insufferable in France this year. 

In this week’s show we’ll also hear about how France’s most iconic car is making a comeback and find out why owning a car perhaps isn’t really a necessity anymore if you live in France.

And we’ll get the lowdown on what’s been a mixed week for some of France’s presidential hopefuls.

And we’ll help you express yourself in French when you want to complain about the heat.

Host Ben McPartland is joined by the team at The Local France Emma Pearson, Emma Albright and our politics expert John Lichfield, plus special guest Katy Wright who chimes in from Brittany.

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This week we'll find out why it's all kicked off at the famous Cannes film festival. In one corner of the ring we have hundreds of French film stars, directors and industry staff and in the other corner we have the country's most controversial media tycoon - who we'll explain has his fingers on pretty much everything in France it seems.

We'll also hear what property owners in France need to avoid to prevent the renovation dreams turning into a nightmare, why hundreds of Brits have been refused entry into France in recent months, and why French baguettes, cereals and many other everyday food items are at the centre of a public health crisis.

We'll also bring you some brilliant French words you just can't quite translate, but are really useful for everyday life in France.

Host Ben McPartland will be joined by The Local France's Emma Pearson, Emma Albright and politics expert John Lichfield. And we'll also have a special guest this week Rosie Ellis, who joins us from Brittany.

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This week we’ll find out why France might be about to ditch rent controls in cities including the capital Paris, how foreigners in France have been hit by outages to key French admin websites, the latest on the marathon race to become the next French president and what Emmanuel Macron has been doing with all his spare time these days.

Plus we’ll bring you the story of a 16 million euro French chateau scam involving two British suspects and whilst we are there we’ll explain why France has so many chateaux in the first place.

And saying sorry is something we all must do in life at times whether it’s after going through a red light on a bike, dropping a tray of drinks on a colleague or perhaps reversing into an elderly couple’s car. Well we’ll explain how to apologise in French - because let’s face it, you will need to at some point.

Host Ben McPartland is joined by The Local France’s Emma Pearson and Emma Albright, plus our politics expert John Lichfield and special guest - journalist Katy Wright.

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This week we’ll hear about how France is under siege from mosquitoes and the new and old ways being used to fight back - including what you can do to keep them out of your garden.

We’ll also find out about the parts in France where drivers caught using the mobile phones at the wheel will face stiff new punishments and hear about the parts of the country the French head to if they want good food.

We’ll also get the latest on the 2027 French presidential race and get some French language tips for how to respond when someone thanks you.

I’m Ben McPartland and I’ll be joined by The Local France’s Emma Pearson, Emma Albright and politics expert John Lichfield.

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On this week’s show we’ll find out why a story involving French prosecutors, a rabbit and the US tech billionaire and far right crusader Elon Musk made headlines in France.

We’ll also find out why the rules for driving cars in cities and towns across France look set for a dramatic change and whether the country’s most notorious ring road could be transformed from one of the most polluted spots in France into an urban green paradise.

And as the Middle East crisis continues and fears grow in Europe about jet fuel supplies we’ll look at the chances of flights to France being scrapped this summer. And what about if you want to take the train instead? Will you be able to book the trip?

And stay to the end to find out how the French talk about their hangovers. You’ll certainly learn a handy phrase or two.

Host Ben McPartland is joined by our two brainiacs Emma Pearson and Emma Albright plus our French politics wizard John Lichfield.

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