Is life in rural France really that difficult? There are definite challenges and the French government has announced a new plan to rejuvenate countryside villages.

Also this week we explain why France is the number one country for getting naked, French département numbers and look at why the government is concerned about having too many tourists.

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Welcome back to all our regular listeners. Thanks to those of you who have sent us tweets or emails with feedback, comments and ideas. It’s great to hear from you. And thanks also to those who have taken the time to leave a rating for the podcast. It really does help to spread the word about Talking France.

And to our new listeners, well we hope you find the episode informative and perhaps even entertaining. 

This week we look at rural France. Is it neglected by Paris? Is life there really that tough? The French government has a new plan to rejuvenate la France profonde and we find out all about it.

Are there too many tourists in France? The government appears to be a little concerned about certain sites and has a new plan to encourage visitors to go off the beaten track. We explain all and give you a few ideas for alternatives to the hot spots such as the Eiffel Tower or Versailles.

And on the subject of famous sites we’ll find out about the latest person to be inducted into the Pantheon in Paris. And what exactly is the Pantheon anyway? We explain all.

And we also try to understand why people in France, including foreigners, use numbers to talk about the departement they live in.

We also reveal all about France’s thriving nudist community and get to the bottom of when and where you can get naked in France.

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

Further reading:

The biggest challenges of living in rural France

OPINION: Does rural France really need 'saving'?

Bare necessities: The rules for getting naked in France

Beat the crowds: 19 alternative places to visit in France

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